February 5, 2009

StreetTalk by Carol Rosen

Recently, a woman in Southern California gave birth to a set of octuplets. The single woman is 30 years old, has six other children - under the age of 7, one of whom is autistic and has had all 14 of her kids through invitro fertilization. Do you think this is ethical? (Asked at the Sonoma Chicken Coop)


“I thought she was going to sell them. Seriously, the doctors should have insisted on counseling first.”

Gene Baker, 46
Almaden
Sales


“I don’t know the family or the household. All those kids need is love and food. But I can’t imagine raising 14 kids.“

Adam Decker, 37
Campbell
Engineer


“I don’t think it’s ethical. I think it’s wrong. She’s single and she already has six kids. The taxpayers are going to end up taking care of these children.”

Kevin, 44
Almaden
Office manager


“It’s not ethical. Her mother works at the clinic where she had the procedure. They dumped them all in her. We are going to wind up paying for all these kids. She’s already lined up to appear on Oprah and with Katie Couric, so she’s getting $2 million, hopefully that will take care of them all.”

Tricia Sparks, 60
San Mateo
Airlines


“It depends on whether she has the financial ability to raise them, and if she does that’s admirable. If she doesn’t and she wants to live off the system, that’s really troublesome and society will not agree with her.”

Conoway Gothard, 49
Almaden
Construction


“I don’t think it’s unethical but I don’t know if it’s in the best interest for her and her children. It sounds like it’s too much to handle for one person.”

Graham Clark, 43
Almaden
Homestead High School principal


“It’s not ethical; it’s a drain on our society. It’s unfair to the children with no father and no income. I’m not upset about the invitro fertilization. I think the doctor is guilty. It’s too many kids for one woman to raise.”

Paul Ward, 66
Almaden
Retired


“It’s ridiculous and she’s obviously mentally ill. It’s unethical, they should not have implanted that many embryos.”

Carol Barr, 59
Almaden
Retired