"... a society that would force this couple to go bankrupt financially and emotionally because their peers will send them to a life of misery in prison if they refuse to keep two completely handicapped and malfunctioning children on feeding tubes for as long as is medically possible."<p>Except that it is quite lawful <i>and</i> moral to let them die, and is routinely done.  From what I've heard, what generally happens in cases like this is one or more family members flip out and become obsessive crusaders for endless medical intervention.  Their loyalties and motivations are understandable, even if their loss of perspective has appalling consequences.  It would be interesting to know which of the parents were the medical crusader(s) in this case.