Churchmouse has a nice piece up on the bansturbators.
All was going well and I agreed until he got to the children:
‘Think of the children’. Any prohibitionist rhetoric concerning legal adult activity — consumption of tobacco or alcohol — must have a family or future generations element. ASH and others say that if smokers really cared about their children, they would either smoke outdoors or give up altogether.
I’m afraid I must take issue here. As I replied to CM:
The problem with “think of the children” is that the argument is valid and there’s not nearly enough of it going on, hence children debauched young these days and so on. Problem is the banners have hijacked this and robbed it of seeming veracity.
This is part of the leftist tactics – invoke a logical and true behaviour, i.e. protecting our children as a lever in a different debate, undermine it and you get a double result – firstly you get your bans in and secondly, people are so p***ed off by your reasoning that to protect children becomes unfashionable and so the wolves come in.
I for one do care what happens to our kids.
So do I, James. What I and many others object to is a misuse and abuse of the phrase for social engineering purposes.
Not sure why you think I am against children or do not have their best interest in mind. A variety of us been through this ‘think of the children’ meme before in general discussions here, at mine and on many other blogs.
It’s not referring to you per se but to the hijacking in public debate, CM. That hijacking is what is leaving children exposed.
Sorry, I’m unclear on this.
It sounds as if you are saying — and said on mine — that I was insensitive to children. Or are you saying that this reference in general is being hijacked by social engineers?
If it’s the latter, why have a go at me?
Our children are exposed to a number of dangers — premature sexualisation, for one. If the bansturbators really cared, they would work on that. But that’s not how they roll, so to speak.
That’s exactly what I’m saying and therefore, by definition, CM, I’m not having a go at you. Serious.
I “care” about a child’s right to participate in any LEGAL activity if they so choose when they become of legal age to do so.
There’s more than enough education out there to make informed choices.
Life is dangerous, kids, and you’re going to have to get used to it.