Executive VP of Ottawa's Society of Obstetricians & Gynecologists: Worried That Palin's Example Will Mean Less Downs Babies Killed
22 comments | PermalinkSarah and Todd Palin's decision to complete her recent pregnancy, despite advance notice that their baby Trig had Down syndrome, is hailed by many in the pro-life movement as walking the walk as well as talking the talk.Read the whole thing.But a senior Canadian doctor is now expressing concerns that such a prominent public role model as the governor of Alaska and potential vice president of the United States completing a D
own syndrome pregnancy may prompt other women to make the same decision against abortion because of that genetic abnormality. And thereby reduce the number of abortions.
Published reports in Canada say about 9 out of 10 women given a diagnosis of Down syndrome choose to terminate the pregnancy through abortion.
Dr. Andre Lalonde, executive vice president of the Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists in Ottawa, worries that Palin's now renowned decision may cause abortions in Canada to decline as other women there and elsewhere opt to follow suit.
He says not every woman is prepared to deal with the consequences of Down babies, who have developmental delays, some physical difficulties and often a shortened lifespan.
Wider use of blood screening and amniocentesis during pregnancies can now accurately predict the presence of Down syndrome.
Lalonde says his primary concern is that women have the....
...choice of abortion and that greater public awareness of women making choices like Palin to complete a pregnancy and give birth to their genetically-abnormal baby could be detrimental and confusing to the women and their families.
posted by JT at Thursday, September 11, 2008
22 Comments:
This is wickedness standing out in the open for everyone to behold. How reprehensible! How ungodly! May God have mercy!
I couldn't "read the whole thing", just what you have there provoked such a visceral reaction.
I feel like I'm watching a detestable Molech sacrifice.
As a Canadian, to have men like that in some kind of authority...I have no words.
God protect us all from that kind of thinking.
*Shudder*
Thank God that Palin's nomination has brought the reality of America's abortion culture to the front.
For those Canadians who frequent this blog, I encourage you to send a letter or e-mail to the Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists to express your outrage.
maddening.
it sounds like this guy is just afraid that he and his colleagues will start losing money as the number of abortions declines.
this is bestial.
His comments illustrate the deception of claiming to be for "choice." Wouldn't Palin's example, for good or for worse, help people to make a more informed decision? He's not pro-choice. He's pro-abortion.
One day just before the meeting of the General Assembly Mrs. Stevenson, the wife of the seminary president, met B. B. Warfield on the street and said,
"Dr. Warfield, I hear there is going to be trouble at the Assembly. Do let us pray for peace."
"I am praying," replied Warfield, "that if they do not do what is right, there may be a mighty battle."
From Calhoun, Princeton Seminary Volume 2, p. 347
(h/t to Martin Downes)
Horrendous, but this guy's rank seems fairly low -- VP of an Ottawa-based society. I wouldn't expect to see this kind of eugenic tactlessness coming from a politically savvy pro-abortionist (Paglia's recent column in Salon isn't going to win any political endorsements either). They choose their words more carefully, though I don't doubt that some/most share the conviction here expressed.
BTW, here's a post from a law prof, who apparently favors a pro-choice stance, on why Roe/Casey aren't going anywhere anytime soon. Abortion restrictions that meet Casey's "undue burden" test will survive, but so will Roe, regardless of who wins this election, he predicts.
In particular, the post suggests that if McCain wins, he likely won't be able to push through someone with known pro-life views (i.e., they'll be Borked), and someone with unknown views won't appeal to pro-lifers after the disaster with Souter et al. (i.e., they'll be Harriet-Miersed). The remaining option is another moderate (e.g., Anthony Kennedy).
If Obama wins, the post suggests, he'll certainly firm up the pro-Roe side of the Court, but Casey, which ardent pro-choicers dislike, won't be overturned, allowing continued, limited state and federal restrictions on abortion.
Being from Ottawa and also being the father of a newly adopted baby with Down syndrome this is by far the most disturbing thing I have ever read on your blog. Thank you for bringing it to our attention. My wife and I have started a website to create awareness here in Canada for Down syndrome adoption. I hope and pray that God will continue to use Gov. Palin's family to shed light on such an important issue.
I am disgusted with the filth that was just spewed from my city. Daryl, I will definitely have to take up your advice. The fact that this doctor is afraid that there will be more babies born with Down syndrome instead of being killed shows that this is not about choice, which would be bad enough. It's about something so much more repulsive.
Embarrassed to be Canadian and share citizenship with the likes of Dr. Lalonde. Proud to be Canadian and share citizenship with the likes of Lee Dyck (above).
Lee Dyck -
I commented yesterday on an ealier post here that perhaps one of the greatest legacies Trig Palin and his family will leave, regardless of who wins in Nov., is the awakening of the Church to love "the 90%" who will, by God's grace, by unavoidably confronted by what they did, and then come to repentance and faith in Christ.
But the other side is the one that you've raised. We also as the Church need to put our faith, our lives and our money where our mouth is and say as loudly and as often as we can that we will love these children and make them part of our own families. We need a website like yours for every country on this planet. Where's the URL?
Can't type anymore. I'm crying too much.
Everyday Mommy,
I found Lee Dyck's website here:
Canadian Adoption Down Syndrome Awareness
Sorry for the delayed response ReformedMommy but I've been busy updating our blog and writing people about this. I see that Dan has already pointed you to the site... thanks Dan and thanks for the kind words of encouragement.
I should add as an appendix to my previous comment that a number of others find that blog post I cited unconvincing. See, e.g., the comments here.
Matthaeus -
I'm pretty sure Dr. Lalonde is actually VP of the Canadian Obstetricians & Gynecologists, not just Ottawa based. Unfortunately and sadly pretty high up there.
I had a question for you all. But before I begin let me say, I DO NOT believe this. But what would your response to the following: If an ungodly woman aborts their child. Wouldn't that child go to heaven. If the child was born there is a chance that that child would not grow up and believe in Christ and therefor go to hell for eternity. Then wouldn't a 100% chance of going to heaven for eternity be better than a chance (even if it is slight) of going to hell for eternity. Again I don't hold to this, so don't send me angry responses. I just wanted to hear how you all would respond. Thanks for your time.
Mark Lefers,
If an ungodly woman aborts their child. Wouldn't that child go to heaven.
I would consider that to be presumptuous or maybe wishful thinking.
Mark Lefers,
The answer to your question depends very much on how you understand God's election, omniscience, and sovereignty. There is a lack of agreement on the fate of those who die before an "age of accountability."
I'd caution that thinking in terms of 'odds' or 'chances' in regards to election is faulty. God's omniscience and his sovereign election prevent us from thinking that a certain sort of death or lifespan would increase or decrease our odds: God elected in advance of our lives with complete knowledge. Not only that, but our election is unconditional and therefore not dependent on when we die.
If all who die in the womb or at a very young age were elect, they would not be elect because they died at that age. It's not a causal relationship, if it exists.
I agree with Dylan. Either that child is elect, or not. Age is irrelevant.
Either way, no one can use the "well they're goiong to heaven so it OK to kill them" line of reasoning.
Murder is wrong. Period. We all know that. We wouldn't say "well the gunman did kill them all, but they were all Christians who might have eventually fallen away and been damned, so maybe it's for the best."
And that's exactly the same argument Mark has asked about. (I know you don't believe it Mark, but some do, sadly.)
I was saddened by this entry, and decided to address this man. Here is what I sent him...
To those who work the help desk, please forward this email to Dr. Andre Lalonde.
Dear Dr. Lalonde, I was heartbroken by your concern as recorded in this article in the LA Times….
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2008/09/sarah-palin-dow.html
In my 45 years as a human and 23 years as a Christian and 16 years as a minister of the gospel of Jesus Christ, I have rarely seen love lived out as vibrantly and as audaciously as I have through people with Down syndrome. And you want to end those lives before they begin.
Perhaps you would like to call and ask Gene Stallings, former coach of the Alabama football team, why he didn’t abort John Mark, his 45 year old DS son who recently died? Maybe you’d ask him why so many officials, secretaries, and staff from the UA campus drove or flew to Paris, TX for John’s funeral. You would learn that John Mark was easily the most loved person to grace that university campus in the past few decades. People can’t even begin to imagine how much he brightened their lives – and you would have had his life snuffed out because ‘it’s hard to raise those babies.’ If you have a minute or two, perhaps you would like to read about his life, influence, and death here… http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2008/08/remembering_john_mark_stalling.html
People in families, churches, and neighborhoods around the world are listening to such callous nonsense from doctors today and you are using your influence to amplify this humanistic (yet inhumane) death-talk. I’m sure that the well-funded and poorly regulated abortion industry appreciates your support, but those helpless children in the womb do not. Neither do I, nor do the families who, like the suddenly visible Palins, decide to ignore the ‘dire warnings’ of the medical profession to have and love these children.
I pray today that God would have mercy on your much-hardened, logical soul. After all, He loves you with your murderous convictions as much as He loved the apostle Paul with his (2 Tim 1), and His son Jesus died on the cross so that yours, mine, and all who would receive Him might be forgiven.
Very sincerely, Jeff Nettles
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