The state believes otherwise.
And they will destroy you to prove it.
Better your children should grow up to be dependent on state benefits.
Then, they'll leave you alone.
Here's a story of a real American patriot, idealistic enough to believe we still live in a free republic.
If they'll do this to a guy like Mr. Doty, none of us are exempt.
Jude Doty is fighting state laws that prohibit his sons Zach, left,
and Stephen, from working with him in his business.Link to story: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2001974593_judedoty08.html
You can't hide behind a bible to commit such fraud.
I really question this guy's judgment.
Plus, there is the issue of his other employees- these kids are not qualified to drive bulldozers and backhoes. There's a very good chance that they'll squash another employee or a bystander.
I think the government is right on this one.
Happened to me once, only I didn't have the luxury of a cab. I took a dirt dive.
Little kids have no business on this kind of equipment. He should find them work to do more suitable to their ages and the state should just butt out.
Interesting story, well-written. Not simple.
Dan
I've heard of innocent until proven guilty, and guilty until proven innocent but here we have the media inventing guilty after proven innocent!! Amazing!!
Almost never does the interest of the state and the interest of the individual coincide except at the expense of another.
No, an idealist would not treat his children worse than a regular employer would treat his employees. His disregard for the safety of his children is disgraceful. If he had treated "employees" with as little regard for safety as he treats his children, he'd have his business closed down by Fed-OSHA. He'd have been fined probably about $50,000 for the back hoe incident.
It's one thing to home school your children. Its another thing to use them for slave labor for your business. The safety of children is a "public" concern. Always has been. Always will be.
Seems to me that these are bigger problems for his business than not being allowed to employ his sons at certain tasks.
How again does the Bible command him to commit insurance fraud?
Labor laws suck, but this particular guy sounds like a dangerous nut.
they seldom if ever wore protective gear.
None of the kids have birth certificates.
a backhoe flipped with Zach inside.
Sorry, I can't dredge up any sympathy for the guy.
This guy is giving us a bad name. Sorry, I don't sympathize with his "plight"
I disagree that he is a patriot. The main reason for child labor laws is because children - and women - were forced to perform in jobs that were dangerous to them. Such as miners, sweat shops, construction, etc. If you are not careful, you can seriously hurt yourself operating a gas powered push mower. Child labor laws is one thing I agree that the government should involve itself in. I believe the government should be like a ref in a ball game. Let the players play but blow the whistles on major infractions. This guy was involved in a major infraction. You can teach a strong work ethic without having the kid(s) work in dangerous conditions.
If only half the allegations against the father are true, he is negligent and there is no way in hell that I can support what he did in the name of "Family Values".
Of course, the word "dumbass" comes to mind.
Did he inform his clients of the fact that he was not insured? If not, I'm pretty sure that's misrepresentation. If so, and they hired him anyway, they're as crazy as he is.
"Here's a story of a real American patriot, idealistic enough to believe we still live in a free republic."
He's also a friggin' nut case allowing his children to do jobs like that. My own son is 11 and my wife would shoot me if I had them doing work like that. The guy's not playing with a full deck.
Doty is a fundamentalist Christian who believes he has the ultimate authority to control the lives of his children even if it means endangering people to do it. As has been proven over and over in other cases like his, he doesn't have the right to endanger anyone but himself, not even his own children.
That his wife and daughter are shown barefoot is telling, too.
Sorry, but have to disagree with you on this. Is that picture an indication of his 4th motto - wives; keep 'em barefoot, pregant, in an apron, and at home.
No, the law doesn't say your kid can't do anything he wants at home but on the job where injuries resulting in law suites are waiting to happen, well that's another story. On second thought, there have been countless court cases brought on by parents who's kid was injured on home farm equipment.
The small town I grew up in was nearly bankrupted by a father who knowingly brought his kid to work and let him get on the road construction equipment. Sure, the kid drove the truck fine for a few months, until he rolled it and killed himself. Of course the father sued the city and won. Let Mr. Doty's (imo, he is a bit dotty) kid operate a tool and gets injured and he'll be suing Black and Decker in no time.
What about the kids on farms? I don't think this guy committed abuse.