Down syndrome advocates to international court: prenatal screening a crime against humanity

[Pax_et_Bonum]

Down syndrome advocates to international court: prenatal screening a crime against humanity
BY KATHLEEN GILBERT
Tue Jul 05, 2011 16:42 ESTComments (0)Tags: Abortion, Down Syndrome, Eugenics, New Zealand
THE HAGUE, Netherlands, July 5, 2011 (LifeSiteNews.com) - A group of advocates for individuals with Down syndrome has complained to an international human rights court that New Zealand’s prenatal screening program effectively targets disabled children for systematic eradication through abortion.

Right to Life New Zealand (RTLNZ) revealed that they have joined their name to the complaint in a press release Tuesday. The complaint is being lodged at the International Criminal Court in The Hague by a group of thirty-seven parents or siblings who have a family member with Down syndrome.

The complaint names the Minister of Health in the New Zealand government as the person responsible for authorizing the national antenatal screening program in February 2010.

RTLNZ says the complaint has been lodged with the Office of the Prosecutor under the provisions of Article 15.1 of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court. It alleges breaches of Article 6 and 7 of the Statute through the persecution of an identifiable group of the population, namely those with Down syndrome and the deprivation of their right to life, which the group points out is the foundation of their human rights.

“Midwives and Doctors are required to offer the antenatal screening to every woman who is pregnant. The purpose of this programme is to detect babies with Down syndrome and other conditions. Women whose baby tests positive for Down syndrome are to be offered the opportunity to terminate the life of their child,” stated RTLNZ.

“There is disturbing anecdotal evidence that women are being pressured into being socially responsible by having an abortion. This is government funded social engineering and is also eugenics where only the perfect may be born.”

lifesitenews.com/news/down-syndrome-advocates-to-international-court-prenatal-screening-a-crime-a?utm_source=LifeSiteNews.com+Daily+Newsletter&utm_campaign=3e2d86bb68-LifeSiteNews_com_Canada_Full_Text_07_05_2011&utm_medium=email

 

[sojo]

WOW! I’m one of those women – not the ones in the case, but a mother who was both pressured into having amnio and then pressured into an abortion when it turned out my son would have Down syndrome.

This is something I have lived and think about always - I withstood the pressure of the medical profession and my own family, and I had my son who is now the greatest blessing our our lives. With each new “earlier detection” medical test, I have sorrowed over how much easier the system made it for women to eliminate the “problem” of a special needs child. And the “easier” it becomes to terminate such pregnancies, the more the pressure from society to force women to terminate for the “good of society.”

Even on this board, on a thread about poor women who continue to have babies, the eugenics argument was offered openly and without shame. People resent us for using tax dollars to pay for the Medicaid (MediCal in our State) needed to pay for some of his regular, routine health care. No one cares that private insurance won’t even accept him for coverage unless we have a group employee plan. They just resent he gets tax dollar help. The resentment and hatred is very apparent, more so now that the economy is sinking. Even Catholics on this board resent that government help is needed for these kids.

Thank you so much for posting. If I can only send $5 and constant prayers for this team, I will be doing so.

 

[Pax_et_Bonum]

I was at the silent witness for Life that is held all across North America in the Fall(That is NEVER reported in the secular media).I go to the one on Lundy’s Lane in Niagara Falls Canada.We stand as silent witnesses thousands of us on this one street holding up very vanilla signs,“Abortion Kills Children”,“Abortion hurts women”,etc,We are not to engage the Usual Suspects in debate merely respond with prayer.We have been spit on and given the finger,screamed and sworn at,as well as being cheered,thanked,waved and smiled at…

Two years ago while standing with my son and a group from his pro-life club I noticed a man across the street with HIS son-same age about 15 both holding signs.The young man had Down Syndrome and it warmed my heart to see this man and his son together.

Shortly a moronic tough guy pro-deather slammed his brakes on in front of us and got out of his car and started screaming and yelling that there were “too many “feebs” in this world and that they should all be aborted or KILLED”,I broke protocol stepped into the street and pointed to the Father and son and said,“Why don’t you start with him but first tell his Dad what you just told us”,His jaw dropped.got back into the car and quietly left.

I have told others this story and they have not believed me but I assure you it did happen.

God Bless you and your child.The funny thing is-all these Down children and adults are going straight to heaven and will be Saints.

 

[JaMc]

I don’t think pre-natal screening is negative in and of itself - knowing that a child will be disabled provides sufficient opportunity to make provisions for the necessary care, education,etc., in addition to preparing the parents ahead of time for the additional challenges they will have to face and additional care that will need to be provided.

But there should be NO pressure, indeed any mention or offer, of abortion once the diagnosis is made.

 

[MariaTheresa]

Prenatal screening is usually done to coach you on the way to abortion if your “fetus” is “defective” They put you under tremendous pressure for the alpha fetal protein test which has high rates of false positives then an amniocentices which can cause miscarriage in a totally normal pregnancy just to see if something could be wrong even though if something was they admit NOTHING could be done about it prior to birth They just like to “know beforehand”. Then the only treament option is to terminate. Everything else is handled after the baby is born whether you know it or not. I am not talking about ROUTINE untrasound which is not invasive. I’m talking about all these extra tests that the try to and do force on every single normal healthy pregnent woman with a normal uneventful pregnancy.
You have to refuse flat out and it is difficult to do. I refused that **** with all three of my kids and last year my sister in law was pregnant with her first child. I advised her to stay away from the extra tests because they are designed to lead to abortion. Her sister inlaw on the other side of the family who is nurse (unknown to me) told her the exactly the same thing within a few days of our conversation. She too was incredibly pressured even with her husband in the room. Both of us had healthy children. I simply told the docs repetedly that I wasn’t doing any tests that caused a risk to the BABY since the things they were testing for could not be treated if found (down syndrome etc) and that I did not believe in abortion. You have to repeat yourself a few times and then they look at you from then on like your a neandrathal. OH well I was polite. Nothing else you can do.

 

[Pax_et_Bonum]

Prenatal screening is usually done to coach you on the way to abortion if your “fetus” is “defective” They put you under tremendous pressure for the alpha fetal protein test which has high rates of false positives then an amniocentices which can cause miscarriage in a totally normal pregnancy just to see if something could be wrong even though if something was they admit NOTHING could be done about it prior to birth They just like to “know beforehand”. Then the only treament option is to terminate. Everything else is handled after the baby is born whether you know it or not. I am not talking about ROUTINE untrasound which is not invasive. I’m talking about all these extra tests that the try to and do force on every single normal healthy pregnent woman with a normal uneventful pregnancy.
You have to refuse flat out and it is difficult to do. I refused that **** with all three of my kids and last year my sister in law was pregnant with her first child. I advised her to stay away from the extra tests because they are designed to lead to abortion. Her sister inlaw on the other side of the family who is nurse (unknown to me) told her the exactly the same thing within a few days of our conversation. She too was incredibly pressured even with her husband in the room. Both of us had healthy children. I simply told the docs repetedly that I wasn’t doing any tests that caused a risk to the BABY since the things they were testing for could not be treated if found (down syndrome etc) and that I did not believe in abortion. You have to repeat yourself a few times and then they look at you from then on like your a neandrathal. OH well I was polite. Nothing else you can do.

Maybe you just planted a seed.That is all God requires of us.Hopefully it fell on fertile ground.

 

[Winifred8]

I myself wrote to a number of Human Rights organisations in this regard and I think the EU was one of them. I quoted the specific discrimination Acts that were being breeched but I did not get a coherent response from them. I also wrote to various medical professional bodies and they were a bit more responsive. I think that a legal case needs to be taken by Down Syndrome Associations or some other body representing these people before it is taken seriously.