America's Anti-Child Culture
By ALICIA COLON
May 12, 2006

Sunday is Mother's Day, and what odd timing for the New York Times to run an article by Natalie Angier about how animals are not necessarily maternal. In her article this week, Ms. Angier gives numerous macabre examples of how the female of the species mistreats her offspring. Whether it's cannibalism or neglect, we're supposed to cringe in horror at the shocking assault on helpless animal babies. I can't help but wonder if Ms. Angier is sending us a subtle message that such behavior is instinctively natural for the survival of any species - including our own.

She writes, "Among several mammals, including lions, mice and monkeys, females will either spontaneously abort their fetuses or abandon their newborns when times prove rocky or a new male swaggers into town." Gee, sounds familiar, doesn't it? The names Amy Richards and Susan Smith come to mind. I was under the impression that the human race was a cut above the animal kingdom, but I guess not. the rest