Should having a child be a right that everyone has, or a privilege? In my opinion there are way too many people having kids who aren't fit to be parents and their children suffer because of it.

Your thoughts?

This is a very touchy subject. There are very good potential arguments for both sides of the coin. I often joke about how people should need a license to breed but to me the reality is that you can't ethically stop people from having children.

I think that is one of the reasons why we have so many laws now protecting the rights of children against neglectful parents. Since we can't stop the breeding, we can at least save the children.

The only problem with this is the lack of workers actually enforcing the laws. How many times have we heard about the death of a child by abuse, only to discover that social services had actually been to the house several times before?

As far a right or privilege, it's hard to take a solid stance. I feel as a woman that it's my right, but I also think it should be considered and treated as a privilege.

We've heard that too many times. And you're right, a lot of them don't do the thorough job that they should. But another problem is that sometimes there aren't enough workers to handle the case load. What good are the laws when you don't have enough properly trained people to enforcement them.

Having a child is a right. Being allowed to raise your child is a privilege.

I agree with you in principle though. There are a lot of people who really shouldn't have kids at all BUT I wouldn't want the government getting involved and telling people if they can or can't have kids.

you took the words right out of my mind. the ultimate post snipe.

Having a child is a right, never a privilege.

However Hybrix, raising children is a matter of society's laws. People should be allowed to raise their kids however they want but if they're in a place that's going to punish them for doing it poorly (I.E., United States and other civilized countries) they should know they face consequences.

It's always been my opinion that your child belongs to you until he/she can fend for him/herself and thus, no one has the right to intervene, but that's just me.

The unfortunate part of looking at a child as a right is the simple fact that there really are a lot of couples who should not be propagating.
There are a lot of inner city (and suburban I'm sure) women who have kids for the main reason of getting a government check.
Not to mention those who are mentally incapable of taking care of themselves, but yet somehow become parents.
There are times when someone needs to step in and say "enough". Isn't the world filled with enough screwed up individuals already?

But who gives you the right to decide who lives and dies? Humanity's "morals" add haze to the issue when the truth is, propagating is a right. Taking that right away is just plain wrong. Not to mention, if someone isn't meant to breed, mother nature dispatches them. Well, not anymore seeing as we help the morons make it to adulthood

I have a friend who would love nothing more than to have a child yet nature intervened and thus she is unable to become pregnant. Her right to have a child was taken from her. Yet, as it has been stated, there are those who have children and deliberately neglect them or exploit them.