Using Children in Protests/Campaigns

[Steely_Dan]

I've always felt a little uncomfortable when I see people bringing their children out to protests or campaign rallies. It is especially disturbing when you see little kids carrying signs.

I don't believe that a child can understand the full measure of any issue and should not be "used" by either side. What say you?

-P

[Slit Skirt]

1. talk about kids being used....

have you seen the colorado right to life commercial...I don't know if all right to life organizations are using this..but it is kids singing about a holocaust (abortion) 10million, 20 million 30million

I emailed them this
I just saw your commercial on CNN with the children singing about a Holocaust.....talk about using children....regardless of your position.....you have no taste.....no shame......
you're ridiculous
prostituting children to get your point across.

[mairceridwen]

5. how awful

see...i see a big difference in an organization exploiting children in that way and individual moms and dads bringing their kids along to protests.

[michigandem2]

2. well does it count that I taught my 3 year old

to say "george bush is stinky mom" and "he is bad for america" she says it each time she hears his name or sees his smirky face on the tv...????

[BurtWorm]

6. Any responsible parent would do the same.

;)

Actually, I have never held back expressing my contempt for Bush in front of my daughter, but I usually try to add, "Of course, you may disagree with me on this." Surprisingly, she has independently arrived at the same conclusion about Bush as I have!

[mairceridwen]

7. cute!

another of my prof's kids is two and in the "NO" stage. So she taught her to say "NO BUSH"

[mairceridwen]

3. fuck that

I see nothing wrong with exposing children to politics in all its forms. Bring them out. Show them around. Keep them out of harm's way if things get ugly, either with other protestors or the fuzz. And, of course, they shouldn't be forced to go if they don't want to.

The way I see it, as long as it's paired with a home environment that encourages open-mindedness, it doesn't do harm.

That would also limit protesting to people who can afford childcare. (sorry...had to get the class conscious digs in)

Why not just stop bringing them to church since they don't understand the full measure of spiritual or religious issues.

Most adults don't understand the full measure of issues.

Cute story. My professor brought her six year old to an anti-war protest. The little girl loved it. Played with other profs kids and loved shouting "NOT IN OUR NAME"

Later that night she went home and made picket signs in her bedroom and paraded them around the house;


MORE T.V.!
MORE T.V.!
MORE T.V.!

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

28. Yep

the more my daughter sees people speaking out, the more SHE speaks up. I may regret doing this after all....LOL!

[Name removed]

4. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[mairceridwen]

8. SORRY ABOUT THE DOUBLE POST

how do I get rid of it?

[Lefty48197]

11. Hit the alert button, and explain that it's a double post

they'll delete it.

[mairceridwen]

33. btw

gracias

[zulchzulu]

9. I've seen that phenomenon on ALL sides

War protests, Bush rallies, Kerry rallies, Nader rallies...

If anything, it's good that they are getting involved and are hopefully not getting "Koreshed" by Daddy.

[rinsd]

10. I don't have a problem with bringing kids to a protest, convetion etc.

Its an oppurtunity for them to learn.

I agree though about turning your kid into a photo-op by having them hold a sign. It's not the worst thing in the world of course but I consider it bad form.

[troubleinwinter]

12. I oppose having children protest.

I also oppose having children say a 'pledge' when they are too young to know what it means, or being old enough to pledge their alegience to anything. Bringing them to prostests seems like using them as pawns. Discussing matters with them is one thing. Using them is another. Leave your children at home. Let them make their own judgements when they are old enough. Let them be children.

[troubleinwinter]

14. Another thing

I, personally wouldn't bring a child into a situation where there may be pushing crowds or freaked law enforcement. Leave kids at home. In most situations, we have an 'age of consent'. Let em grow up enough to make their own judgements.

[coalition_unwilling]

15. I have mixed feelings

One of the neatest things my wife and I saw at a massive anti-war demo in Los Angeles was a very cute little four-year-old boy marching with a sign that said "No Hitting!" You could tell he had written it himself, from the way it was lettered.

On the other hand, demos have been known to provoke 'police riots' and taking a child to a demo where they might be injured by rogue cops seems to me irresponsible. We generally do not allow our daughter to attend. She has written 'Buck Fush' on her hi-top Chucks that she wears to school, however, so we're waiting for that shoe (npi) to drop!

[BurtWorm]

17. How do you feel about taking children to church or temple?

Do you have children?

[Snivi Yllom]

13. I dont like EITHER side using their children as props

It's brainwashing and disgusting period.

[troubleinwinter]

RIGHT ON, Snivy!

Let the grownups protest.

[BurtWorm]

16. I'm guessing you don't have children?

I do and we've taken our daughter to any march or demonstration we've gone to that felt safe. It's been about five so far.

People take their kids to church and no one has a problem with that. :shrug:

[mairceridwen]

19. Rock on Burt

Keep on keepin' it ON!

People bring their kids, who can't grasp the full concept of hockey to games.


And they are much more dangerous, in my humble opinion

[MAlibdem]

18. kids should be taught moral values and ethics and allowed to make choices

But never forced to believe in something.

[mairceridwen]

21. exactly

but bringing kids to a protest does not equal forcing them to believe in anything.

my parents brought me to church, but didn't force it (of course, they were both pretty apathetic toward the catholic church by then anyway)

they brought me to basketball games, but never forced me to love the celtics

[mairceridwen]

35. of course...

my partner and I decided that if our kid wants to be a republican we are cutting off his/her allowance...you know...since they don't believe in "hand outs"

[AzDar]

20. No worse than having them be altar boys, etc. .....

Children can't truly understand religion, yet their parent's beliefs are almost always foisted upon them. My eight-year old shocked me the other day by reciting John Kerry's " the future does not belong to fear, it belongs to freedom" speech from an early campaign commercial
at the breakfast table. I was surprised, and ever-so-pleased.
The things they pick up at home..lol

[mairceridwen]

24. you know what...

when I was a kid, I LOVED ronald reagan because my friends, who heard things from their parents did.

maybe my mother should have been more politically involved and outspoken

she definitely set my ass straight when i said i was anti-choice

yes, I was once anti-choice, for about an hour

it's all good when done properly

and a protest or demonstration is one of just many political, social, and cultural messags that kids are exposed to that they don't understand

so shush all you who want to limit protesting to those who can afford childcare

[cally]

22. We are teaching our children with each action we take

If you take them to sporting events, then you are showing that you are a sports fan. If you take them to a symphony, then you are showing that you value classical music. Hit the latest action movie, and you are showing what you value. I've taken my children/pre-teens/teens to political rallies and protests. I was including them in my passion and introducing them to my beliefs. Both are branching out and questioning my beliefs as they get older although both are adamant about the importance of getting involved and speaking out. I just can't understand how anyone can think it's a bad thing to introduce our children to political action.

[hiphopnation]

32. what he/she said...

:thumbsup:

[AmandaRuth]

23. they do get to an age when they want to know.

My daughter is 12 and is seeking information, she wants to be active, she wants to learn. I have a feeling that if i didn't take her to the rallies, she would sneak out. She feels like it is my parental duty.

[Amaya]

25. I've taken my son to protests

He begs me to go. He wants to see what his mommy is talking about. I do not *use* my son. My mother took me to many protests as a child and many political events. Exposing children to democracy is good thing.... By the way, get a grip.

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

26. I disagree

Really young children really cannot fully grasp it, but they will remember their parents speaking up, using their voices and being politically active, and that very well might influence them to be NON apathetic adults.

My daughter is almost 10 and has been to more meetups than she can count, rallies, strategy meetings, Dem parties, volunteer activities like phone banking, etc. She mostly observes, but she is learning a LOT.

In fact, the other night she remarked that she'll be 12 during the next round of primaries and 13 during the next presidential election and wants to get even more involved then.

I say good for them. Children seeing their parents exercising their right to free speech and peaceful assembly is never a bad thing!

I'm sure glad the kid who started Kids for Kerry felt like she had a place in the political discourse!!!!!

We have never and will never take our child to a protest where we think there is even a chance of danger. No way. But everything else is fair game and a wonderful real-life education. She knows if the electoral vote is tied, it goes to the House. Name me another nine year old who knows that. She knows it because she asked!

Also, at her school, they had a mock debate. She and three other kids represented Kerry's POV and twelve other kids represented bush. The kids who represented bush got some VERY basic info from their parents, but my kid's been learning about the issues for over a year now and had DETAILED rebuttals to everything. They couldn't answer her arguments. Apparently the Kerry side won handily and the other Kerry kids hardly had anything to say.

[seabeyond]

27. this is a tough one. i think about it often. i have a 9 and 6

year old sons. i saw a picture a couple days ago, a little girl with such an angry look on her face yelling for bush. my oldest had three kids say the other day kerry is unchristian. and my boys, of course they are rooting kerry.

i wonder if the kids arent being given too much on one hand, on the other, i work hard at giving sons the full spectrum. they are also around all repugs so they get varied views. i think today it is so important we teach our children to feel a responsibility to our country, a participation. i think it will be them to have to clean up our mess we have created

i have thought of taking sons to demonstrations, and then think of your view.

also i would like to have them participate to feel the uniting and speaking out, that one gets from demonstration.

i am disgusted how the right talk about protecting their children ect.....yet at the youngest of age teaching them about abortion and homosexuality, so they see the sin, and present it to the outside world in the crudest for other children to experience. a hypocrisy beyond any others i see.

i think i conclude on a whole if a parent is doing their job, it is a healthy and educational experience for a child.

[MadHound]

29. Speaking as a former child

Who got involved(all on my own) in the anti-war protests during Vietnam when I was nine, I see no problem with it. It is fun, educational, and can shape lifelong values. I've wound up being quite politically active all of my life, and a life-long liberal. I do agree with the idea that it could be dangerous if the police go into "riot mode", but if you are paying attention and see this about to happen, get the child out there ASAP. Other than that, I have no problem with it.

[npincus]

30. my 21-month old daughter could say, "Bush Sucks!" and "eeeeeew, Bush!"

there's nothing like teaching 'em when they're young.

[mairceridwen]

31. i'm sure the Keatons

took Alex P. to many a political rally and he wasn't "brainwashed"

but then again...

[in_cog_ni_to]

34. My son participates in everything I do that's political.

I want him to be more passionate about politics than I was at his age. He now knows more about politics than most adults. It's important. We are attending our first protest/memorial in 10 days and he is PSYCHED! He can't wait.

[Steely_Dan]

36. As the Original Poster...

...I wanted to try an clarify my position better than I did originally.

I honestly appreciate all of the points I've read here.

As far as the "religious" angle in "well, I take my kid to church and he/she doesn't fully get the whole concept...so why not campaign rallies or protests?" Let me say first, that there is a fine line between "education" and "indoctrination." But more to the point. Taking a child to church is a very different animal than taking them to a protest or campaign rally. You might as well say that I don't want to send my kid to school because they don't fully understand everything there...

My point is much different....It is a result of seeing small toddlers holding signs that say things that they could never understand. It just makes me feel uncomfortable (for example) when I see a small child holding a sign that reads something like "Abortion is Murder." It is the purposeful use of a child to gain additional political traction that bothers me. It's all well and good when a child understands through careful guidance (so as to not diminish their individuality)and is holding a sign having full awareness of their position. But that is the exception and not the general rule.

No matter how hard we try as parents, we cannot help put our own fears and anxieties into our children. It comes embedded in our teachings.

Anyway...just some thoughts on why I think children (young children at least) should be left home until you as a parent feel that they can speak intelligently to the points being made by any sign they might be carrying.

-P

[mairceridwen]

37. again...

"it is the purposeful use of a child to gain additional political traction that bothers me."

there is a difference between exposure and exploitation.

I mean, you're making perfect sense, but I still don't see a problem with bringing young children to a rally...even if they don't understand. like I said, it's just one of MANY messages they are hit with.

"we cannot help put our own fears and anxieties into our children. It comes embedded in our teachings."

exactly, and I think it would be wrong try to supress any but the worst of our fears and anxieties. I think exposing them to as many aspects is better than trying to surpress them. If for every time my kids heard me rant about something, they also saw something exhilirating and powerful, I think it makes them balanced and less fearful and anxious

it's also a personal choice and if there are parents who feel that it's not in their kid's best interest, I respect that as well.

[TNMOM]

38. As a parent, I feel that it is my duty to instill into my small children

values like getting involved in the politcal process. I also think that it's important that policy makers and the media see visually the people who are affected by public policy. If I'm protesting cuts to education - why wouldn't I bring my kids -- they're the victims!