By National Review Online editor Kathryn Jean Lopez:

John McCain could reshape the nation’s view of selective abortion and advance the cause of human rights by choosing Sarah Palin as his running mate, Lopez says. He would also save some lives.

Palin is the Republican governor of Alaska who learned of her baby’s Down syndrome diagnosis during pregnancy and gave birth this year. Her website includes a page devoted to her son Trig with hundreds of welcoming comments from Americans across the nation.

Not only are children with Down syndrome people too, they inspire a deep love and enthusiastic appreciation. Especially in the face of a culture that wants to expunge them. According to a study cited in the New York Times last year, “About 90 percent of pregnant women who are given a Down syndrome diagnosis have chosen to have an abortion.” (Emphasis added by Lopez.) Most American women are given prenatal tests.

At 44, Governor Palin is a bit young and relatively new to the political scene yet. These are no small considerations when electing someone who could assume the role of president (Democrats: Check out your nominee with that reservation . . . ) If the youngest life [Palin] and her husband care for can wake up a nation that’s blind to the eugenics in its midst, a routine part of medicine today, she and John McCain would be offering human rights and dignity a great, honorable service. In contrast to Barack Obama, who would let the survivors of botched abortion attempts be killed, the Palins could serve as a great clarifier for voters this fall — and an education.

See an earlier article by Lopez, Defining life down, that references a column of mine, The abortion debate no one wants to have.

Also, Realclearpolitics.com says the odds against Palin as a vice presidential candidate are 75 to one.

She may be a reformer with fans inside the new righty generation, but no one’s ever heard of her, and as far as we can tell she hasn’t been in the same room with McCain for years. Plus, it’s Alaska, which is probably her biggest drawback.

(United Feature Syndicate photo.)

This entry was posted on Wednesday, July 30th, 2008 at 10:25 am and is filed under Down syndrome, NOT2BEMISSED, abortion, eugenics, families, human rights, politics, prenatal diagnosis, selective termination. 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.  Email This Post