All Fathers are NOT Created Equal

I recently read that in 32 states rapists have "rights of parenthood" if the rapes they commit result in pregnancy and the women decide to bear the children. This adds an entirely new dimension to the crime against the woman.

Do I believe this happens? Absolutely. For years I watched one of my dearest friends struggle to maintain control of the parenthood of her child. The father was NOT  a rapist. He was a deserter who abandoned her to her fate when he learned she was pregnant. He WAS a substance abusing manic-depressive. But family court MANDATED he be given custodial weekend visits.

My friend spent days after these visits dealing with the ramifications of her son's visits with his father. The night terror, the anxiety, the temper tantrums. To this day I do not know how she managed to get through this torturous period of her life.

She never gave up her fight for full custody and after YEARS and repeated failures of her son's father to provide child support, she did achieve it.

Her son is a miracle. A beautiful person because of HER incredible strength and UNFAILING dedication to her own parenthood.

The law, on the other hand, did her no favors and put her and her baby through HELL.

Women's issues are about a lot more than access to abortion and birth control. They are about women's rights to PERSON HOOD.

Politicians like Todd Akin are the tip of the iceberg with his definition of "legitimate" and illegitimate" rape.

This should NOT be a Republican v Democratic issue. It IS NOT a conservative v liberal issue. It is ABOUT THE RIGHTS of 51 percent of this country's population.

We do not live under Sharia Law after all (or do we?).