People with Downs I think are capable of raising a child properly. I've been around plenty of kids and adults with it and they are the sweetest, kindest and most polite people you'll ever meet. I've never met a person with Downs who had a bad attitude. Yes, they are mentally handicapped. But not in the way somebody with severe autism who needs 24-7 care themselves is. And if you don't believe even people with severe mental disabilities can also be parents, just look at the Lohans and Duggers.
And you're fit to judge her potential parenting abilities how? Cause of a character she plays to sell records? But I digress. I think the tricky issue here is what constitutes disabled and what level would any "restriction" be set at? I echo Crown, most high functioning people with Downs would likely be great parents. That video from awhile back about the guy with Downs Syndrome who owned his own restaurant? Easily a better potential parent than I see lugging their little ones around downtown these days. And some disabilities are not automatically passed on. Deaf parents with non-deaf children, dwarves with normal sized kids, hell, Hermione Granger's parents are Muggles and she still turned out a wizard.
This. Also, I'm of the general opinion that many "mentally challenged" people (and I know 'mentally challenged' covers a wide gamut and can be subjective) are better-suited as parents than "normal" parents who want nothing to do with their children, those who abuse them physically or sexually, those who teach them negative acts (like the infamous youtube of the cursing child), those who disassociate from their children, those who disown them for whatever reason, etc.
That brings up an interesting question to people who oppose this: do you think giving a challenged person a chance at parenting is worse than parents who shun their kids because they're gay, or develop a different belief, or fall in love with a person of different race/culture?
My sister was in a mental health institution, diagnosed bipolar, is an attention whore,has a cheating husband who travels all the time, and gets intimidated by mundane things like driving on a highway. She announced she's 3 months preggers. An extra chromosome is a walk in the park compared to this.
My emotions as I experienced this thread: Opening it Spoiler Reading it Spoiler Seeing revengeofthenerds' name come up Spoiler After reading his post Spoiler I'm glad y'all have arrived at the correct opinion (mine).
My opinions are wide-ranging and varied. As a general rule of thumb, don't take my reasoning or moral sense on one topic and apply it to another, because you may not be right. Unless I feel that I have reached an informed conclusion, I'm don't consider myself at a point to have an opinion, never mind broadcast it. I feel strongly about PAS (especially for the terminally-ill), but unlike my opinion on this topic that opinion went against the popular grain. I don't know why people are so afraid to discuss and so quick to judge what they disagree with.
I generally don't believe in inserting myself in anyone's reproductive business but - there are a high number of 'healthy' parents I feel have no business influencing a child's life. Provided a family can provide for, take care of, teach, and raise a child with love - I don't care who the parents are.
I worked with kids and adults with mental retardation and developmental disabilities. One of the kids with whom I worked was Down's and quite possibly a psychopath. He'd refuse to take his meds (he was diabetic) and then he'd have to be restrained. Plus, he was quite flexible. I got him in a bearhug once and he managed to twist out of it and bite me on the thigh. Luckily, he didn't break the skin. However, he's an exception and not the rule. Most people with Down's are some of the sweetest and nicest people you'll meet. Just beware. As to having kids, I'm not sure. If they have a predisposition to passing down flawed genes then I'd say no. But disabilities range a lot. There are people with MR who can drive. There are lots of different causes and severity of developmental disabilities. As some people have said there are "normal" people who make horrible parents.
This. Which is basically what everyone else has been saying in their own way. My niece is special needs. She was born super premature at less than 1lb birth weight. She suffered a brain bleed as an infant while in the NICU and is developmentally delayed to this day. However. She is still a person. While behind, she is improving every day. If one day she meets someone who treats her well and they want children? Why not? I want nothing more in the world for her to have the most normal life that she can have. People with lower mental or physical capabilities can still master things in their day to day life and enjoy their life. You don't have to be a savvy Wall Street trader to enjoy life and be a loving person. It also comes back to the phrase, "no man is an island." If there ever was a need for social programs to help people, it is people who are mentally or psychically challenged. There is so much bullshit that the government spends money on. Helping people who actually need a little help to function survive in this world? That'd be a noble cause right there.
I shudder to think how many kids my crazy brother in law has managed to sire so far. He's pretty much out of touch with reality but knows what to do with his dick when it gets hard. And he seems to find equally mentally deficient women who let him in ( a nauseating thought since I think he showers once a full moon ). I offered to give him two hundred bucks to take a ride with me to a urologist for a vasectomy, or as I would explain it to him, " a procedure to make his dick bigger". Jesus it would be cheaper than the amount of money taxpayers are giving to fund him and his brood.