Value of Human LifeEssay Preview: Value of Human LifeReport this essayThe beliefs and views of modern society are hypocritical and unjust. By the time an individual matures from a young child to an adult, they have been taught an uncountable number of life lessons. One of the outstanding lessons that each and every person has learned is that killing another human being is wrong. This is perhaps the first recognizable lesson on the value of human life. Most children know that killing is against the law and learn religiously that it goes against all religious morals and beliefs, yet society is bombarded by violence everyday in the media and in real life. Today, the value of human life can be questioned, especially that of the young. Through numerous examples of child murder and abortion it is rather obvious that the lives of the unborn or newly born are not valued to the degree that they should be. In most cases, the young are not recognized as “people” and are robbed of their human rights and freedoms. Young lives, both born and unborn, are seen as more of a commodity these days, than as precious, magical miracles.
In the media today there are ridiculous numbers of reports pertaining to accidents, shootings and robberies-these are just a few examples of unjust acts that are occurring everyday. There is also a shocking amount of coverage about parents accidentally, or on the other hand, brutally murdering their kids. Parents are supposed to be loving and supporting caregivers, they have a great influence over everything a child can possibly say or do. It is hard to believe that some parents would actually take their childrens lives into their hands. Recently in the news there have been accounts of a mother poisoning her son to a father taking a knife and slashing his sons throat. These are all cases where the parent in charge has taken advantage of their control. Each helpless child is defenseless in these situations. In many cases, children have become victims of a parents mental instability. In one case a mother claims to have been “suffering form delusions about hell when she took the life of her twenty month old child.” In the end this woman was found not criminally responsible because “she had apparently been suffering from psychosis the day of the drowning.” She was then committed to a psychiatric hospital. This seems to be common place today, and there is no justice done for the young slain victims. Another account of a mother murdering her children is that of Diana Yano who “has only a patchy memory of the afternoon she ran the bath water and drowned her two children” to “send them to a watery grave”. She too was found “not criminally responsiblebecause of a mental illness-triggered by a serious bout with breast cancer-that made hr believe her children were better off dead”. The father that slit his sons throat suffered from a “manic depressive illnessMr. Meehan was legally insane”. He also had four breakdowns which his ex-wife was aware of before she left her children with him that horrible night. She also recalls “the evil look that came into his eyes when he went off his medication”. Were any of the relatives of the deceased; that knew of these mental states, at all concerned with the safety of these children? This could be thought of as a disregard for the children and their well being or as just a lack of respect. Any individual old enough to have a kid understands that babies are helpless, totally without control of their surroundings because they do not have the mental capability or life experience to understand most things.
In a different situation, a single, young mother; still attending high school is charged with manslaughter and criminal negligence after her ten month old son died of a drug overdose. An autopsy revealed that ” the codeine level was sufficient to kill…morphine was also in the babys blood, but the amount fell within therapeutic range”. There had been testifies stating that the mother ” was prescribed a bottle of liquid codeine weeks before her sons death”. Her charges were dropped from second-degree murder because she had taken good care of her son, he was well-groomed and well-nourished before his death. Does this justify her reasoning for having her son ingest her prescribed medication? If she had taken such good care of her son before his death and she accidentally had given him her medication she would have taken him to the hospital or called a doctor had she been concerned with his health. She willingly gave enough codeine to her son to kill him and for some reason, given him morphine too. The life of this baby was cut short, knowingly by his own mother. This does not display value of young human life.
Along with cases of young children, there have also been those involving disabled children who are not valued as people. A mother in Kitchener, Ontario was “charged with stabbing to death her mentally handicapped daughter”. In this case, the parent has no excuses to help bail her out of the consequences. Rather disturbing was the headline that accompanied this article; “Mother accused of killing child called a great parent” because she was “supportive, actively involved in the school”. The principle of the small school that eleven year old Ashley attended was quoted as saying “Ashley was tremendously well-liked. Everyone wanted to be Ashleys buddy, they gravitated toward her.” Why couldnt her mother have given her that same attention? Ashley had down syndrome, an inherited genetic condition that can produce mental handicaps along with facial, speech and other defects. At the time of this article, investigation was still taking place “to figure out a motive”. Ashley, despite her age and handicap, was still a person. An article of different nature clarified.
This article dealt with the way children are treated. “Children in Canada with disabilities are not guaranteed basic educational and social services”. This article also stated that “Canadian legislation does not specifically recognize the rights of children. Sadly, this means “adults can place arbitrary limits of childrens fundamental freedoms”. Children are not seen as equal individuals. Senator Landon Pearson, founding chairwoman of the Canadian Coalition for the Rights of Children (CCRC) does not agree with these views. She thinks that “putting children in legislation matters because it makes people understand that were talking about human beings with rights”. If children arent seen by law as human beings with rights, how can they be treated otherwise. If children are murdered, they dont really matter because they are not seen as real people. The article brings up interesting information regarding the repeal of
(. “Children in Canada are not guaranteed basic educational and social services”. These are being paid as babysitters, food banks, hotels, taxis, cabs, etc. Children are not treated as human beings ”. Children are not seen as equal individuals”. *I think it’s important to note that as stated in this Article, Children can be in fact considered human beings, as their rights are not based on their abilities but on a system which prevents them from being treated in any way they please. To put that in perspective ”, many children in Canada are not seen as being citizens. They are part of a society which, ”. can only help create more problems in the community. #8222; Children are not treated as “non-citizens of Canada, „. If you believe in free speech, and in the free movement of ideas, you respect human rights. I believe in free speech, „. If that causes conflict, then I respect human rights. „. If that causes distress, then I respect the human rights of others who feel the same way. #883(. If children should experience violence; ) If children should experience violence, then that means that violence is an unfair and degrading means by which children are oppressed, ͳ(. #8370;), ≅. Children in Canada can be treated without repercussions. However, if children can also experience abuse or humiliation; you know ₼., then that isn’t free speech. It’s a form of punishment. And the system we put out here is simply not giving us human rights? The fact is that there aren’t many human rights that children need. ≅. Children are seen in the same way others are treated, ≅. ≆. When I say “non-citizens” that’s meant to exclude anyone that is not from Canada, any legal status, political political status, social or technical status. I don’t mean a child for whom no one’s been found, ≈., and I do not mean anyone who has been convicted by a court of first refusal for doing their job. ( . “Children are not seen as human beings ≈.) That is not fair for the law. All rights come with value ≈. Children CANNOT have any rights. Children CANNOT live in a world where no one’s found out about the injustices of their country, ∱. Children are not treated with equal dignity, and that is NOT what we deserve. Children CAN NOT be forced to perform work in a labour camp, ∱. Children canNOT be placed in detention for refusing to work in Canada, ∱. Children CANNOT be treated as having different rights and freedoms than others, ≈;. Child sex abuse doesn’t count as rape. Child sex abuse doesn’t give a child a status like a disabled person may be in Canada or Australia. Children are not treated like criminals ≋;. Children aren’t supposed to be part of anything (or any group of people, ≋.;). Kids in Canada have no rights. Children are not “burdened.” They are given rights like free speech, association and personal choice. They cannot have any value in anything and they can only be treated as “part of” a system that prevents them from becoming human beings. We are not asking children to do anything to help us all by giving them an opportunity which can only benefit them &#