Using children on a protest/demonstration..

[Bozo]

It's not by the same reasoning if it isn't a protest march or anti-something demo, which is what this thread is about.

 

So you are happy for children to engage in public activities at the behest of adults so long as it is not against anything.

[Kthebean]

That's one reason I picked those examples, actually. In other words you think there's nothing wrong with imposing opinions on children as long as they're your opinions.

 

Liberal values are so easy until you realize they apply to everyone...

 

Well...'respecting the childs right to its own mind' is a pretty tricky concept too

 

I dont reckon theres anything wrong with children going to protests. Even if they are BNP or fag haters or whatever. As has already been said they will be in that environment anyway. Maybe waving signs is a bit far, but it depends whether they have decided that is what they want to do.

[mj.scuba]

So you are happy for children to engage in public activities at the behest of adults so long as it is not against anything.

 

This thread is about using children on protests, apologies if I do not wish to take it off topic.

[Bozo]

This thread is about using children on protests, apologies if I do not wish to take it off topic.

 

Okay - well sticking to the idea of protest and demonstration - I do not think it does kids any harm to be aware of our rich tradition of protest and dissent. It really comes down to what is being said to the child (inside and outside the protest).

 

The problem for parents who protect the right to dissent is that it includes the right to dissent from the views of the parent. There is no political vacuum in which a child will reach an age of 'reason' equipped with pure neutrality and open-mindedness and from which they can go on to form perfectly independent ideas. I try to give my child different perspectives on things. I tell him my own opinions, but I also let him know that other people think differently. Some things I have avoided telling him my opinion because I would prefer him to find out some things for himself.

 

But at the end of the day I cannot avoid that I choose what I tell him and choose what I don't tell him.

[CottonTop]

Funny you should post this thread as I saw something yesterday that made me absolutely furious.

 

On the way home from taking my sister to the airport yesterday morning, we passed the church up the street and the sidewalks were lined on both sides of the road with anti abortion protesters from the church, complete with their children and posters of aborted fetuses. My 4 year old was asking me "Mommie, what are those pictures?". I told her not to look at them because they weren't nice. My 10 year old was a bit easier to deal with on this.

 

Some of the children holding these posters were quite young....some around the age of my youngest, 4 years old.

 

I always hear "What would Jesus do?". Well, if he were real, I don't think he would advocate "his people" showing pictures of aborted fetuses to little children, for a start.

[purdyamos]

Well...'respecting the childs right to its own mind' is a pretty tricky concept too

 

I dont reckon theres anything wrong with children going to protests. Even if they are BNP or fag haters or whatever. As has already been said they will be in that environment anyway. Maybe waving signs is a bit far, but it depends whether they have decided that is what they want to do.

 

 

Well, that's the distinction I had in my mind and what I gathered mj scuba meant in his OP. It's one thing to be taken along for the day, to be exposed to protest or gatherings and just be there, it's another for the child to be coaxed or told to wave a message or chant something it can't possible comprehend. Years ago I went on quite a few marches and demos, and I felt very uncomfortable with the way some of the parents were teaching their children their personal views as a matter of fact, rather than preference. It didn't seem to cross their mind that the child was an individual who might be free to form their own view.

 

Even accounting for the fact that their home life will be an influence anyway, whether they are encouraged to think about the world themselves or expected to conform to the household line makes a difference, I think.

[Darth Vader]

Here is a good example:

Teachers protest over cuts to school building programme

 

 

 

Whether or not you think the cuts to the school building programme is wrong, can we assume these school pupils are fully aware of all the arguments and have been following the debate by both sides? Doubt it.

Can we assume the teachers and unions have furnished the children with the government line and allowed them to make an informed choice before booking them onto a coach to London? Doubt it.

 

People demonstrate everyday on all kinds of issues, mainly, because of how it affects them. They don't know all the issues. And, come off it, with any government, as if we're going to be made aware of all the issues anyway. Kids don't want to sit in delapidated buildings that they have far outgrown. They want surroundings conducive to learning. Good luck to them. I would have no problems with my child attending such a demonstration. I think it's a good experience for them, and teaches about political action, and making a difference, rather than sitting on your backside and leaving it up to everyone else to make a difference.

[Dogs Of War]

I think it can be good for children to see their parents engaging with the world around them. Got to be better than being slobbed in front of the telly blaming everyone else for the problems instead of actually doing something.

 

Face painting is clearly not a problem. I personally would not have a child hold a placard unless they were the ones that wanted to go to the protest in the first place and its their sentiment.

 

The problem then is the children grow up believing that it is perfectly acceptable to be involved in this sort of anti social behaviour , having seen first hand their parents doing it .

 

The parents show be setting their children a good example , not dragging them round the streets protesting .

[Halibut]

The problem then is the children grow up believing that it is perfectly acceptable to be involved in this sort of anti social behaviour , having seen first hand their parents doing it .

 

The parents show be setting their children a good example , not dragging them round the streets protesting .

 

Peaceful protest isn't anti-social.

[Halibut]

The problem then is the children grow up believing that it is perfectly acceptable to be involved in this sort of anti social behaviour , having seen first hand their parents doing it .

 

The parents show be setting their children a good example , not dragging them round the streets protesting .

 

Like teaching them that war is a really bad thing for example, or that racism is a bad thing or that sexual violence against women is unnaceptable.

 

And protesting about it.