This is the world we live in, friends. A world where actual living, breathing people like American Karen Gaffney, who has Down syndrome, have to JUSTIFY THE VALUE OF THEIR LIVES TO US. Gaffney, who is an accomplished athlete who famously swam the English Channel, says in a recent TED Talk:
There was a time when people like me were institutionalized. When I was born, the doctor predicted that I would be lucky to be able to tie my own shoes or write my own name – he forgot to mention the part about me swimming the English Channel.
We have begun to see more and more young people with Down syndrome graduating from high schools, some going on to higher education and learning employable skills. There are accomplished musicians, artists, golfers, models, actors and public speakers, as well as good employees making significant contributions to their companies and communities. These are all role models for what can be done in spite of one extra chromosome.
And it seems the race is on to find newer, faster ways to test for that extra chromosome before birth – the problem is without timely and accurate information, about all our progress, if the test shows an extra chromosome, pregnancies are being terminated. We have those who say we shouldn’t even be born at all.
I believe Down syndrome is a life worth saying yes to. Every life matters regardless of the number of chromosomes we have.
Photo: Facebook, Karen Gaffney Foundation
Gaffney is spot on, and as someone who LIVES with Down syndrome quite happily, her voice should carry so much more weight than those who give expectant parents a gloom-and-doom outlook simply because they wish to profit from having less people with disabilities in our world.
This trend of pre-natally screening for and then eliminating people with disabilities scares me, and it should scare you, too. What if they develop a screening test for autism, and decide giving them the resources they need to flourish costs too much as well? What if a screening for mental health issues is developed? Should a person who might be bi-polar or depressed just be eliminated? The possibilities are REAL and FRIGHTENING.
Christians, we are COMPELLED to speak up about this injustice. People with disabilities are a glorious, gorgeous part of the kingdom of God here on earth. All the people I know with Down syndrome, autism, cerebral palsy, dementia, and ANY disability have greatly enriched my life—as they were created by God to do.
