Are children used as tools in protests?

I've seen a few videos of these 'tea parties' in the news, and what comes up sometimes are little kids with signs walking with their parents. Should this really be allowed? After all, they're too young to understand, forced from their parents' opinions, and can't develop an opinion on the matter just by themselves.

Maybe in some cases.

I think more likely though many folks just are bringing their kids along because they have them with them anyway.

i just call them fire hose shields.

:lol: Yeah, I saw kids at the conservative Tea Parties "protesting" taxes.

Kids are used all the time for protests. It's kinda sick

It's easy to persuade kids of any belief, but there are some instances when they are simply exploited.

We had an abortion rally in my area I think last year and all the kids were holding signs that said something like 'aren't you glad I was born' or something like that that was supposed to be heart wrenching, but really just comes off as sick that the parents would stoop to that level to prove their own point.spazzx625

So... you weren't glad?

So... you weren't glad?

Oleg_Huzwog

I just think they do not have anyone to babysit their kids so they bring them to the tea party.RenegadePatriot

[QUOTE="Oleg_Huzwog"]

So... you weren't glad?

spazzx625

But no, no I am not.

And did you share this information with the protestors? ...and film their reactions? ...and post the video on YouTube?

[QUOTE="spazzx625"][QUOTE="Oleg_Huzwog"]

So... you weren't glad?

Oleg_Huzwog

But no, no I am not.

And did you share this information with the protestors? ...and film their reactions? ...and post the video on YouTube?

I saw a photo where a woman was holding her 3-year-old daughter at a protest rally and the daughter was holding a sign that said '**** Bush."

Obviously, the girl didn't write it. Parents use their kids to 'look cute,' I suppose.

LoG-Sacrament

Otto Dix, Disasters of War.

I saw a photo where a woman was holding her 3-year-old daughter at a protest rally and the daughter was holding a sign that said '**** Bush."

Obviously, the girl didn't write it. Parents use their kids to 'look cute,' I suppose.

authorityissues

Children don't make good hammers, screw-drivers or wrenchs. Trust me, i've tried. (Doesn't work in protests either, though you're better off trying it during protests because the police are preoccupied and you have a better chance of getting away if you break a skull or two).

edit: Send me a pm if you get one of 'em to work. I'll buy 'em off ya.

[QUOTE="LoG-Sacrament"]

Otto Dix, Disasters of War.

[QUOTE="authorityissues"]

I saw a photo where a woman was holding her 3-year-old daughter at a protest rally and the daughter was holding a sign that said '**** Bush."

Obviously, the girl didn't write it. Parents use their kids to 'look cute,' I suppose.

DeathHeart95

The mom wrote the sign, the kid held it, the kid probably couldn't even read what was on it.

If the kid is taken out of school then i think it is wrong unless the kid wanted to get out of school (most probably do). I also don't think anything should be done about it. As long as they are not being abused I am fine with it.

yes just how i use my army of STEVES to do my bidding

I think when it comes to tax protests and the like that parents just bring their kids along because they think it makes for a good family outing, they don't want to pay for a babysitter, or they want their kids to have the same political views as them.

However, there are definitely times when kids are exploited and used as tools in protests. For example, last year I happened by this anti-abortion group's protest/propaganda rally (I say the latter term because they weren't protesting anything in particular, but were just trying to make people think that abortion is wrong) and I noticed that a bunch of the protestors had brought their kids along. Now it doesn't take a genius to figure out what the reason for that was. What really disgusted me about it was that this group had a lot oflarge and goreypictures posted up all over the place (stuff like dismembered fetus hands, the aftermath of an abortion, etc) and they were exposing their kids to all this without a care in the world. Not only that, but there were a few school aged kids there and this wasn't a week during which school would have been out of session, so this also meant that these people were going out of their way to take their kids out of school and bring them to this protest.

yes just how i use my army of STEVES to do my bidding

tokra213

Yes