Posted on 08/29/2009 5:21:38 AM PDT by Jonny foreigner
A Dutch court has put a 13-year-old girl under state care for two months, stalling her bid to become the youngest person to sail solo around the world.
The decision by three Utrecht judges means Laura Dekker's parents, who support her plans, temporarily lose the right to make decisions about her.
A child psychologist will now assess her capacity to undertake the voyage.
Miss Dekker says she is happy with the ruling, but she will try to convince the authorities to let her set sail.
"I haven't had the same upbringing as so many other children," she told the Dutch television programme, NOS Jeugdjournaal, in her only comments after the ruling.
"Sailing has always played an important role in my upbringing and that's why I want to do this now," she added.
Back to school
The seasoned sailor, who lives with her father Dick Dekker, said she would return to classes when school reopens on Monday after the summer break. "My classmates may be surprised to see me back at school, but I'm confident that I will set sail one day. I know I can do it," she told the Jeugdjournaal programme.
Mr Dekker had earlier had a request for her to miss two years of school turned down.
Miss Dekker had planned to spend about two years aboard her 26ft (8m) boat, Guppy, to break the record set this week by a 17-year-old UK boy.
Mike Perham tackled 50ft waves, gale force winds and technical problems during the 28,000 mile (45,000km) circumnavigation, which took him nine months.
Addressing concerns that she would be alone for long periods on her round-the-world trip, she told Jeugdjournaal: "I will always be surrounded by other people who are on a journey like mine. I really think I will meet these people...
(Excerpt) Read more at news.bbc.co.uk ...
Dutch making a big effort to spare her from a dangerous choice
but if she said she was depressed and wanted to dope up on heroin, or kill herself- go for it
liberal lunacy exposed
"We just want to help them get better so that they can enjoy the benefits of the utopia we've built, and that they keep trying to tear down. It's for their own good, really. "
thats because this is something positive, cant have real self esteem when everyone else has the drug induced kind
that said, I wouldnt let my 13 yr old do it unless I was on the boat right behind her.
Dutch making a big effort to spare her from a dangerous choice...
I think this is a stupid idea.
No way I would allow such a thing.
Scares the crap out of me just imagining it.
ditto that!
But then- slightly older teens like Robin Graham and Tania Aebi had parents who let them go.
Only 2-3 generations ago, 14-16 yr olds were emigrating alone to America to start new lives! Some of my ancestors did
“Only 2-3 generations ago, 14-16 yr olds were emigrating alone to America to start new lives! Some of my ancestors did”
Yes and 50 years old was about as old as people lived.
kids are capable of more than we imagine, but they are still my kids. :)
actually it isn’t the weather or sailing skills that would worry me. Those can be managed. Its other people that make it quite dangerous.
......i don´t get the parrents ......
The kid id fulfilling her parents dream. In America girls fulfill their mothers dream by participating in endless pageants. Boys take steroids to be better football players.
This girl is going to sail round the world and obtain fame and glory and.......money
Freedom means self reliance and accepting the consequences of your own actions. Anything less any you are not free.
Well, she can meet evil in her own home, as we read about every day.
Question is how much role the govt should play over the parent-child relationship and decisions.
The Dutch concern for one 13 yr old is laughable- they allow people the personal choice to deliberately kill themselves everyday. If she had cancer and wanted to refuse chemotherapy - would they let her?
So how long will “they” make this kid wait to set off around the world? Two more years? Three?
....but the choice should be reserved for her parents and herself to make the decision....not some slimy bureaucrats/judges.
. . . . . . .
In June 1942, shortly after his 16th birthday (sister Corrine adjusted his birth date so he appeared to be 18 and legally allowed to enlist, and his war memoirs, To Hell and Back, maintained this misinformation, leading to later confusion and contradictory statements as to his year of birth), Murphy was accepted into the United States Army
List of Decorations Medal of Honor Distinguished Service Cross Silver Star (with oak leaf cluster) Legion of Merit Bronze Star (with oak leaf cluster and Valor device) Purple Heart (with two oak leaf clusters)
Asking for permission from "the authorities" is generally a losing proposition...
I would worry about this young lady when her ship hit port for necessary supplies.
A fact that most people forget is that the Ocean wants to kill you. It is not a nice serene place but a wilderness. Nevertheless a competent seaman could successfully circumnavigate (with a little luck).
Question is how much role the govt should play over the parent-child relationship and decisions.
The Dutch concern for one 13 yr old is laughable- they allow people the personal choice to deliberately kill themselves everyday. If she had cancer and wanted to refuse chemotherapy - would they let her?
Actually, that's inaccurate. Lots of people back then lived into their 70s and 80s, as a visit to any old cemetery will show clearly.
With high infant mortality, the average age at death was much lower. Once past the vulnerable childhood years, there wasn't nearly as large a difference as most people think.
After all, if you have a 50% infant mortality and everybody who survives lives to 70, the "average life span" is 35 years. Then people come up with silly ideas like someone being considered elderly at the time when they reached their 30s.
I would not let my daughter go out there with those somali pirates. Sometimes being a Parent means stifling their dreams not encouraging unabashed unlimited “growth”
She could try something more limited or sail to America with her Father.
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