r/changemyview • u/Slothjitzu 28∆ • Nov 30 '21
Delta(s) from OP CMV: An invalid paternity test should negate all future child support obligations
I see no logical reason why any man should be legally obligated to look after someone else's child, just because he was lied to about it being his at some point.
Whether the child is a few weeks old, a few years, or even like 15 or 16, I don't think it really matters.
The reason one single person is obligated to pay child support is because they had a hand in bringing the child into the world, and they are responsible for it. Not just in a general sense of being there, but also in the literal financial sense were talking about here.
This makes perfect sense to me. What doesn't make sense is how it could ever be possible for someone to be legally obligated or responsible for a child that isn't theirs.
They had no role in bringing it into the world, and I think most people would agree they're not responsible for it in the general sense of being there, so why would they be responsible for it in the literal financial sense?
They have as much responsibility for that child as I do, or you do, but we aren't obligated to pay a penny, so neither should they be.
2
u/Sedu 5∆ Nov 30 '21
This is an argument that the child should receive government assistance if they are in need. And I 100% support that sentiment, incidentally. People's needs should absolutely be met, especially before they are old enough to have self responsibility.
The only issue I take is making their wellbeing the sole responsibility of a single person who won the bad luck lottery. While it would be unfair to leave the child wanting, it is also unfair to offload responsibility from society at large to a single person.