As to the OP first of all this child need chemotherapy end of discussion. His parents are cleary insane and if they want to do whatever that is their choice. However they have purposefully kept things from their son and now he might die.

You might, if the religious right has their way......

The "religious right" has no control or influence over my life.

Too bad they don't pick up the tab AFTER the birth.

F.I. other than just not ever having sex how would you make sure your child isn't mentally handicapped?

I didn't know knowledge of oneself is defined as culture.

And what reality is this...yours?

Are you talking about yourself?

So I can assume you've never had sex and never will? Because even if you take precautions it still can happen.

Even if you don't plan on it and never do, it is very short-sighted and selfish of you to condem someone who doesn't fit your 'ideal'.

What? Are you talking directly to me or just making generalities about humans?

I didn't say humans were perfect. I said they are different from beasts in many ways. Nor did I say humans were better than animals. I said we were set apart from them...which I thought was obvious. But apparently not.

As posted by a few already, accidental pregnancies do happen, unless you do not have intercourse with the opposite sex, at all. Even vasectomies are not 100%. If the woman's right to choose is legally removed, as the religious right would like, then when one slips past the goalie, you're having a kid. And that kid might not fit the definition of perfect.

Well, there are a battery of genetic tests that he could do and he could give the child up for adoption if he discovered it is mentally handicapped. I would think he could since they have those "give up the child" programs at the local hospitals with no questions asked.

Genaralities.

Fair enough. In that case, let me add that humans are set apart from fish and insects.

Most genetic tests only identify if they are at risk for a problem associated with their chromosomes. And they do not detect all potential genetic defects. They are not 100 percent accurate and cannot detect say environmental factors. So my question still stands.

At what point do we abandon all hope? He's 6.5 and anyone can have a conversation with him that they would have with a 6yo., with the exception of reading he's on par with his classmates. Should we just institutionalize him now? Or do we continue busting our @$$es at home, to keep him as close to his classmates as possible? Sure that gap will widen as he gets older but that doesn't mean we're going to throw in the towel. He will easily be able to do the work many of our employees do but I'll be damned if I'm going to pigeon hole him without testing his limits and abilities. If you want to get into specific cases or disabilities then there are instances where they will always be a ward of the state, as a blanket statement that isn't the case at all.

Shouldn't we try to educate the ones that are able so that they might not be as dependent, or maybe independent, on the state? Many of these kids are written off without even being given the chance. If they aren't taught, they won't learn.

I don't think it is that far off. It seems to be a dollar and cents issue for some, a value of life issue for others.

Nothing is 100% accurate except maybe history and even that has some slant. So I suppose you are right that he could father a child that is defective. I doubt he would keep it any more than if I fathered such a child.

This has absolutely no relevance to what I posted, unless you are arguing that the state has the right to euthanize handicapped children if it is picking up the tab.

Not if it is with another guy;)