http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/10/08/nebraska.safe.haven/index.html
This article is about the Nebraska 'safe haven' law, allowing parents to hand over their children anonymously and leave them there without being prosecuted. This law is going horribly wrong, because frustrated parents are even crossing the Nebraska state line just to drop off their child at this hospital. "The few situations we've seen so far demonstrate the need for a change in Nebraska's safe haven law," Gov. Dave Heineman. The problem this law sets up is thankfully seen and is hopefully going to change soon, otherwise there will be a bunch of random children with no one to claim them, and no where for them to go.
This relates to Siddhartha, because where he is on his path to enlightenment, he sees that suffering exists, because of human desires. These abandoned children suffer because their irresponsible parents see that this hospital is just a drop off place that they can put something that is causing them suffering, and never have to deal with it again. The parents gave into their desire for leaving their children by dropping them off at this hospital, and never having to see them again if wanted.
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7 comments:
Emily, you did a great job with you summary and analysis. I had never heard of this problem before and now I'm very interested in this problem. I also like how you connected it to Siddhartha.
Wow, that is interesting that the law is backfiring! I'm sure that's not what they expected to happen when they passed it. Hopefully they can find a way out of this mess. I agree with your connection to Siddhartha, it is similar to what happens in the story.
Wow. I can not believe this article. What state would allow parents to abandon children randomly? Thats crazy! You made a good connection because in both situations, suffering occurs. I wonder what will happen to this law in the future!
Dear Emily,
This 'safe haven' law sounds surreal, I've never heard of this specific law but I know of similar approaches. Like children's hostels where children (more appropriately, teens) can go if they are in danger for a few nights. And I'm not sure how succesful or helpful these hostels are, but i feel like the open-endedness of this 'safe haven' law is a contributor for the chaos that seems to be erupting in this hospital.
This article is very strange but still comprehensible. Nice find Emily.
Nice job on your analysis! i really felt as though I was reading the true article and not just the summary. I never herd f this problem until now and I am very interested. I also like the way you related the article to Siddhartha and the path to enlightenment.
I liked the summary and analysis. This problem makes me wonder if it's the parents who are at fault or the kids. It seems a bit far-fetched, but maybe some of these kids are like Siddhartha's son, so unhappy with their life that they ask their parents to drop them off?
Wow. Nebraska is pretty cool. I liked yuor summary of the story because it was short and precise and left nothing to be desired. I am very interested to see how this plays out and I want to know how Nebraska crawls their way out of this hole. I'm also curious about just what Nebraska was thinking when they passed this. I'm thinking free alchohol at government meetings probably isn't the best way to pass good laws... I wasn't even thinking about a connection to Siddhartha but you, very sucessfully I might add, connected the two solidly. Very nice.
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