Natural Selection?
February 18th, 2009.Brother: V, would you ever willingly give birth to a downs baby?
V: No way in Hell.
Brother: [to husband] What about you? Would you want her to have a downs baby?
Husband: Not a chance. No way, I couldn’t deal with that shit.
V: [to brother] Would YOU want your girlfriend to have a downs baby?
Brother: Fuck no!!!
V: What if your girlfriend was pregnant and when she found out, she really, really wanted to keep it? How could you even talk her out of it?
Brother: I’d push her down the stairs and kick her in the belly 10 times. Then, I would stand over her in the dark as she cried and whisper, “God would have wanted it this way….”
February 18th, 2009 at 5:13 pm
win!
February 18th, 2009 at 5:14 pm
Hrmm. Ballsy.
There’s a difference between quantity of life and quality of life.
Quantity of Life is the idea behind those that are against abortion and birth control and most religious types that still think that it’s Mankind’s purview to subdue the Earth to his will. “Be fruitful and multiply.” The only thing that this helps us with is pollution and third-world starvation. Noone can deny that overpopulation is an issue - but few say what should be done about it.
Quality of Life is what I think more people should be aiming for. Forget the people that haven’t been born yet, or MIGHT be born, and try making the world a better place for the ones that are already here. Abortions if women aren’t ready in their lives to be mothers, better (and safer!) birth control to prevent that heartache in the first place. It’s only wise to control what we have before we start worrying about what we MIGHT have.
It’d be hypocritical of me to say that anyone with a Downs child should get rid of it, as someone in my family has two children - one with, one without - and loves them both equally. . .still, I wonder about the quality of THAT child’s life, and how it might have been if this world were better off.
February 18th, 2009 at 5:27 pm
I think V is worried about her own quality of life, not the baby’s. A child with downs takes a lot to support, both monetarily and emotionally…even more so than a normal child would.
I’m basing this assumption on the fact that the quality of life for a person with downs syndrome is awesome! They have the extra chromosome; the happy chromosome. Hi-C juiceboxes and a job bagging groceries is all it takes to make a retarded person as happy as you would be if you were the heir of some oil tycoon, impossibly good looking, and an awesome guitar player. Just sayin’…
February 18th, 2009 at 5:45 pm
In my High school, we had kids with downs.
I’m sorry, I know it must sound offensive to people who have relatives who downs, but I 100% agree with V.
I dislike them so much I feel guilty.
February 18th, 2009 at 6:26 pm
Sometimes I think you say things just for effect. Well, of course you do. It is just that this post is a bit too blatant with it and lacks some of the subtle sophistication of your other posts. It is a bit like slap-stick comedy. I almost heard canned laughter.
February 18th, 2009 at 6:46 pm
I reckon I’m every bit as evil as you because I would terminate a pregnancy if told the Downs marker was there or any other disability. I could not deal with the stress of wondering who would take care of the child after my death and how to make enough money to pay for that support.
I am blessed with 2 healthy daughters. It wouldn’t be fair to them, my husband, or to me to bring a special needs child into the mix. It is hard for a family to adjust to the addition of a healthy baby.
Another example of my evilosity: My 9 year old girl asked what would I name a girl baby if I did have another. I told her, not telling you people because you ain’t stealing my not-gonna-be-born daughter’s name. She then asked what I would name a boy baby. My response: “Nothing, because I would throw him in the river.” My 11 year old girl laughed so hard I was afraid she would throw up. I tried to back-track by saying I would actually put him in a lil basket so a nice family a few miles downriver could adopt him, but I don’t think they bought it.
February 18th, 2009 at 7:18 pm
[...] Original post: Natural Selection? [...]
February 18th, 2009 at 7:40 pm
I agree with you. I am sure I would love my child equally if he or she were to have Downs…but if I had a choice, I would abort the baby if I knew. I am constantly amazed by the patience and love parents have towards their kids, and so I’m sure I wouldn’t be able to “deal with that shit”. Think about the time and money you would have to devote to the child. It’s not just my quality of life, there’s the kid’s too.
February 18th, 2009 at 8:13 pm
i think its just very difficult to not agree with the abortion if the option is given.
personally i think we shouldn’t bring to the world children that we do not want to have at that given moment, and i don’t think lightly about the abortion im all the way on using protection when we don’t want to have family just yet, but if we are getting protection and the thing still happens i think the couple should deliberate and agree or disagree in having the child in first place.
not to mention if it is a product of a rape, sorry i sorta got way away from the main subject.
so its a yes, i think if i can spare the suffering to a still unborn kid i would, even after the psychological hit it would take in the mother mostly and in the father.
and as someone else mentioned around here, if thats evil, then yes i have my evil share inside too.
February 18th, 2009 at 9:02 pm
A real man would use a melon baller.
February 18th, 2009 at 11:40 pm
Downs Syndrome is interesting to talk about like that. On the one hand, it’s one of the few forms of mental retardation detectable en utero. On the other, they’re all sterile, so by aborting them, you’re not effecting the long term gene pool, just saving the overcrowded state’s wards for partially functional adults.
February 18th, 2009 at 11:55 pm
@Erin: Oh, yeah, that’s what I’m saying. We need to be less concerned about the Quantity of Life and start thinking about the Quality of Life of the people already here. Most especially the parents (ideally plural) that would be taking on such a massive responsibility if the child was born with that syndrome.
But . . . there’s a flip side to this. Take it too far, and we’ll be living in Gattaca, if you know what I mean.
February 19th, 2009 at 9:59 am
What was the point of this tripe? I miss your old posts that actually had content and were interesting to read. :/
February 19th, 2009 at 10:16 am
I wouldn’t want to have a downs baby. I don’t think I’d want any baby, but if it wasn’t disabled, I’d probrably have it and give it up for adoption. I’m too selfish to want to be a parent. A normal baby is hard enought to look after and raise. A disabled child - especially a mentally disabled child - must be ten times harder, and you can’t rely on it being able to grow up and leave home and be independent.
One of my neighbours has a downs ‘child’. He has the mental capacity of a six-year-old, but he’s 38. She’s 76. Her health is poor, and she’d like to be living with her husband in his old-age home, (she wasn’t able to care for both husband and son after the husband had his second stroke). She’s looking for an adult residential home for the son with downs - she’s afraid he’ll be unhappy, and worries constantly about what will happen to him when she and her husband die.
Downs children themselves may be happy, but there’s a lot of heartbreak going on around them.
February 19th, 2009 at 11:38 am
I feel really bad for thinking that I sort of agree…
February 20th, 2009 at 1:46 am
Jaysus, people! Emotional burdens? Heartbreak all around them? Too much bullshit to deal with? On this basis the world would be better off without most of the normies as well.
I just don’t see the point of hating on the kids drinking pool water when there’s downright devious mofes walking around.
February 20th, 2009 at 10:52 am
But who would we get to clear tables and empty garbage cans at fast food restaurants?
Teenagers are too dumb and lazy to do it. We need downies!
February 22nd, 2009 at 10:15 am
your lips to palin’s ears.
in my world, knowing and voluntarily birthing a downs baby would be a crime. minimum punishment would be sterilization, of course.
February 23rd, 2009 at 11:10 am
knowing*ly*. what i get for posting (slightly) drunk…
February 23rd, 2009 at 12:09 pm
How delightfully shocking, V. Keep up the contrived work, you have a reputation to uphold, after all.
February 23rd, 2009 at 2:39 pm
Everyone should have a choice. If they don’t want the responsibility of taking care of a down’s child that should be their choice. And I can’t say that I blame them, but I don’t think that it is cruel to knowingly bring a down’s into the world if you are emotionally and financially able to care for it for it’s ENTIRE life. it’s like somebody said earlier a down’s child doesn’t care they are happy just to be.
February 26th, 2009 at 1:26 pm
I love you, V.
March 2nd, 2009 at 1:26 pm
But without downs babies who will clap their oddly large hands together and cheer when Steve finds a a blue paw print on a talking wardrobe? I guess what I’m saying is that if I had a downs baby I would teach it to be my own personal cheering section and to respond to everything with “YAAAAAAAAY” and hand clapping.
March 5th, 2009 at 6:52 pm
The problem with this is that there are lots of false positives with amniocentesis (the genetic test done on the unborn).
I know you’re down with abortion, V. I’m not, but I’m okay with the fact you are. I mean, if G-d doesn’t go out of his way to bitchslap you for your opinion, why should I?
I’m wondering, though, (and I ask this in all seriousness) if you differentiate between abortion and infanticide.
Many babies who are aborted are sometimes born alive. To you, are those babies human? How do you suggest we treat [to avoid offending you and your anti-life followers (haha, do you like my rhetoric?) we'll refer to them as collateral damage of abortion] abortion collateral damage?
Here’s an example of what I mean: http://www.priestsforlife.org/testimony/stanekbakercongress.htm
I’d also like to add that I’ve read most of your early posts and practically all of your posts on your abuse. I want to say that sucks and I believe you. You probably don’t care much, and that’s okay. It just really pissed me off when people were making comments about how you probably didn’t suffer that abuse. Fuck that, and fuck those people who said that. First of all, the abuse you suffered wasn’t even all that bad compared to the horrible things that happen to a lot of other kids–why is it so hard to believe???! Fuck those stupid, dumbshits who probably had, more or less, excellent parents. I’m sorry for this irrelevant rant. It is just that I was abused, too. When I told people about it, even my social worker, I wasn’t believed. Just because my dad is a professional doesn’t mean he is totally incapable of spraying Lysol into my face. Or plummeting the back of my head with his fist. I type these things out, and I can’t believe I still visit my parents.
Anyway, I hope you respond to my question about the live, aborted babies.
Your writing is getting sort of crappy. Maybe you can write about Obama’s economic “stimulus”…or about socialism (which I’m assuming you hate)…or perhaps about the current state of our economy.
How are your rentals, btw? Would you ever consider shifting over from residential to commercial properties?
How has the economy affected you?
April 29th, 2009 at 9:59 am
People are not rocks - we have the capacity to change and reinvent ourselves - to seek help if we are fucked up - your mother is a monster who had no right to have kids - now I understand where you are coming from - wow - what a horror story!
May 18th, 2009 at 11:42 pm
Truly. Do what you will. I would be scared out of my wits if I found out something about my kid in advance so I don’t know. To each his own.
Honestly though I think I would not have printed such a strong opinion on the web, even as V. because in the future your kids (having your genetics) may have some kind of mutant kids themselves that you will have to explain this to.
July 10th, 2009 at 11:22 pm
Hi ya V I certainly enjoy your outstanding stories have spent countless hours reading the many archives until I think I have read them all at least two or three times I even have a following linked up to my blogs but evidently it doesn’t show up on word press . hummm maybe its a Google blogger thing . heres a link to my blogger profile scrool down to the bottom you’ll see my link up to yours.> http://www.blogger.com/profile/17420780266615900056
I really miss your subscriptions comming in how long has it been since you posted anything new ? A point in reference towards the blog that states I get up in the morning simply to let the dog out is such a relating subject oh how does others do it without having something to care for other than themselves ? Must be awful selfish bastards . At least my dog gives me company when all else is not worth the frigging effort . As casual as it may be the relations between dogs and people certainly are amazing things . unconditional love and endearment the little bastard probably will eat me if I die and forget to feed him but at least he gives me company till then . And I feel like I am not a total waste of air even if in the end I might only end up being dog food.
Good graces and Cheers to ya V Sincerly Dirtdog
July 30th, 2009 at 12:14 am
Amniocentesis is the procedure that tells you if you’re going to have a baby with problems like Downs Syndrome.
1 in 400 amnio procedures cause miscarriage. Such people are typically prone to miscarriages caused by the procedure and can be infertile forever due to repeated attempts to have a child (usually with amnio).
THAT’S natural selection.
You’d never know if your baby would have been one of the many people with mild DS, and you may not ever be able to have another. And early induction due to DS (ie abortion) pretty much puts you at the bottom of the adoption list.
July 30th, 2009 at 12:31 am
PS:
I am pro-choice and a supporter of those who induce early because of birth defects. It’s their burden to bear and most of them do regret it. But I also believe that if you come along saying “I will love this my child unconditionally and do anything for them” and then turn around and abort due to DS or intersex or spina bifida then you really don’t deserve a second chance.