For the Children

One of my frequent classroom rants (I've got a broad repertoire,) is that when someone explains to you that an action must be taken "for the children" it is a good time for you to grab your Constitutional rights with both hands because they are threatened.

You've heard it before. We've got to crack down on "dirty books" in libraries to protect the children. Of course, who would argue that a library should potentially be a threat to a child. We've got to clean those shelves of all that filth...don't we?

Actually, no we don't. The catch is that parents should be the ones to protect the children, not the librarian or the police chief or the federal government. Children should be accompanied to the library. If they are old enough to go by themselves, they might be told by parents to stay in the children's or young adults section. Or, they might be mature enough and responsible enough to read controversial works. It happens.

But, the important issue is that we wouldn't want to have a library filled with only that material which was suitable for third-graders. No intelligent adult would spend a minute there. We would all be harmed in that case.

You've heard the children being protected with gun control arguments. Laws mandating separate storage for guns and ammo. Laws requiring trigger locks or disassembly for storage. Laws requiring complex storage security. Even laws totally prohibiting guns in homes--all to protect the children. Wouldn't want to have some child hurt by a gun--better we all should be defenseless.

Take a look at this item:

How Much for That Nehru Jacket?

Why yes, you did read that correctly. When you hold that yard sale you are responsible for knowing all those arcane federal regulations on all those products you are selling for quarters and change. Got those old books from the basement for two-bits a piece? Well, they were OK when you bought them, but now the children might be endangered by lead in the ink on those dried out and yellowed pages.

That vintage Korean War era toy set? Lead paint is possible. Those Toys-R-Us plastic goodies from China? They might have melamine in the plastic. That old circular saw you don't use? Are you sure the ground wire is still functional? You'd better be.

And, if the storm-troopers pull into your drive-way during your sale, you could be fined a cool one hundred Gs! That should stimulate your economy!

But, who could complain. They are simply doing it to protect the children.

"There's no way to rule innocent men. The only power government has is the power to crack down on criminals. Well, when there aren't enough criminals, one makes them. One declares so many things to be a crime that it becomes impossible for men to live without breaking laws."

Ayn Rand