re: “I don’t give a damn what he drew. How is suppressing expression going to suppress violence?”
So, if you found your kid drawing a picture of himself shooting you and your spouse with a gun, with the words, “My parents must die!”, you wouldn’t ask your kid about it?? That would be Ok with you?
No one is advocating “thought control”. No one on FR is adovcating the police arrest this kid. But, what some FR’s are saying is that Ok, the cops shouldn’t have been involved, but the drawing could mean this kid needs to talk to some one - at least find out if there is some issue going on. If it’s just playing around, fine, but, if not - why not at least discuss it with the kiddo.
I would ask him about it. I would not call the police and give him a criminal record or simply teach him he would get punished for drawing what I didn't like.
If you read what I was responding to, I think thought control was exactly what was being advocated. Or maybe you have a better term. What would you call it when someone is forbidden from drawing or saying certain things?
Look over all the examples posters have given of the songs and drawings they did when kids. I used to draw guns and bombs and planes and even swastikas all over the margins of my notes. That was not considered clinical behavior.
So let's say you ask the kid about his drawing about killing parents or teachers or the class bully. Then what? What if he doesn't give an acceptable pop-psychology answer? What if he says he hates the bully and wishes the bully would die? Or what if he gives you a politically correct answer? Maybe he's lying and telling you what you want to hear.
You could send him for therapy. But maybe hell crack and kill before the therapy cures him. So, logically, if you are as worried about drawings as you say your only recourse is to immediately institutionalize anyone who draws what you disapprove of.
And what do you suggest I do with those friends and acquaintances who use politician photos for target practice?