Jusify

I'm going to tell you a story of two babies.  The first baby is born blind.  You know he has inherited the gene for nerve deafness.  You know his employment prospects are dismal.  He may live on his own, but he will always need "help" from the taxpayers.  Perhaps you even know he will acquire additional disabilities after a serious accident. 

The second baby is born disabled, due to poor choices her mother made during the pregnancy.  She faces an 80% chance of addiction, a 10% chance of ever living on her own.  Odds are 35% she will develop bipolar disorder, which she does at a young age.  She will also need "help". 

Now imagine you have met the mothers during the first trimester.  They are seriously considering abortion.  Do you encourage it? 

I imagine most would. 

"It's already here" Ron told me.  "People think a disabled baby is better off dead." 

Yes, I expected that from the unreached.  What's amazed me - the number of Christians who seem to agree.  "A disabled baby is just too much work.  I'll get rid of it and try again for a normal one." 

"We knew going into it" a paratransit driver told me "if there was anything wrong with the baby we'd get rid of it.  It just wouldn't be fair to the baby." 

It's more fair to kill it?  I could have said a lot, but didn't. 

No, you don't want it because you think a disabled child will be more work, more expense, never leave home.  Kind of what my parents were told when I was 17, yet here I am sitting in my own home with my husband, my business, and my 2 cats. 

Just goes to show, you can't always trust the experts. 

I know, intellectually, most Down's Syndrome babies are aborted.   I wasn't surprised to hear the number quoted somewhere around 90%.  I was somewhat surprised, in fact, that 10% keep the baby. 

Ron had a genetic mutation resulting in blindness.  He also has nerve deafness which makes communication difficult. 

My mother made foolish choices during her pregnancy, disabling me before birth. 

Do we have a right to live?  It seems like a lot of people would say no. 

I find that alarming.  How would I, and why should I, justify my right to exist? 

I can tell you how I take care of Ron, practice my faith, share my faith - my greatest accomplishments.  I can tell you how a hundred people or so read my blog every day.  I can tell you how we inspire the people we meet.  I can tell you about my rescue cats.  I've always gotten the tragic cases, poor starved things desperate for a loving home, which I provided.  I can tell you how I help manage a business and support the economy, but at the end of the day if you think I'm better off dead I won't convince you. 

I can tell you Ron and I live important, meaningful, lives, teaching other people about love, faith, accomodation, and forgiveness. 

To some, though, it won't matter.