Kathryn Jean Lopez responds to Virginia Ironside: repulsing

KJL, a guest on our show this morning, was kind enough to mention our blog this afternoon at The Corner in relation to the Virginia Ironside video. It’s a must read … even if you heard our interview this morning, Part Six of today’s podcast.If you’re not familiar with the story … the video is here. but, I thought repulsive just about summed up Virginia Ironside’s comment that she, like many mothers, would smother their children with a pillow is they deemed them to be suffering. Yeah, repulsive … enough to make my stomoch … well you get the idea. Read it all.

What struck me as the most outrageous aspect of it is that it is not so outrageous. It is, in a sense, what we do. Upwards of 90 percent of those diagnosed in the womb with Down Syndrome are eliminated here, for an example.

Yesterday in Washington, a forum at my alma mater focused on practical solutions andalternatives to this reality. Practical ways to help those who face a diagnosis about their unborn child, practical ways to help families and individuals with disabilities. This is worth reading.

KJL respects life as do I. But if you are on Virginia’s side then I ask you, when, with God’s grace, you get to live to a ripe old age, who would you rather have holding your hand, Virginia Ironside or Kathryn. Bless her.

One more thing before I go. If you are looking for a more uplifting video, one that shows the hope that should be instilled in all hearts, one that makes it clear that one person making the decision to snuff out the life of another simply because they are inconvenient, please take a few minutes to watch the video I made about teenagers with disabilities.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZQq5Dg5Nr0&feature=player_embedded

If you would like to learn more about CTYLP click here.

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Jim Vicevich

Jim is a veteran broadcaster and conservative/libertarian blogger with more than 25 years experience in TV and radio. Jim's was the long-term host of The Jim Vicevich Show on WTIC 1080 in Hartford from 2004 through 2019. Prior to radio, Jim worked as a business and financial reporter for NBC30 - the NBC owned TV station in Hartford - and as business editor at WFSB-TV in Hartford for 14 years while earning six Emmy nominations and three Telly Awards.

2 Comments

  1. PatRiot on October 6, 2010 at 2:34 pm

    Thanks Jim. 

    What a great reminder that we are our brother's keeper, and we are all much better for it.

    Ms Ironside,  we have much to learn from diversity.  Where would we be if Stephen Hawking's and  Temple Grandin's mothers took your advise. 

    Standing on morals, ethics and principle may not be easy, but without those as a foundation, surely humanity will never reach its full potential.



  2. winnie888 on October 6, 2010 at 5:51 pm

    What struck me the most about this entire story?  What we may perceive as suffering is, in fact, simply life.  Even the healthiest of children can cause inconvenience and pain.  Any parent can attest to that.  I have been very blessed with healthy children, and yet I have a dear friend who watched her child nearly die, ignored the doctors who recommended she withhold nutrition and let him starve to death (more humane than a pillow?), and still sees him struggling with his own bereavement over the event that was his car accident and the grieving he is doing to this day with all that he lost.  Is he grateful to be alive?  You betcha.  Will he ever be the same?  No, but he has such a love for life and for his mother and everyone who has been there every step of the way as he continues to recover, he actually has a greater regard for life than a lot of people blessed with good health.

    "Poor quality of life" is only one's perception.  Who is to judge whether the quality of someone's life is "poor" or "excellent"?  Perhaps the problem is that a "couple of cells" cannot communicate a desire to continue living.  This may be a good time to remind people that a living will is a good thing to have to make sure your desires are known…not to mention a medical power of attorney.  I'll be drawing up both this fall.

     



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