It's commendable to keep "the children" and their welfare in mind when considering public policy, but it can get out of hand. Judges in Tippecanoe County are proposing new rules intended to shield youngsters from the bickering and resentment that often accompany divorce:
Tippecanoe Superior Court Judge Thomas Busch tells the Journal & Courier that the proposal would essentially require divorcing couples and their attorneys to try to resolve conflict amicably and with greater communication.
The goal is to discourage couples in the midst of breaking up from immediately dragging all parties into court or drawing up contempt papers. Busch said parental conflict during divorces "can tear a family apart" and hurt children.
"This is to keep the children from suffering. In order to achieve that, we have to get parents to work together. We have to come up with ways to solve conflict so that it is in the best interest of children," he said.
Try to resolve conflicts amicably before going into court with contempt papers. That certainly sounds reasonable -- could anything extreme really come from such a mindset? Ask in Boston:
A new bill on Beacon Hill would ban parents from engaging in sexual relationships within the home until their divorces are final.
Wrentham Selectman Robert Leclair says the bill is meant to prevent domestic violence and shield children while the divorce is underway.
[. . .]
The bill would prevent divorcing parents from "conducting a dating or sexual relationship within the home" until the divorce is final."
"All right, lady, this is the dating police. Let us in and tell us who the man in the T-shirt is right now, or we're breaking the door down!" Geez.
Never, ever, forget the "foot in the door" principle whenever a government proposes to do anything, no matter how reasonable it sounds. When they discover a part of your life that needs their wisdom and guidance, they can't help themselves once they gain entrance. They just have to keep escalating the meddling.
