Comments on: Judge Praises Woman Who Killed Disabled Son

By: Synesthesia

Synesthesia — Wed, 28 May 2008 18:13:42 +0000

That’s what seems to happen. This ATTITUDE about people with autism or anything else. It bothers me and depresses me deeply.
Wasn’t there some other alternative besides murder or institutionalization?
Other resources out there?
I really would like to know this… It’s not like he’d have to be sent to say, Judge Rotenberg (Which seriously should be closed down. Why hasn’t it been closed down? It’s a disgrace to my state.) there are bound to be places out there that are compassionate, so why should something so…final be done?

By: Regan

Regan — Wed, 28 May 2008 18:01:06 +0000

I find it very interesting that the focus is on the mother and her issues. Rasheed Michael, the young man who was euthanized, who loved to play basketball with the neighborhood kids and was, by reports, a beautiful singer, who lost whatever life he was going to have, is objectified. We really know nothing about him, his quality of life from his perspective (v. that of the judge and his mother), and what his wishes might have been in the matter.

Let’s see, grounds “justified” this and were considered mitigating? He had a mentality of a 4-8 year old and that “he was getting worse” (conditions unspecified–not that it matters)? Being institutionalized is not a good scenario, but at least it allows the possibility of some change of situation in the future. Being dead does not. He in essence, received a death sentence for the crime of having a developmental disability.

By: Synesthesia

Synesthesia — Wed, 28 May 2008 17:46:31 +0000

What does that have to do with this case?
Seriously, it really doesn’t have very much to do with it at all.
Not that I agree with the concept of abortion, but still, what about her poor son?
He’s the one I’m feeling empathy for.

Plus you’re being irratatingly oversimplistic, which I don’t like one bit. Both issues are a bit more complicated, but when there’s a certain ATTITUDE out there in the world about disabled people and how disabilities are so…
like a death sentence, how can a person untangle their mind from that sort of thinking and see the situation for what it is good and bad? Theree’s really something wrong with how society as a whole STILL views people with autism or cerebral palsly (sp) or any sort of variation.

By: Kristina Chew, PhD

Kristina Chew, PhD — Wed, 28 May 2008 17:45:08 +0000

Being the mother of a disabled child and very much his life support, the last thing I could ever do would be to take his life away.

By: liquid zeolite

liquid zeolite — Wed, 28 May 2008 17:38:24 +0000

We shouldn’t judge anyone until we walk a few thousand miles in their footsteps ….or something like that, right?

If anyone here approves of abortion but disapproves of euthanasia, then I believe they are confused. If anyone here has had an abortion or urged someone to have an abortion but feels this woman should go to prison should then, if there is something called karma, go to prison themselves for murder.

A mother is a “life support system” for the fetus. Sometimes mothers of disabled children are life support systems for their children as well. The fetus and the mentally disabled who cannot speak for themselves or defend themselves do deserve to be protected from the “life support” that can at any moment decide ‘this is just too hard, it will be too expensive, it will cut into my leisure time or education” and decide to end a life. To me, a life is a life, and to end a life is to end a life. Interesting to see the outrage over this murder and lack of empathy for the womans situation when murder for convenience is currently the law of the land.

By: Synesthesia

Synesthesia — Wed, 28 May 2008 14:56:15 +0000

Huh?
But… she killed him…
How can she get praise for that?

This world is just too frustrating sometimes. It makes me want to dig a hole and just stay there.

By: Bonnie Sayers

Bonnie Sayers — Wed, 28 May 2008 00:52:36 +0000

thanks for the link. That is very extensive in research. I have IEP tomorrow and then can explore in more depth and maybe even write about this on my site.

By: Cliff

Cliff — Wed, 28 May 2008 00:08:18 +0000

That was a good link. Thanks.

Cliff

By: a long-time poster

a long-time poster — Tue, 27 May 2008 23:46:36 +0000

here Bonnie …
http://www.thiswayoflife.com/murder.html

By: Melody

Melody — Tue, 27 May 2008 23:26:33 +0000

When you can murder someone and only get a three-year-sentence… that’s just twisted.

Would the judge have praised her so much for adopting him if he didn’t have a disability? Would he have given her the minimum sentence for INVOLUNTARY manslaughter? Somehow I think it unlikely.