Kevin - First off, I am not an advocate of licensing to conceive, but of licensing to be a parent. There is a huge difference, and anyone who thinks otherwise could do well to really consider the meaning of the word. My daughter's mother conceived her, but she lost all claim to the title 'parent' when she ran out on her 1 year old daughter.
Secondly, I don't think I have addressed the issue of enforcement, nor do I plan to. The details of implementing such a system are far beyond me, and I admit that. The idea that this could be called legislating for the minority is a little off the mark. I think this is legislating for the greater good, and here's why: I am a fantasitc driver, haven't had an accident or a speeding ticket for a decade. Should I still have to have a license, and get it renewed, or is that legislating for the minority? Of course not, because it provides for the public good to have a large body of people competent to operate these veichles. You mean to tell me that we should require people to demonstrate basic competence in the operation of a machine, but such dilligence in the care of a human life is unwarranted? I think that's an absurd idea, why do we license drivers in the first place? One of the original reasons I cited for this was that the government's standards for what is acceptable vs. what is abuse have changed dramatically from what it was when our parents and even from when we grew up. For instance, my father was raised by being beat with a belt when he stepped out of line. If I did this to my daughter, I would go to jail. Now, I don't see how someone explaining the law and your responsibilities under it, and then asking you to show that you know it, is an example of the big mean government telling you 'how to raise your kids'. Further, these kinds of programs have existed in the past to great affect. Do you like having clean water and a disease free lifestyle? 100 years ago, a sanitation worker was someone who came to your house if you lived in unsanitary conditions, and sometimes condemnded buildings when they were too infested. They would teach basic sanitation techniques to individual families, and their work dramatically improved the quality of life in America. This differs from the point of basic responsibility in that society has changed, probably a little too fast for some people. Again, people are a little out of sync these days with what it means to be a parent. We have this idea of radical individualism with regard to how we raise our children, but at the same time the government puts definite limitations on our ability to act. In many cases, people don't know the difference. For instance, if I smacked my daughter to discipline her (which I have been tempted to), I - can - go to jail for that (at least in Maryland). A lot of people don't know that, and probably are not in a position to teach their children the difference. What I am trying to say is that basic responsibility probably does not suffice as an overall guiding principle because beliefs en masse are not in sync with the law itself. The fact is, the government does limit how you can raise your child, and not a lot of people want to believe it. Fore armed is fore warned. Finally, and this is the last thing I want to talk to you about, the form and frequency of my choice of contraceptive device when I'm getting' it on is completely unrelated to the issue at hand. In the case of how my daughter was conceived, I cannot think of a reason you need to know the details of that event. Kindly get your mind out of my pants. M -----Original Message----- From: Kevin Schmidt [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Tuesday, August 05, 2003 2:45 PM To: CF-Community Subject: Yet another scumbag parent.... I think people having to get a license to be a parent is an >interesting approach to cutting the link between violent crime and >child abuse. Even if only a percent of a percent of children benefit >from such a program, it would be worthwhile. Once again, let's legislate for the minority. > >Also, think about the parents you know. How many of them started off >ready to be parents? So, Mike, you weren't planning on having the kid right? So how would of having a license helped? We gonna put everyone on government regulated birth control. I am sure the ACLU would love that. Then and only then when you have a license you can go off birth control? In my case, I was a college student who had never >had to balance a budget, cook a meal more substantial than ramen >noodles, or keep house. Suddenly, I had to feed and clothe a child. >That's a big transition. Growing up fast is hard isn't it. I don't know your situation, but would you have had the same problem had you been responsible about birth control? With every action, there is a responsibility to be taken. In your case, you now have a child that you are responsible for. Learning these things was a lot of trial and >error, and has led to some pretty tough situations. Sometimes the >experience was overwhelming, and I could see how some people could just >lose it and go overboard on their kids. I had my son at 23, and I have never once come across a situation where I thought I was going to "lose it." A little more knowledge of how >to deal with the challenges beforehand might go a long way in the more >tragic cases. Fine, you have nine months before the kid is born, that's nine months of knowledge you can garner. And let's face it - 30% of children in America are born >out of wedlock, it's not like they are necessarily getting these skills >at home. So, it should be the governments role to step in and tell you how to live your life and how to raise your kids? Not in my household. > >Other countries have mandantory military programs where you go on >active duty for 2 years when you turn 18. This idea, while it may seem >like something that only benefits a few people, actually serves the >same end, that the common good can be upheld through vigorous >preparation of young adults. I don't necessarily agree with that. I think responsibility is something parents must impart, or you learn the hard way. We don't need the government teaching us that. They already fail us in our educations, why not let them fail us in teaching responsibility too. > >M > >-----Original Message----- >From: Heald, Tim [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] >Sent: Tuesday, August 05, 2003 1:54 PM >To: CF-Community >Subject: RE: Yet another scumbag parent.... > > >That we put away a higher percentage than most nations is probably >true, but I would take exception to it mainly being violent crime. The >last time I was paying attention the major reasons for most >incarcerations were victimless crimes, usually related to drugs. > >If we legalized drugs and prostitution than we would no longer have to >spend all that money on enforcement and punishment, and we would be >able to tax it like we do cigarettes and alcohol. > >Timothy Heald >Information Systems Specialist >Overseas Security Advisory Council >U.S. Department of State >571.345.2235 > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| Archives: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/index.cfm?forumid=5 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/index.cfm?method=subscribe&forumid=5 This list and all House of Fusion resources hosted by CFHosting.com. The place for dependable ColdFusion Hosting. http://www.cfhosting.com Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=89.70.5
