Join the Discussion

Reply
Report this post

Below is correspondence regarding safe haven laws, where newborns can be left at no risk of charges to the mothers, though it also speaks to this post. Marriage is no longer a solution, and with the economic downturn we are witnessing an epidemic of murder-suicides where 'upstanding citizens' with no criminal history are taking their own lives and those they feel they also own. Current times are only beginning to bring into the public eye what has long existed behind closed doors. The US and Somalia are the only countries that have not ratified the UN convention on the Rights of the Child, and in the US Constitution, 'person' means 'household', negating individual rights as the property of the percieved 'head of household', thus many practices and decisions that continue to put women and children at risk. Current stats reveal that marriage is no longer the norm nationwide, and those advocating attempting to bring it back are uninformed on many relevant issues, or wish for the 'people as property' concept or 'status quo' to continue, as it serves them specifically. As discussed, the median age of mothers these babies come from is one of little life experience or knowledge of the potential weight of thier decisions; many are victims themselves in one form or another, including 'domestic violence', where they feel they have no choice in keeping a child or they will lose a home or a place to live, a 'boyfriend', or worse. This is recognized as domestic violence in the advocacy community, though not the court system or other systems that this has typically involved. Counter to popular opinion, children abandoned (or aborted, for that matter) do not become so most of the time due to a 'selfish' or uncaring mothers; it is usually at the very least a victim of extreme coercion or someone very much in fear of the consequences if it is discovered she is expecting or had a child. The abusers or persons putting this person in fear are often other family members, an abusive 'husband' or a 'boyfriend'. Many would like to keep their children, if they felt they had any such option. They do not have access to information or alternatives. Victims of incest or rape are also subject, including marital rape. For most, these decisions affect them and the children who survive profoundly for life, whether or not they ever see each other again. The focus must be case by case or given more appropriate guidelines and procedures with understanding of all possible related circumstances and in the long term interests of the children and their families, not against them.

Reply
Report this post

Mona, I believe that you are a very good writer. This commentary is 'right on'. Unfortunatly, most of the very people who should read it will not. I'm a retired senior citizen and occasional contributing writer for my small town newspaper here in Greenwood, SC. I wish I could directly send you some material for your consideration. Anyway, keep up the good work! Don

Reply
Report this post

Dear Mona Charen, we're going to have to accept the fact that folks really don't understand the meaning of “Family Values and Character”! A couple articles I've read lately, folks thinking that illegitimates, having more illegitimates, of all races, by a dozen men ‘means a family and values are being created', then, excuse me. I must be on another planet! Another very distrurbing article tells Taxpayers that the reasons the illegitimates are angry and violent is that they have no discipline and no character building which, of course, leads to "The girls sleeping around with lots of different guys is going to be passed down (a proven fact for several decades) from generation to generation and with no Dads or role models in their lives, maybe one out of thousands will have the backbone to want more from life!" Politicians are to blame for allowing these social and welfare programs to go on and on just so they can get elected! This type behavior has bankrupted America!  ‘Failing Public Schools', the latest hype from politicians, brings me to another recent article about correcting a lot of ill problems that plague our society! 'I'm quoting - “My Dad was a phychiatrist. His Office was the woodshed out back. Visits were free and most effective!” This should tell you something! Politicians have made sure class size has been lowered, thus hiring all these teacher's aides (called "we're putting people to work" - with no thoughts about 'are our children getting an education' and 'where's the money coming from? Politicians have taken Prayer, the paddle and disclipline away, provided free food, medical, and new schools, but have forgotten something! Illegitimates being put into public schools, having no discipline, no training, let alone any respect or supervision have taken away character, integrity, honestly, respectdisclipine,. From the children who are there to learn something besides ‘'who's my baby daddy?' 'Drop out Prevention', ‘No-child left behind', ‘Win-Win' and other social and welfare programs created by politicians and their boards aren't working! Drugs, murder, rape, stealing and lewd acts have reached epidemic levels. This tells Taxpayers these 'endless money pit' programs have never worked! Never will! Taxpayers should demand their tax dollars back, immediately, so they can put their children in good, Christian Schools so they can get back to learning the basic skills, character, morals, values, and principles, that will get them through life. Children, of all races, need role models not “idols”, “cell” phones, “internet and computers”, “tv's, dvd's, etc”. Could this be why drugs and suicide are on the rise? Taxpayers are wondering if these programs are created for a diversion from what's actually going on in the minds of educational boards, the political boards, and all the other boards that are being created as we speak!? WAKE UP, AMERICA!

Reply
Report this post

Ms Charen, I read your article about "The Wrong Marriage Debate." I truly believe there are more underlying issue that were not stated. Because I can speak from personal experience about this issue. What I mean is that it seems that this lady's desire a project for their marriage. These women for some reason desire to be with someone that they can mold into someone or somebody. They would rather by out or seeing a bad boy or as I can they a loser or player because they are out there to take adventage of these women in one way or another. As someone who has what I was raised to be alot to offer, I mean I have a good job buying my house and have a good future. It seems that's not what women today desire for a boyfriend or husband, but someone who dresses like they're in a Rap Video w/o a job and little to no hope for their future, and just what to be players. I was with a woman for several year, yes I did love and want a future withher and her daughters. I even went a far as to help her with her daughters because she was a single parent. But come to find out that she and her friends were out at times chasing these bad boys. I did alot for her and her daughters. When I asked why she was doing this, her only reply was she didn't known. So, there needs to be more research done on these theories by these researchers. Why would do women desire to marry one type of man but gp out and chase the total oposite?