EMAIL RESPONSE TO A DISCUSSION FORUM REGARDING A LETTER TO THE EDITOR
As much as this may rile a few people, M. Mathewson is correct in that parenting is NOT a right and is most certainly a privilege. I'll add that his/her argument seems to be unfairly aimed towards lesbians and should be aimed at all parents instead.
No one in Australia has the right to tertiary education, to work, to have adequate housing, to walk across a road, or to drive a car, but we tend to think of these things as irrefutable. They are but privileges and we must earn them and continue to prove ourselves worthy lest they be revoked. If you abuse your position as a parent then you will lose that privilege also - that is undeniable.
However we should all have the freedom to be parents. Freedom and rights are often confused in these debates and we need to be aware that Australians have very few rights (I can count them on one hand) but we have many freedoms and privileges.
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