Let me say that I am Pro-Life and I also happen to be Roman Catholic. It’s funny how people assume that is why I allowed my son with Down syndrome to be born. The truth is, he was my son from the start and once I knew he existed, “options” ceased to exist. I was 40 when I became pregnant and would be 41 at the time of his birth and I knew the odds. We did not have an amnio or CVS (chorionic villus sampling). I did not even have those quirky blood tests you hear so many women freak out about (I didn’t even have the blood tests with my previous pregnancies). This wasn’t a testament to my pro-life commitment, but instead it was my commitment to the child I already knew.

So when I saw this article today about Sarah Palin,

Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin isn’t just a pro-life politician. She recently proved she’s pro-life by personal example. In an age when many parents receive the news that they’re carrying a baby with Down syndrome and then “terminate” the pregnancy,” Gov. Palin gave birth to a son with Down syndrome and announced her delight at God’s blessing.

I read it wondering if she actually felt as I did and not as a magnanimous being living out her pro-life stance for the public. While I’m glad the author pointed out the main stream media’s failure to really cover the story of Sarah Palin and the birth of her son, Trig; I can’t help but be a little bothered that the birth of Trig is being made a symbol of Pro-Life.

You would think I’d be happy considering my stance and my status as a mother of a child with Down syndrome, but placing our kids in that position as a symbol also places them in a position to be held in utter contempt by those supporting pro-choice ideals. Eight out of ten babies prenatally diagnosed with Down syndrome are aborted, and my fear is that contempt could allow that number to rise.

I would rather my son be a symbol of strength and perseverance. It does sound a bit cliche, however, he has worked so hard for every goal reached. In a society that honors great gain for little effort, I prefer he be a known because of the things he does, not just for “being.” That’s what I want for all of my children. Let the Paris Hiltons of the world be known for just existing.

Back to the article.

The national news rarely covers much from Alaska, but this story also has a heartwarming pro-life angle, which offers a political reason for the media to go whistling past it.

Sad but true.

Those of us in the Down syndrome community probably didn’t even notice the lack of coverage via the national media. We scrambled on our online forums and mail-lists linking to every remote article and photograph we could find. We were excited for the Palin family while at the same time recalling the flood of roller coaster emotions that immediately follow the birth of a child with Down syndrome. To most of the media, the birth of Trig was an issue. To those who don’t understand Down syndrome, it was a time to express sympathy. To those pro-choice advocates who saw his birth as a symbol, it was a time to express contempt (read the comment sections of the few articles that came out after his birth). To those of us in the Down syndrome community, Trig’s birth was a time to express joy at the birth of a beautiful child.