Disturbing

Tamara and I were talking about politics (she loves listening to me talk about politics) and of course Sarah Palin came up because we are both such big fans. Tamara told me a disturbing experience she had with a co-worker. She and her boss sometimes talk a little about politics in a light, easy tone. They don't agree on everything, but they don't judge each other, which essentially is how it ought to be. However, when Tamara brought up Sarah Palin, another co-worker who Tamara has a lot of respect for chimed in and said "I just don't know about her." Tamara of course said "Why in the world not? She's great!" Her co-worker said "Well, 2 things. First, she's a mom! How can she be vice president when she has kids to take care of?" My and Tamara's thoughts were "Well, you have kids and you're working... what's the difference?" but Tam didn't say anything. Her co-worker went on "Second, she knew she was going to have a handicapped baby and she had it anyway." Did you get that? Read that line again. Tamara, shocked that a person she respects could possibly be saying this, gave her an amazed look and said "What are you talking about?" Her co-worker explained that having a mentally handicapped baby was going to be a burden on the rest of the family and that the baby wouldn't have a good life because of the handicap. At that point the conversation was interrupted and that was the end.

How sick does that make you? This kind of thinking is commonplace out here. Utah is so polar-opposite we were more than a little shocked to find out that people we interact with every day and perceive as good and honorable actually support slaughtering babies because they have a handicap, while on the other hand they are pushing for felony charges against anyone who disciplines their dog "too violently". I just can't believe that people are using the fact that Sarah Palin "chose to give birth to that baby" against her, as a case of poor judgment, and a case against her character. I learned some years ago in a philosophy class about utilitarianism, which philosophy supports killing the elderly, chronically sick, mentally handicapped, homeless, and basically anyone who takes more than they give to society. I thought this viewpoint was something extreme that not too many people could hold because it is inhumane, evil, disgusting and wrong. The supporters of abortion rights, however, and the people who suggest Sarah Palin would have been more humane if she had had an abortion, are pure utilitarians, who want to kill the people who will take more from society than they will give. I would have found it hard to believe that a large number of utilitarians exist six months ago. Now I am afraid that the world is full of them, and one of the most popular men in the world (Obama) is one of them.