I'm really tired of this dumb and poorly thought out argument about requiring potential parents to pass a test or get a license to be a parent.
The logical conclusion of this argument--the natural place it leads--is a totalitarian environment that dictates who is subjectively "fit" to have a child and who is not. A world in which every potential parent must literally submit him/herself to a screening process, or receive a mandatory license to procreate, is NOT one I want to live in. Can you imagine where that could lead? I shudder at the thought.
It's easy to point to poor parenting and gripe that "there oughta be a law." But the implications of actually putting such legislation into practice are, frankly, terrifying.
Nov 4, 2009
"Well, DOGS need licenses..."
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Adoptive parents are really put under the microscope. My friends had to sign papers stating they would not spank and that they were christian. My friend could almost not adopt because he was slightly overweight (not obese or "fat" by any means - just slightly overweight).
I was offended at the injustice of this.
That said, I DO understand why this must be so. Sort of. But isn't it weird that we're OK applying it to adoptive parents and not birth parents? Why is it OK in one circumstance and not the other? What is the difference?
(I'm not arguing for a change - I'm just thinking out loud).
It's funny you mention that. I was just talking to a friend of mine named Greta who adopted a little girl from China. It was a four-year process.
But I guess I understand why those protections are there in terms of adoption, although rejecting someone because they aren't Christian or because they're overweight is ridiculous. People are hard-wired to take care of their own kids, but I can see why you'd want to guard against potentially exploitative adoptive parents.
That said, I have enormous respect for adoptive parents. It takes a lot more dedication, work and resilience to become an adoptive parent than to have a biological child.
What do they do about people who get pregnant accidentally? That happened to me twice, and we were so young,and poor, we probably wouldn't have qualified for children. the issues with this are legion.
Ruthie, you are absolutely right. It should be no business of the state. Bad things do happen but to have the state regulating if you are allowed to reproduce is the stuff of nightmares and no one would be free.
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