Persons with Some Illnesses…Shouldn’t Have children

At a recent family gathering, one person said that people with certain illnesses should have children. I strongly disagreed with that statement. Unfortunately I was unable to fully give my views as too many discussions were going on.

My concern is who gives anyone the right to deny others their dream of experiencing parenthood. If someone is physically and financially able to have and care for a child, why shouldn’t they? A diagnosis of cancer or other lifestyle-related illnesses shouldn’t be the trigger to say, “You shouldn’t have a child.”

If we are to go down that road, then why not say that persons who are physically and emotionally abusive to their spouses shouldn’t have children. Isn’t the kind of emotional trauma resulting from having an abusive parent just as damaging, or even more so than having parents with a serious medical condition?

Research has shown that many serial killers and abusive persons lived in homes where spousal and child abuse was the norm. Unfortunately, too many persons do not accept that physical and emotional abuse is a sickness. No one has the right to play God. Granted, there are persons who are incapable of caring for a child due to certain illnesses, but that is another matter altogether. In a few cases, these persons are incapable of having children anyway.

It is funny how people can easily see what’s wrong with others but not with themselves. We really need to look at our own faults and shortcomings before we look at other people’s faults – the world would be so much better.