AudioBanter.com - View Single Post - Day in the Life of Joe Middle-Class Republican

wrote:

On Thu, 19 Aug 2004 16:50:06 -0400, Susan Hogarth
wrote:

So, do you think a 12-year old has a right to work as much as he likes?

I don't think it devolves to be his decision.

I am not sure I agree that children should be a special case and should
not be free people.

Either he has parents
who make it for him,

And what if they decide that he must work an 80-hour week? Is he their
slave?

or he doesn't in which case necessity takes over.

Necessity rules all our lives.

I believe predators will take advantage of them.

Predators will certainly try, I agree. That is nature of predators. But
I am confused by your phrase 'take advantage of them' - do you mean that
these predators will enslave these orphaned children and force them to
work? Or will force them to attend school for twelve years because of
some freakish religious belief in the mystical power of twelve?

If that happens who does he turn to in your world for help?

I love that phrasing - very good! "Who does he turn to?" - that is
*exactly* it - he may choose to turn to anyone he thinks may help him in
his situation. And anyone of course may offer help. If you step in and
say "This child must not labor, but instead must attend a school I
approve of for twelve years!" that may be *helping* from your
perspective, but the child may - oddly enough - not see it that way.
What then? Why do *you* have a right to force the child through school
any more than a factory owner would to chain him to a bench in his shop?
What makes the difference?

- Susan