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This 9-Year-Old Girl’s Face Was Used To Promote Abortion, So Her Mom Got Brilliant Revenge
Rokas Laurinavičius BoredPanda staff
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You never know when a disgusting creep will appear from a dark corner of the internet. Using its anonymous nature, keyboard warriors are sharing some of the most disturbing thoughts they have, and even little kids can become subjects of their hateful treatment. Recently, Twitter trolls used a picture of Sophia, a severely disabled 9-year-old girl to promote abortion. Her mom, Natalie Weaver, responded in a way every mother would – she started a war against hate speech.
Sophia was born with facial deformities as well as deformities to her hands and feet. When she turned one, the girl was diagnosed with Rett syndrome, a brain disorder that permanently affects children’s language and motor functions. As a result, Sophia needs her family to take care of her 24/7.
“She’s had 22 surgeries,” Weaver told CNN. “She has a feeding tube. A colostomy bag. She has seizures and choking spells because of both the deformities and the rare genetic disorder.”
Everything began after changes to healthcare coverage in their area were proposed. As a healthcare activist, Weaver started to speak out more about Sophia’s genetic disorders, and it wasn’t long until trolls targeted the little girl. “People, they seek you out and want to hurt you,” Weaver said. “Some people go out of their way to make sure you see their cruelty. I get people telling me to kill my child, to put her out of her misery.”
One attacker really wanted to be heard. Not only did they share Sophia’s photo along with a paragraph supporting coerced abortion, but they also tagged Weaver’s Twitter handle and sent her a direct message.
“I blocked it. I just hoped it was gone,” the mother said. “But it was never removed. The account remained.” Weaver claimed Twitter had even sent her a message saying the post did not violate their policies.
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Time passed, but the tweet was still up, and the hurtful account behind it was still active. “[The troll] was mentioning my name and reaching out to my followers on Twitter,” Weaver said.
The original tweet with Sophia’s photo attached to it kept haunting Weaver. She asked people to report it and even told her story to a local news station, hoping to put enough pressure on Twitter it would take everything down. After about a week and a half of nonstop coverage Weaver got, she received another message from Twitter. They apologized, they removed the offensive post, and they suspended the account it came from.
Satisfied with the result, Weaver started talking about the way Twitter review such content. “Twitter needs to add people with disabilities as a category in their violation reporting,” she said. “Otherwise people don’t know the appropriate category to select for hate towards disabled people.”
A company’s spokesperson pointed out to CNN the platform’s “hateful conduct policy.” It says, “You may not promote violence against or directly attack or threaten other people by race, ethnicity, national origin, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, religious affiliation, age, disability, or disease.” “All of these considerations are taken into account when reviewing reported violations of the Twitter Rules,” the spokesperson said.
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The Weavers daughter Sophia was born with facial deformities as well as deformities to her hands and feet
Image credits: Natalie Weaver
When she turned one, the girl was diagnosed with Rett syndrome
Image credits: Natalie Weaver
This brain disorder permanently affects children’s language and motor functions
Image credits: Natalie Weaver
“She’s had 22 surgeries. She has seizures and choking spells because of both the deformities and the Rett syndrome”
Image credits: Natalie Weaver
But she also has two siblings that love her very much
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Image credits: Natalie Weaver
After changes to healthcare coverage in their area were proposed, Weaver started to speak out more about Sophia’s condition
Image credits: Natalie Weaver
And it wasn’t long until trolls targeted her little girl, some even borderline telling the mom to “kill her, put her out of her misery”
But even after receiving such cruel messages, seeing her daughter’s pic along with a paragraph supporting coerced abortion came as a shock to the family
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Not only did they share it on Twitter, they tagged Weaver’s Twitter handle and sent her a direct message
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Image credits: Natalie Weaver
After blocking the account a few times, mom was frustrated to see it was still up
Image credits: Natalie Weaver
Weaver claimed Twitter had even sent her a message saying the post did not violate their policies
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Image credits: Natalie Weaver
But it kept haunting Weaver
Image credits: Natalie Weaver
She asked people to report it and even told her story to a local news station, hoping to put enough pressure on Twitter it would take everything down
Image credits: Natalie Weaver
After about a week and a half of nonstop coverage Weaver got, she received this message from Twitter
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Many people had been supporting the family throughout this whole time
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Rokas is a writer at Bored Panda with a BA in Communication. After working for a sculptor, he fell in love with visual storytelling and enjoys covering everything from TV shows (any Sopranos fans out there?) to photography. Throughout his years in Bored Panda, over 300 million people have read the posts he's written, which is probably more than he could count to.
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Author, BoredPanda staff
Rokas is a writer at Bored Panda with a BA in Communication. After working for a sculptor, he fell in love with visual storytelling and enjoys covering everything from TV shows (any Sopranos fans out there?) to photography. Throughout his years in Bored Panda, over 300 million people have read the posts he's written, which is probably more than he could count to.
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What do you think ?
Daria B 6 years ago
I'm all for making abortion legal, accessible and taboo-free (if we can't save both the mother and the baby, let's save the mother at least), but THIS is not the way to promote such things. That kid is a live human being with a loving family who chose to keep and raise her. It's not just a number, give them some dignity.
Little Menace 6 years ago
Who will love her as much as her parents when they die? Each to their own but I don't even want any child [well past it now anyway], because the world isn't a place I feel comfortable to bring a healthy child into, let alone one that [I am not being nasty, the girl is probably a cutie pie] only a parent could love. I could not square that with my conscience.
Nia Loves Art 6 years ago
The condition she has makes her outliving the parents an unlikely scenario. If she did though I imagine that her siblings would care for her.
Daria B 6 years ago
That's good reasoning too, Little Menace. But this is about their choice, their lives and their efforts. And we don't even need to talk about using someone else's photo without permission, which is also a problem here. But, please, consider that people change and times change, and science goes on. These parents chose to put their efforts, maybe her condition and aesthetics will get better with surgery and whatever other medical treatment, maybe when they die she will find another kind soul (or maybe a sibling will want to take care). Or maybe, she will be the one to leave first (tragic case scenario, but still possible, and even then, none of the efforts will be useless).
Darla Johnson 6 years ago
If people look only on the outside , yes, only her parents may love her. But if the become decent human beings and look inside, she will be married someday.
Crystal Hackman 6 years ago
Yes, this makes people who support choice look like we want abortions to happen all the time. Believe me, in a perfect world, abortion would not be necessary. No one wants it to happen, but it does. People make tough decisions, and those decisions will be made regardless of it being legal or illegal. Also, these parents did not know about the child's condition until after she was born - unless I missed that part. If a child is already born, an abortion cannot be done.
Amina Hays 6 years ago
This is probably too personal and a massive over share, so I apologise first but it really pisses me off when anti abortion people don't take into consideration the situation in which someone got pregnant. I became pregnant as the result of a sexual assault and, for me personally, keeping it wasn't an option. It's a very sensitive topic which isn't as straight forward as these people claim it to be. Again, apologies if this is too personal.
Daria B 6 years ago
Exactly, Crystal! It's not abortion itself that we have to focus on. We have to apend our time and resources into the making of that perfect world where abortion is not needed. It's common knowledge that, in countries where abortion is illegal women either travel abroad or seek illegal, even DIY ways to do it, which often ends up with death. And they know it. But can you imagine how desperate one must be to choose possible death over anything else? These women and girls are not cowards, they are victims of a society which is judgemental and lacking of support. And, as a tax payer, I wouldn't mind my money going to a woman or girl who has to deal with a sudden pregancy and a child she would rather want to keep if she could. (Speaking as an example)
Taryn Wallace 6 years ago
I absolutely agree with you! To me using a child (especially one whose not even yours and you literally have no relation to) to push your own agenda is such a low thing to do. If you have to stoop to that level to get your issue talked about then you clearly aren't smart enough to actually argue your point.
AnnieLaurie Burke 6 years ago
What the rude person did has absolutely NOTHING to do with abortion. Why BP chose to use that completely wrong and inflammatory headline, I cannot understand. The rude person was promoting involuntary euthanasia, not abortion. He cannot have been promoting abortion based on Sophia's story, as she is not a pre-term fetus, but a child that is at least a few years old.
Blue Cicada 6 years ago
His Twitter posts, using the image of someone else's child without permission (Sophia), promoted prenatal testing and abortion of fetuses with "conditions". So, the headline is correct and accurate.
Noko 2 years ago
Or the mother chooses to sacrifice her life and let's her child live. This is what my cousin did and my sister now is raising her. She thought it was selfish to kill the baby to save her life but of course she is not from the USA. Very sad to lose her but we will see her again and the joy the child brought to our family is without measure.
Iapetos 6 years ago
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Abortion is in no way a legitimate way of birth control, and if you make it accessible and taboo-free, you encourage a HIGHLY questionable behavior. It is essential to give any woman in this critical situation of an unwanted pregnancy every possible support.
Akos Fellner 6 years ago
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Dear Daria. Im 40. My mother told me last year, that she had an abortion of my brother/sister before my birth from my father. I dont wish you such things to hear after 40 years.
Alusair Alustriel 6 years ago
You can feel however you please about it, but it was your mother's / parents decision and you have no right to judge it. If anything, you should support your mother for telling you this terrible for her thing (if she kept it for 40 years from you, it must have been a huge burden). From the demanour of your comment I presume you aren't "happy" with the action she took in the past. I apologize if I misjudged you though.
A S Koziol 6 years ago
Thankfully, making abortion legal doesn't mean anyone is forced to get one. And the majority of abortions in the US are family situations just like yours-parents who know they can't handle another child for financial reasons, time in the day, the desire to invest more in the children they already have, etc. So what was done was likely done as an act of love for you. And the only birth control that's 100% effective is NO SEX, which doesn't work in most healthy relationships. It's ok to think out of the box, and to consider the pressures your family was under that lead to that decision.
Master Markus 6 years ago
..... ...... Unpopular opinion that I will be crucified for: I believe that euthanizing the severely disabled can be justified. Maybe it's a little utilitarian, but I do not believe that society should have to pay for someone who will never pay it back. This isn't ALL mental illnesses, only the very severe ones where a person would never have the thinking capacity of more than a toddler. Also, I feel like the framing of the story is making people not admit this, but she is utterly terrifying. I am sorry, but I have never experienced that sort of visceral fear looking at a picture in years. Perhaps it's not logical, but I feel like it's weird that people won't admit that. It's irrelevant to whether or not you support aborting or euthanizing disabled children - you can think positively about that but still admit that her appearance is ... unpleasant.
Magdalina777 6 years ago
Wow. Someone being honest. Respect to you...and compassion to the girl. Far as she goes...those pictures were really....disturbing to look at, have to admit that. Of course it's also a matter of habit but I am struggling with the idea of someone calling her beautiful based on these pics. Naturally that doesn't mean she can't be a great person and beautiful on the inside, it also absolutely doesn't mean people should just call her out on all that(that speaks more about those people than it does about), but perhaps let's not turn being nice and accepting into outright lying.
Load More Replies... Master Markus 6 years ago
Thanks, Magdalina. I do in fact have compassion for her, though I understand that my initial comment seems heartless. My biggest issue is, looking at her and reading about her condition, even if she is happy, it appears to be happiness from ignorance. I wouldn't want to be living if I suddenly had major brain damage and could not eat or poop or any of that, so ... it's like I "see suffering in her". Even if she's not obviously suffering by expressing it, she does not have the quality of life of a naturally healthier person. I'm not suggesting she should be killed, but this is one of the times where I am brought to think about the mercy of doing so.
Valerie Lessard 6 years ago
i dont think it was that disturbing to look at, if you keep looking at her and desensitising yourself to her face you can notice some of her other features. What i feel now after getting over the initial shock is plain old compassion not only for her but her parents. euthanasia is a really tricky subject especially if whoever is discussing it is "normal" and doesnt have any outward problems or children with disability. I'd like to hear the voices of the children and the parents of those kids and their opinion. Clearly this little girls parents and family value her immensely. Imagine someone saying you should kill your child, i'm not a parent but I imagine it would be unthinkable. And we all have nieces and nephews that we love dearly. I say to really understand you have to put yourself in someone else's shoes. it's really easy to talk when you're not the one suffering. That being said, everyone calling her "beautiful" I find silly. As if this were some kind of lifestyle choice for her
Roman Pintus 6 years ago
You're absolutely right. The way so many people are glorifying this misery and the suffering of people with severe brain damage is disgusting. Life itself isn't precious, if it's just suffering.
SirWriteALot 6 years ago
"I do not believe that society should have to pay for someone who will never pay it back" But that's how society works. Not everyone is created equal, some will pay less, some will pay more. It should balance out. And before your scream COMMIES you should read up on communism, because a large group taking care of their weaker ones is not communism, it's called Society. If it was "survival of the fittest" we'd be very, very alone. I agree that the photos area hard to look at but I don't think a human being like her needs to be euthanized ... she needs to be supported until she's old enough to decide her own fate. Immagine your parents killed you because you were a burden.
Tammy Chapman 6 years ago
Very well said. In my family, we take care of our own, from birth to death. No matter what the circumstances might be, we ALWAYS take care of our own. I moved out of my Mom's house when I was 13, then just a few weeks later my Meme got custody of my 2 cousins. So I helped Meme take care of my 2 cousins (She worked and I had to figure out how to be a Mom). My Meme was a truck driver. She worked locally for a few years, then went back to being a cross-country truck driver. So, from the time I was 13 until I was 26 I raised those 2 girls like they were my own. I didn't have my own daughter till I was 25. And then, many years later, my Meme got dementia/Alzheimers. She had to move in with my Mom. Luckily Mom worked from home. And I became Meme's home health care person, I was there every day for 9 hours a day. Watching over her to keep her safe, watching her forget everything and everyone. I went home every evening and cried my eyes out. But I was ALWAYS there the next morning at 8 am.
Amber Kovach 6 years ago
My question is, what happens when her parents pass away? Will the burden of care then fall on her siblings since it states that she needs 24/7 care? Or will she have to go into a state run facility? Ultimately this situation is not positive for anyone in the long run. What good is a life if its entirety is full of suffering and pain, not just on the individual but those around them as well.
Petra Kreidy 6 years ago
The little girl may not even live long so i don't think the parents will die from natural causes before her. After all i hope they all get a good life but considering her case the years she'll live are few because i've heard that people who were born with anomalies (specially in the neuro system) don't get to live much longer 🙁🤷♀️
Quinn 6 years ago
The idea that she'll "never pay it back" rests on a narrow idea of what "contributing to society" involves. Contribution to society cannot be fully measured, quantified, or judged as insufficient. Contribution to economy maybe, but society? Interacting with people like this girl can teach others patience and compassion, which are very valuable traits. The simple act of living around people who differ from yourself leaves people more open-minded and empathetic. Is this not contributing to society? One may say that whatever small amount she gives will not compare to the large amount of care poured into her, but generosity is also a valuable trait in a healthy, supportive society. Humans have been caring for our disabled since the time of Neanderthals, and look how far our species has come. It clearly hasn't ruined human society so why not? I feel that the mentality of not caring for others you deem unworthy is more harmful to a society than the extra effort involved in caring for them.
Tammy Chapman 6 years ago
I agree and this is a comment that speaks to my heart. I have noticed, as time goes by, that people are caring less and less. The traits you listed are worth far more than money. If you don't have patience, compassion, empathy, decency, generosity, and open-mindedness...what good are you? I don't care how much money someone makes or has, but if they don't have these qualities, I don't want to associate with them. Somewhere in these comments, I told a little of my story...regarding how in my family we take care of our own. From Birth until Death!!! I might not always be patient, but I'm always compassionate. I'm way more open-minded than most. And I have so much empathy that there are times when I can't even watch the news. Hell, I cry at some commercials. I'm always being told that I 'feel' too much. But I wouldn't change that for the world. I like who I am. This little girl is so loved by her family and you can tell she knows that. And you can see how much she loves them too.
Philip Blake 1 year ago
I think we need a few less people in this world who can't 'pay back' or 'can't reproduce'. I'd gladly swap a few million normal folk to replace with a few million of her. I rest my case there.
Susanna Vesna 6 years ago
I absolutely agree with you. This is suffering at it's finest! She will never be able to enjoy life. If I was a mother I would never let my child live with choking and seizures happening every other minute, and putting this poor girl through so many surgeries! God! This is torture! I am not blaming the mother, clearly it is traumatizing for her as well. But she should have some compassion. And yes- I too had to quickly scroll through her images. People these day would rather publicly lie than admit the truth, in fear of being attacked by those with "an acceptable opinion".
DeadStillPretty 6 years ago
I don't think you can say that, that if you were a mother you would never put your child through all those surgeries. I have a rare neurological disorder too, not like poor Sophia up there, but I have had ten surgeries, and like Sophia, they were necessary to keep me breathing. If given the choice between having those surgeries and being put to *death*, I'd take the surgeries.
Susanna Vesna 6 years ago
@deadstillpretty For some reason I cannot reply to your comment, but I hope you will see it. I am sorry if my comment has hurt or offended you in any way. I am glad the surgeries worked for you and you are strong and fighting and happy to live.
Mika N 6 years ago
As for her appearance, anyone who has known her for a couple days would get used to it. In loving someones heart you tend to care less about how they look. I'm sure it warms her parent's heart to see her smile as much as it does to see their other children smile. In that case, how does it benefit anyone in the least to "admit" that someone's appearance startles them at first? Does that make the situation better in any way at all? That is not a useful thing to push people to do.
Master Markus 6 years ago
My point about her appearance is that there are so many people calling her "beautiful" and all this, and I think it's dishonest. It's not that I'm trying to force people what to say about her, but I feel like it's over-compensating language. You can say what you like about her personality (which seems like basically the same as a baby's so... take that as you will.) being nice, but when you try to compliment her physically it just seems objectively untrue.
Master Markus 6 years ago
1. I don't think I can take down comments even if I wanted to 2. I'm not worried about people "attacking" me. I wanted to share my opinion. They can respond however they want.
Claire Kidd 6 years ago
@InnocentLookingPervert- Clearly growing up without any deformities hasn't enabled you "to" write any better. "Too" means "as well as" "I have that too." and "to" indicates a direction or going from one thing to another "I'm going to the park" or "I want to have a pizza."
Valerie Lessard 6 years ago
I wouldn't want to push anyone to call her ugly or terrifying. But I wouldnt want to awkwardly call her beautiful all the time, It's so damn fake. Highlighting her other features is fine, her resistance to pain, her smiles etc etc but constantly having to pretend she's beautiful is a bit awkward if anything,
InnocentLookingPervert 6 years ago
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She is not "beautiful" call me harsh but i say she looks more like a fish if anything. It is dishonest lie if anything she is sick there is nothing beautiful about that. She has the personality of a 2yr old. when she gets old she might not even be able too write. its better for you to take down this comment before more people "attack you"
Katinka Min 6 years ago
'I do not believe that society should have to pay for someone who will never pay it back' Wow. And so many likes for this. This kind of thinking is sociapathic and the reasoning for several genocides in human history. I'm a tour guid and among other thngs I also do tours in a former concetnrations camp where over a thousand handicapped people were killed. In addition to thousand who were starved or injected with poison. So many families had no idea this would happen to their family members. So many were deeply mourned. The girl is happy, she is loved and loves back. We are not God. We don't get to decide who is allowed to live and who isn't and we most certainly don't get to decide that based on the monetary value of a human being. handicapped people were also killed or abandoned in other brutal regimes. That is were this kind of thinking belongs, not in a modern, civilized society. I'm a deeply horrified by this post and the many likes it got.
Wesley Danes 6 years ago
Maybe I don't like to work for a society that kills people with mental illnesses. A loving and caring society also creates a positive society with more income. So I don't think a cruel, cold utilitarian society is even financially the best one. I perfectly accept that people with the 'thinking capacity of a toddler' will cost more and earn probably nothing. It's there right to live as happy as possible. And i'm not against euthanesia. Not at all. If a kid, or anyone, just suffers, it should be an option. But according to the mom the kid is happy. So how dare you even suggest this kind of s**t.
Master Markus 6 years ago
I entirely understand the less than utilitarian position. I might not always agree with it, but I understand the sort of compassion-over-logical-function type thinking. I'm not offended or put off by the fact that you think this, though I am annoyed that I often feel that I'm not allowed to express my colder opinions. I know where I stand and how society generally sees people who think like I do, but believe me, it's not some sort of prejudiced personal attack.
Master Markus 6 years ago
Doubanji - I have in fact been diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome, but I am clearly able to think above the level of a toddler, so I am not being hypocritical just because I have a mental illness / disability of some form.
Marnee DeRider 6 years ago
She doesn't have a mental illness. She has mental deficiencies. She is choking and having seizures, went through 22 surgeries, and is in constant pain. If someone described their dog like that, people would be upset that the dog owner would allow the dog to suffer. We care more about our dogs than our children, it often seems to me.
InnocentLookingPervert 6 years ago
Even if she is happy how will she manage in society, go to school and learn , find love if she can't speak. She's nine for gods sake she should be playing , jumping, having fun with her siblings , SPEAKING. But she doesn't go to school. How will she ever enjoy the outdoors, live life freely, chat with people. So under so reasons i do think people should euthanizing the severely disabled kids can be jusified under reasons
Claire Kidd 6 years ago
Can't believe that mine is actually going to be the unpopular opinion. I feel that putting someone down is wrong. Euthanasia should be considered for people who have a choice in the matter- for those who know what's happening to them or those who are dying and they can make an informed decision. You can't play "God" with someone who would have no idea that they're about to be put to death. You couldn't explain that to them or get consent. And I think that's wrong. I also believe that the gestation period where it is acceptable to abort a child should be significantly lowered. And it shouldn't be used as a contraception method by women who carelessly sleep around and then have 7 abortions because they can. People should be educated to a higher level.
Doubanji 6 years ago
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Master Markus quite clearly you have no compunction about expressing your "colder thoughts", thoughts that quite frankly make you appear at the best autistic and the worst sociopathic. Hmm those would be mental illnesses wouldn't they... I guess that would make you elligable for euthanasia too...
Schumann Yu-Sandstrom 6 years ago
I'll be honest, I was a little scared and shocked when I first saw her. I felt sad for her. Then I stared at her pictures a little longer, and her loving family sharing their affection with her, and her smiles. And I suddenly realized how sweet she looks, and that she does NOT look scary. The fact is - the actual truth I believe - is that she is extremely sweet, and is a beautiful existence. Just like that I don't feel slightly scared anymore seeing her, and ofc doesn't her family. We're conditioned by society and our own experiences to have opinions and feelings towards ideas and concepts, such as beauty and 'normal human appearances' (idk how much is natural/preset), but I think that it's possible to be less restricted by set opinions and such if we try to keep an open mind. And I disagree that we should consider euthanizing the disabled. If we are a capable civilization, we should help others. To be thinking "oh, but these disabled kids won't pay us back" is such BS, sorry...
Schumann Yu-Sandstrom 6 years ago
Also, who are we to say what her life is like and whether she deserves to or should euthanized. What are we talking about? What matters is whether she's happy, and if she's not, how she can become happy, either through radical acceptance or however. But we don't know if she's happy or not. We don't truly know anything about her. I wish we could stop with the assumptions, judgements, and suggestions to "mercy kill" based on our unqualified opinions. It's bad enough she and her family have to deal with these sadistic trolls already mentioned in the article. I saved one of the pictures to remind myself how beauty, ugly, good, and bad are ALWAYS based on perspective, and how it differs among individuals and how it can change thru time. This girl alone reminds me of hope.
Lu 6 years ago
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Here's a question for you Markus, and not being critical of you. What about folks who are in accidents, have deformities or severe impairments that leave them disabled mentally, physically or otherwise. To what degree, do we say, and decide for them in some cases that they should be killed...after all euthanasia is a polite word for killing someone whether they consent to or not, based on what *we* think is best. I believe there are enough resources especially in North America to feed and care for everyone 100x over for each person. Yes I agree not pleasant to look at, but that's totally subjective isn't it? Her parents love her, her siblings love her, i'm sure if we allow our compassion to grow we can love her too. Her appearance does not dictate whether we can or cannot love her, otherwise everyone would treat her the same. I helped a guy named steve in college who was seizure, wheelchair bound but always had a big grin on his face...i learned to be a better person around him.
JacekEU 6 years ago
you know, the problem is, who and on which conditions decides about will never pay back. For example, homosexuals, or infertile people, or with less than average iq. Or other ethnic group , depends from a time and need. We had this in Europe 75 years ago, therefore we are strongly against any racist and eugenic policies
Nia Loves Art 6 years ago
Yes, I think most would agree that her appearance isn't what most people would want their children to look like, but that's not what this is about. She is a real little girl and the way she looks is not her fault. All decisions parents make about whether to have and/ or keep alive a severely disabled child is their own and not the business of anyone else.
Grumpy 6 years ago
Honest question - if her disability were more visually "appealing", would you still feel that way? Because my first reaction IS to judge you for justifying killing disabled people.
Master Markus 6 years ago
Yes, even if she was pretty but still had the extremely low mental faculties and constant reliance on medical procedures, I would consider that a possible justification for euthanasia. One thing i must express, though, that I didn't before, is I'm not saying "make this government-mandated killing", but rather than I agree with mercy-killing under such justifications, if, say, the parents decided such a thing.
Mika N 6 years ago
Perhaps part of the problem is with thinking in terms of "society" paying and receiving back from her. You're only thinking monetarily. "Society's" money regularly goes towards all kinds of things that don't truly benefit it as a whole. The ones in this story giving the most in personal finances, time, and emotion are her parents, and it is clear from the article that they personally receive very much back for that which they value significantly. I could talk a lot more about simply the intrinsic value of a human life no matter if anyone "benefits" or not, but from your post I don't think arguments like that would mean much to you though I believe in it myself. I've always felt that people with severe disabilities like this remind us to stay human. They tend to bring out the tenderness, compassion, and all the best things in the people around them. That is one way which I believe they have very significant influence on society.
Master Markus 6 years ago
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In my opinion, there is no intrinsic value to human life. A human's life is worth the same to me as that of any other "higher" mammal. The difference is whether or not I feel personally attached to any particular animal. The way society pays for someone like her are such things like the doctors who have to do all her operations using their time and resources on someone who isn't going to get better. If she's going to go to a public school, then the resources become wasted on someone who won't be able to learn past a certain point and largely won't use knowledge anyway.
Techniker 6 years ago
What you describe was performed in Germany as "Aktion T4". They used exact the same arguments as you.
T.Milly 6 years ago
The American Eugenics movement , which began around 1870, gave rise to other "bio-social cleansing programs," notably the Nazis & the Holocaust & the Post WW2 Aktion T4. In fact, Eugenics is still around today. The Human Genome Project, for example, is essentially Eugenics hidden by a fancy name.
Shari H 6 years ago
Yes, it is unpleasant to look at this little girl and realize that she suffers medical issues and that she suffers the harsh judgment of others. She does not conform to the normal physical appearance we are used to seeing, and it makes us uncomfortable because we do not understand it. That does not make her any less beautiful; she is a human being with thoughts, feelings, and love to give. It is okay to be uncomfortable, but be open as well. The value this child gives is that she teaches you to become a more compassionate person and to accept that different does not have to be terrifying.
Shari H 6 years ago
ILP - I have my degree in special education and grew up living next door to a care home for the physically disabled. I am very aware of Rhett's syndrome, and if you took 30 seconds to actually read my post you would see I was responding to Master Markus calling this child terrifying by saying she does not conform to our ideals, but that she is beautiful. It is normal to be uncomfortable with that which we as individuals don't personally understand, but it is necessary to learn from that discomfort. I was trying to kindly say that calling the child terrifying was unnecessary, but clearly, you have poor comprehension skills and need me to be blunt. Looks are NEVER important, how we speak to others and the kindness we show is what counts.
Mark White 6 years ago
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Her brain is so undeveloped she could grasp the concept of ridicule
InnocentLookingPervert 6 years ago
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"wawawawa She does not conform to the normal physical appearance we are used to seeing, and it makes us uncomfortable because we do not understand it" We understand it. People are try to help find a cure and prevention for it. You just wanna make it about looks . That's shallow and sad get over you're self
KT Trondsen 6 years ago
Money should not be a reason someone has to die. Money is not everything. Her family loves her and she loves them. You might find her terrifying to look at, I didn't. Sometimes life can hand you a raw deal, how would you like it if random people on the internet started saying what you are here? it would hurt you, your loved ones. Open your heart.
Nadine Ogilvie 6 years ago
This is seriously one of the most disturbing things I’ve read in my life.
Katinka Min 6 years ago
I'm a guide in a concentration camp memorial so it's not the most disturbing thing I ever read. but it certainly looks VERY familiar. During the 'T4 Aktion' over 70.000 handicapped people were murdered. That ist the logical consequence of the thinking that many people offer here: Useless elements of society are harmful, so they need to be killed. If not outright then by withholding medical help. (like the Nazi docotrs often did) Starving them also works). I wonder what they say about people who've been in horrible accidents - also pull the plug?
Lied 6 years ago
Lol. The quality of your answers goes down with each response,but at least you acknowledged that you would be attacked for your "utilitarian" views. After all, who would agree to live in a place so dystopian-like that your right to life will be determined by your value in society, whether or not your condition allows you to be productive. The reason these people are provided with the care that they need is simply because they also have rights, they are people, even if they "never have the thinking capacity of more than a toddler". You're an entitled to an opinion and you deserve to share it, but criticism exists.
Juanma Romero Ramírez 6 years ago
You surely live in a reality very much like such dystopian society you describe, yet you fail to realize it. One would say that's really dumb of you, if such failure weren't epidemic.
Molly 4 years ago
Late to the party but her mother finally did the right thing and stopped subjecting her to the endless non-consensual surgeries and force feeding. I think the parents and doctors were very unethical forcing her to live when she actually would have died naturally not long after birth. It's neither beautiful or a miracle, it's a grotesque display of selfishness and ego from the doctors and parents. She's not even "smiling" it's a gruesome semblance of a smile because the flesh from the upper corners of her mouth are ripped right off basically.
mearz 6 years ago
i understand the quality of life argument but you are going right for the wallet.it cost each person pennies. if you would want to live in a world where you price tag (real or imagined) determines if you live or die, you probably be hard pressed to find someone who wants you in this one.
Philip Blake 1 year ago
some might say YOUR appearance is unpleasant too. sorry but I don't experience 'visceral fear' looking at her, and clearly her children-siblings do not either; but some adults do have a problem. Her appearance is 'unpleasant' yes, by our cultural and instinctive standards of 'beauty; but frankly who finf cares. The ugliness of the human race is in its hate. SO, you draw the line at 'toddler age' capacity in allowing a person life, huh? Well, I'll be happy to kill you on the spot if you tell to my 18yo son who had Down Syndrome with West syndrome, who has the capacity of a 18 month old but is learning to walk, play, laugh and smile.
David Herz 3 years ago
This says it for me "but I do not believe that society should have to pay for someone who will never pay it back. " What do you mean by payment? Dollars? Presence? Emotion? Compassion? Insight? If your world view is limited to a balance sheet then I don't want to live in your wolrd.
Magdalina777 6 years ago
Can't respond to your response apparently so will respond here...in this specific case I don't feel we have enough info to judge if she is or can be happy(and it's definitely not up to us to decide her fate). It also depends on how functioning her brain is and frankly she's probably worse off if it's high functioning enough to realize the extent of her issues. But at the same time...medicine is evolving and maybe there is or will be a chance one day? Can we take that away? Or even if not, there have been people with crippling disabilities who have achieved more in my life than most of us "normal" people and did manage to become happy and leave their mark on the world despite everything. I don't know, I feel it's a very difficult subject. I do actually feel euthanasia can be justified in some cases but it's very hard to draw the line there.
phil blanque 6 years ago
What you are calling "euthanasia" is murder...first degree murder. You REALLY, REALLY need to adjust your thinking. You are advocating murder! More than unpopular, your feelings are CRIMINAL!
Susanna Vesna 6 years ago
Euthanasia is not murder! Get your hormones intact for God's sake! Or are you from some Obsessive Christian group? Euthanasia is actually mercy for people with horrible health conditions, which make life a useless routine of pain and suffering. Imagine yourself suffering something like this on daily basis!
Coffee 6 years ago
It won't be Euthanasia if she can't /doesn't consent. It would be murder. She has the right to live no matter what she looks like.
Pamela 6 years ago
How is this getting likes ? You just said that all mentality disabled people alive who aren't mentally older than a toddler should be put down. Like f**k, might as well get the shot gun and take them behind the shed right ?
Master Markus 6 years ago
I said it could be justified, not "f**k it let's do this s**t!" I'm mainly concerned with the people who are lost causes but get worked on constantly by doctors. If they're in a stable condition and just living casual lives I don't really have a problem. I'm not offended by their existence or something. I just get concerned when significant medical resources are used on people who won't be recovering anyway.
Gurt McDirt 6 years ago
This site sucks... that post literally re-posted to every single subpost...
Alberto Curutchet 6 years ago
It's hard to tell if euthanasia applies here, but still I think it should be a matter of further discussion. But overall I agree with your comments, it's good to read this after all that "gift from God" nonsense.
Phaniax 6 years ago
Good to know there's someone with the same opinion. Society runs on everybody working for themselves, contributing and getting back in return. But, the severely disabled (who can't think more than a toddler,) won't be able to give back typically. So society will keep giving until they are unable to provide anymore as they are taking from their own resources and not getting anything back in return. Weaver had pointed out that she's gone through 22 surgeries and endured a lot of pain. Sit this is the case, then why keep her alive if her future is only more surgery and pain with no consolation other than staying alive?
Katinka Min 6 years ago
So who is supposed to kill her off, Phaniax? Since she's just baggage, maybe you want to do the deed?
Darla Johnson 6 years ago
This is to InnocentLookingPervert, that is a disgusting and mean thing to say. Get off Bored Panda if you are going to say things like that.
Monilip 6 years ago
Crucified for? No. Just little reminder: thinking like this leaded Hitler and whole Nazi Germany to creating death camps. For you, sick are unworthy being alive. For Hitler - it was all disabled people, mental sick people, Jews, Slaws, homosexuals, Gypsys, etc. It is dangerous road. Once we start ot think some people are not worth living (whatever its because "society should noy have to pay for someone who will never pay it back" or "Jews are subhumans") we start going dangerous road that leads only to death and end of humanity.
Alberto Curutchet 6 years ago
You are being fallacious. This is different. It's not euthanasia for "people who we think they are not worth living". There are cases of human beings living with severe disabilities, clearly going through a lot of pain, etc, for whom living is probably more of a hell or a nonsense rather than a good experience. I myself would be happy if someone did that for me, If I was on that situation. It's just a matter of empathy.
danielle 6 years ago
Can't agree more with what you have said: "My biggest issue is, looking at her and reading about her condition, even if she is happy, it appears to be happiness from ignorance." You might say her parents are going a great thing, but I think they are selfish/irresponsible in a way that they put their daughter through all the surgeries, but they refuse to admit their mistakes by allowing her suffering at the first place.
Sam Murray 6 years ago
I completely agree. In nature when an animal or what have you is born with major defects that effect its functioning and survivability it either doesnt make it through birth or rarely make it to adulthood. I think if doctors see something will seriously be wrong with the child it should be aborted. No questions about it. If that baby will never grow up into a functioning member of society what is the point. If they have the capacity of thought at all they are going to know when they look in the mirror theyre different. And not in a good way. The weakest, most vulnerable of society often gets left behind or unpurposefully dragged along. It wont be a quality life. Period.
Wendy 6 years ago
While your ideology is problematic, to say the least, let’s look at this pragmatically: What exactly determines who lives and who dies? Who exactly determines this? Who exactly do you think will carry this out? Do you think Drs will willingly break their hippocratic oaths, willingly kill a child? Further, your post mentions the severely disabled, people that do not contribute to society, people that can't think beyond a toddler level...History has shown that this is a very slippery slope.
Roman Pintus 6 years ago
Have you ever been at an intensive care unit for new born children? Have you ever seen the misery of infants that live a very short live in pain? That have seizures everyday and absolutely no chance to make it thru the first year of their "lives". Supporting this suffering by extending the lifespan is one of the most sickest things you can ever find in a modern hospital. Life itself isn't precious, if it's just suffering.
Wendy 6 years ago
Markus, you say “I'm not suggesting she should be killed, but this is one of the times where I am brought to think about the mercy of doing so”... yes, you are suggesting she be killed. You’ve made that quite clear and sugar coating it as euthanizion doesn’t make it more compassionate.
Melody Lanzatella 6 years ago
I wonder how old you are??? I wonder if you have children?? I also wonder...if YOUR child is disabled...will YOU be the one standing at the chopping block with the axe??? I would also point out, that your ugliness, and ignorance is FAR more harmful to society than that little girl.
Trisha Dragon 6 years ago
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Feel how you want. Parents made a choice, the life is here you STFU and show respect. You're not worth more to that family than she is so jog on you spine free weasel.
Johanna Zamora 6 years ago
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What a shallow, sad comment. And sadder are the people who downvote Mika N's reply. Master Markus, you should be ashamed of yourself.
Pamela 6 years ago
I can't believe this tenacious mother had to even do that much work for a website to simple remove her child's photo. What a beautiful family they are, and you can tell the girl is living her best life possible.
Daria B 6 years ago
I'm all for making abortion legal, accessible and taboo-free (if we can't save both the mother and the baby, let's save the mother at least), but THIS is not the way to promote such things. That kid is a live human being with a loving family who chose to keep and raise her. It's not just a number, give them some dignity.
Little Menace 6 years ago
Who will love her as much as her parents when they die? Each to their own but I don't even want any child [well past it now anyway], because the world isn't a place I feel comfortable to bring a healthy child into, let alone one that [I am not being nasty, the girl is probably a cutie pie] only a parent could love. I could not square that with my conscience.
Nia Loves Art 6 years ago
The condition she has makes her outliving the parents an unlikely scenario. If she did though I imagine that her siblings would care for her.
Daria B 6 years ago
That's good reasoning too, Little Menace. But this is about their choice, their lives and their efforts. And we don't even need to talk about using someone else's photo without permission, which is also a problem here. But, please, consider that people change and times change, and science goes on. These parents chose to put their efforts, maybe her condition and aesthetics will get better with surgery and whatever other medical treatment, maybe when they die she will find another kind soul (or maybe a sibling will want to take care). Or maybe, she will be the one to leave first (tragic case scenario, but still possible, and even then, none of the efforts will be useless).
Darla Johnson 6 years ago
If people look only on the outside , yes, only her parents may love her. But if the become decent human beings and look inside, she will be married someday.
Crystal Hackman 6 years ago
Yes, this makes people who support choice look like we want abortions to happen all the time. Believe me, in a perfect world, abortion would not be necessary. No one wants it to happen, but it does. People make tough decisions, and those decisions will be made regardless of it being legal or illegal. Also, these parents did not know about the child's condition until after she was born - unless I missed that part. If a child is already born, an abortion cannot be done.
Amina Hays 6 years ago
This is probably too personal and a massive over share, so I apologise first but it really pisses me off when anti abortion people don't take into consideration the situation in which someone got pregnant. I became pregnant as the result of a sexual assault and, for me personally, keeping it wasn't an option. It's a very sensitive topic which isn't as straight forward as these people claim it to be. Again, apologies if this is too personal.
Daria B 6 years ago
Exactly, Crystal! It's not abortion itself that we have to focus on. We have to apend our time and resources into the making of that perfect world where abortion is not needed. It's common knowledge that, in countries where abortion is illegal women either travel abroad or seek illegal, even DIY ways to do it, which often ends up with death. And they know it. But can you imagine how desperate one must be to choose possible death over anything else? These women and girls are not cowards, they are victims of a society which is judgemental and lacking of support. And, as a tax payer, I wouldn't mind my money going to a woman or girl who has to deal with a sudden pregancy and a child she would rather want to keep if she could. (Speaking as an example)
Taryn Wallace 6 years ago
I absolutely agree with you! To me using a child (especially one whose not even yours and you literally have no relation to) to push your own agenda is such a low thing to do. If you have to stoop to that level to get your issue talked about then you clearly aren't smart enough to actually argue your point.
AnnieLaurie Burke 6 years ago
What the rude person did has absolutely NOTHING to do with abortion. Why BP chose to use that completely wrong and inflammatory headline, I cannot understand. The rude person was promoting involuntary euthanasia, not abortion. He cannot have been promoting abortion based on Sophia's story, as she is not a pre-term fetus, but a child that is at least a few years old.
Blue Cicada 6 years ago
His Twitter posts, using the image of someone else's child without permission (Sophia), promoted prenatal testing and abortion of fetuses with "conditions". So, the headline is correct and accurate.
Noko 2 years ago
Or the mother chooses to sacrifice her life and let's her child live. This is what my cousin did and my sister now is raising her. She thought it was selfish to kill the baby to save her life but of course she is not from the USA. Very sad to lose her but we will see her again and the joy the child brought to our family is without measure.
Iapetos 6 years ago
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Abortion is in no way a legitimate way of birth control, and if you make it accessible and taboo-free, you encourage a HIGHLY questionable behavior. It is essential to give any woman in this critical situation of an unwanted pregnancy every possible support.
Akos Fellner 6 years ago
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Dear Daria. Im 40. My mother told me last year, that she had an abortion of my brother/sister before my birth from my father. I dont wish you such things to hear after 40 years.
Alusair Alustriel 6 years ago
You can feel however you please about it, but it was your mother's / parents decision and you have no right to judge it. If anything, you should support your mother for telling you this terrible for her thing (if she kept it for 40 years from you, it must have been a huge burden). From the demanour of your comment I presume you aren't "happy" with the action she took in the past. I apologize if I misjudged you though.
A S Koziol 6 years ago
Thankfully, making abortion legal doesn't mean anyone is forced to get one. And the majority of abortions in the US are family situations just like yours-parents who know they can't handle another child for financial reasons, time in the day, the desire to invest more in the children they already have, etc. So what was done was likely done as an act of love for you. And the only birth control that's 100% effective is NO SEX, which doesn't work in most healthy relationships. It's ok to think out of the box, and to consider the pressures your family was under that lead to that decision.
Master Markus 6 years ago
..... ...... Unpopular opinion that I will be crucified for: I believe that euthanizing the severely disabled can be justified. Maybe it's a little utilitarian, but I do not believe that society should have to pay for someone who will never pay it back. This isn't ALL mental illnesses, only the very severe ones where a person would never have the thinking capacity of more than a toddler. Also, I feel like the framing of the story is making people not admit this, but she is utterly terrifying. I am sorry, but I have never experienced that sort of visceral fear looking at a picture in years. Perhaps it's not logical, but I feel like it's weird that people won't admit that. It's irrelevant to whether or not you support aborting or euthanizing disabled children - you can think positively about that but still admit that her appearance is ... unpleasant.
Magdalina777 6 years ago
Wow. Someone being honest. Respect to you...and compassion to the girl. Far as she goes...those pictures were really....disturbing to look at, have to admit that. Of course it's also a matter of habit but I am struggling with the idea of someone calling her beautiful based on these pics. Naturally that doesn't mean she can't be a great person and beautiful on the inside, it also absolutely doesn't mean people should just call her out on all that(that speaks more about those people than it does about), but perhaps let's not turn being nice and accepting into outright lying.
Load More Replies... Master Markus 6 years ago
Thanks, Magdalina. I do in fact have compassion for her, though I understand that my initial comment seems heartless. My biggest issue is, looking at her and reading about her condition, even if she is happy, it appears to be happiness from ignorance. I wouldn't want to be living if I suddenly had major brain damage and could not eat or poop or any of that, so ... it's like I "see suffering in her". Even if she's not obviously suffering by expressing it, she does not have the quality of life of a naturally healthier person. I'm not suggesting she should be killed, but this is one of the times where I am brought to think about the mercy of doing so.
Valerie Lessard 6 years ago
i dont think it was that disturbing to look at, if you keep looking at her and desensitising yourself to her face you can notice some of her other features. What i feel now after getting over the initial shock is plain old compassion not only for her but her parents. euthanasia is a really tricky subject especially if whoever is discussing it is "normal" and doesnt have any outward problems or children with disability. I'd like to hear the voices of the children and the parents of those kids and their opinion. Clearly this little girls parents and family value her immensely. Imagine someone saying you should kill your child, i'm not a parent but I imagine it would be unthinkable. And we all have nieces and nephews that we love dearly. I say to really understand you have to put yourself in someone else's shoes. it's really easy to talk when you're not the one suffering. That being said, everyone calling her "beautiful" I find silly. As if this were some kind of lifestyle choice for her
Roman Pintus 6 years ago
You're absolutely right. The way so many people are glorifying this misery and the suffering of people with severe brain damage is disgusting. Life itself isn't precious, if it's just suffering.
SirWriteALot 6 years ago
"I do not believe that society should have to pay for someone who will never pay it back" But that's how society works. Not everyone is created equal, some will pay less, some will pay more. It should balance out. And before your scream COMMIES you should read up on communism, because a large group taking care of their weaker ones is not communism, it's called Society. If it was "survival of the fittest" we'd be very, very alone. I agree that the photos area hard to look at but I don't think a human being like her needs to be euthanized ... she needs to be supported until she's old enough to decide her own fate. Immagine your parents killed you because you were a burden.
Tammy Chapman 6 years ago
Very well said. In my family, we take care of our own, from birth to death. No matter what the circumstances might be, we ALWAYS take care of our own. I moved out of my Mom's house when I was 13, then just a few weeks later my Meme got custody of my 2 cousins. So I helped Meme take care of my 2 cousins (She worked and I had to figure out how to be a Mom). My Meme was a truck driver. She worked locally for a few years, then went back to being a cross-country truck driver. So, from the time I was 13 until I was 26 I raised those 2 girls like they were my own. I didn't have my own daughter till I was 25. And then, many years later, my Meme got dementia/Alzheimers. She had to move in with my Mom. Luckily Mom worked from home. And I became Meme's home health care person, I was there every day for 9 hours a day. Watching over her to keep her safe, watching her forget everything and everyone. I went home every evening and cried my eyes out. But I was ALWAYS there the next morning at 8 am.
Amber Kovach 6 years ago
My question is, what happens when her parents pass away? Will the burden of care then fall on her siblings since it states that she needs 24/7 care? Or will she have to go into a state run facility? Ultimately this situation is not positive for anyone in the long run. What good is a life if its entirety is full of suffering and pain, not just on the individual but those around them as well.
Petra Kreidy 6 years ago
The little girl may not even live long so i don't think the parents will die from natural causes before her. After all i hope they all get a good life but considering her case the years she'll live are few because i've heard that people who were born with anomalies (specially in the neuro system) don't get to live much longer 🙁🤷♀️
Quinn 6 years ago
The idea that she'll "never pay it back" rests on a narrow idea of what "contributing to society" involves. Contribution to society cannot be fully measured, quantified, or judged as insufficient. Contribution to economy maybe, but society? Interacting with people like this girl can teach others patience and compassion, which are very valuable traits. The simple act of living around people who differ from yourself leaves people more open-minded and empathetic. Is this not contributing to society? One may say that whatever small amount she gives will not compare to the large amount of care poured into her, but generosity is also a valuable trait in a healthy, supportive society. Humans have been caring for our disabled since the time of Neanderthals, and look how far our species has come. It clearly hasn't ruined human society so why not? I feel that the mentality of not caring for others you deem unworthy is more harmful to a society than the extra effort involved in caring for them.
Tammy Chapman 6 years ago
I agree and this is a comment that speaks to my heart. I have noticed, as time goes by, that people are caring less and less. The traits you listed are worth far more than money. If you don't have patience, compassion, empathy, decency, generosity, and open-mindedness...what good are you? I don't care how much money someone makes or has, but if they don't have these qualities, I don't want to associate with them. Somewhere in these comments, I told a little of my story...regarding how in my family we take care of our own. From Birth until Death!!! I might not always be patient, but I'm always compassionate. I'm way more open-minded than most. And I have so much empathy that there are times when I can't even watch the news. Hell, I cry at some commercials. I'm always being told that I 'feel' too much. But I wouldn't change that for the world. I like who I am. This little girl is so loved by her family and you can tell she knows that. And you can see how much she loves them too.
Philip Blake 1 year ago
I think we need a few less people in this world who can't 'pay back' or 'can't reproduce'. I'd gladly swap a few million normal folk to replace with a few million of her. I rest my case there.
Susanna Vesna 6 years ago
I absolutely agree with you. This is suffering at it's finest! She will never be able to enjoy life. If I was a mother I would never let my child live with choking and seizures happening every other minute, and putting this poor girl through so many surgeries! God! This is torture! I am not blaming the mother, clearly it is traumatizing for her as well. But she should have some compassion. And yes- I too had to quickly scroll through her images. People these day would rather publicly lie than admit the truth, in fear of being attacked by those with "an acceptable opinion".
DeadStillPretty 6 years ago
I don't think you can say that, that if you were a mother you would never put your child through all those surgeries. I have a rare neurological disorder too, not like poor Sophia up there, but I have had ten surgeries, and like Sophia, they were necessary to keep me breathing. If given the choice between having those surgeries and being put to *death*, I'd take the surgeries.
Susanna Vesna 6 years ago
@deadstillpretty For some reason I cannot reply to your comment, but I hope you will see it. I am sorry if my comment has hurt or offended you in any way. I am glad the surgeries worked for you and you are strong and fighting and happy to live.
Mika N 6 years ago
As for her appearance, anyone who has known her for a couple days would get used to it. In loving someones heart you tend to care less about how they look. I'm sure it warms her parent's heart to see her smile as much as it does to see their other children smile. In that case, how does it benefit anyone in the least to "admit" that someone's appearance startles them at first? Does that make the situation better in any way at all? That is not a useful thing to push people to do.
Master Markus 6 years ago
My point about her appearance is that there are so many people calling her "beautiful" and all this, and I think it's dishonest. It's not that I'm trying to force people what to say about her, but I feel like it's over-compensating language. You can say what you like about her personality (which seems like basically the same as a baby's so... take that as you will.) being nice, but when you try to compliment her physically it just seems objectively untrue.
Master Markus 6 years ago
1. I don't think I can take down comments even if I wanted to 2. I'm not worried about people "attacking" me. I wanted to share my opinion. They can respond however they want.
Claire Kidd 6 years ago
@InnocentLookingPervert- Clearly growing up without any deformities hasn't enabled you "to" write any better. "Too" means "as well as" "I have that too." and "to" indicates a direction or going from one thing to another "I'm going to the park" or "I want to have a pizza."
Valerie Lessard 6 years ago
I wouldn't want to push anyone to call her ugly or terrifying. But I wouldnt want to awkwardly call her beautiful all the time, It's so damn fake. Highlighting her other features is fine, her resistance to pain, her smiles etc etc but constantly having to pretend she's beautiful is a bit awkward if anything,
InnocentLookingPervert 6 years ago
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She is not "beautiful" call me harsh but i say she looks more like a fish if anything. It is dishonest lie if anything she is sick there is nothing beautiful about that. She has the personality of a 2yr old. when she gets old she might not even be able too write. its better for you to take down this comment before more people "attack you"
Katinka Min 6 years ago
'I do not believe that society should have to pay for someone who will never pay it back' Wow. And so many likes for this. This kind of thinking is sociapathic and the reasoning for several genocides in human history. I'm a tour guid and among other thngs I also do tours in a former concetnrations camp where over a thousand handicapped people were killed. In addition to thousand who were starved or injected with poison. So many families had no idea this would happen to their family members. So many were deeply mourned. The girl is happy, she is loved and loves back. We are not God. We don't get to decide who is allowed to live and who isn't and we most certainly don't get to decide that based on the monetary value of a human being. handicapped people were also killed or abandoned in other brutal regimes. That is were this kind of thinking belongs, not in a modern, civilized society. I'm a deeply horrified by this post and the many likes it got.
Wesley Danes 6 years ago
Maybe I don't like to work for a society that kills people with mental illnesses. A loving and caring society also creates a positive society with more income. So I don't think a cruel, cold utilitarian society is even financially the best one. I perfectly accept that people with the 'thinking capacity of a toddler' will cost more and earn probably nothing. It's there right to live as happy as possible. And i'm not against euthanesia. Not at all. If a kid, or anyone, just suffers, it should be an option. But according to the mom the kid is happy. So how dare you even suggest this kind of s**t.
Master Markus 6 years ago
I entirely understand the less than utilitarian position. I might not always agree with it, but I understand the sort of compassion-over-logical-function type thinking. I'm not offended or put off by the fact that you think this, though I am annoyed that I often feel that I'm not allowed to express my colder opinions. I know where I stand and how society generally sees people who think like I do, but believe me, it's not some sort of prejudiced personal attack.
Master Markus 6 years ago
Doubanji - I have in fact been diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome, but I am clearly able to think above the level of a toddler, so I am not being hypocritical just because I have a mental illness / disability of some form.
Marnee DeRider 6 years ago
She doesn't have a mental illness. She has mental deficiencies. She is choking and having seizures, went through 22 surgeries, and is in constant pain. If someone described their dog like that, people would be upset that the dog owner would allow the dog to suffer. We care more about our dogs than our children, it often seems to me.
InnocentLookingPervert 6 years ago
Even if she is happy how will she manage in society, go to school and learn , find love if she can't speak. She's nine for gods sake she should be playing , jumping, having fun with her siblings , SPEAKING. But she doesn't go to school. How will she ever enjoy the outdoors, live life freely, chat with people. So under so reasons i do think people should euthanizing the severely disabled kids can be jusified under reasons
Claire Kidd 6 years ago
Can't believe that mine is actually going to be the unpopular opinion. I feel that putting someone down is wrong. Euthanasia should be considered for people who have a choice in the matter- for those who know what's happening to them or those who are dying and they can make an informed decision. You can't play "God" with someone who would have no idea that they're about to be put to death. You couldn't explain that to them or get consent. And I think that's wrong. I also believe that the gestation period where it is acceptable to abort a child should be significantly lowered. And it shouldn't be used as a contraception method by women who carelessly sleep around and then have 7 abortions because they can. People should be educated to a higher level.
Doubanji 6 years ago
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Master Markus quite clearly you have no compunction about expressing your "colder thoughts", thoughts that quite frankly make you appear at the best autistic and the worst sociopathic. Hmm those would be mental illnesses wouldn't they... I guess that would make you elligable for euthanasia too...
Schumann Yu-Sandstrom 6 years ago
I'll be honest, I was a little scared and shocked when I first saw her. I felt sad for her. Then I stared at her pictures a little longer, and her loving family sharing their affection with her, and her smiles. And I suddenly realized how sweet she looks, and that she does NOT look scary. The fact is - the actual truth I believe - is that she is extremely sweet, and is a beautiful existence. Just like that I don't feel slightly scared anymore seeing her, and ofc doesn't her family. We're conditioned by society and our own experiences to have opinions and feelings towards ideas and concepts, such as beauty and 'normal human appearances' (idk how much is natural/preset), but I think that it's possible to be less restricted by set opinions and such if we try to keep an open mind. And I disagree that we should consider euthanizing the disabled. If we are a capable civilization, we should help others. To be thinking "oh, but these disabled kids won't pay us back" is such BS, sorry...
Schumann Yu-Sandstrom 6 years ago
Also, who are we to say what her life is like and whether she deserves to or should euthanized. What are we talking about? What matters is whether she's happy, and if she's not, how she can become happy, either through radical acceptance or however. But we don't know if she's happy or not. We don't truly know anything about her. I wish we could stop with the assumptions, judgements, and suggestions to "mercy kill" based on our unqualified opinions. It's bad enough she and her family have to deal with these sadistic trolls already mentioned in the article. I saved one of the pictures to remind myself how beauty, ugly, good, and bad are ALWAYS based on perspective, and how it differs among individuals and how it can change thru time. This girl alone reminds me of hope.
Lu 6 years ago
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Here's a question for you Markus, and not being critical of you. What about folks who are in accidents, have deformities or severe impairments that leave them disabled mentally, physically or otherwise. To what degree, do we say, and decide for them in some cases that they should be killed...after all euthanasia is a polite word for killing someone whether they consent to or not, based on what *we* think is best. I believe there are enough resources especially in North America to feed and care for everyone 100x over for each person. Yes I agree not pleasant to look at, but that's totally subjective isn't it? Her parents love her, her siblings love her, i'm sure if we allow our compassion to grow we can love her too. Her appearance does not dictate whether we can or cannot love her, otherwise everyone would treat her the same. I helped a guy named steve in college who was seizure, wheelchair bound but always had a big grin on his face...i learned to be a better person around him.
JacekEU 6 years ago
you know, the problem is, who and on which conditions decides about will never pay back. For example, homosexuals, or infertile people, or with less than average iq. Or other ethnic group , depends from a time and need. We had this in Europe 75 years ago, therefore we are strongly against any racist and eugenic policies
Nia Loves Art 6 years ago
Yes, I think most would agree that her appearance isn't what most people would want their children to look like, but that's not what this is about. She is a real little girl and the way she looks is not her fault. All decisions parents make about whether to have and/ or keep alive a severely disabled child is their own and not the business of anyone else.
Grumpy 6 years ago
Honest question - if her disability were more visually "appealing", would you still feel that way? Because my first reaction IS to judge you for justifying killing disabled people.
Master Markus 6 years ago
Yes, even if she was pretty but still had the extremely low mental faculties and constant reliance on medical procedures, I would consider that a possible justification for euthanasia. One thing i must express, though, that I didn't before, is I'm not saying "make this government-mandated killing", but rather than I agree with mercy-killing under such justifications, if, say, the parents decided such a thing.
Mika N 6 years ago
Perhaps part of the problem is with thinking in terms of "society" paying and receiving back from her. You're only thinking monetarily. "Society's" money regularly goes towards all kinds of things that don't truly benefit it as a whole. The ones in this story giving the most in personal finances, time, and emotion are her parents, and it is clear from the article that they personally receive very much back for that which they value significantly. I could talk a lot more about simply the intrinsic value of a human life no matter if anyone "benefits" or not, but from your post I don't think arguments like that would mean much to you though I believe in it myself. I've always felt that people with severe disabilities like this remind us to stay human. They tend to bring out the tenderness, compassion, and all the best things in the people around them. That is one way which I believe they have very significant influence on society.
Master Markus 6 years ago
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In my opinion, there is no intrinsic value to human life. A human's life is worth the same to me as that of any other "higher" mammal. The difference is whether or not I feel personally attached to any particular animal. The way society pays for someone like her are such things like the doctors who have to do all her operations using their time and resources on someone who isn't going to get better. If she's going to go to a public school, then the resources become wasted on someone who won't be able to learn past a certain point and largely won't use knowledge anyway.
Techniker 6 years ago
What you describe was performed in Germany as "Aktion T4". They used exact the same arguments as you.
T.Milly 6 years ago
The American Eugenics movement , which began around 1870, gave rise to other "bio-social cleansing programs," notably the Nazis & the Holocaust & the Post WW2 Aktion T4. In fact, Eugenics is still around today. The Human Genome Project, for example, is essentially Eugenics hidden by a fancy name.
Shari H 6 years ago
Yes, it is unpleasant to look at this little girl and realize that she suffers medical issues and that she suffers the harsh judgment of others. She does not conform to the normal physical appearance we are used to seeing, and it makes us uncomfortable because we do not understand it. That does not make her any less beautiful; she is a human being with thoughts, feelings, and love to give. It is okay to be uncomfortable, but be open as well. The value this child gives is that she teaches you to become a more compassionate person and to accept that different does not have to be terrifying.
Shari H 6 years ago
ILP - I have my degree in special education and grew up living next door to a care home for the physically disabled. I am very aware of Rhett's syndrome, and if you took 30 seconds to actually read my post you would see I was responding to Master Markus calling this child terrifying by saying she does not conform to our ideals, but that she is beautiful. It is normal to be uncomfortable with that which we as individuals don't personally understand, but it is necessary to learn from that discomfort. I was trying to kindly say that calling the child terrifying was unnecessary, but clearly, you have poor comprehension skills and need me to be blunt. Looks are NEVER important, how we speak to others and the kindness we show is what counts.
Mark White 6 years ago
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Her brain is so undeveloped she could grasp the concept of ridicule
InnocentLookingPervert 6 years ago
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"wawawawa She does not conform to the normal physical appearance we are used to seeing, and it makes us uncomfortable because we do not understand it" We understand it. People are try to help find a cure and prevention for it. You just wanna make it about looks . That's shallow and sad get over you're self
KT Trondsen 6 years ago
Money should not be a reason someone has to die. Money is not everything. Her family loves her and she loves them. You might find her terrifying to look at, I didn't. Sometimes life can hand you a raw deal, how would you like it if random people on the internet started saying what you are here? it would hurt you, your loved ones. Open your heart.
Nadine Ogilvie 6 years ago
This is seriously one of the most disturbing things I’ve read in my life.
Katinka Min 6 years ago
I'm a guide in a concentration camp memorial so it's not the most disturbing thing I ever read. but it certainly looks VERY familiar. During the 'T4 Aktion' over 70.000 handicapped people were murdered. That ist the logical consequence of the thinking that many people offer here: Useless elements of society are harmful, so they need to be killed. If not outright then by withholding medical help. (like the Nazi docotrs often did) Starving them also works). I wonder what they say about people who've been in horrible accidents - also pull the plug?
Lied 6 years ago
Lol. The quality of your answers goes down with each response,but at least you acknowledged that you would be attacked for your "utilitarian" views. After all, who would agree to live in a place so dystopian-like that your right to life will be determined by your value in society, whether or not your condition allows you to be productive. The reason these people are provided with the care that they need is simply because they also have rights, they are people, even if they "never have the thinking capacity of more than a toddler". You're an entitled to an opinion and you deserve to share it, but criticism exists.
Juanma Romero Ramírez 6 years ago
You surely live in a reality very much like such dystopian society you describe, yet you fail to realize it. One would say that's really dumb of you, if such failure weren't epidemic.
Molly 4 years ago
Late to the party but her mother finally did the right thing and stopped subjecting her to the endless non-consensual surgeries and force feeding. I think the parents and doctors were very unethical forcing her to live when she actually would have died naturally not long after birth. It's neither beautiful or a miracle, it's a grotesque display of selfishness and ego from the doctors and parents. She's not even "smiling" it's a gruesome semblance of a smile because the flesh from the upper corners of her mouth are ripped right off basically.
mearz 6 years ago
i understand the quality of life argument but you are going right for the wallet.it cost each person pennies. if you would want to live in a world where you price tag (real or imagined) determines if you live or die, you probably be hard pressed to find someone who wants you in this one.
Philip Blake 1 year ago
some might say YOUR appearance is unpleasant too. sorry but I don't experience 'visceral fear' looking at her, and clearly her children-siblings do not either; but some adults do have a problem. Her appearance is 'unpleasant' yes, by our cultural and instinctive standards of 'beauty; but frankly who finf cares. The ugliness of the human race is in its hate. SO, you draw the line at 'toddler age' capacity in allowing a person life, huh? Well, I'll be happy to kill you on the spot if you tell to my 18yo son who had Down Syndrome with West syndrome, who has the capacity of a 18 month old but is learning to walk, play, laugh and smile.
David Herz 3 years ago
This says it for me "but I do not believe that society should have to pay for someone who will never pay it back. " What do you mean by payment? Dollars? Presence? Emotion? Compassion? Insight? If your world view is limited to a balance sheet then I don't want to live in your wolrd.
Magdalina777 6 years ago
Can't respond to your response apparently so will respond here...in this specific case I don't feel we have enough info to judge if she is or can be happy(and it's definitely not up to us to decide her fate). It also depends on how functioning her brain is and frankly she's probably worse off if it's high functioning enough to realize the extent of her issues. But at the same time...medicine is evolving and maybe there is or will be a chance one day? Can we take that away? Or even if not, there have been people with crippling disabilities who have achieved more in my life than most of us "normal" people and did manage to become happy and leave their mark on the world despite everything. I don't know, I feel it's a very difficult subject. I do actually feel euthanasia can be justified in some cases but it's very hard to draw the line there.
phil blanque 6 years ago
What you are calling "euthanasia" is murder...first degree murder. You REALLY, REALLY need to adjust your thinking. You are advocating murder! More than unpopular, your feelings are CRIMINAL!
Susanna Vesna 6 years ago
Euthanasia is not murder! Get your hormones intact for God's sake! Or are you from some Obsessive Christian group? Euthanasia is actually mercy for people with horrible health conditions, which make life a useless routine of pain and suffering. Imagine yourself suffering something like this on daily basis!
Coffee 6 years ago
It won't be Euthanasia if she can't /doesn't consent. It would be murder. She has the right to live no matter what she looks like.
Pamela 6 years ago
How is this getting likes ? You just said that all mentality disabled people alive who aren't mentally older than a toddler should be put down. Like f**k, might as well get the shot gun and take them behind the shed right ?
Master Markus 6 years ago
I said it could be justified, not "f**k it let's do this s**t!" I'm mainly concerned with the people who are lost causes but get worked on constantly by doctors. If they're in a stable condition and just living casual lives I don't really have a problem. I'm not offended by their existence or something. I just get concerned when significant medical resources are used on people who won't be recovering anyway.
Gurt McDirt 6 years ago
This site sucks... that post literally re-posted to every single subpost...
Alberto Curutchet 6 years ago
It's hard to tell if euthanasia applies here, but still I think it should be a matter of further discussion. But overall I agree with your comments, it's good to read this after all that "gift from God" nonsense.
Phaniax 6 years ago
Good to know there's someone with the same opinion. Society runs on everybody working for themselves, contributing and getting back in return. But, the severely disabled (who can't think more than a toddler,) won't be able to give back typically. So society will keep giving until they are unable to provide anymore as they are taking from their own resources and not getting anything back in return. Weaver had pointed out that she's gone through 22 surgeries and endured a lot of pain. Sit this is the case, then why keep her alive if her future is only more surgery and pain with no consolation other than staying alive?
Katinka Min 6 years ago
So who is supposed to kill her off, Phaniax? Since she's just baggage, maybe you want to do the deed?
Darla Johnson 6 years ago
This is to InnocentLookingPervert, that is a disgusting and mean thing to say. Get off Bored Panda if you are going to say things like that.
Monilip 6 years ago
Crucified for? No. Just little reminder: thinking like this leaded Hitler and whole Nazi Germany to creating death camps. For you, sick are unworthy being alive. For Hitler - it was all disabled people, mental sick people, Jews, Slaws, homosexuals, Gypsys, etc. It is dangerous road. Once we start ot think some people are not worth living (whatever its because "society should noy have to pay for someone who will never pay it back" or "Jews are subhumans") we start going dangerous road that leads only to death and end of humanity.
Alberto Curutchet 6 years ago
You are being fallacious. This is different. It's not euthanasia for "people who we think they are not worth living". There are cases of human beings living with severe disabilities, clearly going through a lot of pain, etc, for whom living is probably more of a hell or a nonsense rather than a good experience. I myself would be happy if someone did that for me, If I was on that situation. It's just a matter of empathy.
danielle 6 years ago
Can't agree more with what you have said: "My biggest issue is, looking at her and reading about her condition, even if she is happy, it appears to be happiness from ignorance." You might say her parents are going a great thing, but I think they are selfish/irresponsible in a way that they put their daughter through all the surgeries, but they refuse to admit their mistakes by allowing her suffering at the first place.
Sam Murray 6 years ago
I completely agree. In nature when an animal or what have you is born with major defects that effect its functioning and survivability it either doesnt make it through birth or rarely make it to adulthood. I think if doctors see something will seriously be wrong with the child it should be aborted. No questions about it. If that baby will never grow up into a functioning member of society what is the point. If they have the capacity of thought at all they are going to know when they look in the mirror theyre different. And not in a good way. The weakest, most vulnerable of society often gets left behind or unpurposefully dragged along. It wont be a quality life. Period.
Wendy 6 years ago
While your ideology is problematic, to say the least, let’s look at this pragmatically: What exactly determines who lives and who dies? Who exactly determines this? Who exactly do you think will carry this out? Do you think Drs will willingly break their hippocratic oaths, willingly kill a child? Further, your post mentions the severely disabled, people that do not contribute to society, people that can't think beyond a toddler level...History has shown that this is a very slippery slope.
Roman Pintus 6 years ago
Have you ever been at an intensive care unit for new born children? Have you ever seen the misery of infants that live a very short live in pain? That have seizures everyday and absolutely no chance to make it thru the first year of their "lives". Supporting this suffering by extending the lifespan is one of the most sickest things you can ever find in a modern hospital. Life itself isn't precious, if it's just suffering.
Wendy 6 years ago
Markus, you say “I'm not suggesting she should be killed, but this is one of the times where I am brought to think about the mercy of doing so”... yes, you are suggesting she be killed. You’ve made that quite clear and sugar coating it as euthanizion doesn’t make it more compassionate.
Melody Lanzatella 6 years ago
I wonder how old you are??? I wonder if you have children?? I also wonder...if YOUR child is disabled...will YOU be the one standing at the chopping block with the axe??? I would also point out, that your ugliness, and ignorance is FAR more harmful to society than that little girl.
Trisha Dragon 6 years ago
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Feel how you want. Parents made a choice, the life is here you STFU and show respect. You're not worth more to that family than she is so jog on you spine free weasel.
Johanna Zamora 6 years ago
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What a shallow, sad comment. And sadder are the people who downvote Mika N's reply. Master Markus, you should be ashamed of yourself.
Pamela 6 years ago
I can't believe this tenacious mother had to even do that much work for a website to simple remove her child's photo. What a beautiful family they are, and you can tell the girl is living her best life possible.
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