This graph (taken from wikipedia) shows the impact of maternal age on the percentage of children born with a genetic condition called Trisomy 21, better known as Down Syndrome.  People with Down Syndrome are near to my heart due to my mother’s vocation as a special education counsellor prior her work in pastoral ministry, and by being introduced to a number of people with a variety of conditions, I’ve gained a greater appreciation for the beauty of our innate humanity, regardless of our unique limitations.

That being said, as the graph shows above, if you’re able to have your children by age 35 instead of 45, you’ve cut the risk of Down’s by more than a factor of seven.  Sarah Palin, the 44 year old Republican vice-presidential nominee, and her husband, Alaska’s “First Dude” recently had their fifth child, Tryg who was born with Down’s.  The Palin’s are rightfully (in my opinion) lauded by social conservatives for electing to bear the child to term even after the genetic condition was discovered.  From statistics I’ve seen listed, 80% of Down’s afflicted babies are aborted.

Abortion (like gay marriage) is the hot button issue for many communities, particularly Christian, and while I think that single-issue voters are such a minority that they would have difficulty swinging an election, both political parties try to manipulate every occurrence for political gain.  Republicans pride themselves on being “pro-life” and in favor of family values, while most Democrats insist on being “pro-choice” and in favor of family values.  Individual contemplation is replaced by party line.

What gets lost in the middle of all of this is the ability to examine people’s character and wisdom.  While it’s risky to do so and should be done with care and benefit of doubt, if you’re going to applaud the Palin’s for keeping their child, is it valid to question why with a family of four children would you be trying for a fifth when you’re occupying the state’s top position and well out on the bell curve of healthy pregnancies?  If you’re going to praise Sarah Palin for her views on abstinence only education, aren’t you justified in asking how those (failed) policies play into teen pregnancy, like the case of her daughter, Bristol Palin, 17?  Instead of getting all excited that Bristol will supposedly be married to her baby daddy, why aren’t we asking what more can we do to support all life? 

Clearly I’m annoyed with Republican policies.  I’m annoyed that people would try to withhold information on sexuality and contraception to kids who are clearly going to have sex whether it’s ordained or not.   Additionally, I’m annoyed that the GOP would try and spin an unwanted teen pregnancy as a sign of family values because the child should be kept, instead of the unfortunate event that it is.  Furthermore, I’m annoyed that these parts of “pro-life” policy are really inconsistent snippets of an overarching policy that does little for the child born to the average unwed mother, often favors the death penalty, and in my mind cares too little for human life elsewhere, while still proclaiming moral superiority.

No one “likes” abortion, but even as someone who abhors it, instead of seeing it outlawed, I’d rather see everything done to try and make it trend toward zero by offering teenagers (especially those who don’t live in the governor’s house) options and benefits.  I’d like to see information on contraception, and studies about what we know regarding pregnancy and the factors towards have healthy children more readily available, especially in high school.  I’d like to see the death penalty outlawed.  I’d like to see us care more for our poor, and the world’s poor, and in that sense be “pro-life” as in “for life”, as in making each life valued and protected.  I’d like to see a president who’s idea of foreign policy isn’t humming “Bomb-bomb-bomb, bomb-bomb Iran.”  I’d like to see a president elected who won’t pander and who doesn’t criticize their opponent for lack of experience, then pick an inexperienced running-mate purely to try and chip off a block of disaffected Hillary supporters.

Those are my family values.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, September 2nd, 2008 at 2:10 pm and is filed under alan, life. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.