SUFFER: The little children

The oldest areas in our local cemeteries reveal the human story of white man’s early days in this part of the country in a way no history book could truly describe. A visitor there is struck by the number of small obelisks of alabaster standing in the graveyard grass among the larger headstones. These mark the burial sites of children.

The inscriptions, etched a century ago, cry out as clearly as they did that long-ago day when a son or daughter was laid to rest. One stone reads, “Our dear one.” Another, “Beloved angel.” Often, there is merely a name, a date of birth, and a date of death, and in many cases, as little as a year separating these events.

So many little ones were lost. How difficult it must have been for the grieving parents! How fervently these courageous people of faith must have prayed over their young ones when they became ill. There were so few resources available to them back then.

Gradually, over the decades, modern medicine began to close the lid on a Pandora’s Box of childhood diseases. Vaccines were developed to prevent whooping cough, the measles, tuberculosis, the scourge of polio, and other deadly diseases that afflicted the young. The advances in medicine have done umore to alleviate the suffering of mankind than any other human endeavor.

Today, in southwestern Idaho, there is a sect of people who call themselves “Followers of Christ.” They believe all medicine is the work of Satan. They refuse to innoculate their children or to seek treatment for them when they become ill. The children born into this sect are vulnerable to the same deadly diseases which took so many young lives a century ago. Believing in faith-healing, this sect has, thus far, been granted exemption from charges of child neglect, endangerment, or abuse. Even in investigated cases where it was found children died due to lack of medical treatment, no charges have been filed. Citing freedom of religion, the parents who did nothing while their children suffered and died, remain immune from prosecution.

What about the rights of the children? Have they none? They didn’t choose to be born into such dangerous circumstances. They need to be freed from their parents’ religious extremism.

Conservative Republican legislators may be reluctant to intervene in issues involing religious freedom and parental rights. At the same time, they are all adamantly pro-life. Does their concern for right-to-life end once the child is born?

We need leaders with the moral courage to defend the most vulnerable among us. If they could raise their voices, those who are buried under the oldest headstones would cry out that we do all we can to safeguard our children. How they would’ve rejoiced to have had the miracle of modern medicine to protect their little ones! Having led Christian lives, what would the old souls say to those who choose to let their children die in this new era when help is so readily available?

RUSS FAHLGREN

Worley