State Birth Certificate

There was an interesting thread that developed the other night on a forum I often frequent concerning Unassisted Birth and choosing to forego a standard, state-issued birth certificate. Now, social security # questions often come up, because it's not particularly life-affecting to your child if you wait on it and let him or her make the decision later in life. Not to mention, enough people don't have one that there are various (difficult and time-consuming ) ways around it. However I'd never seen anyone bring up birth certificates, and  it was inspiring to see someone actually questioning the need for a state birth certificate!

Unfortunately, the thread degenerated into the usual anarchist vs. State naysaying, with insinuations of legality and illegality looming around in a manner that I felt was quite threatening in some instances. But, at least it was brought up, and I think the original poster got a decent share of viewpoints from those of us who do consider foregoing birth certificates.

 I first came to unassisted birthing out of fear/distrust of the current birth establishment...including, to some degree, traditional midwifery, but as my own political views evolved, I became more firmly entrenched in the idea that home and family is absolutely a place that I do not wish to share with the State. Just as I have chosen, with my partner, to forgo a traditional marriage out of disinterest in sharing our intimacy with the church and State, I also consider doing the same for my children. Meaning, that I do wonder about that need for a birth certificate.

My son presumably has one...no, I've never seen it, and once it was sent back to us for correction, and I can't rightly remember if that was followed through, but in any case, paperwork was turned into the state at the time of his birth that rightly or wrongly filled out was viewed by someone who probably made up something 'official'. We did turn down a social security card, which caused quite a stir at the time.

For a next, I've often thought that I might go without a social security card AND birth certificate. The idea being that I would bring up the lack of paperwork to my child well before he or she would need them for work or driving, and allow him/her to decide if they would like to document themselves with the State. I think the chances are 90% or higher that I will then find myself running around like a chicken with it's neck cut off trying to gather all the government documentation needed for a social security card/birth certificate, BUT at least my child was given the opportunity to choose the level of his or her involvement with the State.

This is really important to me. That I give my child the opportunity to choose. Choice is vital in all of our lives, and I hope that I AM raising my child(ren) such that they are constantly making conscious decisions in the direction of their lives. Meaning that, given the proper information concerning these documents, my child will truly be able to make an educated decision about their necessity for him or her. And, I as the parent will assist that choice in any way I can with my mouth firmly shut as to whether or not I agree with it.