People Have A Right To Define Family As They Wish

Posted on June 6th, 2007 by Neil Aquino

I recently flew from Houston to Chicago to visit family. Some of the family I spent time with I like. Others I could take or leave.  

We should be free to define family as we wish. For example, little is more mean and intrusive than telling people who they may or may not marry. Life is short and it is rotten to deny people the relationships that they want and hope for.

Also, we may feel we have friends we value more than people who by conventional definition are seen as family. Or we may feel that a requirement for a close family relationship is that the family member in question be someone we would want as a friend. 

None of this has anything do to with treating family and all people with basic civility and respect. These are universal obligations.

Values we associate with family such as love and loyalty can become selfishness when not open to others. Family should be defined as broadly as possible.

Individuals have the right to decide who they wish to include in their own idea of family.   

Tags: General // 2 Comments »

  • TCB

    Really? The problem is that rights often collide and people who are not able to either define or actualize their rights (children) are vulnerable. Often times one partner in a divorce may not want a divorce. According to your belief, somebody will inevitably lose their right in those cases. We can’t recognize both parties idea of family at the same tiem. I met a man who lamented over the years of child support payments for children that he did not believe were his. His family and responsibilities were defined by law. If left to him, he would have abandoned those children.
    You seem to equate family with friendship. However, the key distinction between family and friendship is the complete freedom of friendship compared to family. A friendship can end but your Mom is always your Mother.

  • http://www.whereistheoutrage.net ecthompson

    TCB –

    As usual, that’s for your insightful comments.

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