It's Not My Fault!

Do you want a stunning example of how some Americans seek to avoid personal responsibility?

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/02/AR2006060201405.html

Here's a summary:

• Woman and her husband are stressed and harried by modern life
• In a fit of passion, they fail to use birth control
• She finds it difficult to get the "Plan B" pill that terminates pregnancy in first 72 hours
• Therefore, it's someone else's fault and something should be done about it
  

Given she couldn't easily get pill-based abortion, she was left with no alternative but to have an actual abortion. Or so goes her story. Note how she doesn't state that it was impossible to get the "Plan B" pill; just that it was not easy and convenient.

I can think of at least three things that couple could have done differently, had they exercised even the slightest degree of personal responsibility. These are in addition to the obvious one about having the child and living the consequences of their momentary irresponsibility. And yes, I recognize these are all in hindsight.

1. Taken the minute or two to put in the diaphragm
2. The husband could have ejaculated outside the wife. Yes, I know that's not a foolproof birth control method, but I'm certain it at least reduces the chances of pregnancy.
3. If they had already determined their family was complete, the husband could have had a vasectomy
   

I find it stunning that she so easily dismisses what is so obviously the failure on her part to exercise the birth control method she freely admit she has and normally uses.

This article nicely summarizes all I find irritating about modern society. There seems this utter unwillingness to assume responsibility for anything. "Choice should not have consequence," the sentiment appears to be. No wonder kids growing up seem to irresponsible. Why should they be anything other than irresponsible, given the drumbeat message that nobody should be responsible for anything?

Update:

It appears the woman who wrote that Washington Post article was engaged in a some "live blogging" today. Someone in Myersville, Maryland asked a question, and "Dana L" (the author of the article) responded:

Myersville, Md.: Thanks for the honest article. Does Planned Parenthood distribute Plan B in Virginia or is it only availble through MD offices? If not, is it because of Virginia's state laws regarding the distribution of birth control?

Dana L.: I believe Planned Parenthood distributes Plan B nationwide. Unfortunately for me, in my panic that Friday, I didn't even think of calling them.

So in fact the "Plan B" pills were available and relatively convenient. But she "didn't think" to call Planned Parenthood to get them. So Dana L's complaint is what, exactly? That current government policies are bad because they don't take into account not only her sexual irresponsibility but also her inability to think of things?

Goodness ... I can't believe she's confessing all this in the pages of a major newspaper. I'd be embarrassed on several counts.