Picture of the children arresting for trying to bring Terry [Schiavo] water (God Bless Them!)

US News ^ | 3/23/05

[areafiftyone]

Pinellas Park police Lt. Kevin Riley, standing upper right, prepares to arrest members of the Keys family as they were attempting to bring Terri Schiavo water Wednesday morning, March 23, 2005 outside the Woodside Hospice in Pinellas Park, Fla. The Keys family, of Burnet, Tex., kneeling, from left, Josie, 14, Gabriel, 10, Chris, the children's father, and Cameron 12, were all taken into custody. Galen Keys, upper left, the children's mother looks on, but was not arrested.The mother insists it was the children's idea: "I am proud of them," said the boys' mother Geilen Keys from Texas, who was not arrested. "They are very mature and they said 'we want to go and offer some water to Terri'."

Pinellas Park police Lt. Kevin Riley, second from left, handcuffs 14-year-old Josie Keys, left, while Pinellas County Sheriff's deputies place her father Chris in the back of a van after arresting members of the family for trespassing Wednesday morning March 23, 2005 outside the Woodside Hospice in Pinellas Park, Fla. The family members were attempting to bring Terri Schiavo a cup of water.

Gabriel Keys (foreground) is arrested by police officers for trespassing in Pinellas Park, Florida, March 23, 2005. The young protester attempted to take a glass of water into the Woodside Hospice for the brain-damaged Terri Schiavo. A federal judge rejected a request from the parents of Schiavo to order her feeding tube reinserted, dealing a blow to attempts by the U.S. Congress and the White House to prolong her life.

[Long Cut]

Those suicide bombers also feel that the cause is worth their children. Do you REALLY not see the parallels? Do you REALLY not see that it's only a matter of degrees?

Are your kids there?

[adc]

There is certainly alot of blame to go around here, but handcuffing kids who are trying to make a statement about decency to another human being in this particular case is beyond comprehension. It's as disgusting as the arrogance of the courts.

[Blzbba]

" I applaud the parents for raising two great kids. It was the kids idea to do this, if you had bother to read the article and photo captions."



Then I'm sure you applaud the parents of the kids who attend anti-Iraq War rallies holding anti-Bush signs. Hey - they probably learned in church that killing people is wrong and that war isn't a solution (or some such liberal nonsense). I'm sure their parents raised them well and are to be applauded too, like these parents here.

Or do you just pick & choose when you adhere to a principle?

[Badray]

I'm not sure I agree with using the kids this way.

Bob, If I thought for a moment that the kids were being used, I'd agree. But what I think this points out is that these kids are not tainted and that even a child knows that you shouldn't withhold water from someone, especially from someone who is helpless.

[txradioguy]

"Remember that they may have been taught in church that killing people is wrong and their parents brought them up to believe this."

No I can say that after having been a volunteer at my kids public indoctrination center and having been a school board member for a Charer School...I KNOW where the young minds are being braiwashed at...and it isn't at church.

[Blzbba]

"This sentence would be apt for those who believe in moral equivalency but not those who can recognize right from wrong."


So protesting the death of Terri is right and not exploitation, but protesting the deaths of thousands of innocent Iraqis is wrong?

Or do you jsut pick & choose when to adhere to a principle?

For the record, I'm against exploiting children for any cause, right or wrong.

[expatguy]

Not upset with you - just the situation - sorry was not meant in the way you took it.

[Blzbba]

"No I can say that after having been a volunteer at my kids public indoctrination center and having been a school board member for a Charer School...I KNOW where the young minds are being braiwashed at...and it isn't at church."


So...you don't have a problem with children of liberal parents attending anti-war/anti-Bush rallies?

[MizSterious]

As usual, you've missed the point. These children are working to save lives. The Palestinians work to take them. If you can't see the difference, then there's little left to say to you. No, make that nothing left to say to you. You've obviously chosen sides, and it's the side of death. Have fun, one day someone might decide they'd rather have your money or your property than you, and "let you die." Thank Heaven these people are making a stand today.

[jjmcgo]

I don't see the "parallels" you see. I see the difference.
Here it is: Those children in Florida are trying to save a life. The Palestinian suicide bombers are killing people, including themselves.
One is for life, the other for death.
Thank you for your service to our country. We disagree here and it is an important matter but you stood up for your country and I won't flame you.

[RedBloodedAmerican]

Give em the needle!

[TexasCajun]

Why does everyone automatically ASSUME that these kids are pawns?

They are minors, are they not?

So, you advocate Children's Rights now? well, well, well

Where do you stand on a minor females right to an abortion without parental notification? Think this hypothetical minor female is someone's pawn or a self-thinking, self-determining young adult?

[txradioguy]

"So, it'd be just fine if they got arrested at a protest for, say, save-the-trees?"

If was someting put on by World Wildlife Fund or one of the Greenie Weenie groups...no I wouldn't.

If it was something about saving the oldest tree in the town we live in? I probably would.

I have kids from 15 down to 7. My 10 year old daughter has asked me more adult questions about Iraq than I've ever gotten from some people my own age and definately more intelligently asked than has ever come from one of the DUmmies.

I'm just saying never underestimate our youth.

[Palladin]

Dopey!

It's a misdemeanor. No one is going to any juvenile detention center.

Get a grip!

[Serenissima Venezia]

"Even the secular psychologists agree that a child's conscience is formed by age 12.
These wonderful children comprehend more about this moral issue than 50% of those posting on FR today."

I didn't say the children didn't have a consious, but that they are not capable yet of mature reasoning. They are probably in the concrete thinking state where a child thinks that everyone's concerns are the same as theirs. For example, if the child didn't have water for 5 days, they'd be thirsty, so Terri must be thirsty. And I think that is really is that simple and that children feel the pain Terri is going through more than most adults.

But I don't think it's right to attack fellow Freepers just because they disagree with you on one small aspect concerning these children. Most here agree that Terri should be fed.

[chainsaw]

This is insane. What's happened to this country?

We'll just have to work a little harder and get rid of more liberals in 2008. Daschle didn't believe then but you can bet he does now.

I'll agree with the democrats that W may not have a big mandate, but that is not where the mandate is, The mandate is with the House and senate, and if the democrats cannot see that they are the ones that will suffer in 2008.

[johnnyb_61820]

How is this illegal, anyway? They were bringing _glasses_ of water, not feeding tubes.

[Long Cut]

"No, make that nothing left to say to you."

Good. Your double-standards were making me even sicker.

[Poohbah]

So, you advocate Children's Rights now? well, well, well

Actually, I don't. I made it clear that these children are below the age of consent, and are hence under the authority of their parents, which makes anything they do an action of the parents. Please reread my post c-a-r-e-f-u-l-l-y.

Where do you stand on a minor females right to an abortion without parental notification?

100% opposed.

Think this hypothetical minor female is someone's pawn or a self-thinking, self-determining young adult?

The former. But there are a lot of "conservative" FReepers who've suddenly jumped onto the "self-thinking, self-determining young adult" bandwagon to legitimize this.