home
Swiftboating 12 year old Graeme Frost; Frosts on Countdown Monday | 84 comments (84 topical)

Readers Must Login or Create an Account to Comment

Well... (5.00 / 1) (#24)
by Packratt on Sun Oct 14, 2007 at 08:06:55 PM EST
First of all, I will say that my 12 year old son, while not a prodigy but still smart, asks me questions all the time about politics and things that any normal person aught to be curious about. He is also opinionated and would likely not mind speaking his mind to whomever asked him something he felt strongly about and was knowledgeable about. Same as I was when I was his age, so I find nothing abnormal about what Noah did.

However, I have been in the news and on camera, and felt a bit nervous about letting my family be filmed as a part of that... yet that is part of being a parent, being protective of your children when you can be... yet again, so is trying to bring attention to issues that affect your family in the hopes that something is done to improve things for your kids.

As for the statement afterwards, indeed it is a rather disturbing expression of the desire to see a child harmed. No call for it whatsoever and, frankly, I'm quite disturbed by the racist overtone of that message as well.

Still cannot fathom how anyone would want to be associated with that kind of message.

Doesn't matter (1.00 / 1) (#25)
by jimakaPPJ on Sun Oct 14, 2007 at 08:40:59 PM EST
He is also opinionated and would likely not mind speaking his mind to whomever asked him something he felt strongly about and was knowledgeable about. Same as I was when I was his age, so I find nothing abnormal about what Noah did.

Your argument is that the child is capable of becoming involved in adult activities.

That is true, but it is very undesirable because it exposes the child to some very adult type responses.

I would recommend that you don't expose your son to things that he is not capable of understanding. I remind of you of your comment.

Still cannot fathom how anyone would want to be associated with that kind of message.


[ Parent ]
However... (5.00 / 1) (#26)
by Packratt on Sun Oct 14, 2007 at 09:05:11 PM EST
I would suggest that a parent's responsibility is preparing his or her child for adulthood. Part of that process is, unfortunately, to explain to them that sometimes adults do very childish things.

I would hardly call wishing harm upon a kid for political expedience an adult thing to do. Therefore it's important to explain to children, "see this man, never do as he does".

Unfortunately, in everyday life, this is something that I must inform my children of much too often. The case you pointed out is no exception and is still inexcusable.

[ Parent ]

Wrong (1.00 / 1) (#28)
by jimakaPPJ on Sun Oct 14, 2007 at 09:51:59 PM EST
The issue isn't preparing your children for adulthood by showing/telling them bad behavior.

The issue is using them as political pawns that expose them to bad situations.

The former is good.

The latter is unacceptable.

[ Parent ]

Again... (5.00 / 1) (#30)
by Packratt on Sun Oct 14, 2007 at 10:57:34 PM EST
Perhaps you missed my point above that young children, despite some opinions to the contrary, can be quite opinionated and civic minded. They are, as human beings, quite entitled to have their own opinions and to share them as they wish, otherwise we parents and other adults would never know what they are thinking or when a problem might be occurring that we should be aware.

All we can do as parents is let children express themselves and then explain to them why it is that some adults do something childish in response, such as wishing harm upon a child for expressing his or her own opinion or experiences and then protect them from such adults.

The world is outside the window, we cannot pretend that it is not there and does not affect our children. All we can do is be there for them to explain it to them as they experience it.

Unless there is an entirely different point you wish to interject, I'm afraid we'll have to otherwise agree to disagree.

[ Parent ]

No, I didn't miss your point (1.00 / 1) (#36)
by jimakaPPJ on Mon Oct 15, 2007 at 08:26:18 AM EST
that children can be opinionated, and with directions from their parents and teachers, very politically minded.

My point is that I think it very bad for anyone to use them as political pawns. First of all, they lack the education and experience to have an informed opinion. Thus, as I noted, they are "pawns."

Educating them about the evils and perils of the world has nothing to do with turning them into activists for their parents and teachers pet causes. Claiming otherwise is an obvious attempt to hide from the facts.

The current "mess" has nothing to do with children's health care. We had a program that covered those who needed it. What this is about is a huge expansion of a means tested program that would expand the program into the middle class, and have the poor in some states, say MS, pay for the health care of middle class children in NJ, NY, etc.

That is unfair, and will be rejected.

Worse, by interjecting such arguments about health care into the national discourse, it poisons the well of good will and common sense that says that the only thing that can be fair, and can work is a National Health Care program that is paid for by everyone.

That eliminates such stupid arguments that NJ is a high cost state, therefore the poor in MS should be paying for it.

[ Parent ]

Swiftboating 12 year old Graeme Frost; Frosts on Countdown Monday | 84 comments (84 topical)

Readers Must Login or Create an Account to Comment

  • Premium Ads

  • Blog Ads

  • Contribute To TalkLeft

    donate to TalkLeft