# We don't understand it, so we must regulate it!!
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-dont-understand-it-so-we-must-regulate-it/110320
**Category:** The BBQ Pit
**Created:** [May 22, 2002, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-dont-understand-it-so-we-must-regulate-it/110320 "2002-05-22T16:05:44Z")
**Posts on this page:** 3
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@SuaSponte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuaSponte)
#### Post date: [May 22, 2002, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-dont-understand-it-so-we-must-regulate-it/110320/1 "2002-05-22T16:05:44Z")
Yesterday I was reading the New York Times Science section, and came across an interesting piece on a developing trend in semen donation - “open” donations, where the semen donor is not anonymous. The rules governing open donations vary from place
to place, but the general concept is that, with the donor’s consent, the children may find out who he is at age 18.
Here’s the article [http://www.nytimes.com/2002/05/21/health/21SPER.html?pagewanted=2](http://www.nytimes.com/2002/05/21/health/21SPER.html?pagewanted=2) As it is the New York Times, you have to register (for free) to read it.
Interesting idea, I thought. But then we get the “down” side. No sociological or psychological research has been done in this area (primarily, I think, because open donations didn’t start until 1983, so only one child has turned 18 and been provided information (she hasn’t called her donor father yet).
Then we came to the bit that pissed me off:
> [@](#):
>
> “Because there are no hard and fast rules about whether you should know a donor or not know a donor, it is all being played out very loosely,” said Dr. Anthony Thomas, the head of the male infertility section at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation and a member of the reproductive society’s ethics committee. **"My concern is that we don’t know how all of this is going to affect the offspring. This needs to be regulated."**
What the fuck kind of logic is that?! Nobody knows how being informed who their donor father is will affect the child, so we need rules from the government - **which also doesn’t know how it will affect the child!!!**
[old man’s voice] Back in my day, you young whippersnappers, we waited to find out if there was a problem before we asked the government to intervene.[/old man’s voice]
Forget government as Big Brother. What this dickhead “ethicist” and his ilk want is government as Big Mommy. “We’re not sure what to do. Government, give us a kiss on the cheek and make it all better.”
Fuckwits.
Sua
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### Author:  [@Maeglin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maeglin)
#### Post date: [May 22, 2002, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-dont-understand-it-so-we-must-regulate-it/110320/2 "2002-05-22T16:11:36Z")
FWIW, I think this is a great fucking idea. I think waking up one day and having an adult child that one is not financially responsible for is just brilliant. I’d better donate today.
What _moron_ would call for summary regulation?
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### Author:  [@D\_Odds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Odds)
#### Post date: [May 22, 2002, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-dont-understand-it-so-we-must-regulate-it/110320/3 "2002-05-22T16:14:58Z")
But, but, but, but, but…isn’t guvmint there to protect us from _ourselves_? Aren’t they supposed to make all bad consequences simply…go away?