The One of Us European Federation for Life and Human Dignity has followed up since the beginning with the story of little Alfie Evans, sharing it with many other people who suffer the same way as Tom and Kate, Alfie’s parents. They have fought and keep fighting so that their children is treated. As it is known, Alfie was sentenced to death by the English Court because of a serious illness that made him disabled.
Alfie has rocked with his disease the English society to its foundations, not only showing its contradictions and darkness. “Every children —as it is stated in the Convention on the Rights of the Children— has the inherent right to life” and the states are obliged to “ensure the protection and the necessary care for their wellbeing, taking into consideration the rights and duties of their parents”. From a legal point of view, in Alfie’s case, the judicial branch is in charge of the decision regarding the life or death of the citizens until they deprive the parents of the rights and duties of maintaining and raising their children. However, the article 6 of the European Convention on Human Rights establishes that “the states recognize that every children has the inherent right to life and that they will warrant the survival and growth of the children”.
It is clear that, behind the act of dispossession of parental authority, they are trying to secure judicially the euthanasia beyond the boundaries.
Nevertheless, it seems that something is moving in favour of the life of little Alfie. The Federation One of Us has its hopes set on the growing mobilization, significant and with no boundaries, destined to open a new path of salvation of Alfie’s life. Together with thousands of people who work side by side with Tom and Kate, we can also find authorities and institutions belonging both to the civil and ecclesiastical community.
This is a strong and palpitating testimony aroused by a little boy and the love of his parents. It shows how strong the call for the value of human life is in the hearts of people. The story of little Alfie is having a significant positive impact on the reflection regarding the reception of human life even before birth. Suffice it to say that the worldwide admiration felt by his parents allowed them to reflect on their unconditional parental bond oriented to the reception of both born and unborn children, as well as an opening of the recovery of the sense of humanity towards the acceptance of a new life.
How many parents (especially mothers) have bravely preferred to give birth in spite of the pressure of those who claim that abortion is a solution for an ill or disabled child! Alfie is rocking the society to its foundations and demonstrates us that the only way to be truly civil is by considering that no human life is “useless”. Thank you, Alfie, Kate, and Tom!
Jaime Mayor Oreja, President of One of Us affirms:
Every day it is more difficult to defend what for many is obvious, the Right to Life. How is it possible that having a reception center in Italy and especially having the support of parents to keep him alive, the British Court prohibits this possibility? What powerful reason exists?
