Birthright
My humanist practice acknowledges the birthright of all human beings to intelligent parenting, healthy food, adequate shelter, drinkable water, medical care, privacy, sexual freedom, participation in government and lifelong education. Apparently, my concept of human birthright is at odds with many current social forces, even those supported by other Humanists perhaps.
Denial of the concept of birthright is not rejected exclusively on the political Right. The current feminist notion of reproductive rights also denies consideration of the child's birthright in the discussion of conception. A woman's right to choose among many in this Leftist camp includes an addicted HIV-positive woman's right to have an HIV-infected baby without ongoing supervision into a society which would not insist on providing for that baby's basic human needs. What are the ethics of that position from the child's perspective?
Birthrights in American society are still based in Biblical concepts, merged with social Darwinism and Calvinist predestination. Some are worthy of better birthrights than others, based on their parents' social and economic status. Birthrights are measured by the achievement of parents. Great achievement is often based in aggression and antisocial behavior under the veil of business, politics or outright criminality. What is the moral measure of capitalist achievement? Reading the history of the sainted Kennedy clan would quickly bring you up to speed on my point.
Providing for the equal birthright of every human being is a long way off, if ever possible. As long as the right to motherhood trumps the birthright of a child, there is little hope. The key to providing equal birthright to every baby is provision of equal and science-based sex and parenting education to every young female from an early age. I totally support a woman's right to control her own body. However, I believe in her informed and responsible right to control her own body. Right now, religion stands in the way of that process, but it may come to light that some advocates of women's rights might also stand in the way of that process.
Meanwhile, I can afford respect of the birthright of those already born in the form of personal and civic responsibility. I can support political and social causes that will make equal birthright for all children more possible. I can pay my fair share of taxes to that purpose. I can promote awareness of the right of the unborn to live in a society that truly affords them a life of health and social well being. This is part of my humanist practice.
The fact that American prisons are filled to overflowing illustrates the failure of American society to honor the human birthright. Some may counter, "But, there will always be those who refuse to obey the law. The rest of the public deserves protection from criminals." But who creates the criminals? The same pro-life conservatives who would slash all human services in the government budgets in favor of building more prisons across the nation would laud any woman's right to have as many children as she wishes, no matter what her capacity to afford them their birthright.
Denial of the concept of birthright is not rejected exclusively on the political Right. The current feminist notion of reproductive rights also denies consideration of the child's birthright in the discussion of conception. A woman's right to choose among many in this Leftist camp includes an addicted HIV-positive woman's right to have an HIV-infected baby without ongoing supervision into a society which would not insist on providing for that baby's basic human needs. What are the ethics of that position from the child's perspective?Birthrights in American society are still based in Biblical concepts, merged with social Darwinism and Calvinist predestination. Some are worthy of better birthrights than others, based on their parents' social and economic status. Birthrights are measured by the achievement of parents. Great achievement is often based in aggression and antisocial behavior under the veil of business, politics or outright criminality. What is the moral measure of capitalist achievement? Reading the history of the sainted Kennedy clan would quickly bring you up to speed on my point.
Providing for the equal birthright of every human being is a long way off, if ever possible. As long as the right to motherhood trumps the birthright of a child, there is little hope. The key to providing equal birthright to every baby is provision of equal and science-based sex and parenting education to every young female from an early age. I totally support a woman's right to control her own body. However, I believe in her informed and responsible right to control her own body. Right now, religion stands in the way of that process, but it may come to light that some advocates of women's rights might also stand in the way of that process.
Meanwhile, I can afford respect of the birthright of those already born in the form of personal and civic responsibility. I can support political and social causes that will make equal birthright for all children more possible. I can pay my fair share of taxes to that purpose. I can promote awareness of the right of the unborn to live in a society that truly affords them a life of health and social well being. This is part of my humanist practice.
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