Entitlement believing father of 30 kids asks for government help

By Catholic Online (NEWS CONSORTIUM)
5/21/2012
Catholic Online (www.catholic.org)

Knoxville, Tennessee dad has had children with 11 different women

Thirty-three-year old Desmond Hatchett of Knoxville Tennessee has a problem. He's fathered 30 kids out of wedlock with at least 11 different women - and he's asking for public and governmental help.

Officials say that 33-year-old Desmond Hatchett, the father of 30 children with 11 women, hasn't broken any laws and that there's nothing they can do to keep him from fathering any more.

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LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - Hatchett has asked the State of Tennessee for a break on his child support payments. He says he is having trouble supporting them all, according to local TV reporters.

Appearing in court this week, Hatchett said he's struggling to make ends meet on his minimum-wage job. The state takes half his paycheck and divides it up among the mothers, averaging out to $1.49 a month for each.

Hatchett's oldest child is 14, while his youngest is a toddler.

As to his profligacy, Hatchett explained once in a 2009 television interview, when he had only 21 children, "I had four kids in the same year. Twice." In the interview he also swore he was "done" having children.

Officials say he hasn't broken any laws and that there's nothing they can do to keep him from fathering any more.

"If there's something out there like that, I'm unaware of it," Melissa Gibson with the Knox County child support clerk's office told the Los Angeles Times. "It definitely needs to be."

The case has incensed many right-thinking men and women. Internet columnist Drenna Armstrong left off steam in a recent editorial. "So what's going to happen? Nothing. It isn't against the law for him to have this many children and quite frankly, the women he sleeps with haven't seen him on the news. I'm sure if this story is revisited in five years, we can probably add another 10 children to the list. I'd like to completely blame Desmond but what is going on with these women?

"There is no'd' that good or man that fine that would allow me to ignore red flags of this nature. I mean, I just . . . there's nothing left to say.

"Have any of you met a man like this who expected you to treat him like it was all good? Have you treated a man in this situation like it was all good?" Armstrong asks.

Clearly, personal responsibility is needed here on both ends of the spectrum. The women in Desmond's life need to say no to a man who fails to provide for their children, or forego an out-of-wedlock relationship that results in children. Clearly, the children here are not at fault.

Let's hear from our Catholic Online readers what they think should be done to stop a culture that allows something like this to happen --

� 2012, Catholic Online. Distributed by NEWS CONSORTIUM.

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Pope Benedict XVI's Prayer Intentions for January 2013
General Intention: The Faith of Christians. That in this Year of Faith Christians may deepen their knowledge of the mystery of Christ and witness joyfully to the gift of faith in him.
Missionary Intention: Middle Eastern Christians. That the Christian communities of the Middle East, often discriminated against, may receive from the Holy Spirit the strength of fidelity and perseverance.

Keywords: Tennessee, Desmond Hatchett, child support, profligacy

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1 - 2 of 2 Comments

Chris
10 months ago
I firmly disagree with the tone of this article: Christ commanded that we not judge one another, lest we be judged. Moreover, we are a pro-life faith and we believe that God has a purpose in every soul he sends to this Earth. One of those children could become the next pope, or discover the cure for cancer, etc... Posting this article diminished the reputation of the church, and makes her seem hypocritical. Charity and humility should always be valued above political discourse and sensationalism.
Robert Burford
1 year ago
The trouble with the young today is that there is no shame. Adam in the garden hid from God because he was ashamed that he disobeyed God. Some of my family members have the same attitude. They think that it is their right to do whatever they want with no responsibility for their actions. It is ashame that we do not hide from God any more and flaunt our sins in public. The real problem is not the children. In jail Mr Hatchett could think over his priorities and there would be four less children. The problem would not be solved by jail but my family members and Mr Hatchett who have children out of wedlock , commit adultery and fornicate should be ashamed.

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