You Are Probably a Bad Parent

Sorry guys but I'm immersed daily in Prop 73 stuff. Here's one of many pieces I've recently written on this topic.

Prop 73: You Are Probably a Bad Parent

“In an ideal family, a girl would at least feel comfortable discussing [abortion] with her parents, without fear of being reprimanded or told what decision to make,” said Gaia Veenis, senior opinion columnist for The Daily Aztec. “But as we know, most families are not ideal.”

Because she thinks most parents are overbearing, Ms. Veenis wants you to vote against Prop 73, a ballot initiative that would require parental notification 48 hours prior to a minor child receiving an abortion.

Ms. Veenis isn’t ultimately worried about abusive homes, because Prop 73 exempts teens from notifying parents who are abusive. No – she’s worried about those “bad” parents out there who would actually reprimand their child or tell them what they should do. Apparently, in her utopia-world, all parents would support their children in whatever they choose to do – regardless of whether it’s good for them or not – and abandon any authority-figure role in their lives.

Thankfully Ms. Veenis isn’t the despot of the world.

Because parents are the ones who care about their children the most, and are willing to be loving even when it means “tough love,” they should have priority in helping their child to make an abortion decision.

Statements like Ms. Veenis’ show the extreme elitist’s mentality by those who oppose Prop 73. She believes that her style of hands-off parenting is so far superior to everyone else’s that whoever does it differently is a “bad” parent.

Another troubling comment made by Ms. Veenis is one that is being heard more and more frequently in modern public policy talk. “The problem with Proposition 73 is that religious sentiments are seeping into the legislative process yet again,” she said.

Although there is nothing per se “religious” about Prop 73, Ms. Veenis is concerned because some of Prop 73’s backers happen to be religious people. If this doesn’t smack of religious intolerance and bigotry, what does?

It is frightening that high-profile persons like Ms. Veenis are permitted to say such odious things against religious persons without any public outcry or other repercussions.

Lastly, it is interesting that, when considering the commonsense argument by proponents of Prop 73 that children can’t receive Tylenol without parental consent but can obtain a surgical or chemical abortion without parental notification, Ms. Veenis responded as follows: “Abortion is a much more complicated and delicate matter than these simplistic arguments make it appear.”

Could it be that she was simply at a loss for a better response? Yes, the argument is “simplistic.” But that is what makes it so overwhelming. Tylenol vs. Abortion. There is absolutely no justification for the disparity that is currently in our laws concerning the emancipation of minors to make their own medical decisions.

To read the entire opinion column written by Ms. Veenis, click here.