I try not to get too political on here, or too religious. I respect others' opinion even if they differ from my own and don't want to ostracize anyone for having a different point of view from my own. In fact, I sometimes enjoy an opposing opinion because it is a good way to see something from someone else's standpoint and can educate me on issues that I may not be up to date on. So if you can forgive my venturing off my usual path, I want to say my piece about Nebraska's safe haven laws than go back to being a zombie from having to up my Neurotin.
The safe haven law is set to change in January to only babies up to 3 days old. I disagree with this wholeheartedly. I did foster care for 3 years before being diagnosed and no neurologist will allow me any kids anymore because of the aggressiveness of my disease and the possible detrimental effects from the stress of doing foster care. It is probably the one thing I miss the most (it is tied with "being a normal person"). Any kid in a situation where they are not being cared for properly, are in any danger, or just unwanted deserves better than that, no matter their age. I agree that it has been abused -- the woman who drove from Detroit to drop off her 13 year old to "teach him a lesson" is wrong. But that kid deserves a better home if that is how his mother feels. I know foster homes don't always have a good reputation, but there are many out there that are wonderful, we aren't all bad (you never hear about the good foster homes, guess they don't make as good of a story). And what about the toddlers that may be in danger? Don't they deserve a safe haven from harm? Any child at any age who needs it deserves a safe haven. Period. Bar none. Even if their parents are doing it for the "wrong" reasons, they still deserve better. It shows the mentality of their parents to do something like that and those kids deserve stability and a chance at a good life just as much as a 3 day old baby. It worries me that we may bar these kids from a better life. Yes, people abuse infants, we all know that. But they are not the only ones in danger, or being abused, or being raised by drug addicts, etcetera etcetera. The majority of kids who go into foster care are not infants, which was great for me, I love older kids and prefer them. I'm worried about the older kids who need a safe haven and every child regardless of their age deserves to have that protection.
Okay, I'll get off of my soapbox now. I just had to say my piece. I can't believe that I am the only one who feels this way and am going to look into a petition or a group that I can lend my meager support to. I want every child to be safe and have a chance. Even if I have to pull out my cane and march to the state capital to say so, I will do it. I already have several older kids in mind that could have used safe haven to make my point. Okay, I'm really done now.
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Wow, that's quite an over-correction to the policy. Sound like this was in reaction to the Safe Haven policy being misused, but that's just unreasonable.
I don't know much about the safe haven laws (I guess it's state-by-state?) I was relieved in the past to know that people could drop off unwanted babies, no questions asked. I didn't even know people could also drop off older children. So sad, but isn't that better than keeping them and maybe harming them?
I get really heated about this whole issue because there are so many people who cannot have babies, and so if this will help get these unwanted kids to people who will want them and love them, then isn't that a GOOD thing? In regard to newborns: this has got to get some teen girls (and teen fathers) to safely turn over their babies when they know they cannot care for them. But I don't imagine every teenager has the where-with-all to know this within 3 days. Would a mature adult even know?
Good topic, Blindbeard.
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