The Value of Human Life Continues To Decline In Our Society
Posted: Wednesday, July 25, 2007
by Stephany Springer
I have become appalled in recent years at the amount of murders, crimes, selfishness and just plain disrespect of human life in our society. The two top stories this week, however, have made my heart hurt. I am not going to begin to try and put myself in these situations, but I would like to think that I would not "play God" so to speak if I was.
Pou (pronounced "Poe") and two nurses were arrested last summer after Attorney General Charles Foti concluded they gave "lethal cocktails" to four patients at the flooded-out, sweltering Memorial Medical Center after the August 2005 storm.
Foti said that the grand jury had erred. He released reports from four medical experts who determined the deaths were homicides. He said that family members of the victims were never called to testify and the press portrayed Pou as a hero and a victim. Three of the families have filed suit against the doctor. The doctor is no longer in practice but is a professor now in Louisiana.
I am not arguing that conditions weren't bad during Katrina. I am not arguing that the doctor is a bad individual. My concern is with her judgment. What gave her the right to play God? Those families deserved the opposite care. Someone who would do whatever it took to preserve their life. That is the oath doctors take-to preserve human life.
I have no doubt that those families would have loved the opportunity to say goodbye. That was stolen from them. I am not saying the storm would have not killed those patients, but leave that to God. Don't take away human life. It is not your place or job.
The second story came out of Florida in which a couple was awarded $21 million in a case referred to as a "wrongful birth" case. Daniel and Amara Estrada claimed that a misdiagnosis of their first child by a doctor allowed them to have a second child with similar severe birth defects.
So the doctor required them to conceive a new baby? Personally, I believe God has a special place for special needs children. I understand it is extremely expensive to care for a special needs kid, not to mention two, but I am sure God has a reason for the two children.
The Estradas claimed in the lawsuit that if their first child's condition - a genetic disorder called Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome - had been correctly diagnosed, a test would have indicated whether their second child would also be afflicted. If they had known, they would have terminated the pregnancy.
I do not want to even get started with this one. Like I said, I have never been in this place, but my faith in God is that every pregnancy and child has a purpose. Are we that selfish as a society that if raising the kid is hard, we should just abort it?
What happens when our child does not have the right genetic makeup for being an athlete or a professional in life? I know it is an extreme example, but the selfishness is continuing to rise to that level.
I pray that our society would realize the effects it is causing by ignoring the vitalness of human life. I would love to hear your thoughts on this!
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Top-level comments on this article: (5 total)Stephany, I think this is just the beginning. Human life is on the back burner when it comes to priorities. Just look at the uproar over Michael Vick. Yes, that is wrong and I'm glad to see he will face consequences. But how much more sacred is human life. We are living life upside down to quote a line from Truth song.I thought the same thing when i saw the Michael Vick story. It seems that we have all these protests for animal rights, but never any for humans. It makes me feel that we are upside down. Thanks so much for the comment!
Stephany, I just finished reading about the wrongful birth lawsuit and award. I couldn't agree with you and LM Davids' comments more. It's sad and emotionally painful to witness. A very good article with acute insight. Thank you for sharing.Thanks so much Avis for the comment!
"The value of human life in our society continues to decline" is not true as long as people with sensitivity and caring, like you, are in it. Just look around you, what do you see? Family, friends, green grass, blue sky? Great! Now stop reading or listening to the media and go out and talk to folks, or take a nature walk, plant a flower, smile. We never know when our own "Katrina" may come.Great point Cari! I will keep that in mind as I run errands today! Thanks for commenting!
You know Stephany Cari makes a great deal of sense. Sometimes when I just go out for a walk or when I go do some groceries I'm confronted with many good people. The media can be a curse it's true we can't escape what is happening out there but like you say were not God either. we can only do what we can. I know God hears your prayers. God bless you, it makes me feel good when I know others do careThanks for the compliment David! I so appreciate it! I realize that the media always reports the bad and therefore makes the problem bigger. Thanks for the support and the comment! Hope you are having a great day!
I'd like to thank you for writing this. I'm in the process of starting a huge research topic for my English Lit class over topics occuring in today's society that relate to the play Julius Caesar. I've chosen to do mine on the decline of the value of human life. So, thanks for the article! It's really helpful and supportive knowing that I'm not a loner thinking about all of this. =]
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