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An Issue of Responsibility | by Illiad | 2003-11-06 08:30:47 |
| Legally? |
by nelzie |
2003-11-06 08:50:33 |
The answer would be yes, unless of course the woman decides first not to tell the father and secondly decides that he should have nothing to do with the child.
If she tells him and they agree that he will have nothing to do with the child, then he wouldn't be, unless his name was added to the Birth Certificate. Of course, if he wants to see the child, then he would be fiscally responsible.
I believe that even years later, if the man changes his mind and wants to see the child he would quite suddenly become liable for the back child support, of which the mother could take and use or refuse by giving it back directly to the father... (That's pretty dependent on the US State in my country.)
All in all though, I would have to say, in my opinion, that he would be fiscally responsible for the child regardless of what the mother and father have decided. If he didn't want the chance of being a father, he could have gotten himself snipped or simply decided that Sexual Intercourse is something he shouldn't have.
Whether he pays or not, agrees to pay or not, or is part of a mutual agreement to not be involved in the child's life, he would still have to live with the fact that he fathered a child and does have some fatherly responsibility.
Other then that... If you are suggesting the woman might have considered Abortion as an alternative. I don't believe that abortion should be used as a 'contraceptive' ever, the choice about whether or not to have a child should happen in the bedroom before getting naked. It goes without saying that most adults know that having sex could easily result in a child being born.
Today's contraceptives are also really darned good at what they do and I also understand that the medical procedures to stop unwanted pregnancies are quite reversible, in the case of the man being snipped and the woman having tied tubes at least.
In cases of a medical danger to the mother or a HIGH chance of the mother giving birth to a handicapped child, it should almost be mandatory that the woman should have an abortion.
This is a very complicated issue that will be with humanity for a VERY long time. I don't believe that we will ever have a final answer to this issue and people will probably always be fired up over it. I only hope that moderate people continue to preside over and deal with the laws regarding this issue, I don't believe that either extreme view should have control over this issue. My opinion is my opinion, if it isn't right for somenoe else, then they shouldn't live by it. |
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