Cardinal Arinze is a simple man in his speech, despite holding a very high position at the Vatican. During the Conclave, I watched Raymond Arroyo and Fr. Neuhaus each night on EWTN, along with their guests. Some of these visitors were African Cardinals. One showed up in street clothes and, when asked, addressed the fact that he is a down to earth individual, focused and concetrated on issues in his country. Like Arinze, he spoke in simple terms.
Many were hopeful that Francis Cardinal Arinze would be elevated to the papacy. The Holy Spirit inspired the electorate to select Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger. For westerners, such as ourselves, Benedict XVI represents the Church as we know it. But for many in Africa and other parts of the world, our 'western' views are quite alien from theirs. They approach things in a different manner. They are 'younger' in the faith than we and we are 'younger' in the faith than our Eastern Catholic brethren.
Give Arinze credit where it is due. He made an astute (albeit obvious) observation, that First Communicants know who should and should not receive Communion. Do you disagree with that observation?
His equivocation is not simple. His mannerisms may suggest simplicity, but repeating the same evasive maneuver twice shows that the maneuver has been researched. He is avoiding saying anything quotable, while signaling to the orthodox-minded that he is one of them. This is cowardly.
To answer your question, -- I don't know if First Communicants in America really know the answer to that moral question. I would like to know what Cardinal Arinze thinks, not what children might think. Maybe Cardinal Arinze in his charity thinks that American children know the right answer. This is irrelevant. Arinze is bringing up children not to make a point but to avoid making the statement that is clear and can be quoted.