Sunday, August 24, 2008

Our Throw Away Society

We live in a society in which if something breaks you throw it away instead of fixing it. If you are unhappy with your spouse, you divorce them. With your job, you get a new one. With your friends, you dump them.

But now the ultimate in throw away ideas has come our way!

Introducing the throw away child!

For in Nebraska it is legal now to dump your children at a hospital. Not just babies but any child up to the age of 19.
Nebraska's new safe-haven law allowing parents to abandon unwanted children at hospitals with no questions asked is unique in a significant way: It goes beyond babies and potentially permits the abandonment of anyone under 19.

While lawmakers may not have intended it, the month-old law raises the possibility that frustrated parents could drop off misbehaving teens or even severely disabled older children with impunity.

"Whether the kid is disabled or unruly or just being a hormonal teenager, the state is saying: 'Hey, we have a really easy option for you,"' said Adam Pertman, executive director of a New York adoption institute and a frequent critic of safe-haven laws.

Nebraska's approach is surprising because it is the last state in the nation to adopt a safe-haven law.

But instead of following the lead of other states, which focus on the abandonment of newborns, lawmakers here wanted to extend the protection to all minors. And in Nebraska, that goes all the way up to age 19.

"All children deserve our protection," said Sen. Tom White, who helped broaden the measure. "If we save one child from being abused, it's well, well worth it."

White said it doesn't matter if that child is an infant or three years old or in the care of a parent or baby sitter. As for what constitutes a minor, he refers to common law, which interprets it to be anyone under age 14.

State Sen. Arnie Stuthman, who introduced the original bill dealing only with infants, agreed to the compromise after the bill became stalled in debate.

"The main interest I have is that it gives the mother or a parent another option of what to do with a child before they do something drastic," he said.

And since the law does not specify, it technically allows anyone, not just a parent, to legally surrender custody. Most other states narrowly define the role of the person surrendering the child.

Some hospitals have fielded questions from the public about the law, but no children have been dropped off.

California, for example, allows parents to legally abandon a child at a hospital or other designated safe zones within 72 hours of birth.
I wonder what they were smoking in Nebraska to pass such a bill. It is one thing to offer a safe haven for an infant from a mother who is scared and doesn't want the responsibility of raising a child. Such women normally kill the baby or throw it out alive in the garbage. But this is an abomination. It says to a parent that if you don't like the child now, you can get rid of it.

I'm sorry but a child is not a broken toaster. A child is a living, breathing person with feelings and rights. What the State of Nebraska has done is to make children no better than garbage. And that is just wrong.

For no child is garbage!

8 comments:

Rita Loca said...

I suppose it is the next logical step, if we can abort the unborn, and then deny medical attention to the new born (As Obama wants) Why not dispose of them all???

Autorotate said...

Hey, but I thought socializing medicine would make all the problems go away?

Right Truth said...

Up to the age of 19??? At 18 you are an adult aren't you? I suppose they are talking about adults who are multiply handicapped or in need of physical care that the parents no longer can or are willing to provide? Unruly teens? What's this world coming to? I knew about the babies already, but this is very strange.

Debbie Hamilton
Right Truth and
Right Truth Two

Paul Zannucci said...

Cool. If I get asked for an electric scooter one more time, I'm headed for Nebraska.

birdwoman said...

I remember a story out of asia - I think Korea but maybe not - where they already have this law. A 6 year old kid was abandoned by his family there.

One question, though, as a devil's advocate. We've all been hearin about this case where the 14 year old girl starved to death. She had cerebral palsey and her mother refused to take care of her and her father had already abandoned ship. Would it not have been a better option for that child if the mother had been allowed to abandon her, too?

(*)>

Findalis said...

A child with cerebral palsey can be handed to the state for raising. But this law says the parents don't need a valid reason. They can just drop the child off and leave.

Johnny won't eat his peas, dump him.

Susie doesn't want to clean her room, dump her.

Children are not toys, they are not animals, they are not garbage.

MathewK said...

Instead of just abandoning them, why not try to assist the parents in some way. Besides if the parents were abusing the children, isn't child protection supposed to step in. I find it hard to believe that people who can't look after their children would automatically start abusing them if they simply can't get help. Whatever happened to adoption, has it suddenly become illegal to give your child up for adoption or something.

I can see the good intentions if i try hard enough to find it, but that road to hell....

birdwoman said...

My point, if I've ever had one, is that some parents... well, they don't want to be parents. Any person who would dump Johnny because he wouldn't eat peas (come on, brussel sprouts I understand, johnny, but peas are great!) is probably an abuser of some sort. By neglect if nothing else. I think the law is there because someone who would dump his kid probably shouldn't be a parent.

I think there should be reprecussions, though, in some sort of (temporary?) sterilization. They have 5 year contraceptives now. If you dump a kid, you shouldn't be able to have more.

enforced sterilization. Wow. I never thought I'd get so close to the socialist line. Look what you've made me think.
(*)>