GLORIA STEINEM
Who should have the power to make critical determinations about another person‘s life, once they become an adult?
Parents are given the legal rights to make binding determinations until their child hits legal age, and then all of those rights are transferred to the child, upon maturation.
Government can make determinations about people’s lives, but those determinations in most free societies are defined by very specific parameters under which the collective rights of the whole could be potentially impacted by the actions of an individual who is capable of causing harm or damage to others.
Yet, we are continuously battling to enable women to make their determinations about their bodies and their choices in life without needing to seek the guidance or approval of another person, or even worse, break the newly enacted laws and suffer even more horrific consequences.
As an adult, a woman should have every right that a man is offered in society and should always be allowed to have final say over anything with regard to their body.
The fact that there are still large volumes of men who feel empowered to boldly state their contrary position to this obvious issue, demonstrates the legacy insanity that stems from allowing people with little power in their lives, have a taste of power.
If you doubt this perspective, try arguing with the president of your local homeowner’s association, if you have one.
People crave power, for countless reasons. In this craving, comes an internal desire to be dominant over another. Psychologists will give you countless perspectives as to why a human being may crave the power, and why they may wish to wield it over others.
But when innocent people’s lives are damaged or destroyed as a consequence, I firmly believe that we, as a specie, can do so much better than this.
Everybody wants autonomy over their own lives. Autonomy comes with tremendous responsibility. Not everyone is capable of handling this responsibility, nor coping with it. To impede the will of those who can in light of supervising those who cannot, is clearly a violation of personal freedom and must be stopped at all costs.
Happy Monday!
Brian Weiner 