As I've stated in other posts, I work near the Women’s Clinic in my town. There are usually protestors out there harassing people in various ways, which I've grown used to. Today, however, the local Catholic school bused in a class of middle scholars (around 30 kids, I'd say around the age of 12). These kids are standing in front of the clinic screaming at every person that walks by, as well as harassing people going into or out of the clinic. I even saw one group of kids yelling at two men walking down the street to "get out of the street with your boyfriend". The nuns that were in charge just stood there, like nothing the children were doing were wrong.

Now here's my question. Is it right for these kids to protest? At their age, they don't have the ability to examine complex issues such as abortion. It seems reprehensible to "force" children to stand in front of abortion clinics to protest issues they don't fully understand.

What are everyone's thoughts on this? (children protesting, not protesting abortion itself)

I think you should videotape it, and make a big stink. I'll guarantee that at least one parent of those thirty kids would file suit for child abuse and endangerment. Imagine, teaching children such hatred when their minds are so malleable.

I consider what those nuns are doing as no different than abuse.

First off, I'd wonder if this is legal under the city statutes? I'd check that first. This could be illegal on their part. Especially if there is antagonism or threats of physical harm - that is illlegal.

At 12 years old? No. They have not reached a state of development neither biologically nor cognitively to do so. And for them do utilize these children in this fashion is not only unethical but social reprehensible and shows the lengths to which they will go to prop up their belief system and impose it upon everyone they don't agree with.

Quite sickening.

It may very well be illegal, particularly if they are deliberately blocking access to the clinics. During the Republican National Convention in Houston years back, similar protests were held and a clinic sued for an injunction against further protests. I was told by the judge (after she was no longer on the bench) a number of interesting things. First, the protesters used their children on the front lines. Second, the attorneys for the protesters were poorly prepared and made innumerable rudimentary errors in procedure and evidence. Their appeal to the court was thus almost purely emotional. Under the law and the plain facts, she had little choice but to issue the injunction. Third, the injunction caused a personal nightmare for the judge. Since judges are often asked to rule on things in an expedited manner, their home phone numbers are a matter of public information. This judge got calls 24 - 7 for weeks, almost exclusively from protesters and their families. She said the most disgusting ones were where they would have little kids call her and leave horrible messages. The best one, however, was the Christian nutjob who called from another state. He had the astonishing chutzpah to call her collect!

I would consider this a form of child abuse, but I'd hesitate to bring the force of the state to bear on it, because I really don't trust the state to be the arbiter of child abuse that is not obviously physical.

Videotaping is a good idea Ten, but when I ran outside again with a camera they were gone. This could be from the police forcing them to leave (a nearby "arts lounge" often calls the police when the demonstrators stray in front of their building), or the fact that with wind chill it's about 15 below (40 below outside of town). I just think using children as emotive tools for your protest disgusting (I saw one sign reading "would you have aborted me?"). I often see kids attending the local religious protests (and there are many, many things they protest up here), but always with their parents. The problem is, this appears to have been a school sponsored field trip, so the school would have required permission from the parents for their children to go, so the parents are already aware and in approval of the protest. I really need to move someplace where the prevalent mentality isn't stuck in the 19th century (or at least someplace warmer :P).

Sorry for being so blunt, but I think you Americans went way too far with this "child abuse" thingie.
Anything the child happen to not want at a given time, even if he/she wanted it previously, is regarded as abuse... Parental smacks (not beatings, to be precise) included.
And you are trying hard to [reason] with the most indolent brats - this is beyond me... :(

Now, in this particular case, I gather that responsible was the school, via the nuns, who are perfectly suable.
On the other hand, no children protest could ever be serious next to a higher-than-school issue. I think such a thing cannot be but either risible, or manipulated (for the age span mentioned by Rhinoq)

Do not worry, when these children go to college they will fail and we secular progressives (not necessarily athiests) will triumph.

Education is slowly chpping away at religion and social values arising from religion.

History proves that liberalism is better than conservativism. Almost always, conservativisim is based on religion.

Socialization is a powerful thing, especially when it comes to religious indoctrination/brainwashing. This specific example of religious brainwashing is an especially reprehensible crime (without religion who would they know who to hate, right?). These children are the victims and will most likely become criminals of similar acts in adulthood (similar to children abused by pedophiles). The outrageous thing is that people cannot see this for what it is. Or maybe they just refuse to see it for what it is. Ignorance is bliss for an individual but devastating for a society. Can it be any clearer?

The ironic thing about thisis that, if those Catholic school kids are anything like the ones I have known they will be back at that clinic themselves in a few years, and it won't be to protest. Catholic school girls are deliciously dirty, and it's not just me that thinks so.

Imagine the long-term emotional damage you could cause by walking up to that kid, looking him/her straight in the eye, and say, "Yes".

Exactly..this is the problem in the USA. Anything a parent does to guide unruly children is child abuse!!. There is of no wonder crime rate is going up!! these children who have not been spanked or severely reprimanded, because of the insane US government guide lines on children education, will become criminals!!.
The Christ-psytchosis infected government of the US fails miserably in realizing that true child abuse is to allow parents, schools and organizations to IMPOSSE the vile delusional and immoral Christian delusional teachings on children!!
Alas, this is true child abuse!! Their brains are abused!!..and brains makes them what they'll become .....
:cool:

Phew. I feel better knowing that I'm not the only one who thought that.

go one further, pull out a big knife and shout "I'll abort you right now mother fucker"

About four years ago I was writing for a sketch comedy movie (think Dynamite Chicken and Kentucky Fried Movie) and the only sketch of mine that got turned down was a commercial with the tagline "Abortion Stops a Beaten Child" (it was about abortion preventing child abuse). The director thought it was too offensive, so I re-wrote it to be about preventing the worst SDT there is, pregnancy, by engaging in anal sex (while the lecturing "doctor" gestured with a cloths hanger). It received the second biggest laugh of the movie (the biggest reaction was from a sketch about Yanni teaching children about "good touch, bad touch").

Damn, that's alot more offensive than say, a commercial I wrote (that ended up on the cutting room floor), called "Purina Grandma Chow"