Hand-wringing over "the children"

I used a screen shot because I decline to link either to articles of this type or to the NYT generally. But I've seen too many articles asking a question like this. What's with the inability to explain stuff to kids lately? OK, I don't have any kids, but would I have been at a loss to explain President Obama or Nancy Pelosi? "Kids, you may have heard a lot of talk about how some people in Washington are spawn of the devil. Rest assured that the grownups have this all under control, that a lot of what you're hearing is exaggerated political talk, and that you don't need to believe it literally. People have different ideas about how to solve problems, and sometimes it gets messy, but we work it out in the end. Now do your homework."

My parents voted in different parties, so I learned early that it was possible to remain civil about political disagreements. We were all atheists, but my parents required me to be civil to our churchgoing neighbors and relatives. Why would it be hard to explain that something happened 35 years ago that we're never going to be able to be sure about, so it didn't end up being the decisive issue in the vetting of a new Supreme Court Justice?

Shoot, just have the kids watch "To Kill a Mockingbird" again, and ask them whether they identify mostly strongly with Miss Mae Ellen or with Atticus Finch's client. "It's OK to feel sorry for Miss Mae Ellen, kids, without voting to hang Tom," and "even if all your friends tell you you'd be a traitor to your race if you believe Tom over Miss Mae Ellen, you don't have to go along, and the sooner you learn this, the better."

6 comments:

E Hines said...

No-o-o-o....

Can't have children--or anyone younger than 26--exposed to To Kill a Mockingbird! It's got That Word in it. Lots of times.

Eric Hines

Texan99 said...

Do you remember the people writing articles two years ago? "I got drunk and screamed and cried all night, and now I don't know how to calm my children down. They seem to think Mommy's a drunk madwoman because of that awful Trump."

E Hines said...

They were right to think that, too. They still are.

Eric Hines

Assistant Village Idiot said...

She is rather naive to think she has that much control over their beliefs. Eventually they will encounter a person who tells them the other side of the story, and how will she look then?

Anonymous said...

How do I explain that circus? I tell my children to listen very closely. It's a great way to learn how to gauge credibility and detect lying.

Valerie

Oh, and wasn't Susan Collins wonderful? That's how a US Senator treats a subject seriously.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lR3WajO-WwI&feature=youtu.be&t=3227

Tom said...

"How do I explain Dr. Ford to my sons?" would be a reasonable reply, as a rhetorical question.