Unfortunately, the repercussions of decisions we make involving our children are often not seen until they have achieved adulthood.
Case in point: In October 1966, decree 770 was authorized by Nicolae Ceaușescu in Romania. Abortion and contraception were declared illegal, except for women over 45 (later lowered to 40), women who had already borne four children (later raised to five), women whose life would be threatened by carrying to term due to medical complications, and women who were pregnant through rape or incest. Contraceptives disappeared from the shelves and all women were forced to be monitored monthly by a gynecologist. Any detected pregnancies were followed until birth. Among the less educated and poorer women there were many unwanted pregnancies. The children that resulted from these unwanted pregnancies grew up deprived of the proper love and attention they need.
In 1989, these same deprived children reached the age of 22 – the average age of most revolutionaries. They violently overthrew the Ceaușescu regime, resulting in over 1,000 deaths over less than two weeks and the destruction of over half a million books and about 3,700 manuscripts.
It can get worse. If Romania is a fitting precedent, it most likely will.
2 thoughts on “Stunted Growth”
Well, daycare and single-parent homes. And yes, they act demented.
Unfortunately, the repercussions of decisions we make involving our children are often not seen until they have achieved adulthood.
Case in point: In October 1966, decree 770 was authorized by Nicolae Ceaușescu in Romania. Abortion and contraception were declared illegal, except for women over 45 (later lowered to 40), women who had already borne four children (later raised to five), women whose life would be threatened by carrying to term due to medical complications, and women who were pregnant through rape or incest. Contraceptives disappeared from the shelves and all women were forced to be monitored monthly by a gynecologist. Any detected pregnancies were followed until birth. Among the less educated and poorer women there were many unwanted pregnancies. The children that resulted from these unwanted pregnancies grew up deprived of the proper love and attention they need.
In 1989, these same deprived children reached the age of 22 – the average age of most revolutionaries. They violently overthrew the Ceaușescu regime, resulting in over 1,000 deaths over less than two weeks and the destruction of over half a million books and about 3,700 manuscripts.
It can get worse. If Romania is a fitting precedent, it most likely will.