An article printed in the Saskatoon Star Phoenix on July 25th is significant, not because of the news that Robert Latimer will be granted an unescorted 5 day pass every month but how the article described Tracy.
The article states that:
"Latimer, who was sentenced to life in prison for killing his pain-ridden disabled daughter, Tracy"
First: It is easy to de-humanize pain-ridden people with disabilities. It is not easy to dehumanize a daughter who went to school everyday and loved music. I guess that is why the Star Phoenix doesn't describe her for who she was but rather by what they want us to think.
Even if it were true that her pain was not being adequately controlled, is that a reason to kill her? A caring person would have found ways to control her pain.
Second: Robert Latimer was convicted of second-degree murder. The sentence for second-degree murder is 25 years in prison, 10 years before parole.
Tracy Latimer is the prime-example of how the social acceptance of euthanasia would directly effect the most vulnerable people in society.
The Story:
http://www.canada.com:80/reginaleaderpost/news/story.html?id=f1954790-ca28-463b-a4c9-44dcd39822ad
Please read the recent media release by the Council of Canadians with Disabilities:
http://www.cwd-o.org/cwdo/activities/activities.php?activities=427
3 comments:
The Saskatoon StarPhoenix described
Robert Latimer's daughter as "pain-ridden,disabled" because that is what she was.
TRACY WAS SUFFERING ALMOST CONSTANT, INCURABLE AND EXCRUCIATING PAIN.
To describe her simply as "disabled" or "severely disabled", as the special interest groups (such as the one you represent and who have been persecuting Robert Latimer for more than a decade now) would wrongfully convey the impression that Latimer ended her life because she was disabled. This would be a grossly unfair misrepresentation of fact.
Dear Anonymous
I usually delete any comments that are listed as Anonymous but I agreed to print this comment because it shows the thinking of the supporters of Latimer.
No one is misrepresenting the facts and no one is persecuting Robert Latimer.
I guess Anonymous thinks that the way we should deal with people with disabilities who need special care is to kill them.
When did Tracy ask for death?
If Tracy was suffering almost constant incurable and excruciating pain, then why did her teacher from school say during the trials that she wasn't constantly in pain? She went to school everyday, the teacher would know.
If Tracy was suffering almost constant incurable and excruciating pain, then why did Laura Latimer's diary not say that?
I guess Laura missed the bit about the constant suffering.
What happened to Tracy is that she was killed because of her disability.
Does Anonymous not understand the importance of the trust relationship between a parent and a child with a disability.
Children with disabilities are particularly vulnerable.
Statistics show that children with disabilities experience a far higher rate of abuse than able-bodied children. Latimer did the ultimate abuse by taking her life.
How can people with disabilities experience respect and equality if people like Anonymous think that what Robert Latimer did was OK because she was suffering.
Why didn't he truly care for her by finding more help for her pain?
Post a Comment