Licensing Parents

My first year at BGSU, I read an article by Hugh LaFollette entitled "Licensing Parents." It essentially argues what one would guess from the title: People should have to go through a licensing process, much like the ones through which we put foster and adoptive parents, before they are allowed to procreate.

Of course such a system would never catch on in the United States because people think they own their children and that they should be allowed to do whatever they want with them. Americans view having children as a basic human right that should never be infringed upon. However, I would like to give my support for this system. I would like to strongly advocate that NO ONE procreates unless a board of highly qualified parenting officials deems them adequately prepared.

Here's why: I hate my mother right now. I hate her and her husband. I hate her previous husbands (with the exception of my father). I hate what she's put her children through, and I hate what she's currently doing to my sister. Most of all, I hate that I am financially dependent upon her such that I can't cut ties right now. As my dad put it, "Don't cut your nose off to spite your face."

With that said, I'm off for a coffee binge.