Now we're being told not to judge the mom "too quickly".

[conuly]

Oh, lordy....

My heart goes out to Katherine McCarron and her family. We may never know what drove this mother to allegedly perform this heinous act.

From all accounts, other than dealing with the autism, they were a regular family. I think the key words here are "dealing with autism." Please do not misunderstand and think I am defending McCarron's alleged actions. No one has walked in her shoes. Unless you have a child with special needs you cannot possibly understand the physical, emotional and spiritual strength each day requires.

Speaking as a mother with a child who has special needs, I can tell you many times I have prayed not just to make it through the day, but to get through a moment. Again, this is tragic. But let's not be too quick to judge.

Debbie Bloom

East Peoria

I've never raised a kid, NT or not. Watching the niecelings doesn't count. I can tell you that some days, Ana's behaviour leaves so much to be desired that I can't wait for the day to end, though. I'd never *kill* her over that - even if the day would never effectively end for me. And if I did, as she's never been diagnosed with anything, I'm sure nobody would write touching letters to the newspaper telling people not to judge me too quickly. Probably, they'd write touching letters telling people that I deserved to be sent to all kinds of hell for hurting a child.

Of course, should I write to the newspaper and tell them that, I'm sure the reply would be "It's not the same! You don't understand!"

So... anybody raising a "child with special needs" (autism favored) care to step up to the plate and reply to this letter for me?

It's not about this mom, her fate is pretty much sealed. I doubt there'll be any surprises there. It's about the rest of the world's attitudes.

http://www.pjstar.com/opinion/writeus.shtml

Comments

[malantha.livejournal.com]

I haven't been reading anything about this other than what's in your posts.. but has anyone denied that she killed the child? Why is this person saying "allegedly perform" and "alleged actions"?

[l33tminion]

I don't think I've ever seen the media show so little sympathy for a murder victim. Not a positive word about her, not a single person saying that they'll miss her, all the mention of a "tragedy" seems to include her only as an object (if at all).

It's infuriating.

My reply to that letter

[brownkitty.livejournal.com]

I'd like to know when eugenics became an approved method of dealing with special needs children. The death penalty is hotly debated over for people who have proven through their actions that they are outright evil. When did being handicapped become evil? When did being born with genes that didn't create a person who conforms to "normal standards" become a deliberate act on the part of the handicapped person?

People will say "Oh, but it's so hard on the parents, you have to feel for them!" I don't have to feel sympathy for anyone who decides that to kill an innocent is the right thing to do. I may feel sympathy for the mentally ill, or mentally handicapped: I do not feel sympathy for murderers.

The key word in the phrase "handicapped person" is PERSON. The laws against murder are not suspended because someone regards someone else as not-a-person due to handicap.

[malantha.livejournal.com]

I haven't been reading anything about this other than what's in your posts.. but has anyone denied that she killed the child? Why is this person saying "allegedly perform" and "alleged actions"?

[l33tminion]

I don't think I've ever seen the media show so little sympathy for a murder victim. Not a positive word about her, not a single person saying that they'll miss her, all the mention of a "tragedy" seems to include her only as an object (if at all).

It's infuriating.

My reply to that letter

[brownkitty.livejournal.com]

I'd like to know when eugenics became an approved method of dealing with special needs children. The death penalty is hotly debated over for people who have proven through their actions that they are outright evil. When did being handicapped become evil? When did being born with genes that didn't create a person who conforms to "normal standards" become a deliberate act on the part of the handicapped person?

People will say "Oh, but it's so hard on the parents, you have to feel for them!" I don't have to feel sympathy for anyone who decides that to kill an innocent is the right thing to do. I may feel sympathy for the mentally ill, or mentally handicapped: I do not feel sympathy for murderers.

The key word in the phrase "handicapped person" is PERSON. The laws against murder are not suspended because someone regards someone else as not-a-person due to handicap.