“DYING FOR THEIR BELIEFS”

1.       BRAINSTROMING

•          How a radical position could put in danger our life.
•          Right to life should be the most important right ahead of religious principles.
•          Respect for the religions and its beliefs, cultures and its customs; is the best way to preserve the diversity.
•          The constitution should protect life of any child, ahead of any custom or belief.
•          An adult person can choose how he/she would want to live or to die.

2.       OUTLINING

I Amy Hermanson and her family          

A.      Important information about Amy Hermanson

B.      Her Parents and their beliefs

1.       Christian scientists

II Advices from some close people like friends and family about the Amy´s illness

A.      Advice of Mary Christman

B.      Call from Amy´s Aunt to the social worker

C.      Advice of Eric McHugh

D.      Position of Christian scientist

1.       Position of Hermanson´s

2.     Prayer vs. Medical attention

III Legal process

A.      Charge imposed by Sarasota County Courthouse

1.       Three degree murder and felony child abuse

B.      Position from American Law

1.       Can´t deny the medical care for religious reasons

C.      Conclusions from Autopsy

1.       Inappropriate medical attention

IV My personal position

A.      Constitutional rights

1.       Freedom of religion and children´s right to grow up healthy

B.      Right to life

1.       Protection of child´s life

C.      Culture and customs, religions and beliefs

1.       Respect them but without put in danger life.

ESSAY “DYING FOR THEIR BELIEFS”

Amy Hermanson died of diabetes on Sunday September 30, 1986, when she was seven years old; she was a child full of energy, before she got sick.  She died because her parents (William and Christine Hermanson) decided to put their religious principles ahead of protecting their daughter, they are Christian Scientists and they are members of Sarasota´s first church.

Mary Christman, a close friend´s family realized Amy wasn´t well, because she noticed the child had a strange look, her temperament had changed and she had lost weight, then Mary decided to tell them the little girl needed medical attention or she could die soon, two days after that, Amy died. Also, Amy´s Aunt realized the child over the last week had lost 10 pounds, however she ate and drank a lot, her eyes were strange and she seemed to have few energy. Mary decided to say Amy´s parents, those symptoms could be a strong sign Amy had diabetes, how the Amy´s parents didn´t want to give a medical attention, she called the social worker, but it was late, because this day she died.  June R. McHugh, director of the private Julie Rohr Academy, where Amy attended; said that when the year began, the child had some changes in her temperament; she used to cry a lot. So, McHugh called her parents and advised them Amy might be suffering from a physical ailment, the Hermanson´s didn´t pay attention, and Amy died a week after of this advice. Despite Amy wasn´t well and despite all those advices done by their friends and family, they preferred to continue with their Christian beliefs and they tried to heal her with prayer.

Because of that situation the Hermanson´s were scheduled to go on trial in Sarasota County Courthouse, they were accused for three degree murder and felony child abuse, since 1967 they couldn´t deny the medical care for religious reasons. The autopsy done by the examiner James C. Wilson from Associate Medical; concluded Amy could have saved, if she had had an appropriate medical attention before she died. 

According to the opinion of the Harvard law professor Alan Dershowitz, in this trail are confronted two important constitutional rights, freedom of religion and children´s right to grow up healthy, however, above any right, the right to life is the most important thing we should fight it, and more when is a little child who requires our care.  Firstly, Is pretty important we could respect the different cultures and its customs, religions and its beliefs, because is the only way how we can preserve the diversity of customs and beliefs, and it is the best way how we could live in peace, each person should have the possibility to choose the conditions in which we would want to live or to die, but when life of a child is in danger, the constitution and its laws should provide clear tools to protect it,   and thus, we could avoid that more cases like this continue appearing.