Both President Trump and Pope Francis tweeted out support for persons with Down syndrome Wednesday, while also condemning the practice of aborting them before they are born.
In commemoration of World Down Syndrome Day, Mr. Trump said he celebrates “the lives and achievements of Americans with Down Syndrome,” adding that he and Vice President Mike Pence stand with them and “together we will always stand for LIFE!”
Today we celebrate the lives and achievements of Americans with Down Syndrome. @VP and I will always stand with these wonderful families, and together we will always stand for LIFE! #WorldDownSyndromeDay pic.twitter.com/u7vrG7JnCP
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 21, 2019
For his part, Pope Francis offered an explicit wish for all persons with Down syndrome, that they “be welcomed, appreciated, and never discarded, right from their mother’s womb.”
Today we think of people with #DownSyndrome. May they be welcomed, appreciated, and never discarded, right from their mother’s womb.
— Pope Francis (@Pontifex) March 21, 2019
President Trump has been an outspoken defender of persons with Down syndrome, employing the megaphone granted him by his office to speak out against selective abortions and discrimination against persons with the condition.
In October 2017, the president released a powerful statement in defense of people with Down syndrome, calling for an end to discrimination based on genetic anomalies.
“Sadly, there remain too many people – both in the United States and throughout the world – that still see Down syndrome as an excuse to ignore or discard human life,” Trump said in a statement recognizing Down Syndrome Awareness Month. “This sentiment is and will always be tragically misguided. We must always be vigilant in defending and promoting the unique and special gifts of all citizens in need.”
“We should not tolerate any discrimination against them, as all people have inherent dignity,” the President added.
Mr. Trump issued a similar statement in 2018, calling on Americans to “respect and honor” the sanctity of the lives of those with Down syndrome, “at every stage.”
“Despite some persistent myths and stigmas, even within the medical community, our Nation strongly embraces the undeniable truth that a Down syndrome diagnosis is an opportunity to embrace God’s gifts,” Mr. Trump said in his presidential message.
Studies indicate that some 67 percent of babies diagnosed with Down syndrome in the United States are aborted, while in many other countries, the percentage is higher still, and the abortion industry has fought tenaciously to allow women to selectively abort children thought to have the condition.
“I stand for life – in all of its beautiful manifestations – and I, and my Administration, will continue to condemn the prejudice and discrimination that Americans with Down syndrome too often endure,” Trump said in his message.
“We will always support the dreams of those with Down syndrome, and respect and honor the sanctity of their lives, at every stage,” he said.
“Life is precious, and it is our moral duty to protect and defend it,” he said.
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