So just how much government intervention on the behalf of children do you believe in, state-b? I just want to understand. Surely you have no difficulty with the idea of letting the government remove a child from a home that is being physically neglected. (And I mean a clear-cut case here, say of starvation.) Now of course, an adult or even an older child is free to bust out of the house run down the street to the nearest shelter and get some food, or find a job and strike out on their own. No such luck for the young child.
Or how about the age of consent. Should we allow a father to rape his own daughter, as long as he convince her that it's OK before he does? I mean, as disgusting as it may be, if she's 18, should the government prosecute? Well, then what about 17? 16? 12?
There does seem to be a compelling government interest to provide specific protections to children not afforded the general populace. I'd just like to know how far you think that protection ought to go, steve-b.