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by Joe Kirkpatrick
Recently, my first grandchild was born. To be quite honest, it was an ugly little thing. It had pale skin with freckles, and bright red hair. None of our family has ever had red hair. We just don't like how red hair with freckles looks. After discussing the matter with my daughter and her husband, we all agreed this red headed-freckled face baby just wasn't what we wanted for an addition to our family. We called the doctor in, and told him how we felt. We discussed different options - foster care, adoption, etc, but decided if we didn't want the little thing, who else would? Finally, we decided it would just be best to euthanize it. The doctor agreed, so he went ahead and put it down. Furthermore, he was so gracious to dispose of its body for us in the hospital incinerator.
Now, this sounds absurd, but is it really? Thirty years ago in the United States, taking a fetus at any point after conception was against the law. With Roe vs. Wade, it became legal to take a fetus up until the end of the first trimester. Some further legislation has made it possible in some states for a baby to be taken up until the end of the second trimester under certain conditions. A baby born close to the end of the second trimester has a chance of surviving outside the womb and being normal. Some groups have proposed to having third trimester abortions (called partial birth abortions) available under certain conditions. I personally don't see much difference in euthanizing a new born baby that you don't like, than taking any other baby
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