--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A father's interest in having a…" description: "\"A father's interest in having a child--perhaps his only child--may be unmatched by any other interest in his life. It is truly surprising that the stat..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/759/william-rehnquist-28058_abortion_a-father-s-interest-in-having-a-child-pe_2894893.jpg" --- # A father's interest in having a child--perhaps his only… ![“A father's interest in having a child--perhaps his only child--may be unmatched by any other interest in his life. It is truly surprising that the state must assign a greater value to a mother's decision to cut off a potential human life by abortion than to a father's decision to let it mature…” quote by William Rehnquist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/759/william-rehnquist-28058_abortion_a-father-s-interest-in-having-a-child-pe_2894893.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/759/william-rehnquist-28058_abortion_a-father-s-interest-in-having-a-child-pe_2894893.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/759/william-rehnquist-28058_abortion_a-father-s-interest-in-having-a-child-pe_2894893.jpg) > “A father's interest in having a child--perhaps his only child--may be unmatched by any other interest in his life. It is truly surprising that the state must assign a greater value to a mother's decision to cut off a potential human life by abortion than to a father's decision to let it mature into a live child.” [William Rehnquist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-rehnquist/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote contrasts the societal valuation of a mother's decision about abortion with a father's role in raising a child, highlighting perceived inequality in legal and moral weight. **In simple terms:** It points out a perceived imbalance in how society values mothers' and fathers' reproductive choices. Key Takeaway Consider how laws reflect gendered values in reproductive rights. Themes gender equality reproductive rights family law ethical perception Mood thoughtful critical Type analytical ethical When to use this quote - policy debates - court cases - family counseling - advocacy work Key Concepts legal ethics gender bias parental responsibility Questions to Reflect On - How should the law balance maternal autonomy with paternal interests? - What ethical frameworks guide reproductive decision-making? A Different Perspective The quote may oversimplify complex legal and ethical considerations surrounding abortion and parental rights. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Abortion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abortion/) [Abortion Father](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abortion-father-2695783/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Cutting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cutting/) [Decision](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decision/) [Father](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/father/) [Father Decision](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/father-decision-4085437/) [Greater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greater/) [Human life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-life/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Interest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interest/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Life Abortion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-abortion-1752248/) [Mature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mature/) [May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/may/) [Mother](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mother/) [Mother Decision](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mother-decision-1615286/) [Only child](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/only-child/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [States](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/states/) [Surprising](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/surprising/) [Values](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/values/) ## Related quotes > [By abortion the Mother does not learn to love, but kills her own child to solve her problems. And, by abortion, that father is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/by-abortion-the-mother-does-not-learn-to-love-but-kills-her-own-child/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) > [Since birth, my mother made the decision at age 16 to pretend she never had me. She has never spoken to me. Even if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenya-moore/since-birth-my-mother-made-the-decision-at-age-16-to-pretend-she/) [Kenya Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenya-moore/) > [I told Mother of my decision to study medicine. She encouraged me to speak to Father... I began in a roundabout way... He listened,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-levi-montalcini/i-told-mother-of-my-decision-to-study-medicine-she-encouraged-me-to/) [Rita Levi-Montalcini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-levi-montalcini/) > [To look at the issue of life and abortion, actually we're moving in that direction where most Americans oppose most abortions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/to-look-at-the-issue-of-life-and-abortion-actually-we-re-moving-in/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [I get asked this question a lot. Am I really pro-life? Am I against abortion in all circumstances? Yes. Do I believe there are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abby-johnson/i-get-asked-this-question-a-lot-am-i-really-pro-life-am-i-against/) [Abby Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abby-johnson/) > [For me, life is the most beautiful gift of God to mankind, therefore people and nations who destroy life by abortion and euthanasia are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/for-me-life-is-the-most-beautiful-gift-of-god-to-mankind-therefore/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) > [Stem-cell research on embryos is an even worse excuse for the slaughter of life than abortion. No woman is even being spared an inconvenience…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-coulter/stem-cell-research-on-embryos-is-an-even-worse-excuse-for-the/) [Ann Coulter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-coulter/) > [You can't reconcile being pro-life on abortion and pro-death on the death penalty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-t-wright-2/you-can-t-reconcile-being-pro-life-on-abortion-and-pro-death-on-the/) [N. T. Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-t-wright-2/) > [“The political conversation about abortion has obliterated truth and crushed any nuanced understanding of what it means to live a human life. Abortion talk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-parker/the-political-conversation-about-abortion-has-obliterated-truth-and/) [Willie Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willie-parker/) > [I am still a Catholic. I still believe life begins at conception. That is consistent with my Catholic beliefs. And I believe we must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-baumgartner/i-am-still-a-catholic-i-still-believe-life-begins-at-conception-that/) [Michael Baumgartner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-baumgartner/) > [I'm an only child, so I got spoilt a lot. Which was a good thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-david/i-m-an-only-child-so-i-got-spoilt-a-lot-which-was-a-good-thing/) [Craig David](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-david/) > [Being an only child, I didn't have any other family but my mom and dad really, since the rest of my family lived quite…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hardy/being-an-only-child-i-didn-t-have-any-other-family-but-my-mom-and-dad/) [Tom Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hardy/) > [I have a private theory, Sir, that there are no heroes and no monsters in this world. Only children should be allowed to use…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-de-vigny/i-have-a-private-theory-sir-that-there-are-no-heroes-and-no-monsters/) [Alfred de Vigny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-de-vigny/) > [I think the biggest problem working with me would be that I'm an only child, and so I have an internal dialogue that goes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maynard-james-keenan/i-think-the-biggest-problem-working-with-me-would-be-that-i-m-an-only/) [Maynard James Keenan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maynard-james-keenan/) > [I'm a weirdo and an only child. 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The establishment clause has been expressly freighted with Jefferson's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-rehnquist/it-is-impossible-to-build-sound-constitutional-doctrine-upon-a/) [William Rehnquist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-rehnquist/) > [It is always possible for the court to overreach its proper bounds and perhaps declare a lot of laws unconstitutional and frustrate the will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-rehnquist/it-is-always-possible-for-the-court-to-overreach-its-proper-bounds/) [William Rehnquist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-rehnquist/) > [ \[I\]f we assume a liberty interest but nevertheless say that, even assuming a liberty interest, a state can prohibit it entirely, that would be… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-rehnquist/i-f-we-assume-a-liberty-interest-but-nevertheless-say-that-even/) [William Rehnquist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-rehnquist/) > [If you could say of any one individual that the court as an institution is the length and shadow of that individual, surely it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-rehnquist/if-you-could-say-of-any-one-individual-that-the-court-as-an/) [William Rehnquist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-rehnquist/) > [We start with first principles. The Constitution creates a Federal Government of enumerated powers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-rehnquist/we-start-with-first-principles-the-constitution-creates-a-federal/) [William Rehnquist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-rehnquist/) [Explore all 20 William Rehnquist quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-rehnquist/) ## More Abortion quotes > [“Conception is the beginning of human life. From the time that an ovum is fertilized a new life begins that is neither that of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/declaration-on-procured-abortion-congregation-for-the-doctrine-of-the-faith-1974/conception-is-the-beginning-of-human-life-from-the-time-that-an-ovum/) [Declaration on Procured Abortion Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith 1974](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/declaration-on-procured-abortion-congregation-for-the-doctrine-of-the-faith-1974/) > [Hey everyone, in case y'all didn't hear, I'm pregnat, and after discussing it w/ my family, I've decided to get an abortion, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madison-badesheim/hey-everyone-in-case-y-all-didn-t-hear-i-m-pregnat-and-after/) [Madison Badesheim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madison-badesheim/) > [There was no mistake in us making abortion legal and available on demand. That was what we call progress. 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Lynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-w-lynn/) [Browse all 1,629 Abortion quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abortion/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "A father's interest in having a child--perhaps his only child--may be unmatched by any other interest in his life. 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