Down Syndrome Awareness Month

This begins with a tale of unexpected champions for defense of the sanctity of human life....

Willowbrook was an institution for people with mental retardation, many of whom had Down Syndrome. Institutionalized abuse of Willowbrook residents included deliberate inoculation with Hepatitis. Rather than 1930s Nazi Germany, this happened from the mid 1950s till the early 1970s in New York City's Staten Island - one hour's drive from Lower Bucks County!

• "A combination of rising placements, budget cuts, ignorance, arrogance and indifference, created notorious conditions at Willowbrook....in January 1972, Geraldo Rivera, the television reporter, began a series of programs that shook the conscience of New York State and the nation and inspired parents and others to take legal action" (http://www.library.csi.cuny.edu/archives/WillowbrookRG.htm)


• Also in 1972, John Lennon and Yoko Ono were making appearances on “The Dick Cavett Show." At one point, Cavett tried to lecture Lennon & Ono on the alleged importance of reducing human population (See www.earcandymag.com/filmreviews12-05.htm and http://www.youtube.com/v/3yRh5NNiFG0.). However, Lennon strongly indicated that supposed "overpopulation" was a mere rationalization for mistreatment of the weak by the powerful (Amidst current hoopla about what would have been John Lennon's 70th birthday, many people might be extremely surprised to hear his strongly pro life argument!).

Some baby boomers may recall that, on August 30th , 1972, Geraldo introduced Lennon to a packed Madison Square Garden for the “One-to-One” benefit concert. Reform gained momentum, and “The end result was the signing of a consent judgment….The closure of Willowbrook, the placement of individuals with developmental disabilities in community residences, the growth of voluntary agencies and the expansion of day programs and special education can all be linked to the Judgment” (See www.library.csi.cuny.edu/archives/WillowbrookRG.htm). Yet tragically, that great victory for recognition of the sanctity of human life was largely obliterated by Supreme Court decisions of the following year, legalizing abortion.

At the same time that some people have beautifully learned to appreciate the giftedness of a child with Down Syndrome, a prenatal diagnosis of Down Syndrome results in an elective abortion, in 91 to 93% of the cases. There has been an absolute genocide of people with Down Syndrome, which has largely gone unreported in the media and uncondemned from our pulpits.

As per this past Wednesday's edition of the Pennsylvania Pro-Life Online News, October is Down Syndrome Awareness month. We can recapture the truly progressive spirit which cherishes all human life, especially the most vulnerable among us.