STAY WELL & SPARKLE!: But Is It Even A Person?

 

Dr. Sam Christian
Dr. Sam Christian

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The sudden noise shattered the stillness of the early morning. And there it was again. I dragged myself to the door, cracked it open and peered outside. Before I could ask what’s going on, my excited neighbour blurted out, “There’s a baby in the ravine that drowned in the storm!” And off she went.

My mind was instantly fully alert. Sometimes drowning victims can be revived, maybe I could help. In a flash, I joined the torrent of neighbors pouring out of their houses to that now illustrious Gutter just one block away. What I saw was quite evident to everybody else: no way this was a drowned baby. And there was no chance of resuscitation.

It was a carnival-like atmosphere. The things people were saying! Those who like attention were shouting outrageous remarks. Much of the crowd roared with laughter. Some shot back with profound words of concern. Others quietly looked on as if feeling a hurt deep in their innermost being. Isn’t it amazing how sexual scandal gets us all fully engaged and on the ball? In no time flat, the alleged perpetrator was arrested and placed under police guard at the Princess Margaret Hospital.

Of course, this was a human life! You don’t have to take biology in First Form to know that. The unborn does not have to take its first breath of air to become alive. It was ‘breathing’ all along – fluid in the amniotic sac – just ask your doctor. Its heart has been beating for months. It sucks its finger in the womb. It smiles. It feels pain. It responds to music. All these things we can see so clearly nowadays thanks to modern ultrasound technology and advances in prenatal science.

What pushes the woman to commit such a horrible act? Is it that she just cannot afford to raise this child? Is her husband or boyfriend the real father, or is this baby going to cramp her style? Few women in their right minds do this without themselves being victims of emotional abuse. Where is the man who may have pressured her to do this, or even loaned her the $1000 to $1500 it supposedly costs? Problem solved? Not even close. Is not the most tormented woman of all, the one who has thrown a child and was never again able to have any?

Abortion on demand, terminating a viable pregnancy, is legal in a variety of countries such as Cuba, China and the United States. Yet, causing the death a pregnant woman can result in an additional charge to make it double homicide. (Just Google the case Scott Peterson of Modesto California. He was convicted of murdering his pregnant wife and dumping her body at the bottom of a lake so that he could go ‘live his life’).

Pregnant women worldwide are at increased risk of abuse, even in developed countries where people should know better. It is a contradiction to say this is just an inconvenient piece of tissue. If a woman has the right to do as she pleases because it is her body, then how in the same breath can the State invoke a murder charge for willfully causing the death of the unborn? Everywhere in the world, murder is a mortal crime inflicted only a person, not tissue.

This is not the first time a discarded fetus has been discovered; neither will it be the last. Such things have occurred in diverse places from time immemorial. In many countries, it is still common to get rid of baby girls either before or after birth. Certain nations at times have chosen to tolerate or even encourage ritual infanticide. Others have decided ‘That’s not us,’ and enforce laws to discourage it. The children of Israel understood God to be telling them, “You are not like other nations. You cannot do in these kinds of things.” I believe Dominica’s got it right. We do not allow public indecency, even on a cruise ships anchored in our harbour. While we do not prosecute same-sex relationships, we do not confuse this with traditional marriage.

But is abortion illegal in Dominica? Sometimes I wonder. What is troubling is that we are no different from the Pharisees, Sadducees or Taliban. That crowd could gleefully stone this woman without inquiring about the privileged members of society who routinely provide this ‘service.’ It is an open secret where to go and get this done. Just helping out women in trouble? Well, if we accept that reasoning, then this woman’s only crime is not having the proper grinder to discreetly dispose of the ‘tissue.’ That being the case, she should be released immediately.

Analyze this: Have you known of any man who had to breathe a huge sigh of relief when his partner with a late period finally announced the ‘Red Sea come down?’ The rhythm method is natural and ideal. Planned Parenthood contraception is readily available. However, in the heat of passion, the average pair often forgets all that, seizes the opportunity and then hopes for the best. Pharmacies reportedly do brisk business with Plan B, the morning after pill, at $20-$25 a pop. Why then, is there still a need to throw babies?

Parents, teachers and churches do all they can to instill in young people the importance of doing the right thing. At the end of the day, most of us individually will safely navigate these tricky waters, more or less. But when an ‘oops’ happens, it is not enough just to say, ‘Bad girl, bad girl!’ As a society we must be show some compassion and provide real assistance. It is never easy, but with so many wanting to have a child and cannot, does it not make sense to help her complete the pregnancy and choose adoption?

Sometimes you just have to be an adult and to take your blows. Admit you screwed up and don’t panic. Don’t jump out of the frying pan into what seems to be the easiest way out. No matter how bad it looks, things can work out for the good in the end. ‘If my child was alive, she/he would have been ___ years old now.’ Few words are more tragic. I often hear women thank God they made the right decision with this child now helping them out. An online search for ‘famous people in history who were almost aborted’ is downright scary,

I don’t know about you, but I felt a really uncomfortable mix of emotions looking at this never-born human in the gutter that day. Poor pity… Dominican flesh just does not belong there; no human flesh, for that matter. First I was angry. Next I was touched by sadness.. Then I developed a steely determination to call for equal treatment under the law.

If the assembled throng at Gutter Village that morning agreed on one thing it was this: Tropical Storm Chantal was supposed to have washed this fetus out to the sea. For whatever reason, the rain stopped long enough, not only to expose this fetus to the general public, but also to force us to have a conversation on our national character. Make no mistake; history is littered with the consequences to nations repeatedly turning a blind eye to such violations.

It is said that the true character of a society is a reflection of how it treats the weakest and most defenseless. That child did not stand a chance from the very person in the whole world on whom she depended most for protection. Failure to revive respect for the dignity of human life soon leaves us devoid of feeling and cruelty pervades the very fabric of society. Such violence morphs into different forms and runs rampant. If we are to sparkle internationally, we must be firm in our convictions. If we are going to penalize this unfortunate woman, we must be consistent and to enforce the laws on those in the business as well.

Dr. Sam Christian is specialist surgeon, speaker and author. He recently opened a Dominica practice.

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10 Comments

  1. just me being me
    March 1, 2014

    You made a very strong statement doc in the last paragraph, stating ” the child did not stand a chance from the one person she depended on for protection.” you see. it is a vice versa situation. I think the one person the mother depended on for support provided neglect and in return she passed the same feeling to the fetus but that’s when adulthood must kick in. She (the mother) should have realized that i’m not going to be the only single parent in D/ca. i speak from a personal point of view, i was an unwanted surprise to my parents because they already had 6 children. However my mom went through the pregnancy and today out of many am the right hand reaching out to her needs. Everyday i thank her for giving me the opportunity to live.

  2. Anonymous
    July 15, 2013

    Why does the good doctor insist on using the phrase “throw baby”? He may be trying to use colloquial language, but I do not think it is neccessary here.

  3. July 14, 2013

    Well said doctor Sam. 40 yrs ago, I was 8 wks pregnant, went to a doctor’s visit, he recommended that I can have it aborted. I am a God fearing woman, and so I refused. Today my child is a doctor and I am reaping the benefit of my obedience. There is a saying, babies are born with their mouth split, the are bound to eat. I would encourage my women, you never know who God has blessed you to carry, no matter what, he will take you through.

  4. wasin
    July 14, 2013

    Well said Prof.
    I was a bit disappointed though in the level of national outrage against this crime. I am sure most of Dominica has already forgotten this has happened and moved on to the next news. Sad.

  5. mee-me
    July 14, 2013

    I just had to read it all. Interesting.

  6. Teacher
    July 14, 2013

    I loved that article too. I certainly have mixed emotions about the whole thing – still. I am not casting judgement on the lady, but would really like to get into her head and heart just to understand. Let me encourage the men out there to be good Fathers, for – Mothers take better care of YOUR children when they know they have to answer to you!

  7. Nature boy
    July 13, 2013

    Hey Doc I think we need to sit and have a chat. Someone else might have not said this better.
    I’m in the field of Criminology and criminal justice and its imperative that we meet.

  8. Boston
    July 13, 2013

    well said dr

  9. Annonymous Reader
    July 13, 2013

    I loved this article…certainly made me think.

  10. The Coin
    July 13, 2013

    I hear you DOC.

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