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Friday, August 22, 2008

Road Trip!

posted by on August 22 at 16:49 PM

MSNBC:

Nebraska’s new “safe-haven” law allowing parents to abandon unwanted children at hospitals with no questions asked is unique in a significant way: It goes beyond babies and potentially permits the abandonment of anyone under 19.

While lawmakers may not have intended it, the month-old law raises the possibility that frustrated parents could drop off misbehaving teens or even severely disabled older children with impunity.

RSS icon Comments

1

As in "We're going to Chuck'E Cheese"? lol

Posted by YvesPaul | August 22, 2008 5:01 PM
2

Dan,

Is DJ irritating you and Terry?

Posted by Whitworth Fag | August 22, 2008 5:04 PM
3

My boyfriend took three boys to Wild Waves today, where they got sugared up and spun in circles, and I think all the parents out there might understand why he might be tempted to take a detour through Nebraska on the way home.

Posted by Dan Savage | August 22, 2008 5:07 PM
4

I don't see that as bad. If a given parent can't deal, for whatever reason, then it's best for the child to be elsewhere--even if the child is a teenager or whatever. (If the parent is being flippant in dropping off a kid, then that's another issue.)

Posted by Simac | August 22, 2008 5:35 PM
5

I'm a parent and I completely understand the temptation, Dan.

"Straighten right up or I'll leave you in Nebraska." Out here that threat might not seem all that scary, but growing up in Colorado that totally would've gotten me to behave...

Posted by PopTart | August 22, 2008 5:44 PM
6

It can't be worse than the current system that only takes a child away after he or she has been horribly neglected or abused. Unfortunately, many abusers are inexplicably attached to their children so many of them may not take advantage of this option.

Posted by keshmeshi | August 22, 2008 7:04 PM
7

Obnoxious urban ten year old kid abandoned at a Nebraska hospital, adopted by kindly farm family, learns how to milk cows and drive a tractor, returns as young adult years later to tears-of-joy reunion with parents. This is an After School Special just waiting to happen.

Posted by RainMan | August 22, 2008 7:28 PM
8

Wow. But will they let gay couples adopt them?

Posted by James | August 22, 2008 8:39 PM
9

How about 23 year old roommates?

Posted by Me | August 23, 2008 10:04 AM
10

@9: Move out. Can't fix 'em, can't dump 'em off in Nebraska. Find a new roommate.

Posted by Greg | August 25, 2008 12:16 PM

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