Well, that’s a mouthful, isn’t it?

Wesley J. Smith, noted bioethicist, author, and blogger (Secondhand Smoke), has a new column up at the Weekly Standard titled Politically Correct Eugenics.

It is a bitter irony that even as we are enlarging our commitment to human equality in many areas, we are turning our backs on it in others. In particular, we may be about to eliminate from our society people with Down syndrome (DS) and other genetically caused disabilities.

The entire column is well-worth the read, but I would like to draw your attention specifically to the mention of the Prenatally and Postnatally Diagnosed Condition Awareness Act.

To prevent parents from being subtly or expressly pushed in making decisions about their genetically disabled child, a strange pair of bedfellows–Senators Edward Kennedy and Sam Brownback–have coauthored the “Prenatally and Postnatally Diagnosed Condition Awareness Act” (S 1810), which just passed its first committee hurdle.

Kennedy’s adamant support for abortion rights infuriates pro-lifers, while Brownback is ardently pro-life, accused by paranoid liberals of harboring theocratic tendencies. Their disagreement about abortion notwithstanding, their bill would require parents faced with pre- and postnatal diagnoses of disability to receive “timely, scientific, and nondirective counseling about the conditions” as well as “up-to-date, comprehensive information about life expectancy, development potential, and quality of life” for a child born with Down syndrome or any other genetic disability, as well as “referrals to providers of key support services.” Their hope, clearly, is that when parents receive a more complete picture, more of them will welcome their disabled babies into the world.

Strange bedfellows seems to be putting it a bit mildly, doesn’t it?  I never dreamed I would type these words, but this bill actually increases my respect for Senator Kennedy.  By increases, I mean causes the existence of.  Perhaps he is being pressured by some Massachusetts disability rights advocacy group?  Perhaps he has not been completely possessed by demonic forces? ;)  Whatever the case, I wholeheartedly embrace his support on such an important issue.

I encourage all of you to look into the act (S. 1810) and the House version (H.R. 3112) and in turn, contact your congressional delegation to encourage them to support this legislation!  Though I tend to believe that everyone ought to be able to agree that killing any unborn child is wrong, the issue of specifically aborting children merely because they are different or might have a disability should turn the stomach of any human being — pro-life or otherwise.  We reject discrimination in all forms, why should the womb be any different?

The point is, if aborting babies simply because they might have Down Syndrome is acceptable, why not abort babies simply because they are black?  Or female?  Or any other superficial reason?

This bill would increase parental awareness about genetically caused diseases and disorders.  Perhaps more parents will learn that having a DS child can be a blessing, not a curse.

Something to think about.