Night at the Museum 2 … Down's Syndrome
All six of us went to Night at the Museum 2: The Battle of the Smithsonian last night. Like the first one, it was a great family movie for all ages and interests. I can’t resist a movie with miniature people. I loved the addition of Abraham Lincoln in this sequel.
Behind us in the theatre, sat an older woman and two younger women with Down’s Syndrome. I overheard the older lady say that the three of them have gone to the movies every Friday night since the theatre opened. No wonder we have seen them there several times before. It has been many years since the theatre was built.
During the movie, we could hear the two young women clap and cheer with tremendous enthusiasm. It made me wish I could join in, but I held back, remembering how you are “supposed” to act in a theatre. The two mentally challenged young women had such spontaneous joy. Their caretaker was a very kind, older woman who has obviously committed her life to giving the girls the best life she can. For them, that means going to the movies every Friday night.
Other people make different choices. These days, Down’s Syndrome is usually diagnosed during pregnancy and 90% of the time, the children are sentenced to death - simply because they have an extra chromosome. Just because these children will need more help in their lives, people think that they would be better off dead.
Looking at those young ladies, I imagined how often human beings just like them are legally murdered. Violently ripped from their mothers’ wombs because they weren’t good enough.
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What a nice story about the two young ladies!
So sad about the little ones that are not given the opportunity to even live!
There are very selfish reasons for destroying DS babies. Perhaps, there is not so much consideration that the babies themsleves are better off dead, although that is an excuse. The real reason is that the parents feel better off not having to care for them.
It is tragic!
I smiled at your story. A few years back I had the pleasure of being in a Sunday School class with a mentally “disabled” person, maybe in his 30 or 40s. He would always greet everyone who came in with a loud “hello” or “hi”. He didn’t sound normal, and he was physically deformed, but he still made everyone happy. I learned more from him in those 2 years of being in the same class as him than anyone else. Before I met him, I was very socially reserved, I never noticed it until you posted your story that I have been dramatically shaped by him.
I’m very outgoing now, I can make most people laugh, but there’s a couple who look down on the way I act, just like there were a few who were disgusted by the person I mentioned. He never cared about the ones who didn’t like him, he just enjoyed the happiness he brought to a room.
God truly has a plan for everyone, every misfortune has a purpose. Thank you for sharing your story, and helping me strengthen my faith.
Great post. I’m the mother of a 5 year old boy who happens to have Down Syndrome and I’m so encouraged when I see people starting to view those with DS (and other challenges) as PEOPLE rather than a science experiment or, worse, an inconvenient anomaly that shouldn’t be in their way.
The statistic for aborting children diagnosed with DS has actually RISEN from the 90% you quoted to between 91-93% at this time. It’s obscene, sinful and horrifying that this segment of the population is seen as so expendable, so unnecessary, so INCONVENIENT that we can just eliminate them.
No one CHOOSES to have a child with Down Syndrome (or any other disability). The child chooses YOU. And while, yes, it can be difficult, challenging, frustrating, expensive, and discouraging at times, it is FAR more uplifting, amazing, love-filled, empowering and character-building than I could possibly explain.
Having my Henry has changed me. Changed my other 2 children and my husband. Changed the people who are close to our family. Made us more aware of the little miracles, the common accomplishments and the simple joy of unabashed love. Those that CHOOSE to abort that bundle of amazingness are missing out in an epic way.
Thanks for talking about this. I talk quite a bit about DS and my Henry on my blog, and it’s so nice to read others speaking with positivity about it, too!
I once read about a lady who had 3 children, one of which had DS. She said that 2 of them had grown up and moved away, but that she was so pleased God gave her 1 to keep.
What a great story Carol! Thanks for sharing it. I agree that the reason most parents abort a DS baby, is that they can’t be bothered with the extra work and care that it would take to be a parent to DS child. THey never stop to think what loving, kind, honest and sweet these children are.
What a happy and sad story .
I know our Calvin is an angel and I am glad he is in our family.He was the first one to call me on my birthday.
I remember the time he was born and Chinese couple just had given birth to a DS baby boy…they just left..they did not want anything to do with him..so sad:(