A ‘Scarlet Letter’ Law Fla. Adoption Statute Pits Fathers’ Rights Against Women’s Privacy

20/20 ^ | 9/20/2002 | John Stossel

[I_Love_My_Husband]

I know I'm going to get flamed for this, but I think a man needs to know if he impregnated someone. I don't think it's fair right now, some men might want their child.

[ZGuy]

Ping

[RobRoy]

regarding Deborah Marks: The late Bugs Bunny said it best: "what a maroon!"

Oh, wait. This is Florida. Never mind.

[Tired of Taxes]

Ping

Thought you might find this article interesting.

[onedoug]

Abortion though, of course, no questions asked.

[Tired of Taxes]

I agree that the father needs to know. But, requiring these women to place an ad in the newspaper is not the right way to go. Why not just tell the woman that she is responsible to find the true biological father whatever way she can. Let her decide how to do it. Maybe the fathers should take some responsibility here, too. That is, if a man has a one-night stand, maybe he should find out the woman's real name and keep in touch with her if he doesn't want his offspring raised by strangers.

[Nathan Jr.]

I think a man needs to know if he impregnated someone

Then let the burden be on him to follow up on his trysts, if he's really that eager to know...

[RAT Patrol]

Colleran said she'd have to disclose "basically everything about my sexual history, within the time that I conceived. And I think this is disgusting, it makes me feel very ashamed."

So, Colleran has decided not to place one of the ads. "It is something that should be between me and the person I shared it with,

If our culture had encouraged her to feel ashamed BEFORE THE FACT, perhaps she wouldn't be in this predicament in the first place. Colleran seems to think that everything in life must accomodate her every urge. Well, acts have consequences.

That being said, I do thing the ad thing is not a good idea. They could have a register that men who sleep around yet want to know if they fathered a kid (weird situation in and of itself) can check. If they spread their DNA around and do not check then too bad for them. But at least it isn't in the newspaper. That does seem a bit much.

Added to this, however, should be the option for the man to "choose not to be ready." He should be able to say "I am 18 and not financially or emotionally ready" just like the mother. Then advertise THAT! Men get off too easy, but women make it too EASY for them.

All the twisted consequences of the new moral relativism.

A rapist should never be a father in the legal sense. It is crazy to not make an exception for that.

[montag813]

She should be ashamed, for being such a despicable whore.

[Nathan Jr.]

And once the father is located will he have all the details of his sexual history advertised in the paper? I agree that the woman should some shame over her behavior, but I see a double standard working here.

[twigs]

I agree that fathers should know, but this is not right. It will lead to more abortions and will lessen bio. mother's motive to put a child up for adoption that should be there. Besides, if this man is irresponsible enough for a one-night stand, why would he want to raise a child? This woman has it right. She is carrying the child and knows some else should raise it. Good for her. This law will make it more difficult, and as usual, regardless of the rights issues involved, it's the child who will lose.

[montag813]

And once the father is located will he have all the details of his sexual history advertised in the paper? I agree that the woman should some shame over her behavior, but I see a double standard working here.

It makes me sick. I cannot imagine being a woman and not knowing who the father of my baby is. Many women have and liberals zealously justify the most repulsive moral standards imaginable...it's ok to be a whore, it's ok to kill a baby...everything's ok.

The problems with America are mainly caused by women. Clinton would never have been president and the Senate would be 55-45 GOP if women could not vote. Conservative women need to fix the problems with their gender peers. They are destroying the moral fabric of this country.

[Nathan Jr.]

Hey, it takes two to tango, even if just for one-night. In the context of this story, there's lots of blame to go around.

[Nathan Jr.]

Abortion though, of course, no questions asked.

Yeah, makes no sense at all.

[Lorianne]

Why on earth would conservative women vote in alignment with men who don't think they should even have the vote?

Your comments are bigotted hatemongering.

See you at the polls.

[Nathan Jr.]

he'll never get laid...

[ItisaReligionofPeace]

why would someone flame you for that? It makes total sense to me.

[ItisaReligionofPeace]

There is an inherent double standard. Women become pregnant and men don't. A woman will know when she is pregnant, a man won't. Get it?

[ItisaReligionofPeace]

What he said is actually factually correct, at least with regard to the fact that Clinton would never have been elected etc. However, the same could be said for the minority vote too.