ANSWERS: 10
  • Sadly, parents can legally raise kids with those philosophies as long as no action breaks a law. As far as their bigoted views, I wouldn't use the word repected. But I do agree that it is a type of abuse.
  • What constitutes abuse is determined by social norms, illegalising this sort of thing would have an ideological effect and only mess up society more.
  • I'm probably going to go against the grain here and say "No". Simply because this is a "freedom of thought" issue and therefore protected by the First Amendment to the US Constitution. I agree that it is hateful, abhorrent and 'wrong' -- but it's never going to be "actionable", and on balance I think that's a good thing. Civilization won't mean a thing if it's 'enforced' at the point of a gun through acts such as this, if it were to be seriously proposed. In fact, I think Robert A. Heinlein once wrote a line I loved to the effect that "You can judge a society's health by the number of laws it creates." He would already judge (*did* already judge) that we have an unhealthy society, and it's not getting a lot better. But at least we're not Europe, where laws like this are fairly common.
  • I think it will have to be respected. Unless you mentally or physically abuse your child. All parents are setting an example by their own behavior and everyone is never going to agree on everything. As long as the parent is meeting their childs needs to live and not as I already said mentally or physically abusing them, then it is their right to want to teach their children their beliefs on whatever subject you can name.
  • I'd love to say yes, but its just the first step towards thought police so, sadly, no.
  • No. First we have the problem of defining racism, homophobia, etc. I understand some child welfare agencies can be overly zealous in things; do we really want to give them more ammo? Next there's the slippery slope: "lookism" and "speciesism." Next, if the guv'mint can take children away for what they are taught, and it became they type of government most of us hated: fascistic, communist, sharia law, etc; they could punish folks for actually injecting a little bit of information and sanity to the youth.
  • Nope. As offensive as racism, homophobia and everything else can be to those of us who do not share these beliefs - They can never compare to molesting or abusing your child. I think it's important to recognize that the bigots believe as strongly towards these things as we believe against them. We cannot violate their human rights by forbidding them to pass on their beliefs to their offspring. It would be as offensive to them as it would be to us if the government demanded that we teach our children to be intolerant. I guess the only way to influence this thinking is to get involved with school programs, summer youth groups and Sunday school type of activities. We can only effectively teach tolerance by setting an example.
  • They should be punished as if a bigoted child commits a hate crime as a teen/adult then the parents should be held responsible.
  • No. Imo it's no worse than the psychological and self esteem damage done by parents who over indulge their children to the point they have an attitude of entitlement and are crippled in their own self sufficiency. Besides children who are taught hatred learn better when they become empathetic adults.
  • i think so since thats abuse too

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