If you’re in the UK, you’ll have no doubt have heard of
Ashya King. Ashya is a terminally ill five-year-old boy from the south of
England, who was “kidnapped” from hospital by his parents last week. His
parents decided to take little Ashya – who has just four months to live – out
of hospital without doctors’ consent and flee to Spain, and have been talk of
the country’s press since. They’ve since been caught and arrested, due to
appear in court this week. What terrible people, the papers have screamed! What
evil would do this? Here’s the thing (and this may be controversial) – I’m
behind the parents 100%.
Ashya is four years old, and he probably will not see the
start of next year. No medicine will save him. There is no treatment this
country will provide him that can do anything but extend his suffering just a
little bit. UK doctors’ have told the Kings as much. So they have decided to
take him to their Spanish home, where Ashya can see out his remaining days
comfortably amongst family, in the pleasant Mediterranean climate rather than
hooked up to a monitor in a hospital ward. I believe this is his right. Someone
please tell me how authorities can find this criminal or malicious. Correct me
if I’m wrong, but I always thought that we were within our right to refuse
medical care – and for the underage, this decision is passed onto the parent or
legal guardian. Remember, the treatments given to him by the NHS are not
designed to save him.
As for the absurd claim of ‘kidnapping’, he is Mr and Mrs
King’s son. He does not belong to the hospital or the state. Since when do
hospitals have ownership of their patients? The Kings’s have taken a person
they are legally and morally responsible for and made the decision they see
best fit for his wellbeing – no one knows their son better than they do. I find
despicable the manner in which the press has pushed the idea that religion is
to blame for Ashya’s removal, rather than the Kings’ love and compassion for
their son. They did not take him out of hospital because they are Jehovah’s
Witnesses. They did not take him out of hospital because it went against their
religion (which it actually doesn’t, if the papers would bother to check), and
they did not take him out of hospital because they value their faith over the
wellbeing of their child. They took him out of the damn hospital because they
considered it the best option for him. And, as far as I’m concerned, it’s their
right to do so as his parents, when he’s too young an age to make such decisions
for himself.
Still, the King family has been villianised by the press and
the public as monsters who have essentially tried to kill their son; as mad
people who cannot see past their religion, even when it comes to their own
children. Meanwhile they await trial and possible jail time for the terrible
crime of loving their son. Let’s just conclude by taking a look at the state’s
role in this. Ashya King is dying. He has precious few months of life left, and
has been forcibly removed from his parents (which is certainly not in his best
interests!) by the very authorities that claim to be acting to help him. As for
the parents, they’re now facing spending those months in courtrooms, and maybe
even jail cells, knowing their son is dying (essentially) alone. All because
they love their son. Now tell me, who is the criminal?
UPDATE: Since writing this, there seems to be a turn in public and media attitudes towards the King family, and they have been released from prison.
UPDATE: Since writing this, there seems to be a turn in public and media attitudes towards the King family, and they have been released from prison.
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