:: Michael T. Babcock


I'm a married canadian pentecostal theology student working in computer science, specializing in software and database design on Linux systems.

I have a fascination will all things intellectual and as an INTJ (see MBTI), that is probably normal.

I'll forewarn everyone editing what I write -- I try to stay neutral but like everyone, I have a P.O.V. on many things, hopefully they're not evident in my submissions and copy editing. I enjoy writing and can be a bit of a perfectionist so I'll just edit anything I see as being stated less than accurately.

If you have any questions or comments, please see my talk page.

 :: My Blog
For non Wikipedia related discussion, see my blog.
 :: My Interests
 :: Wikipedia Articles

I've created or had a major role in editing:

 :: On Losing a Son

(This will receive much revision -- this is simply a cross-post of something I wrote to another user)

For what its worth (in response to comments you made on my talk page), my wife is an OTC carrier, a rare X chromosome linked genetic disorder. With our first child, we had an amnio done and received our genetic screening results back from Yale that said she (we already knew we were having a girl) was not a carrier. She is now two years old and a little princess.

With our second, almost a year ago however, we received word back that he was in fact a carrier -- he had the same markers as my wife, and as a result would almost definitely die within three days of birth.

We had already both decided that we would carry the pregnancy to term and enjoy the life we were given for whatever time we had, no matter the result. The results gave us time to come to terms with what would happen that December (right before Christmas, 2003). He (Colin Isaac Babcock) was born at Mt. Sinai hospital in Toronto, Ontario which has excellent facilities and where we'd had all of our pre-screening work done (See their website[1] for more information).

The doctors were incredible and very kind and compassionate. They were all inspired by our decision to have the baby and enjoy our time with him and allow him to enjoy his time with us. I said at the funeral for him that "he had a better life than most; he met his entire family, was held and hugged and loved for his entire albeit short life and never had to suffer the loss of friends or family the way we all will. He didn't know his life should have been longer and didn't suffer any more than any other dying person. We all eventually die, and someone eventually mourns our loss. At least he had an incredible three days, and we all got to enjoy him for that time."

As someone who's been through such a situation and still discusses it with his wife from time to time, and still takes time to cry about it too, I don't believe abortions are necessary in many cases that people think they are necessary in. I don't believe most people use abortion as a last resort but rather as an easy out. I wish I could get out of debts or heavy traffic on the 401 as easily as one can get out of pregnancy these days. How's that for a POV? ;-)

That's why availability isn't what bothers me -- its misinformation and indoctrination (in either direction) that I find troublesome.

Anyway, that's where I'm coming from.