Wisconsin’s shame
An 11-year old girl died this week from a treatable form of diabetes. She died because she didn’t get the treatment she needed–not because of lack of resources, but because her parents decided that prayer alone would cure her.
This is a shame on our state and our nation that we can allow such wanton neglect within a civilized society. As a libertarian, I am all for personal freedoms and liberties but this example has clearly gone way over the line. These parents are clinically insane at best; murderous criminals at worst.
The fact that such people could live in our state and be regarded as normal is deeply troubling. I don’t know them personally, but I would be shocked if this is the first time their over-zealous “religion” was noticed.
Have we really lost the ability as a culture to distinguish religious practices from insanity? Are we so afraid to offend our neighbors that we’ve stopped questioning abuse when done in the name of religion? Does it take a death for us to wake up and see the danger?
What’s worse is that the District Attorney is still debating whether to press charges. I see no other way to interpret this tragic event than gross negligence by the parents. What a shame. . .
Filed under culture : Comments (2) : Mar 27th, 2008 by tadfad
April 5th, 2008 at 9:59 am
If the parents sent their child out unclothed into the cold winter with the idea that “God would keep her warm” we would have no problem arresting them. If they left their child unattended in a car, with the thought that “God would look after her,” same thing. If they didn’t set a broken bone, etc. etc. I don’t get how this is different. Once we have knowledge (i.e. they knew she was sick, she exhibited all sorts of symptoms), we can’t go backwards into not knowing.
April 29th, 2008 at 6:53 am
Update: Parents charged with 2nd degree reckless homicide.