Citation
“Would You Sell Your Son to Save Your Daughter?”
ABC News
April 24, 2008
http://abcnews.go.com/Health/HeartHealth/story?id=4716768&page=1
Summary
In Jhansi, India, a father of two, named Mahesh Rajak, was faced with a problem, like many other people in this area of the world. His 16-year-old daughter, Babita, had suffered three years from rheumatic heart disease. Mahesh wanted to save his daughter by getting her the operation she needed, which would cost $7,500, but he didn’t have the money for it. Mahesh considered selling himself for his daughter’s treatment, but finally decided he would sell his son to the highest bidder, as a laborer for the money he needed, until he could save up enough money again to buy his son back. In the end, Mahesh was able to have his daughter operated on without selling his only son, thanks to the hospital and NDTV viewers for funding enough money for the entire surgery.
Reactions
· This article relates to the AP World History theme of, Impact of technology, economics, and demography on people and the environment. Technology gives us what we need to perform these surgeries on the people who need them and economics allows a way for us to pay for the things we need or for what others need.
· The history of this issue is basically that in our world there are places that are not as wealthy as others. India just happens to be on of these places.
· The point of view of this article is by a male who is most likely an outsider. His nationality is unknown.
· In one part of the article, the author says, “ It was, however, a surgery she would not have needed had she lived in the developed world.” This is bias in that it shows the author feels India, and other not very wealthy countries, are inferior to wealthier ones.
· The point of view from a U.S. government official would be helpful in understanding why they don’t do anything to help the many people like Babita who have rheumatic heart disease and need the surgery.
· I feel bad for all the people in Babita’s condition. It must feel terrible to have a disease that you can’t afford the surgery for. I also think it was very kind for people to fund the money needed for Babita’s operation.
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4 comments:
This is a very interesting article. I feel very sorry for this family to even have to think about selling one of their children to save the other. However, I'm not sure that if i was put in the same situation i would sell my child only for the fact that if my own daughter was suffering the way his was with her heart problem i would not want her to be in so much agony if she didnt have to be. In the end if i felt it would be best for her not to have the surgery, she should just be given the optin to stop suffering once and for all.
This article is really out-spoken. I remember when we discussed the isue of this article in class. I think it is an exstremly sad idea that one parent may be forced to sell one child to save another. This shows the lack of help some Country's have. They need support because the idea of selling one human being to save another sounds perposterous. This article doesn't seem very biased and I feel is very informational.
This article is very depressing. I read it and I felt that it's so unfair how people can't afford surgeries in order to save lives. It's so sad how a father would have to sell his kid in order to save his daughter, but luckily help came on time and the surgery was paid for.
After reading the article several times, I tried to put myself in Mahesh's shoes. I realize how hard it would be too sell my only son, or to watch my daughter die. Luckily, for Mahesh, generous people were able to raise enough money for the Babita to have the surgey. It's just another example why we should be greatful for what we have here in America.
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