In its zeal to promote the bogus “pro-life” talking point that Democrats support abortion “up to birth,” there is no low to which Fox & Friends will sink. Friday morning, Ainsley Earhardt kept the message alive during a discussion of abortion with a man who has Down Syndrome
While there is no doubt that those with Down Syndrome should be treated with the utmost dignity, Earhardt’s guest, Frank Stephens, is an anti-choice advocate who supports laws that require women, whose fetus has been diagnosed with Down Syndrome, to give birth to the child. Those who support the law claim that aborting a Down Syndrome fetus is discrimination against the handicapped. In the three of the four states with such laws, there are court challenges.
Earhardt opened with commentary about “the national debate on the value of life” and showed “viral video” of Frank Stephens’ moving 2017 Congressional testimony during which he made the unfortunate comparison of those who oppose Down Syndrome abortion laws to those who advocated for the Nazis’ “Final Solution.” He claimed that those who support choice don’t want people like him to exist and that is clearly not the case.
Earhardt encouraged him to speak about the reasons for his wanting to “speak out.” After he said that he wants people to know and like folks like him, Earhardt moved straight to the propaganda: “We’ve talked a lot in the media, in the last week or two, about the value of life. We have some Democrats that are pushing for abortion at the very final moments when a woman is about to deliver birth that would be acceptable.”
She asked Stephens what he would say to “moms who just found out that they have complications, their child might not make it full term or that their child would be born with Down Syndrome."
Stephens said he didn’t “want to make abortion illegal” but “unthinkable.” The affable Stephens said he wanted “to change people’s hearts” by convincing them their Down Syndrome babies deserve to live.
A woman who is told her fetus has Down Syndrome faces a really tough decision. While Mr. Stephens exhortations tug on the emotional heartstrings, the reality is very different. Frank Stephens is a very high functioning Down Syndrome person, but that isn’t universal. For those who aren’t in this category, it isn’t easy for the parents, particularly those who live in areas where resources are scarce. Caring for these children is extremely challenging, even under the best circumstances.
As the mother of a Down Syndrome child writes, “A sad reality is that the disability rights movement in the United States does not enjoy the attention and funding given to the anti-reproductive rights movement.” There is an argument to be made that there is a “moral” case to be made for a “compassionate” abortion of a Down Syndrome fetus.
The decision to raise a Down Syndrome child is not easy, as there are many factors at play. Yet, Fox News ignores the complexity in order to push an extreme anti-choice agenda - an agenda that they push by any means necessary!
Watch it below, from the February 1, 2019 Fox & Friends.
Thou shalt bear false witness for three hours every weekday morning.
Money-changers, welcome to the temple!
Blessed are the warmakers, for they shall obliterate the Earth.
To hell with the meek, for they shall inherit squat.