exar said:
I never said that you should be arrested and imprisoned for putting the poster up in public. I said it would be crude and in poor taste. If someone wants to take the liberty to introduce that image to children, in public, then fine go ahead. Don't be surprised, however, if I take the liberty to introduce my foot to their ass.
You know, this is really a telling quote. I suppose it is commendable that you are willing to prevent free speech by using violence against other people
personally, rather than bringing in the force of
the state to do the violence for you. The basic impulse is the same, however.
Seriously, exar, I've got five sons. Homeschooled. Conservative Christian home. Sheltered ... (All well past 5 years old now; my baby is 11 and my oldest is 17).
We have had
many conversations about stuff I'd rather not have had to explain to them. Nature of the world.
"Mom, what's that?"
"It's something that's illegal in some states but legal in other states, and some people don't think it should be illegal at all. The poster says that people shouldn't make laws that other people don't like."
"No, what's that thing?"
"Oh, that? It's called a vibrator. Some people think other people shouldn't be allowed to have one. It's really embarrassing to talk about, kinda bathroom talk. Sure you still want to know?"
MY kids would have said "Naw, I guess not" at this stage but YMMV of course. The reason for that is that I have a policy of actually answering persistent questions, in as much detail as the kid demands. Little kids usually don't understand the answer they demanded, and older kids tend to get embarrassed pretty easily, so I usually get off scot-free even now. (The detailed answer for the little kids can sometimes be deliberately obfuscatory, of course. Remember the description of 'rape' in
To Kill a Mockingbird? "Rape? That's carnal knowledge of a female by force and without her consent..." -- like that.)
I believe in cherishing childhood innocence.
I also believe that it's the parents' job to prepare their children for the real world. That includes teaching your kids the proper names for
every part of their bodies, and answering millions of questions we'd all rather they didn't ask, and coping with the fact that not all the adults in the world are going to behave in ways consistent with our family or religious values.
It's bad form to demand that everyone in the world has to drink mother's milk merely because your baby isn't yet old enough for steak.
pax