Wisconsin Bill: Single Parenthood Contributes to Child Abuse

[daisylover]

I really can't believe this is true, but it seems to be. With everything that's been going on in politics concerning women, I'm waiting for someone to jump out and say, "Surprise, you're on Candid Camera!"

http://shine.yahoo.com/parenting/wisconsin-bill-claims-single-moms-cause-child-abuse-011200419.html

[zwieback]

Someone needs to send Erin Brokovich to test the water in the state capitols, as well as the US capitol, because something is clearly causing our legislators to go insane.

[amarante]

Santorum evidently feels the same although he didn't bring up specific legislation while a Senator.

But really isn't all of this "family value" hypocrisy the last gasp of people who are attempting to pull up the moat bridge

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/lara-bergthold/rick-santorum-women_b_1324563.html


One of the most enthusiastic purveyors of the Single Moms Conspiracy theory has been Rick Santorum. Mother Jones today put together a collection of some of his early comments on single parenthood. During his 1994 Senate race, Santorum said, "We are seeing the fabric of this country fall apart, and it's falling apart because of single moms." A month later, he accused single mothers of "simply breeding more criminals."

Santorum hasn't exactly stepped back from his claim that single moms are ruining America. In October, he said that the Democratic Party's support base is single mothers with a "desire for government." At a GOP debate in December, he said that single moms aren't marrying their boyfriends because they want to keep on collecting welfare.

What's remarkable is that the same people pushing the theory that single parents are ruining America are also doing everything in their power to keep women from having access to birth control and to keep gay and lesbian parents from getting married. For them, this isn't about improving women's and children's lives: it's about creating a scapegoat.

[BarbaraL]

They think that women shouldn't have sex outside of marriage. Period. If they get "caught" (become pregnant), they should suffer. Naturally, the fathers of these children get a free pass, because "boys will be boys".

Sexist, misogynist idiots.

I heard Helen Reddy's "I am Woman" on the radio this evening. Haven't heard it in years, but maybe they should play it more often . . .

[Valerie226]

explain to me why the "fathers" who have sex and then disappear or refuse to take responsibility are not getting any blame in this problem. Does anyone ( politicians mostly) even MENTION the men involved? It's as if women are 100% of the problem and no other human being is involved.
As a woman I think it's unwise to put yourself in a position of pregnancy without a committed partner.... I think children have their best chance to do well with two committed caring parents.

but if we are talking "irresponsible behavior" " breeding criminals", "society falling apart" how come there is no judgement or punishment directed at the men? I never could understand this... it takes two to tango.

[amarante]

Valerie, I assume you are asking rhetorical questions in terms of why the woman should bear the brunt of - everything.

When you strip away all the excuses and dodges, all of this is coming from a place that believes sexuality in a woman is evil - that Eve was the cause of man's banishment.

Sex exists solely to procreate - contraception brought on a host of social evils as it allowed women to have sex without "consequences". Men have always been allowed their sexuality - brothels thrived in Victorian times.

You can't make sense any of any of this because it makes no sense. Deny women access to medical care and family planning options; punish them if they want an abortion because after all they are too "stupid" to know they are having an abortion unless they see a picture. Don't teach family planning and then make no provisions for the children born to ill prepared women who lack job skills or appropriate day care.

[Valerie226]

yes, just rhetorical questions. what is the reason it's OK for men to be sexual then? we all know it doesn't go away even if women aren't around to "cause" it.


I've not and have never been a religious person. I find it hard to believe it's not viewed as what it is, the same biological drive that affects all "beings" to reproduce. birds, cats, dogs, fish, mosquitos. it's just the way the natural world works. only we're ( in theory) smarter and should be able to control things in a more thoughtful and careful manner than perhaps field mice or cockroaches.

[amarante]

yes, just rhetorical questions. what is the reason it's OK for men to be sexual then? we all know it doesn't go away even if women aren't around to "cause" it.


Again, I assume you are asking rhetorical questions. :)

I assume anthropologically, it has to do with property rights in what are mostly patrilineal civilizations. There are very few matrilineal societies and it's been awhile since I took anthropology but as I recall, there wasn't the same proscriptions around evil female sexuality.

Or you can go the psychoanalytic route in terms of males fearing the female unleashed sexuality and the need to control it.

Whatever, the whole idea of females being able to carve out sexual identities divorced from procreation - or the fear of procreation is incredibly threatening to a group of people who are incredibly threatened by a lot in modern society.