I don’t think the government tries to be insane. But sometimes, its actions are almost comedic, if not a ?little scary.
Taking and storing blood samples of newborn babies is just one example.
That’s what the Indiana government has been ?doing for more than 20 years. The State Department of Health has been collecting and holding blood samples of more than 2 million kids since 1991.
Indiana, like many states, takes a blood sample from newborns to test them for medical disorders. It ?potentially saves hundreds of kids per year, which, by all accounts, is something ?everyone likes.
However, they took and stored the leftover samples in an undisclosed warehouse in Indianapolis. This was all done without the parents’ knowledge or consent. There’s less enthusiasm for this.
I understand why they did it.
They wanted to use the samples for medical ?testing.
It would be a boon to society, medical research that could help everyone. And I’m sure they weren’t ?planning on using it for some nefarious reason, such as making zombies or ?supersoldiers or clones of us all.
But still, this probably stepped over the line.
I was born in Indiana in 1992.
Chances are, one of the blood samples in that ?warehouse is mine.
I’m not particularly concerned about them holding it.
If they use it for research and it helps save someone, awesome.
But it does seem a little creepy that for over twenty years, a little bit of me has been stored away in some mysterious place, and nobody knew.
They should have asked someone first.
This is one of the reasons people don’t like the ?government.
We’re pretty big on ?freedom in America. We like the idea that the government doesn’t have the edge on us, that it doesn’t know everything and its reach isn’t too long.
When it does things such as collecting blood samples in secret, it reminds us how powerful it can be. If ?someone’s not watching, the government can get away with a lot.
They have far more resources and the ability to use them.
That’s just the nature of a government. It’s supposed to be able to do things no single person could ?accomplish.
And it’s not malicious, but cutting through the red tape has its costs.
We have bureaucracy in place for a reason.
The slower the government moves, the less able it is to oppress us, or even just make mistakes. A little blood might not seem like much, but small steps can lead to big issues.
Indiana is now asking permission from parents to use their kids’ blood for ?research.
If you don’t want your kid’s blood used, all you have to do is say so.
Why they didn’t start out doing this, I don’t know. Dealing with the ?government is never easy.
There are so many moving parts. One issue can get lost pretty quick.
But it’s good this one was resolved.
And maybe next time, they’ll remember to ask first.
