Rick Santorum's daughter Bella

1/29/12
Life of Pain
I can't stand Rick Santorum's politics, I think he is a hateful bigot.(An Aside: As I am sure will come out on this blog eventually, I'm straight not narrow and believe in human rights for ALL) I am however so, so sad for his little daughter Bella. She has T18 and is 3 years old, currently hospitalized. A "miracle" they say, for living "so long". 3 whole years.

I try and refrain from publicly judging people in a negative way as much as possible. Reading about the struggles of this little child, of her limitations, of her hospitalization, of her terribly poor life expectancy I find myself unable to avoid negative judgement of  the parents who brought her into this world. Even before this happened to my Blue Sunday this was a judgement I couldn't help but pass. Why is it "right" to allow a child to suffer, but it isn't "right" to have an abortion? The end result will be the same- death, intense sadness, a chasm of guilt- but you spare a child pain in the process. How is that not the very meaning of Christian morality? Aren't you supposed to be kind to others, to love your neighbor as you love yourself? If I were born to suffer I would hope to be spared by my parents. That would be kind and right and loving.

http://www.ricksantorum.com/blog/2011/10/meet-our-daughter-bella

The above is a link from Rick's website talking about Bella. Two issues: First off Trisomy 18 is NOT "like Down Syndrome" other than the fact that they are both trisomies and they both cause mental retardation. This is like saying a brain injury is like Down Syndrome because they both cause mental impairment. They are different issues with different outcomes and limitations. Secondly, I REALLY don't understand why it isn't OK to medically intervene to end a pregnancy with a poor fetal diagnosis but it is OK to provide medical intervention to extend that  life. Isn't it the same thing? Aren't you, in both circumstances, altering "God's Plan". Or is it that God created medicine to extend life and the Devil created medicine to end it? Good people chose to extend life with God approved medicine and bad people chose to end it was Devil medicine?

What brought this on? I was on Yahoo News and gleefully reading comments on various stories while on a study break. When I came across the Santorum story I felt pity for that little girl. Her parents knew she was afflicted before birth and yet allowed the pregnancy to continue. I can't find it in my heart to feel real pity for them. I am sorry they had this happen to their child, but their going forward with the pregnancy made me angry. There was a comment that, though harsh and over the top, mentioned some things I believe are really the issues in question. For your reading pleasure, Will D from Houston, Texas

You know, if these g__d__ religious people would not be so dogmatic and just accept that there might actually be a good reason to have an abortion once in awhile, Mr. Santorum would not find himself in deplorable position. He has allowed the birth of a child with unspeakable deformities and who is in constant and unimaginable misery and pain. Yeah, way to go right-to-life people. That really Christian and compassionate of you to bring someone into the world who is assured of a very short and very misery-filled life. That's just super great of you all to put some ridiculous misguided ideology ahead of human misery and suffering. You're all super-great people. Really. The good news is that if there REALLY is a hell, guess where you're going to spend all of eternity? That's right. God doesn't give a crap about your false piety. God cares about your actions. God cares about your compassion. I mean, you might as well have tied this child to a bed and beat it every day with sticks and rocks, burned it with cigarette butts, and bashed its head open. By your selfish, dogmatic actions, this is exactly what you have done. And I pray each and every day that there really is a hell because if there really is, you will receive eternal justice for your despicable, inhuman, psychotic behavior.

Current Playlist:

I understand your problems

I can figure out the reasons why

But I can't help what I feel

I can't accept what I see

Black Flag, Life of Pain