Viewpoints
It IS different
By Dinah Pearson
February 11, 2007
Sunday PM
It IS different than child abuse. In order to adequately
hang your argument on the emotional coat hook of Child Abuse,
it must pass the test of definition. And it does not. The Federal
Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act as amended by the Keeping
Children and Families Safe Act of 2003 (Surely it will fit there,
right?) defines child abuse and neglect as:
Any recent act or failure to
act on the part of a parent or caretaker which results in death,
serious physical or emotional harm, sexual abuse or exploitation;
or
An act or failure to act which presents an imminent risk of serious
harm.
Parenting choices that MAY
result in FUTURE harm (ie: exposure to second hand smoke, childhood
obesity, high fat and sugar diets, exposure to UV rays and/or
sunburns, development of sedentary lifestyles, etc.) is not exposure
to imminent risk.
I understand your point about children not having a choice. Children
often do not have choices when it comes to the conditions of
their family's lifestyle decisons. It's called being a child
under an adult's supervision.
Most parents already provide the government 8 hours a day to
supervise the lives of our children. It's on that shift that
kids raid the vending machines and hound school nurses for condoms.
Food Stamps, Section 8 Housing, and Welfare programs give families
the opportunity to exchange a little more government intrusion
for the sake of financial support. More power to 'em! However,
I am adamantly opposed to allowing the same government that gives
food stamps for Cheetos and Mountain Dew to children and pregnant
mothers the go-ahead to peek into my car windows to make sure
my kids are breathing clean enough air. There are just some areas
of private life where Uncle Sam will have to take a back seat
to parental rights.
Dinah Pearson
Ketchikan, AK
Received February 09, 2007 - Published February 11, 2006
About: " Competent mother
of sun-worshipping carnivores hoping the government doesn't decide
we should all be fined for not raising shade-dwelling vegans."
Related Viewpoint:
 No
Different Than Child Abuse By Carl Webb - Ketchikan, AK
Note: Comments published
on Viewpoints are the opinions of the writer
and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Sitnews.
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