Rights, Rights, Rights!!

There's a point when they become wrong.

Frankly, I'm getting sick about hearing about people's rights.

First, it's gun owners' rights.

Then we're talking about smokers' rights.

Now it's all about parents' rights.

Sure, everyone has rights. I'm all for women's rights, gay rights, children's rights, the rights of the disabled and the rights of the disenfranchised. You have the right to rights just so long as they don't trample on the rights of others. Fair enough?

Now it's only fair that I offer a small disclaimer here: not only am I not a smoker, but I am neither a parent nor a gun owner. BUT, I do aspire to be a parent and I am a highly involved aunt and at some point (hopefully a long time from now) I will inherit a few firearms from my father. I'm also not gay or a child and definitely not disenfranchised.

As far as smoker's rights go: they can go ahead and pour gasoline all over themselves and light a match. The dangers of smoking are just as well established and publicized and we have known them for decades. I'm done with the blame game. If you're smoking in the 21st century, it's all on you. There's no ignorance defense anymore. You'll get your slow and painful death, but you just don't get to take anyone along for the ride, capice?

Now back to the other two. I actually see gun owners' rights and parents' rights as being very similar. If all gun owners were responsible, (using fire proof safes, never keeping weapons loaded, separating weapons from ammunition, practicing gun safety, teaching their children proper respect for firearms, etc), we wouldn't need gun control. It wouldn't even be an issue. But not everyone is the model gun owner. Truth be told, I think my father may make up a significant percentage of that group. And I find that terrifying!

It's the same deal with parents. If every parent put their children's well being and health at the top of their priorities and used common sense, there would be no need for child protective services and no need for the government to have laws to protect children. The good parent doesn't feel encroached upon because they have to use a child safety seat in the car or because they are required to vaccinate their child against diseases that could potentially kill them ~ they would do these things anyway, just as they don't allow their toddlers to play with power tools or stick their fingers in electrical outlets. It's called being responsible. Every child deserves that degree of protection and care regardless of what kind of parent they happened to get. And let's face it, there are people out there who have no business being pet owners, forget parents! And I don't mean to sound elitist. Social services have come a long way in providing parenting classes and support programs for adolescent and single mothers. With that kind of help and support, any woman with good intention and a whole lot of effort can be a great parent. We just need to put the rights and needs of the child before those of the parent. Parenting requires sacrifice, but what you get back is so much more. (And I learned that just being an aunt.)

So in this great battle of rights, this battle of wills, think about who is getting wronged in the process.

How can you possibly support a right that is so wrong?