Having Children, Right or Privilege

Having children....a human right or privilege?

  • It is a human right.

    Votes: 14 60.9%

  • It is a privilege.

    Votes: 9 39.1%
  • Total voters
    23
The words “privilege” and “right” can be really subjective. It all depends on your perception of the words. I believe that our existence is a privilege.
 
mikenostic said:
I agree totally, but another $64000 question is, if having children was no longer a right, who decides who gets to have children and who doesn't? Because we all know that those people who shouldn't be allowed to operate a circular saw could somehow find themselves in a position to decide who can and can't have kids; that'd be like putting a child molester in charge of a day care.
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Good point. I'm not sure about the process that could be used to make a determination on whether a particular couple should be able to have children or not. I do however think that criminal history, income, drug/alchohol abuse history, education, and mental history should play roles in deciding who can pump out kids.
 
Enmos said:
Granted by who ? :bugeye:
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One way to think about our existence would be to simply say that it is neither a right nor a privilege. However, you could also think about the fact that everything that exists in the present is the result of actions that occurred in the past. Think about all of the wars that were fought so certain groups of people could have access to more privileges. (African Americans, Jews, and the list goes on) Most people living in Europe or North America take the things that they have for granted. Something as simple as having access to clean water or a basic education could be considered a privilege. Think about what it would be like to exist as a slave. Or think about all of the people that are living in refuge camps. A Sudanese refuge has a much higher mortality rate than the average European. That is why I believe that simply being allowed to live could be considered a privilege.
 
Enmos said:
Yes, but you won't know that until they have them. If having children would be a privilege then people would have to be judged beforehand somehow. I think that is wrong..
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Giving birth is a natural and human right. To be allowed to have that child (as in keep it) is a privilege. And yes, sometimes the mother and/or father will be judged beforehand, especially in cases where there have been instances of abuse or murder. Surely are are not saying it is wrong to allow a parent who has murdered their other children to keep their 'new' baby because it might be wrong to judge them before they do anything? Would you be willing to take that risk? I wouldn't. We are judged before giving birth anyway. When you go to see the doctor and the midwives during pregnancy for your appointments, they are constantly testing you to see if you are mentally fit to have a child. They check and question you about your home life to ensure the child will be safe. If there is any risk to the child, said child will be removed from your care after it is born.

The privilege to 'having children' is not so much being allowed to give birth (we have established it is a human right to give birth), but to actually be allowed to have the child. In China, for example, it is a privilege to give birth.. due to their one child policy. Is it a breach of human rights? The greater majority would say yes.

The rights of the child is also paramount and its right to not be endangered will take precedence over your human right to have it..

Not necessarily if raising children is a privilege. The question was if having children is a privilege or a right, not whether or not raising them is..
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And the two are intertwined. To have a child does not mean just giving birth to it. It also encompasses caring for it and raising it, in the womb and out of it. For example, a woman who constantly uses narcotics while pregnant, thereby endangering her child, could very well have her child taken away from her after it is born.
 
Enmos said:
lol Did I inspire you to make this thread ?
It's a human right btw and I really don't understand why most here say it's a privilege... :bugeye:
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Actually yes you did lol.....your reply to the "6 billion and counting" post inspired me to pose the question ! =P
 
Enmos said:
No I don't :shrug:

Let's wait for the OP to clarify this.
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been away from the boards a while.......well from the looks of it the over intelligent minds on this board turned a relatively easy question into this complex web of "what if"

In all reality I cannot formulate a poll/question that entails all the variables that can be "added" to the question. So I tried to keep it simple. I would like to keep it that way.

Don’t concern yourself with raising the child and the years after birth. Its not what the poll is trying to get at.

Lets focus on if it is a human right for Jane Doe and John Doe to produce a child or if it is a privilege.

I realize the "world" and such an issue is not so easily answered with a yes or no.......If you truly can't decide.....don’t vote.....I didn't because I don't know the answer either. This being a controversial issue there really is no right or wrong poll answer, only what you believe, think, feel is right or wrong.
 
q0101 said:
One way to think about our existence would be to simply say that it is neither a right nor a privilege. However, you could also think about the fact that everything that exists in the present is the result of actions that occurred in the past. Think about all of the wars that were fought so certain groups of people could have access to more privileges. (African Americans, Jews, and the list goes on) Most people living in Europe or North America take the things that they have for granted. Something as simple as having access to clean water or a basic education could be considered a privilege. Think about what it would be like to exist as a slave. Or think about all of the people that are living in refuge camps. A Sudanese refuge has a much higher mortality rate than the average European. That is why I believe that simply being allowed to live could be considered a privilege.
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Fine, you would do well under a nazi regime.. no offense.. :bugeye:
 
Bells said:
Giving birth is a natural and human right. To be allowed to have that child (as in keep it) is a privilege.
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I'm not arguing that, I agree.

Bells said:
And the two are intertwined. To have a child does not mean just giving birth to it. It also encompasses caring for it and raising it, in the womb and out of it. For example, a woman who constantly uses narcotics while pregnant, thereby endangering her child, could very well have her child taken away from her after it is born.
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I strongly disagree. See what you said above, you had no trouble at all separating the two..
"Giving birth is a natural and human right. To be allowed to have that child (as in keep it) is a privilege."
 
sly1 said:
been away from the boards a while.......well from the looks of it the over intelligent minds on this board turned a relatively easy question into this complex web of "what if"

In all reality I cannot formulate a poll/question that entails all the variables that can be "added" to the question. So I tried to keep it simple. I would like to keep it that way.

Don’t concern yourself with raising the child and the years after birth. Its not what the poll is trying to get at.

Lets focus on if it is a human right for Jane Doe and John Doe to produce a child or if it is a privilege.

I realize the "world" and such an issue is not so easily answered with a yes or no.......If you truly can't decide.....don’t vote.....I didn't because I don't know the answer either. This being a controversial issue there really is no right or wrong poll answer, only what you believe, think, feel is right or wrong.
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I hate to say it (peta), but "I told you so"... :p
 
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Enmos said:
I strongly disagree. See what you said above, you had no trouble at all separating the two..
"Giving birth is a natural and human right. To be allowed to have that child (as in keep it) is a privilege."
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So you don't think the authorities should remove a child from a parent who endangers it?

Parents can and do lose their children if they endanger or harm them. This is where the privilege bit comes into it. If a woman is using dangerous drugs during her pregnancy and has refused to stop and they can see she is in no position to care for her child, yes, they will take it from her. They will attempt to force her to care for the child and even teach and guide her, but if she cannot, refuses to or is not in a position to do so, she will lose the child. In that, 'having' a child is a privilege.

You may not agree, but that is how it is. Personally, if someone is unable to care for a child and as a result, places that child in danger, then that child should be removed from their care immediately. The rights of that child will take precedence in such instances.
 
Bells said:
So you don't think the authorities should remove a child from a parent who endangers it?

Parents can and do lose their children if they endanger or harm them. This is where the privilege bit comes into it. If a woman is using dangerous drugs during her pregnancy and has refused to stop and they can see she is in no position to care for her child, yes, they will take it from her. They will attempt to force her to care for the child and even teach and guide her, but if she cannot, refuses to or is not in a position to do so, she will lose the child. In that, 'having' a child is a privilege.

You may not agree, but that is how it is. Personally, if someone is unable to care for a child and as a result, places that child in danger, then that child should be removed from their care immediately. The rights of that child will take precedence in such instances.
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Yes, and I don't disagree..
We are not discussing that.. see post 90 :shrug:
 
It is my right to have children. Even if I have set fire to my previous children, it is still my right to have another.
It is also the gvmt's right to step in and take that child away as soon as it is born.
 
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