Here's the USA Today opinion article she referred to, highlighting the disconnect:
Our society has historically allowed its people to become the final arbiters about their identities: African Americans asserted inherent dignities during the civil rights movement in the 1950s and '60s; women showcased their personal value during the women's suffrage movement at the beginning of the 20th century; the Jewish people rebuilt and reclaimed identities after the Holocaust; and gays and lesbians are claiming pride through their own civil rights movement of this century. Now, people with Down syndrome — and their families — have joined the debate about their own condition. Like groups before them, their self-descriptions stand in contrast to the ways in which others might describe them.
Lives worth living
Athletes such as Patrick Myshrall of St. Peter-Marian High School in Worcester, Mass., are scoring touchdowns. Employees like Louis Sciuto of North Andover, Mass., are among the best workers at Target. Adults like Margaret Muller of Santa Monica, Calif., are living meaningfully, with assistance, in their own homes. No longer are people with Down syndrome "poor things," "sweet souls" or "retarded citizens." Instead, they and their families have claimed fulfilling lives, rich with "typical" life experiences. And, yes, according to our same research, even those parents whose children with Down syndrome have more complex medical needs report the same feelings of reward and joy.
I care deeply that patients receive accurate, up-to-date, balanced information so they can make informed decisions. Yet, as a physician, I am not in the business of telling expectant couples what pregnancy decisions they should be making when their fetus has Down syndrome. That is their decision.Yes, if it's a civil rights issue, then no one should be talking about killing them.
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