KIDS ON THE FRONT LINE OF PROTEST
Did Queensland Liberal MP George Christensen and those of his ilk calling for the removal of a “jihad” Muslim child from its parents think through what would happen next?
Was the child to be taken into a foster home and brought up as…What? A Christian? A Liberal voter? A climate change denier? Pro-uranium mining?
Someone who thinks more like Mr. Christensen himself?
Was this to be the beginning of another “stolen generation”?
It appalls me that this child’s mum was so terrified that her son might be taken from her that she turned herself into police: that the police then visited the family home and that , no doubt, his parents now have an even deeper animosity towards authority.
The NSW Family and Community Services Minister, Pru Goward was on ABC radio this morning assuring us the children were “well cared for”. Of course they were! The child in this photo was only a metre away from his mother. (Image left: Photograph by Bevan Shields, Fairfax.)
Had authorities removed the boy from his family home, the effect would have been catastrophic and guaranteed to incite violence in which people might well have been severely injured or worse.
To think it could all have been handled with the confiscation of the offending sign and a warning on the day.
I’m loathe to give Mr. Christensen any more oxygen for his vile rant, but here goes: “We must question what rights the parents have to bring up a child in a household that actively incites racial or religious hatred and violence or killing. I have no doubt similar circumstances in the wider community would see a child removed from the care of such parents.”
Well, sorry to tell you, but all over the world children are brought up by parents who hate other parents for their race or religion. (Thank goodness Hitler didn’t breed). Parents will strive to teach their children their own beliefs, no matter how odious. Some bring them up to advocate the death of pro-lifers, or “fags” or Tutsi or Hutu or Jews or Palestinians…Some bring their kids up to not care if refugees drown at sea.
And many such parents will see fit to take their offspring to protests and demonstrations. Some (pleased to see Nan and Pop at rallies holding up “Ditch the Witch” placards) will take their kids to anti-carbon tax rallies…
Some, like me, will take them to “Stop the Supertrawler” demos…
Some will herd their kids along to protests against homosexuality, like the two from the Westboro Baptist Church, who earned the title “the most hated parents in America”.
(They didn’t lose custody of their kids. Their right to protest and peddle hatred is protected by the First Amendment.)
Children have been present on picket lines and demonstrations, forever. Often they are trapped in war zones and perish because of the sheer stupidity of their mothers and fathers.
However, children are expected to be obedient to their parents – truly, what is the alternative here? That children have more authority than their parents? That the State polices all families bringing up children who are inculcated into belief systems the majority abhors?
There is no solution except trusting that if children are well educated and cared for by society as a whole they will grow up to challenge the so-called “wisdom” of their elders.
Sometimes kids surprise us with wisdom beyond their years. Like this boy, aged nine, at the Westboro protest who decided to stage his own protest against the haters. His sign, written in pencil on a small sketchpad, read simply, “God Hates No One.”
“He’s growing up to be a fine young man,” his mother said. “I got my Mother’s Day gift a day early.”
The point is, are we creating a society that will appeal to these children when they are adults? One that remains tolerant, even in the face of sometimes extreme provocation?
Will they feel confident to abandon old emnities and embrace our national anthem that says: “For we are young and free”?
Only if we can really make that vision a reality will we win their hearts and minds. That’s the task ahead of us.
Ever taken your children to a rally or demo?
Where do you draw the line?
PS: How is it that children’s faces are so widely displayed in the media at such protests, when one has to sign an approval to have a photographer take a snap of the kids at the zoo for the school website? PS: The Hoopla appreciates the ethics of publishing children’s faces and thanks Bevan Shields for the use of his image, taken from behind the child in question.
22 Responses to this article
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Rebecca September 18, 2012
I honestly think that children should not be in protests, especially if they have no idea on why they are protesting and there could be a risk that they could get hurt. Very young children should not be in the middle of a protest. I do not have children, but if I did I would still not have them with me, unless they could prove to me that they knew what I was protesting against. I do see that children protesting in rallies FOR same sex marriage is a good idea but for things like the Muslim protest – no.
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Michelle September 18, 2012
I have taken my children aged 6, 4 and 6 months to Marriage Equality rallies and also to rallies protesting cuts in education services and conditions. By doing so we hope to raise three men who are socially aware, considerate and kind human beings who have a deep understanding of issues in the world we live!
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xiao echo September 18, 2012
To regard Mr Christensen’s statement a ‘vile rant’ is political correctness gone mad. I agree with Mr Christensens ‘vile rant’ – we as a society should question parents who bring their children up to publicly espouse hatred and violence. When did this become politically correct? …or is the fact of the MP’s surname name a factor here? I am an agnostic who would never take my children to a demonstration, it should be outlawed to take your children as ‘props’ to a demonstration
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OM September 18, 2012
I’ve taken my kids to peaceful rallies and will continue to do so.Helping my kids determine their own core values and social consciences is my job as a parent. If they don’t agree with the cause we can discuss it and when they are old enough they can attend the rallies that float their own little boat.
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Liz September 18, 2012
Wendy, to answer your final question; Australia’s privacy laws are almost non- existent, even in relationship to kids. It may not be ‘not the done thing’ to take photos of kids in public places, but it’s completely legal. You don’t have to get permission from anyone, including parents.
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Lydia September 18, 2012
I was going to take my daughter to a recent rally about the supertrawler, and I have also considered taking her to rallies about other environmental causes. My husband and I have often attended rallies on various things like that, and I don’t think it is a real problem. I would avoid any rally I thought would get violent and out of control, or very angry and silly, even if I were not taking her! But there is absolutely nothing wrong with non-violent protest – in fact, I think it’s good for kids to realise that we often need to speak up about things that we disagree with. BTW, we ended up not going to the supertrawler rally because she had a friend over, and I didn’t think it was appropriate to take the other child without her parents’ consent (and I couldn’t contact them to run it by them beforehand).
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MICK September 18, 2012
It could only happen in Queensland – the State where Joh outlawed protests against those nice upstanding chaps who ran Apartheid in South Africa for so long. Going to rallies is a bit like going to Church – it can mean just about anything you want it to mean and the meaning may have nothing to do with the point of the rally. But in answer to the Queensland MP, socially communicated diseases and the evil in them have their origins elsewhere. Lessons in abusive behaviour, the development of dismissive and judgmental attitudes and their opposites are all done at home. The cultivation of a respect for others’ humanity, a humility before the facts of reality and a wonder at human diversity or their opposites come with toilet training and its aftermath. Turning up to events is just the outcome of these other events. What does Mr Christensen want? The Nanny State gone wild where parents are marked out of 10 before they any benefits for their kids like schools or healthcare? As I say, the ghost of Joh lives!
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Ingrid Vaughan September 18, 2012
I’ve taken my kids to a couple of rallies. The best by far was Save Live Australian Music – it literally had all the bells and whistles. I had to pick them up from school early but it was worth it. It gave me a chance to show them what democracy looks like rather than just blabbering on about it.
The older child came to the Marriage Equality rally with me and joined arms with her wonderful gay uncle in a show of solidarity that would have been impossible 20 years ago. In a couple of years I’ll take them to Slutwalk so I can reinforce the lessons I’ve already started teaching them.
As long as it’s age appropriate, it can be a great learning experience. -
Kate September 19, 2012
I took my son to the Oscar’s Law rally on the weekend. Prior to that he came with me to a Circus protest and also Live Export Rally. I recently split with my long term partner, his step dad, and son (10yr) staged a protest – with placard and all! I want my son to feel free to actively participate in the society in which he lives, to speak as a means of shaping the world around him – even if that means staging a protest against my actions!!
Thank you Wendy. I was hoping someone might speak out on this. I have shared this and hope that some of my online friends will read it and have a re-think.
Cheers
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Robert T. September 19, 2012
If we got rid of religion specific formal schooling and had children from all faiths and none mixing together on a day to day basis it would do more good than any random act of kidnapping.
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amd September 19, 2012
Agreed. Ignoring the problem and saying it is the parent’s right to do their best to turn their children into hate-filled mini versions of themselves does not move us forward at all. Not sure what the answer is, but this would certainly help.
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Mrs Woog September 19, 2012
I have taken both my kids to protest rallies. Gay Marriage Equality and one to remove our troops from Iraq years ago. Both very peaceful marches. I would be less inclined to stick around of one turned ugly, kids or no kids. I am a lover, not a fighter! xx
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Mrs Sabbatical September 19, 2012
My 9yo daughter and I went to the Teachers Strike rally a few weeks ago. She wasn’t at school and wanted to know what it was about and I thought it was good for her to know. I was also v proud that we lived somewhere she could go and be a part of a peaceful rally.
It will be her choice if she wants to join me at other rallies, but I also want her to know that everyone has a voice and that voice has the right to be heard. (I wrote about it on mrssabbatical.blogspot.com) -
Leesa September 19, 2012
I was absolutely stunned by Mr. Christensen’s comments. Every single parent brings up their kids with their own beliefs/values…as is their right whether we agree with those values or not. When the child hits their later teen years then they decide for themselves what they believe…such is the developmental process. To remove children based on parents beliefs is absurd. Of course I found that particular image disturbing and wish such beliefs weren’t taught to children but that is just one of the many hates I wish weren’t passed on to kids.
As far as taking kids to protests again thats up to the parents. I never did simply because I want my son to make his own mind up (just as I didnt influence him re spirituality/religion but educated him instead on all the different beliefs that exist inluding atheisim) but he has witnessed my own activism, he understands my values and knows how important it is to act if he wants things to change. He’s 16 now and for the last two years he as involved himself in issues of his own choice.
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Marnie September 19, 2012
I was horrified that this poor woman was victimised this way. How dare authorities question her suitability as a parent because of a placard. The child probably had very little idea what the placard said. Have you never been pestered by your child saying “Let me hold it, I can do it”? Talk about over reaction. They are your children, you teach them your values, you take them to rallies and when they are old enough, explain why you are protesting. You don’t expect over zealous authorities to threaten to take your child away. So you don’t agree with her placard …. we may think the wording abhorrent but it is normal in some countries and cultures, that is no excuse to threaten her this way. It makes me almost ashamed to be Australian.
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sam September 19, 2012
I don’t think I would take my kids to a protest rally, although I think I went to my first one when I was about 14, Rock against Racism in London, late 70′s. I thought the image of the child holding up the sign, was incredibly distressing, and frightening. It was the fear that the hate would just keep on perpetuating itself as it had for so many years.
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Susan September 19, 2012
Great article. Regarding your PS – schools are legally required to protect children and therefore get parental permission before their images are made public. The media, apparently has no interest in protecting these childrens’ identities. Freedom of (their) speech.
Regarding Christensens comments … We must question what rights the parents have to bring up a child in a household that actively incites racial or religious hatred and violence or killing…… So parents who listen to Alan Jones in front of their children should have them taken away? I do recall him inciting people to kill our PM – or don’t women drown when thrown into the ocean in a chaff bag?-
Amacamchumps Sarah September 19, 2012
Yes! Perfect comeback Susan
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Jessica September 19, 2012
@Robert T. – We already do, it’s called public school. I think helping develop your child’s social conscience by involving them in peaceful demonstration is a wonderful gift to give them. This is how society is changed for the better.
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Liz September 19, 2012
I was brought up in Northern Ireland and taught to hate someone just because of their religion. The only weapon against such teaching is education. Give them the knowledge and they will make up their own minds.
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Jill September 24, 2012
And what are your thoughts about the words ON the placard, Wendy??
Incitement to murder is illegal in this country.
What if the words on the placard had been “Behead Wendy Harmer’s children for being infidels.” What would your thoughts be then, i wonder?
