Quote From: groovy(I had to censor a few words.)
March 21, 2006
Are all of you out there following the story about the smug frat-boy asshat who filed a lawsuit claiming that men have the right not to pay any support for a child they fathered by accident? The press has taken to calling the case "Roe v. Wade for Men."
The case was filed at the U.S. District Court in Detroit by an organization called the National Center for Men. However, the plaintiff is Matt Dubay, a 25-year-old computer technician from Saginaw, Mich., who claims he and his ex-girlfriend did not always use birth control because she believed she could not get pregnant due to a medical condition. But the couple, who were together for about three months, did conceive, and Dubay's ex elected to keep the child, for whom he now pays $500 a month in child support, despite his contention that he was always clear about not wanting the child.
In pursuing the case, NCM and Dubay have likened the case to a woman's right to abortion and have actually sought to create an alliance with pro-choice activists in order to help their cause (needless to say, most pro-choicers are staying out of the debate.)
Here's my take on THAT issue...
(1) There is, at best, a very slight tangential connection to the ongoing debate in this country about abortion. There is a critical difference between the right not to have to pay child support and the right not to be forced to bring an unwanted pregnancy to term inside your body.
(2) I agree that it may not be fair that women have reproductive rights while men have reproductive responsibilities. However, I think it's a pretty flimsy argument to say that ending paternity suits against men is the equivalent to legalizing abortion for women. At the very least, it's an insulting argument no matter how you feel about abortion.
Now, I'm not going to get into a debate about abortion and I'm purposefully keeping my views on that subject out of the discussion here because I think it's irrelevant. The pertinent debate here really relates to the issue of child support. And while some are hailing Dubay as a champion for men's rights, I'm of the opinion that he falls squarely into the "deadbeat dad" category.
In fact, I'm so pissed off about this ridiculous "Roe v. Wade for Men" case that I thought I'd use this forum to pass along some advice to young Mr. Dubay.
Here's the deal, Numb Nuts. Pay attention because I'm only going to say this once. It's pretty f**king simple. Since you're a computer technician, I'll even try to put in terms a dips**t like you could understand. Ready?
When you stick your little firewire penis into your girlfriend's hard drive, you do so with the knowledge that if you bring a life into this world, that life is your responsibility! Even if it means living in your parent's basement for a few years, working a second job at McDonalds, or driving an econo-van instead of a Viper!
Clearly, you're not a gentleman but, at the very least, be a f**king man! Step up to the plate, you little weasel! I know that current child support laws tend to favor women. Is that fair? Maybe not. But you know what, young Jedi? As you get older, you'll realize that life and biology aren't always fair.
As you get older, I also hope you'll learn that actions have consequences and that the best you can do as a human being is to take responsibilities for those actions. It's part of what being a real man is all about.
And aside from an opposable thumb, it's what separates us from the animals.
It seems to me that that boy (and I wouldn't call him a man, just because he was able to reproduce) was never taught about natural consequences by his parents. I'll bet that everytime he got himself into trouble, they came running to bail him out. And now that he got himself into trouble he couldn't get out of, he's using the legal system to try. I hope the women of the world remember his face and name and avoid him like the plague to human kind he is.
(Original Air Date: 04/21/06) Being a parent is hard enough, but what happens when Mom and Dad can't agree on how many kids to have, how to raise 'em and how to get ‘em to sleep? Sometimes, it can lead to an all-out baby war! Matt's baby battle ended up in front of a judge and made headlines. He was ordered to pay child support for the baby he had with his ex-girlfriend, but he says he shouldn't have to cough up the money because she told him she wasn't able to get pregnant, and he told her he didn't want to be a father. He, his attorney, and the director of the National Center for Men discuss the lawsuit they filed, known as “Roe v. Wade for Men,” arguing that men should have a constitutional right to avoid fatherhood. Next, Dan says even though he and his wife, Lisa, already have four children, he wants just one more. Lisa has been pregnant on and off for 11 years and says she's closed for baby business. Will Dr. Phil help Dan see Lisa's point that four is enough? Then, a frustrated husband is camping out on the roof of his house and living in a tent. He refuses to go back to his bedroom until his wife moves their kids out of their bed and starts paying more attention to him. Can Dr. Phil get him to come down the ladder? Plus, a sleep expert has a simple method for getting your child to sleep through the night. See the plan in action! Share advice and talk about the show here.
