Posted on 02/21/2018 7:14:29 AM PST by servo1969
Where are all the grown-ups in times of crisis and grief? Don't bother searching America's prestigious law schools.
Two adult men, occupying lofty perches as law professors, argued this week that the voting age in the U.S. should be lowered to 16 because some high school survivors of the Parkland, Florida, shooting who want gun control "are proving how important it is to include young people's voices in political debate."
Because these children are apparently doing a better job at broadcasting his own ineffectual political views, Douglas asserts, "we should include them more directly in our democratic process" by enfranchising them now.
Harvard law professor Laurence Tribe similarly tweeted, "Teens between 14 and 18 have far better BS detectors, on average, than 'adults' 18 and older." On what basis does distinguished Professor Tribe make such a claim? On a foundation of pure, steaming BS.
Undaunted, gun control advocate Tribe urged: "Wouldn't it be great if the voting age were lowered to 16? Just a pipe dream, I know, but . . . #Children'sCrusade?"
This is unadulterated silliness. It's hashtag hokum from a pair of pandering left-wing profs exploiting a new round of Democratic youth props. I have called this rhetorical fallacy "argumentum ad filium:" If politicians appeal to the children, it's unassailably good and true.
This is not compassion, but abdication. America is not a juvenilocracy. It is a constitutional republic. There is a reason we don't elect high school sophomores and juniors to public office or allow them to cast ballots. There are many, many reasons, actually.
Pubescents are fueled by hormones and dopamine and pizza and Sonic shakes. They're fickle and fragile and fierce and forgetful. They hate you. They love you. They need you. They ignore you. They know everything. They know nothing. All in the span of 10 seconds. I know. I have two of them.
If you're lucky, they've only Googled "Should I eat Tide pods?" or "What happens if I snort Ramen powder?" and not actually attempted the latest social media stunt challenges.
But that's what kids do. Because they're kids.
Many may be exceptionally smart, passionate and articulate beyond their years, but they do not possess any semblance of wisdom because they have not lived those years. Their knowledge of history, law and public policy is severely limited (Common Core certainly hasn't helped). And their moral agency and cognitive abilities are far from fully developed.
Most are in no position to change the world when they can't even remember to change their own bedsheets.
Yet, Tribe relishes the opportunity to hide behind the young Parkland activists headed to CNN's propaganda town halls and Washington, D.C.: "NRA will meet more than its match in these amazing kids," he gleefully cheered. "(I)t'll meet its master and will be brought to heel. At long last."
President Obama employed this very same kiddie human shield strategy to ram his federal health care takeover through Capitol Hill and down our throats. Immigration and education lobbyists use it, too. Their cynicism is unbounded. Human prop-a-palooza infantilizes public discourse and renders measured, mature dissent impossible. Those who question the logic, efficacy and wisdom of the latest left-wing "children's crusade" face accusations of "hating" the children. Refusing to acquiesce to their tears and protests is tantamount to letting them die.
Showing resilience and resolve in the face of horrific adversity deserves the highest praise and attention. Juvenile victim status, however, does not warrant absolute moral authority or the unfettered powers in the political arena that ideologically stunted law professors are so eager to bestow upon them.
It's fine to listen, but do not let the children lead.
Did you ever see Clint Eastwood’s film The Unforgiven ? When he takes off and leaves his two preteen kids to take care of the farm. Not to worry though, the neighbor is just a day or so walk away.
Do not under estimate them.
Their leash holders are truly evil, calculating, will stop at NOTHING to bend thinking and therefore creation of laws to their benefit, which is the ruination of the US and a world socialism, controlled of course, by the likes of their masters.
Their DACA and illegal immigrant vote dream is slowly evaporating as people see what it is, so now they are investing in the "children's vote.
They never give up, always probing for a weakness they can manipulate to their advantage.
Any "fixing" of the country will need to include holding these seditious and treasonous bastards to account.
Think Normandy
Thank Tarawa
Think Iwo Jima
Then speak ill of 19 year olds
You really are comparing 19 year olds who served in World War II, were in a literal war, who had been through basic training, etc. with these coached high school kids, who are overly emotional and lacking in life experience, parroting back anti-gun tirades??? Are you really intending to do that????
The fascist’s use of “the children” to further their political goals reminds me that this has gone on for centuries. Hitler youth, red brigades, and going back further the childrens crusade of 1212 which resulted in death, enslavement, or simply disappeared. Rejected by the church, turned back by various cities and never making it to the Holy Land they were nevertheless used by a few to enrich themselves, gain fame and to stir up interest in another real crusade.
Their right to speak, but I don’t think that the leaders of this current “movement” give a rat’s ass about the dead. They are exercising a tried and true tradition of fascist democrats (and Muslims) by parading the corpses for political and monetary profit.
The real result of all of this glorified coverage of a tragedy will be to encourage copycats and the next mass killer to put their names in front of the cameras.
Yes
Those in the military were a general sample of American youth and are illustrative of what can be. The raw material is there.
Teenagers are definitely NOT children. Teenagers use to be classified as young adults.
And it is complete insanity to allow teenagers to be leaders. And it is insanity to allow the ones who are claiming the teenagers are the leaders to be the actual leaders.
The human mind is not developed fully for rational thought until age 25.
Bingo. When Mussolini started his political career he included the 16 yr old voting right in his first campaign.
Not sure what your exact point is, however, your use of the words "were" and "there" suggests there is a flaw in your comparison.
By and large, the "raw material" our country nourished and produced prior to the early 40's was of a much greater caliber and in far larger numbers. There is good reason to believe today's youth is but a fraction of the number that could be made ready for such challenges as those presented by WWII.
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Those 19 year old were being led, they were not leading. Yes teens can be brave, but they are not where wise leadership comes from.
By its very nature wisdom requires maturity.
Knowing a large number of parents from Parkland High, I can confirm this as absolute fact.
Because no unethical movements would exploit the children and their grief
Children of the Corn
Liberals want sex with children. This is just another attempt by them to make the justification.
LIBs are mentally, emotionally and intellectually children. I guess they see no problem with children “leading”. Fools.
“The human mind is not developed fully for rational thought until age 25.”
And often not even at age 55.
Those teenagers who fought in world war two were raised up working from the time they were first able to carry one stick of firewood at a time. They were taking on responsibilities LONG before they were able to articulate the concept. I know, I was born DURING world war two and I grew up that way. By the time I was twelve I was a farm hand, able to hitch up a team, plow a field and plant it, feed the mules before I got my own meal, milk the cow and do nearly anything else that needed to be done. We had sixteen and seventeen year olds driving the school buses. I don’t know where you could go to find youngsters with that kind of early training now unless maybe to the Amish. Most teenagers now seem nothing like the teenagers I grew up with. Some seem to think that somehow modern teenagers are “more mature” than their great grandparents were at the same age. I think the truth is exactly the opposite, simply knowing how to use cell phones, computers and such which did not exist fifty years ago does not equal maturity.
My drill Sgt. in Basic at Ft Bliss when I was 17 would probably agree with the statement. But his charges that graduated Basic under his training command came out as men. Most went to Nam at 18 if they were 17.
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