What About The Children?

re: What About The Children?

ElimGarak — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 22:02:13 GMT

Wouldn't people being able to "sell" their children be a violation of the child's right to self-ownership?

Not that someone inclined to sell their child would care, but for what possible purpose would you buy a child? Either you want to use it as a slave, as food (literally or metaphorically as fodder for other evil desires), or you genuinely want a child and are unable to create one yourself.

In the latter case, well, who is a child going to be better off with? Those who genuinely want a child to love, care for, educate and nurture, or the callous fool who doesn't think twice about selling them?

In the first case, well, this kind of stuff happens nowadays, and is generally state-supported when it does, as has been mentioned.

In the second case, well, we've all heard stories of live-in boyfriends raping their girlfriend's kids, and parents selling their children to child porn rings. Sickening stuff. And I'm sure it would happen in a stateless society too, to an extent, since there will always be sick, depraved people out there. I'm sure even modern statist police feel a visceral revulsion at that sort of thing and honestly do their best to put a stop to it (whereas I'm also sure the government/media intentionally plays it up in order to keep parents afraid that there's a child-molester lurking just behind the eyes of everyone they meet).

At worst, in a stateless society, everything would be status quo in this regard.

re: What About The Children?

Ronorama — Sat, 17 Nov 2007 03:45:46 GMT

Very interesting article, Rob, and an intriguing subject!

It seems to me that most people use the needs of "the children" as a bludgeon to get others to come around to their viewpoint. It's as if the argument is over once "the children" are brought into it...it's simply no longer open for discussion. If you disagree with them after that, you obviously hate children. And no one hates children, right? At least no one would want to admit to hating children.

What I don't understand is why this argument is ALWAYS used in defense of some coercive government program, as you pointed out. How have we gotten to the point that so many people trust government to raise children MORE than they trust parents to raise children? Have you ever heard anyone lament the miserable state of public education and advocate private education with a cry of, "Think of the children!?"

As an illustration to the point...I had a conversation a year or so ago, with a coworker who was fairly conservative, but with libertarian leanings. When I asked why she thought government should provide education for "free", she replied that there were too many parents who simply didn't care enough to send their kids to school, let alone pay for it out of their own pockets, so she felt that government had to make it mandatory.

re: What About The Children?

Brainpolice — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 23:48:30 GMT

Great Article, Rob! :) Glad to see you've started a blog here.