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Good Catholics, But Terrible Human Beings
Nov. 14th, 2012 12:45 pmNews from the Catholic Country of Ireland:
Disgusting. I hope that the authorities charge whoever they can with whatever they can at that hospital. They probably won't though. If any good comes of this, it will be because Ms. Halappanavar's death triggers a change. I can think of three changes, in decreasing order of goodness:
1) Legalize abortion. That's it. Not illegal unless raped and not illegal unless dying. Legal, across the board. It's between a woman and her doctor. The state should tell women how to use their uteri exactly as often as they tell me how to use my kidney.
And to be clear, I mean everywhere, not just Ireland where it's mostly illegal, or Canada where it's mostly legal.
2) Abortion on exceptions that would have helped this woman, and others. It's a step in the right direction. If my options are "legal for some exceptions" and "none at all", I'll hold my nose and pick the former.
3) Some doctor, when presented with a similar case, will simply lie. *unplugs heart monitor* "I can't hear a fetal heartbeat - rush this woman to the OR." Maybe the doctor will get away with that lie, maybe they won't (or maybe they'll come clean during the inquiry); I don't know how easy it would be to get away with it in the long term. However, if they can get away with it in the short term, their lie will have saved a life. I think lying to save a life is an acceptable sin. Perhaps one of Ms. Halappanavar's doctors, having trouble looking themselves in the mirror every morning, has quietly decided to do that next time. I hope so. Not just because it would be a positive change, but also because I'd like to think that their conscience does bother them. It should.
Savita Halappanavar (31), a dentist, presented with back pain at the hospital on October 21st, was found to be miscarrying, and died of septicaemia a week later.Source.
Her husband, Praveen Halappanavar (34), an engineer at Boston Scientific in Galway, says she asked several times over a three-day period that the pregnancy be terminated. He says that, having been told she was miscarrying, and after one day in severe pain, Ms Halappanavar asked for a medical termination.
This was refused, he says, because the foetal heartbeat was still present and they were told, “this is a Catholic country”.
She spent a further 2½ days “in agony” until the foetal heartbeat stopped.
Disgusting. I hope that the authorities charge whoever they can with whatever they can at that hospital. They probably won't though. If any good comes of this, it will be because Ms. Halappanavar's death triggers a change. I can think of three changes, in decreasing order of goodness:
1) Legalize abortion. That's it. Not illegal unless raped and not illegal unless dying. Legal, across the board. It's between a woman and her doctor. The state should tell women how to use their uteri exactly as often as they tell me how to use my kidney.
And to be clear, I mean everywhere, not just Ireland where it's mostly illegal, or Canada where it's mostly legal.
2) Abortion on exceptions that would have helped this woman, and others. It's a step in the right direction. If my options are "legal for some exceptions" and "none at all", I'll hold my nose and pick the former.
3) Some doctor, when presented with a similar case, will simply lie. *unplugs heart monitor* "I can't hear a fetal heartbeat - rush this woman to the OR." Maybe the doctor will get away with that lie, maybe they won't (or maybe they'll come clean during the inquiry); I don't know how easy it would be to get away with it in the long term. However, if they can get away with it in the short term, their lie will have saved a life. I think lying to save a life is an acceptable sin. Perhaps one of Ms. Halappanavar's doctors, having trouble looking themselves in the mirror every morning, has quietly decided to do that next time. I hope so. Not just because it would be a positive change, but also because I'd like to think that their conscience does bother them. It should.
