Should Parents Be Allowed To Bring Their Children To Abortion/Gay Rallies?

In the paper the other day, there was a big spread about the recent changes in the Aust Labor Party. They'd just changed their party platform to support gay marriage, which will surely buy them a few points in the opinion polls.

The decision triggered rallies, both in favor of SSM and against. I saw two photos, one of each rally. In the photo for the anti gay marriage rally, a young boy was pictured. He couldn't have been more than 10 years old. He had to have been there with an adult, likely his parent.

Now, this doesn't mean that the pro gay marriage group didn't bring along their children, I wouldn't approve of either.

No matter what your beliefs, I believe that a child should NEVER be brought into a debate like that, and should never be used as a tool to promote your agenda.

So, my question is simple: Is it okay for parents to take their children to a pro gay/anti gay rally and make them hold up banners/flags, and march with the adults?
Is it okay to bring a child along to a pro abortion/anti abortion rally and make that child wear a t shirt or carry a banner?

My objection to this is mainly because the child is too young to understand these issues, and should be allowed to make up their own minds.

Opinions?

...poll goes for any rally, whether it be anti war, pro war, etc as well as the examples mentioned.

 

I think bringing children to a pride parade is acceptable. They have their purpose. Some of course are over the top but in the setting most is acceptable.
I think a child needs to know that gay parents are fighting for rights that others have.
This being said I would not bring any child to a protest rally or a political rally as they will many times be seeing the worst.

I find it appalling that adults will bring children to abortion clinic rallies and protests. It is low life and disgusting to train children in hate.

I don't think children belong at any activist type function.

 

A pride parade helps to teach acceptance of those different than them, but at the same time, I think the child should be allowed to grow up and reach their own conclusions, and then attend a rally if they choose to.

 

I agree on the rallies of any sort. The child should grow up as free thinking as possible. This is the only way they can make self informed decisions. This is why I think anything that programs a child into a set of beliefs is dangerous.

 

I certainly disagree with young children being used in protests - having them carrying placards referring to themselves and the like. That's just dishonest, putting words in their mouths.

I don't have a fundamental issue with children being present at peaceful protests and rallies as to limit them would restrict the freedom of parents who would otherwise need to find some kind of childcare.

There is a concern unrelated to yours in that a number of these protests carry a varying risk of escalating in to violence so anyone taking children would need to consider that carefully and take extra care with where they go and what they do.

 

I have a different view. I would not take my kids to any rallies.

I feel that that would be instrumentalising them. It is a form of brainwashing kids in my view.

I think it is correct to share my views with my kids and teach them tolerance but not to march in any political causes thereby putting such causes in the spotlight (for a child such cause may become particularly meaningful/important, which is not really the point - the child should learn all round tolerance but not be instrumentalised)

 

It's okay to bring them as long as they're not being forced to go.

 

I wouldn't bring a child to any sort of rally or protest.

I could see the very prominent focus children have when a gay couple attends a rally for same sex marriage. However, I would not take a child to one. I hate to say it but you really just never know what could happen. I've seen fights and violence break out at many rallies. Not to mention exploiting children in that manner isn't moral, ethical, or right for a parent to do when the kids aren't going to understand what the rally is all about.

Now if an older children WANTED to attend, I would let them. Talking 12 or older.

 

No it is not appropriate to have children at such gatherings. The subject matter is for mature audiances only as it were.

 

Totally agree! I would even say 15 and older!
Kids don't do well in chaos and crowds, and. . .too many people (cops included) are too "trigger happy" with pepper spray and tasser!

But I would explain to my kids (at least 10 years and older, in the safety of our home) why I choose to go to a rally/protest, and what the event is all about.

 

Isn't every child under the age of 18 being forced as they are under their parents influence?

 

Children should be able to go wherever their parents allow.

Protecting innocence to the point where you do not let them see the world around them is counter productive.

 

Of course. I even took my son to a rally for a liberal Democrat. Later we went to a Republican gathering. Then I said, "Son, the lesson here is vote Republican and party Democrat." My son was 14 at the time.

There are gatherings to which I would not take my children but not many. I took my son to a carnival midway, gave him money, and told him to play the games and then come back and tell me how they were crooked. He came back some time later and explained all but six which he said weren't crooked. I explained all carny games are rigged and we went and discussed the six. It's much the same in talking about politics and politicians. It's all rigged and if one politician makes your leg tingle, run like hell. So, I would take my children to gatherings of folks with whom I totally disagreed so I could point out the stupidity on parade.

 

I think you should mind your business about what other people do with their children.

I once took my son to a Ron Paul rally......it's none of your business.

For the record....I am NOT pro gay marriage.

 

Children shouldn't go to political rallies where there is a good chance of violence.

 

Parents should be allowed to raise their kids however they see fit. The govt shouldnt have any say in anything a parent teaches its child.

 

I don't think you can paint all rallies with a broad brush. I think if they promote healthy and strong morals such as anything pro-America, pro-God, or pro-family, then it's definitely a good move for them to attend to help instill those values in your child as strongly as possible. You have a responsibility to do that as a parent so that your kid will grow up strong, respectful, positive, and self-sufficient.

But I think you do your kid a great disservice by dragging them to some kind of non-age appropriate freak show like a gay pride parade. And before anyone gets mad that I called them freak shows, stop and think for a second what gay pride parades typically look like. They are far different from a regular Thanksgiving Day type parade.

 

No child should be brought to any political rally, gay or otherwise, as they all contain an element of risk of physical harm to the child. It is stupid and nothing more than child neglect, and any parent doing so should be charged accordingly.

 

So is it okay to drag the child to an anti abortion rally (which some would say is 'pro family' and use the child to push your agenda, rather than take a child to a place acceptance?

 

Hear hear! I agree with this comment.

 

It's up to the parents discretion.

 

I agree completely. Too often I have viewed this in the media, for various events, and am disgusted by the clear exploitation of the child. This is aside from the physical threats presented to children in crowds of strangers.


Although not at a rally, the following is an example of a child clearly being exploited to further the parents agenda. I find this very distasteful.

This is Presidential candidate Michele Bachmann at a recent book signing, approached by a mother and her 8 year old son....

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vW_6WT4UrTw&feature=related]Bachmann asked question[/ame]

This is quoting the child... "My mom is... Miss Bachmann, my mom is gay but she doesn't need any fixing."

Clearly the child was coached/rehearsed. This is the crap that sickens and angers me.

 

I don't understand the complaint here. If you are going to a protest rally, it is most likely because you believe in something very strongly, perhaps even on a moral or ethical basis.

How is this any different than passing on your ethical values to your children?

 

I think it's their right if they want to. I'm not saying it is in the child's best interest at all, but it would be ridiculous to ban it.

 

BTW, I love this kid, I'm not a gay rights person to any extent, in my view, gay relations aren't a "good" thing, but it's not my right to infringe on their rights, all I ask is that gay people don't display public affection.

This kid was coached into saying it, but I guess I can see where the mom is coming from. She is sick of these hyper-religious politicians trying to invade women's wombs and their orientations.