From “Practical Ethics”: “Human babies are not born self-aware, or capable of grasping that they exist over time. They are not persons.” But animals are self-aware, and therefore, “the life of a newborn is of less value than the life of a pig, a dog, or a chimpanzee.”

Accordingly, from “Should the Baby Live?”: “It does not seem wise to add to the burden on limited resources by increasing the number of severely disabled children.”

Also in that book, Singer and his colleague, Helga Kuhse, suggested that “a period of 28 days after birth might be allowed before an infant is accepted as having the same right to live as others.”

And it’s a practice that is not unknown in Europe already:

Reports out of Europe trace the advance of the Culture of Death as euthanasia is normalized and human life is progressively discounted. Now, two European nations are moving forward with plans to euthanize children, and advocates admit that the practice is already widespread.

A report out of Brussels indicates that Belgium will legalize euthanasia for terminally ill children, according to legislation introduced by members of the ruling Flemish Liberal Party. The bill, proposed by senators Jeannine Leduc and Paul Wille, asserts that children and teenagers suffering with terminal illnesses and “intolerable pain” have the right to choose death rather than suffering. As the legislation reads, “Their suffering is as great (and) the situation they face is as intolerable and inhumane (as that of young adults).”

[...]

The practice of euthanizing children is already legal in the Netherlands, where Dutch euthanasia advocates have been constantly pushing for a lower age of consent. Writing in The Weekly Standard, Wesley J. Smith reports that the Groningen University Hospital has now decided that its physicians will be able to euthanize children under the age of twelve, “if doctors believe their suffering is intolerable or if they have an incurable illness.” Children too young to gain a driver’s license will now be able to choose their own death by means of legalized euthanasia.

When the state is all-important, one’s usefulness to it becomes a deciding factor in whether or not one lives. In some cases, the only factor.

It really is alarming in so many ways. I was offered tests for various things when I was pregnant with my youngest and refused them because I really did not want to know or be faced with that decision. It’s *hard*.

If you want to kill the physically and mentally disabled, at least be plain about it. Don’t try to sell it to me as if you’re doing them some kind of favor.