Comments on: Katie Couric's Notebook: Down Syndrome

[dsmomnj]

This blog needs to be rewritten. A person with Down syndrome is not, unlike The doc from Albert Einstein College of Medicine claimed last night, relegated to a life of dependence in this day and age. Each person with Ds is unique, and many adults with Ds hold down jobs (and companies LOVE the dedication that people with developmental disabilities tend to show in the workforce), and some actually do live quite independently. That number is growing as a new generation of kids with Ds, who have been raised in loving homes and given proper education, become young adults.

Katie, your program NEEDS to do better justice to people with Ds. I know you''re planning other stories on Ds, too, and I sincerely hope that the Ds community will be heard loud and clear. PEOPLE WITH DOWN SYNDROME ARE CAPABLE PEOPLE, AND THEIR FAMILIES ACCEPT THEM FULLY. The medical community holds a strong bias against letting babies with Ds be born, and they look at our kids as needing to be "fixed." You come to my house and tell me what you think needs to be fixed about my daughter. You spend time with us, and see how "shattered" we are.

[maryland443]

I object to the piece because, like many other stories in the media right now, it is actually giving unfair coverage (and subtle kudos) to Sarah Palin. Sure, she has a baby with Down Syndrome. But so what? Can we now have an equally complimentary story about Biden''s struggle after his family was killed in a car wreck, or specifically how "heroic" it is when people move on from major grief like he did? If we''re going to give Palin credit for something so arbitrary, let''s give Biden equal time for something similarly accidental. Or let''s have a pice on successful adult children of single parent homes, like Obama. Let''s be fair. (Or be a news organization that feels no need to fairly represent both sides.)

With that said, if Palin and McCain were elected, there would be nothing heroic about choosing to have a baby with Down syndrome, because every pregnancy would have to be brought to term. There would be no choice in the matter at all. You aren''t a hero if you had no choice.

And to put it bluntly -- we shouldn''t romanticize people with Down syndrome. Life is harder if you have Downs, or if a family member has it. Let''s not sugarcoat it.

[joseph8221]

Starting today, I will launch for boycott of your newscast.

[joseph8221]

Katie, you have committed diservice to our children with down syndrome. why not feauture mothers with just delivered baby and those in pregnancy, and those kids in school, and working.
Your mind is still corrupted by your environment for these kids used to be called as mentally retarded-mongoloids! But recent advances in intervetion and care make them useful and productive members of our society; they can even vote!

Please, rectify your wrong, or we will boycott your program, too! Same with we are doing with Oprah!

[joseph8221]

Those who go for aborting their pregancy of children with down syndrome are committing selective pregnancy, all under the pretext of right of choice! Baloney!

The child life begins with themoment of conception. The child has intra uterine life. He is entitled to, as we have to give him the best in life, and get out and see the wonders of this world!

My son Joseph is ten years of age with down syndrome. He answers the phone in the morning whenever I call my wife.He is doing great in school.He brings priceless joy to us, and our community.

[joseph8221]

Katie, you are mother, but you appeared moronic with your views
as to our feelings when we knew that our children in our wombs have down syndrome? The high rate of percentage of pregnacy being aborted coz of the fear of the unknown given by the doctors
in taking care of the children with special needs.

I knew that my son has down syndrome I did not go for abortion, otherwise it is plain and simple SELECTIVE PREGNACY!

aLL BECAUSE THE CHILD HAS SPECIAL NEEDS, WE HAVE TO ABORT THEM? dONT BE PART OF STUPIDITY!

[dsadvocate-2009]

That was a really bad piece...factually incorrect, biased and just blah...wasn''t she resigning a few months back? The ratings are already in the toilet, someone needs to flush.

[lindadave1]

Katie Couric! Shame on you! "Agonizing choice", "Hopes and dreams shattered". This is irresponsible reporting! Your words are what make expectant parents fear the sweet baby that is growing inside of their mother''s womb! My son who has Down syndrome (Yes, I knew prenatally)is the most beautiful person that I have ever been around. He brings peace, joy and love to those he meets. Isn''t that what our world needs!? Peace. Joy. Love.
Katie, you need to spend time with families who have children with Down syndrome. You will find the challenges are not with the child but with society and the systems that surround the child. Katie, I challege you to report on what can be done to accept and support people who have Down syndrome. There is a very good article that you can do a search for on the internet called "If People with Down Syndrome Ruled the World". You have the responsibility to make your wrong, right. When you educate yourself on Down syndrome you will find there is NEVER really a CHOICE to be made. Choice can be a very bad word and when it comes to ending life, it is the most evil of words.

[wickerparkbo]

katie ... when are you going to express publically your justifiable anger in being so outrageously used and misrepresented by the mccain campaign in that offensive commercial?

john mccain''s approve that ad. do you?

[terria9]

This notebook entry on Down syndrome is negative, inaccurate and out of date.

I demand a re-write.