SPEAKING OF NORMATIVE ISSUES:

Born at 12 1/2 ounces, baby now home (UPI, 2/13/03)

Michael Despain spent his first full day at his Monee, Ill., home Wednesday, four months after being born at just 12 1/2 ounces. [...]

Michael was delivered by Caesarean section Oct. 18, a month after doctors had determined Michael and his twin had stopped growing after 22 weeks gestation and their heartbeats were irregular. Janet Despain, 28, said her newborns were so tiny she could have held them in one hand.

Doctors said Michael was less than half the size of a normal 26-week fetus, but though he suffered a collapsed lung at birth, he did not experience other problems that generally plague premature infants, including brain hemorrhaging, heart problems and infections. Janet's lungs, however, were less mature than Michael's and she died six hours after birth.

According to Ms Lee's libertarianism, Michael Despain was not an individual on the morning of October 18th and therefore had no rights. Posted by Orrin Judd at February 13, 2003 12:44 PM