I know that they do this to raise awareness and it isn't a serious suggestion, but man, this is just gonna get people with Downs ridiculed even more.
Isn't this....a tad fucked?
It's kinda like saying that these people aren't on the same level as humans.
Also...wouldn't it be good if Down Syndrome was extinct?
Wouldn't you kinda, not want your kid to suffer from this?
It ain't exactly something I'd wish anyone to experience, and it's the same with other disabilities like Autism, OCDs, Ambylopia, sleeping disorders, physical disorders and so on.
Is this some weird reverse psychology thing? Putting them on the endangered species list would imply people with Downs syndrome are becoming less frequent, which would be a good thing, wouldn't it?
But they aren't a species.
Due to early fetal detection of down syndrome it is decreasing. Some people argue it's not a good thing because it decreases diversity in the world, and I can understand their arguments because it's applied to people with drawfism, blindness, and even autism which is said to have their pros and cons.
However then I think how fucking hard it would be to parent someone with down syndrome and yeah fuck that, early termination is the way to go.
Nah these people actually get mad when people terminate pregnancies due to early signs of dysfunctions like these. They want people to stop trying so damn hard to avoid having unhealthy babies.
so certain humans are now considered as savages?
“In some countries like the U.S., there have been 30% fewer people born
with Down syndrome than projected, and in a few countries, that number
is approaching zero. Because of this, the Down syndrome community has
less of a voice in the world today, resulting in a lack of housing,
education and funding for a community that desperately needs support,”
....
She’s concerned that more people are terminating pregnancies when they find out their child has Down syndrome.
“I don’t think it’s positive at all because if people with Down
syndrome are terminated, what’s next? What other group with disabilities
are going to be then targeted. We are playing God and for me, I don’t
think that’s right.”
I mean obviously there can be some value in different experiences, but it's kind of a slippery slope into arguing that cystic fibrosis is a "different experience" and thus worth preserving. Where's the line between an illness and simply a different experience?
I definitely agree, and with advancements in stem cell research thiis debate is going to be brought up way more frequently.
Working in retail, I can confirm that yes, certain humans are savages. People with down's syndrome however have more humanity than most.
but us gamers didn't make the list? for shame
That's a pretty harsh situation. People with down syndrome shouldn't be left by the wayside just because there's not as many anymore but solving that issue by making more people with down syndrome is fucked up, to say the least.
Lol, this sounds similar to deaf groups who want to ban Cochlear implants because they're promoting the "genocide of deaf culture". Apparently because CIs allow deaf children to hear perfectly normally and lead normal lives, most never learn "deaf culture" i.e. how to sign language and don't go to special deaf schools any more. Therefore genocide.
My aunt died at aged 18 because of down's. The mental aspect isn't the only thing that come from down's, which is why they aren't expected to live past 60 even WITH proper care.
A decreasing rate of people born with disabilities is a good thing and I state this as someone with a partner who has one, albeit one that was caused post-birth. Referring to then as an endangered species and dressing then in animal themed clothing seems pretty dehumanising/infantilising though.
I'm fairly sure this foundation is staffed either by people with down's syndrome, or undercover hardcore eugeneticists having a fucking giggle.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-H1T7ny2Uw
We've come to a poiny where people think we need to have a select few suffering from fucked up shit.
They don't allow perfect hearing, just for the record. From what I've been told it's like if your sense of hearing was replaced (or provided by) a cellphone speaker.
You might also not be aware but "deaf culture" is actually a thing, there are many aspects of how they live their lives and interact socially that are different from mainstream/hearing culture. Not being able to hear has a significant impact on how you live your life but the full ramifications of that aren't always obvious to people who don't have to face it.
I'd hazard a guess and say people who are against terminating those with Down in the womb either
A) don't realize, care or believe that it's generally done in the first trimester where the fetus doesn't have any brain activity (besides extremely rudimentary connections between sparse neurons). At that point the child isn't getting killed, it's just a clump of cells getting ejected.
Or
B)Know someone with Down and are uneasy with the thought of them never exisitng
Still, it gets murky when people look at "potential life" with the same lens as "actual life" and apply the same moral principles. People who work with those with Down syndrome and make connections with those people would probably not like the possibility of them not existing if they were screened and aborted, because they're a part of their life and they care about them. When I think about the people in my life like that, it definitely makes me uneasy.
My cousin has Prader-Willi Syndrome, which is kind of similar to Down Syndrome. There's a bit of a spectrum of different intelligence and behavioral issues, and my cousin is at the very low functioning end. She's currently in an assisted living home because her ailing grandmother can't take care of her anymore. She can't read or write, only really knows a few words, and is basically a toddler even though she's 24 years old. She put a huge strain on her family her entire life, and honestly it's hard for me not to think of what life would be like for them if she was screened and aborted before she became conscious. It's such a morbid, dreary thought, but I wonder if her mother would still be alive if she never had my cousin. The strain and stress of taking care of a adult toddler when they're old enough and strong enough to be violent (or worse, sexual) is enough to drive people to dark places.
I can empathise with the people in this article, but I don't really think this is the way to go about it. I think people need to think about the present; focus on those who exist with Down Syndrome and their families, and not think about future lives of children with Down not existing due to abortion.
People with Down Syndrome have significant health problems. I don't know if i would want a child that will end up with those health problems.
you don't get it, we need MORE children with health problems to ensure the people with health problems lobby stays strong
This thread made me do an actual spit take. What the fuck kind of mental gymnastics am I even looking at?
I find this a tiny bit similar to arguments I've seen regarding autism. I'll see comments online strongly arguing how autism is not bad, should not be cured, how you shouldn't label by high/low functioning, etc. These comments are made by people with autism, and I get it because I'm diagnosed as well. I'm sure many others here are as well. People don't want to feel like unwanted freaks, and for many they feel like this thing is a part of who they are. They're human and it's part of them, and so saying autism should be removed is a very personal attack. A lot of us deal with self-loathing because of these feelings. But the truth is I know severe autism does exist. Those experiences vary of course, but it can be a nightmare.
I guess I feel this topic should be treated with some sensitivity. I can understand a person fearing their child having severe autism and how they have a right to their decision; but I know it's also something that feels personal for many. I'm not sure how to balance that.
If I had a crippling disability preventing me from properly enjoying life and my parents told me they screened me and had the ability to terminate the pregnancy early, but decided against it because that would be less "diversity" in the world, I'd fucking hate them for it.
I'm gonna risk some flak here, but this is why all the propaganda makes me angry
The people with Downs syndrome they show you are really lucky. They are blessed. Some are able to function on their own. Some even graduate college and get their own job!
...and then there's the other end of the spectrum. Higher degree of mental disability, unable to function in society or live on their own
It's really not as pretty as they paint it
There's been people who have gone from a life of being blind, to a life of being able to see, and have absolutely hated it because their perspective of the world is completely off. What I'm trying to say is that in your current state, you think like this (and so do I), but if you were born with a disability you probably wouldn't think like that.
There was a great documentary series I watched on this argument recently but for the life of me can't remember it.
I'm pretty sure there are actually people who do think like that, I think I've read such testimonies myself.
Frankly, I really don't think fostering new perspectives of the world is worth the risk of bringing people to life in states where they can't properly enjoy their existence.
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