ANSWERS: 43
  • I might get slaughtered for this but, i think that the mentally disabled should be, in some form, "fixed". The last thing we need is themn to reproduce. And whoever is reading this, and has a sibling like this, it's not towards you. But they have no parenting skills or anything.
  • Probably yes. because it is bad for society and also for them.
  • Actually, society has stepped in on previous occasions already. Didn't you know, they're trying to keep more disabled from being born. My mother was eventually "fixed" (her own parents gave the okay) because she was mentally and psychologically disabled, and getting worse. She wanted to have 10 children, at least. She had 6 (and 3 were given to adoptive families).
  • There is no law that states all people must have an acceptable level of intelligence to have children. What if the level they chose was too high for you? What's next, all people with very poor eyesight are prevented from having children who have to wear glasses? Or if your hair is too straight/curly, you can't have kids?
  • It would be a good idea for counselling to suggest that they don't have any more because they have enough to cope with but it really depends on the level of mental retardation and how much support the family has from relatives and friends. It shouldn't be too much of a problem if they are very mildly disabled but I would worry if they were severely retarded.
  • There is a mentally retarded couple in my town. They wanted to get married and the parents agreed but under one condition that one of them get fixed. The two agreed to it and have been married for 2 or 3 years now. it is kinda sad because i see them at the park sometimes with a baby doll in a stroller but i think it was for the best. it is hard to raise a child with no disablity and i have no idea where they would of had the money to do it had they of had the choice.
  • I have known of mentally challenged couples who had a child (or two... most only have one). The children end up being exceptionally bright. In the past I have also known couples which included both blind, both deaf, both born without arms or legs, etc. The blind didn't have blind children. The deaf didn't have deaf children. And the armless or legless didn't have handicapped children of any magnitude. What gives one the idea congenital learning disabilities are a heritary thing? They are usually just flukes of nature.
  • Other than educating the parents about contraception and letting them make their own choice, I don't think so. If the parents have children and demonstrate they're incapable of looking after them despite help put on offer, then they should be taken into care, as any neglected child should be. Drawing up laws and rules to stop people with certain disabilities reproducing is stepping into dangerous territory where liberties and rights are compromised.
  • ok before i give my answer i would like to object to one thing I have a learning disability i went to a MAINSTREAM school and i do NOT like the term mentally retarded where i am from (Scotland) that is an objectionable politically incorrect term. ok to answer the question, as for the business of disabled people getting 'fixed' well it's a case of Human beings with disabilities (yeah that's right I said HUMAN BEINGS not OBJECTS or DISABILITIES)should be allowed to CHOOSE for themselves whether or not to have that sort of surgery just like anyone else if they don't have good understanding skills then they will usually be appointed either an advocate - that is someone who speaks up for the person thereby giving them a voice or an appropriate adult or carer appointed to make the decision for the person if they cannot make the decision for themselves, if the disability they have (be it physical or learning) prevents them from making decisions however this second process is rare and complicated in conclusion, it is my opinion as a learning disabled adult of 25 years that a learning disabled person should only have a surgery preventing them from having children when a medical condition warrants it or if the person should decide to have this surgery i am well aware thank you that i do not write like a disabled person I have trouble with numbers and sense of direction it is my own choice never to have natural biological children of my own I am going to look into adoption because I am on the autistic spectrum and therefore am at risk of having a child who is autistic (being on the autistic spectrum and being autistic are actually 2 entirely different things) miscarriage and c-sections run in my family - these are the other reasons i do not wish to have biological children
  • Not if everyone is happy healthy and capable of caring PROPERLY for themselves. who are we to judge anyone but ourselves?
  • This is an amazingly deep and difficult question to answer... on the one hand you have a family of mentally deficient people reproducing who will most likely require government assistance to live and function. On the other side of this.. you have the question of whether we want the government "controlling" breeding in our society. I'm torn on this subject and find I have not definitive answer. I don't think this family should be allowed to reproduce... but is that not their right? I do know I don't want the government taking control of how I live... although in some countries.. child birth is not allowed without permission, all in the name of population control.
  • Out of the millions of couples around the world.. where do we start?
  • I personally believe that before people are married they should not only be tests for STD but also for all those necessary that could lead to find that there are 80%+ chances for the couple to have children with an inherited dissability. If both parents have MR they should be tested and their family history should be looked at by specialized doctors. If found it is an inheritable disability, they should be told and taught how this could affect them if they have children. There are two possibilities: 1] That they are capable of making up their own minds and understand the consequences. They are to be walked to fully understand and determine with full knowledge that one of them needs to be sterilized in order to avoid unhealthy children. They are to understand that if they have MR children, who is going to take care of those children should anything happen to the parents. [Should be supervised by courts of law] 2] That they are not capable of making up their own minds & are not able to understand the consequences. The rest same as the above except that in this case the decision should be taken by the parents of the future couple in order to proceed to sterilization. An authorization is to be obtained through a Court of Law. Though it sounds and is horrible to speak of sterilization, it is to be understood that the future of MR children is dreadful. If the parents can not take care of them for any given reason, they will be placed in MH facilities and their lives will be little less than human. I am so very sorry, but I needed to address this question as carefully as possible. Regards.
  • There are too many variables to say what is right for any given situation. Society should not be burdened with the decision, but the family members. As long as there is no risk to themselves or their children, a man and woman have the right to do whatever they please. Besides, there are far worse family situations than several mentally retarded people and society has no right to decide which people are more or less valuble to society.
  • If the learning disabled, can take care of their selves and live in society, it should be fine, for them too have children. If they arent able to take care of their selves, they probably shouldnt be having sex.
  • I don't really think so, One of them could be president in the future.
  • That makes their child a Dee Dee Dee. I think it would be a crime against humanity to let them procreate. Downrate me if you want; it just works against you.
  • First of all please use people with an intellectually disability. There are different degrees of disability. Second it should depend on their ability to cope with everything that comes with parenting. There are services that help with raising children in different ways. Prevention should be talked about in marrier counselling. Anyone who prove uncapalbe of looking after children disality or no disability should be prevent from having any more.
  • if they can care for themselves and are able to raise their kids (maybe with some help but that's not a crime) i honestly don't see why we should take matters into our own hands and stop it. i've worked with children with autism, downs syndrome, and some other forms of mental disabilities and honestly they've got some of the greatest hearts out there. i loveeeeeeeee working with them. especially the children with autism.
  • There is a very fine line between respecting the rights of those with a cognitive disability and neglecting them. The first thing you need to ask yourself is what if they didn't have this disability and the circumstances were the same. What would your actions be in that case? We often expect individuals with a cognitive disability living on their own to be more perfect than someone without a disability. We see it as proof that they are unfit. I'm sure there are plenty of people who don't have a disability but keep filthy homes and don't keep their children as nice and clean as we would like to see them kept. If they are raising their children with love that is a good sign. If they make every effort to help them learn that is also good. Many people end up being terrible parents but we don't tell them they can't be parents before they have proven that they aren't good parents. The couple is entitled to know the truth of what could happen to their children if something happens to them. The addition of a state paid caregiver is actually more likely to be cost effective than institutional care would be. The problem there is that the risk is very high for caregiver fraud unless someone is pretty diligent at supervising. There just are no easy answers.
  • Everyone has the right to reproduce. Who r we to judge their capacity. For all we know they are more capable in raising a child than an able body.
  • Of course not
  • not for me to say, but doesnt that create more of a burden on everyone else?you have to train and rehab them, you HAVE to school them, even if it takes 30 years to pass high school....ETC. a few I can see.you are hindering everybody else if you keep it up.
  • There are many more unfit parents who have no intellectual disability than there will ever be parents with a disability. Sure there are challenges, but with the right type of support, it's possible. Incidentally, the majority of intellectual disabiities are not hereditary, so the chances of two people with ID producing 3 ID chidren is very low.
  • Not as long as they are capable of taking care of their children. There are people who are mentally handicapped and are still capable of raising children. In contrast there are some people who are of normal intelligence who are not capable of raising a child. If we start prohibiting "non desirables" from having children where does it stop. They used to sterilize people who they felt were undesirable. It's a slippery slope to be one.
  • Retarded people should not have childern because they would not know how to care for their children. I am not retarded, yet I don't feel ready to have children.
  • i know of a man that has IQ of 60. he lives with a girlfriend and his brother a convicted child molester of little girls. the man was thrown in jail for domestic violence where he hurt his 2 year old daughter. she lives with her maternal grandmother. she is fighting for custody. the courts are going to release her to this father in the reunification process. it is an outrage. he is absolutely not capable of raising himself let alone his child who came to the grandmother filthy, angry, and highly sexualized. but wow lets give everyone their rights. except the child. cps totally thinks this is an ok placement. crazy huh. this child under the care of her grandmother is now healthy, intelligent, and happy. so lets ruin her life again leave her in poverty with no opportunities, and certainly no education, and at risk of molestaion. thats looking out for the best interest of the child.
  • You cant have someone have less rights due to something they cannot control like a disability but, raising a child when you are mentally handicapped must be extremely difficult. Maybe there could be some people who's job it is to help mentally handicapped parents raise a child.
  • No,.,Helping handicapped people is a dignifiying human endeavour. But,.,If the fundies and all other nutty religioso weirdos can be stopped breeding more flotsam to their piles of garbage then that would be ok.
  • Is one of them you?
  • They have the right to have a child, but they need to be taught about birth control!
  • WHY should the government get involved. I know smart people with smart kids who should have government intervention to stop them having children.
  • They are probably more capable and attentive than half the quote, "normal parents" Most of wich have no buissnes being aloud to have any kids either!
  • YES YES YES! I know this is gonna sound cruel, but the mentally retared are ultimately a burden to society. Granted, some have done amazing things. But in general, the mentally retarded (and even mentally ill) are a burden on the economy and everyone else's mental health. I'm not saying they are the sole reason for the collaspe of the economy, mind you. But developed countries spend millions of dollars taking care of these people and about 99% are unable to contribute to society. Of course, if a retard has a baby, the baby will be retarted to. So yes, the mentally retarded should not be allowed to have children. Not only will it be a burden off societies shoulders but the mentally retarded are suffering on many levels thanks to their parents giving birth to them.
  • Its called the Nazi eugenics program! Seems most you support it! Oh I forgot the USA did, the state of Oregon didn't repeal its forced sterilization law until 1983! How many people who take drugs, drink, beat children and basically cannot, and do not look after there children don't get their tubes tied! Bigotry is alive and well! Just joined now leaving disgusted at this site and humanity! Maybe you should think about getting your own tubes tied bigotry can be passed down by Parents!
  • What do you have against Mentally Retarded People?*+++++*
  • why not they allowed George bush to reproduce!
  • nah. let them do their own thing.
  • Of course not. But no one should be forced to pay for their existence.
  • Hmmm...what if those "mentally retarded" people have perfectly normal children who end up contributing to society? That happens too, you know. I had friends who would have fit your criteria. He was dyslexic and never learned to read. She was raised in an institution and became environmentally retarded. Their children were perfectly normal and have done quite well for themselves.
  • Nope. The Obama administration may be considering this as part of their vision of socialized medicine for America.
  • i don't think thats for anyone to judge, Nobody asks to be born with illnesses or disabilities, besides if they are in love, why not have children, its not always a fact that 2 mentally retarded people have mentally retarded children.

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