Junkie mum sells baby to News of the World
"I, Lindsey Stone of Plymouth hereby agree to sell baby Charleigh, who is my own daughter, for the sum of £15,000. I will not wish to see her again or have any legal rights over her. She will belong to (reporter's name)."
Full story here
One of the most awful stories I've ever read - couldn't even get through the whole thing.
You'd be happy to know, though, that Murray Rothbard would also be disgusted by this story, though for a very different reason.
MR: "First, in [a libertarian] society, every parent would have the right to sell their (sic) guardianship rights to others. In short, there would be a free market in babies and other children... Every party involved would gain by the actions of such a market: the child would be shifted from cruel or neglectful parents to those who would desire and care for it; the neglecting parent would acquire the preferred amount of money instead of the unwanted child..."
Murray had no children.
I wonder what MJ would be willing to pay for a nice young boy. What a "loving" father he would be...
Spot on Murray!
Posted by: Nick Schandler | March 20, 2005 at 06:59 AM
It would be Plymouth wouldn't it! I can't think of many cities in the UK that are more devoid of a feeling of moral responsibility, or any sense of outward-looking, for want of a better phrase. Please someone, tell me I am wrong - I'm from the place!
Posted by: Andrew Mellor | March 23, 2005 at 02:44 PM
Andrew, don't worry, because I think that your opinion is based on a prejudice that is understandable and difficult to escape. I'd love to shout you down and say that Liverpool (where I'm from) is easily worse than Plymouth in terms of the characteristics you've outlined, but then I've never been to Plymouth so I don't really know. I'm guessing that I feel the same about Liverpool as you do about Plymouth because of the similar experiences we've had growing up in those places. You can only make those judgements because you've defined yourself against the negative aspects of a place you feel you never fitted into. There's a crucial difference for me, though: at least Liverpool is (just about) big enough to offer different experiences and a different kind of life. Plymouth, on the other hand...well, I'm sure it's a lovely place for an Easter break!
Posted by: Matthew Whitfield | March 24, 2005 at 08:53 AM