Unplanned but not Unloved: Birth and Self-esteem

When I was conceived under less than ideal circumstances, my mother was pro-life. My father was pro-choice.

My mother chose what she knew to be right. Despite any trepidation about their circumstances, my father supported her decision. A few months later he felt me kick in my mother's womb.

He has been pro-life ever since.

And he has told me this himself.

Wow. How cool is that? Think about it. If your parents were to tell you that by your very existence you had taught them something profound about the nature and value of human life, how good would that be for your self esteem?

Now imagine the opposite. Imagine your parents didn't want you. Imagine they tried to have you killed, and it didn't work. Imagine they were still angry about this two years later, after you had been born and were perfectly healthy. Imagine they were so upset that they sued the people they hired to have you killed for the cost of raising you. Imagine growing up knowing that instead.

That will be the case for this little girl, born as a result of a failed abortion.

I suppose it never occurred to Jennifer Raper that she could avoid the expense by placing the child for adoption, so she could be raised by someone who actually loves her, a plan that would benefit all concerned.

But if she did that, she wouldn't have any leverage justify her legal temper-tantrum, or to get money out of the doctors.

Unfortunately, this is not the first time someone has filed a lawsuit like this one. Others have been filed in the past, often because parents would have preferred to abort a disabled child. (Advocates for persons with disabilities ought to be infuriated here) This is what is called a wrongful birth or sometimes a wrongful life suit. Wrongful life? Suing because a child exists?

Dont' get me wrong, I'd love to see Planned Parenthood become as financially bankrupt as it already is morally.

But not at the expense of a child.


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Hat tip:
Catholic Pillow Fight

Related Links:
Boston Herald
Boston Globe