Netherlands Hospital Euthanizes Babies

[kimiko]

Dutch Parent: Doctor, I'm getting really tired of this taking care of a sick child bit. Isn't there anything you can do under the rules ... (wink wink)?

Dutch Doctor: Well, the baby might not live more than a few years ...

Dutch Parent: Close enough. We've got places to go and people to see. In fact, we're planning a trip to the holocaust museum shortly. And when we're done, we have anti-death penalty rally to attend. We Dutch have to keep up appearances, you know.

I'm taking a break caring for my severely retarded deaf-mute sister to respond to your post. What's with the infernal dutch bashing? And why do so many of you people insist on portraying caregiving family members as cold-hearted would-be murderers?? People who pass judgement on others trying to be humane without lifting a finger themselves to make the lives of the terminal and retarded any better can shove it. Who's the rancid jesus f**king bloody rotten hypocrite? It's not the parents...they don't have the time for anti-death penalty rallies or going to museums. They probably haven't had a vacation or a day off since the child was born. They probably spend a considerable amount of their disposable income on all the things that make life comfortable for the family member they adore. They probably try to stay involved in advocacy of whatever medical problem their child has because they know that only the people touched by it care. They probably get tired of social darwinist conservatives pretending they have the slightest idea what compassion is.

 

[JAR]

You could go the other way and say that since suffering is inevitable, let's torture, insult and degrade every child so that they can get used to it.

And sadly people are already advocating that. These days anything other than hard work is considered unacceptable. In a paradise, people would not have to work hard. The people who are for hard work are anti-paradise.

 

[rightbrain]

That's one side of it. The other side deals with making decisions for those who can't speak for themselves. I don't feel I have that power, and I'm highly suspicious of anyone who thinks they do.

You mean, like all parents? Young children aren't allowed to make decisions, legally speaking. If they were, very few of them would be in school and they'd be driving at age 12.

As a parent, I see nothing at all selfish about providing a quick, painless death to an infant who's in terrible pain and dying anyway. I would consider it far more selfish to consign the child to days or weeks of suffering just because the parent isn't ready to let go.

 

[kimiko]

Wow...I was rather upset when I wrote that last post of mine in this thread a month ago. I'd like to apologize to the forum for the tone.









(I do stand behind what I said, just not how I said it.)