From: kendall@adobe.com (Janice Kendall)
Subject: Re: Hillary Clinton - Family Values?
Organization: Adobe Systems Incorporated
Date: Tue, 21 Jul 1992 20:24:52 GMT

In article <1992Jul21.182938.7985@athena.cs.uga.edu> heath@athena.cs.uga.edu (Terrance Heath) writes:
>In article <14g94kINN6am@gw.home.vix.com> shedevil@vix.com (Anne P. Mitchell JD) writes:
>
>[stuff deleted on Ms. Clinton's view on the right of a child to
>"divorce" its parents]
>
>>
>>As the author of the article says, "In other words: 'Don't worry,
>>we'll still leave mundane decisions to the discretion of parents, it's
>>just the important ones they can't be trusted with.'"
>>
>>Give me a break!...is there a person among us who would have and
>>could have made informed and reasoned decisions with such far reaching
>>and permanent ramifications, when they were *12* years old?  Or even
>>13, or 14!
>
>If a child is in a situation in which she has to make such a decision,
>she will. For example, a child who is sexually or otherwise abused
>might exercise her right to divorce her parents. At least this way the
>child has a say in her own life. 
>
>This measure might not be neccesary if the legal/social support
>systems were kinder to kids who have problems with their families.
>Getting into a foster home is difficult. And sooner or later the child
>either goes back to the abusing parent or to another foster home, as
>it is often difficult for foster parents to adopt children whose
>parents are still alive. The child has little say in his/her
>placement, but is bounced about at the whim of the system.
>
>A child who divorces his/her parents will usually be put upon to prove
>that he/she can support herself or will be living with and adult who
>can do so. In this scenario, the child has a greater voice in deciding
>where and with whom she/he will live, when it is no longer possible to
>stay with parents.
>
>>I've said it before [though maybe not here] and I'll say it
>>again... the #1 reason why I would not even *consider* Bill Clinton
>>for president, is Hillary Clinton.
>
>Americans have never been quite comfortable with a self-possessed
>woman who speaks her mind, rather than spending all of her time
>smiling up at her husband.
>
   Touche!

>
>
>
>-- 
>"Black men loving black men is THE revolutionary act!"
>			-Joseph Beam_
>Terrance Heath 
>heath@athena.cs.uga.edu


I have three points to make about teenagers having a say in their lives:

1) Look at the number of teenage runaways/throwaways and you will see
   a need to provide some kind of mechanism for these kids to feel like
   the have some say, some control, over their lives instead of having
   to "escape" from their lives (prime motivator for drug abuse, yes?).

2) My step-neice left home at 15, finished high-school, and is doing 
   quite well at the age of 22 as a single Mom with a 3-yr-old daughter.
   She is very responsible and pro-active in her life.  Some young 
   people can do well if they leave a dysfunctional family.

3) I know of another girl who has had to fight tooth and nail to grow
   up and away from her over-controlling mother.  She has spent her last
   year of high school living with friends instead of her parents.  This
   decision was made with the help of her father and therapist and has
   probably done much to keep her out of serious trouble.  She starts
   college in the fall.

I think there is much to be said for providing guidance - through the
judicial system if social services has broken down - to allow young
people to change their harmful environment to a more positive 
environment.  I bet it would help toward the reduction of teen 
drug abuse, pregnancy, and suicide.  
   
 Janice Kendall    kendall@adobe.com    ...!{decwrl|sun}!adobe!kendall

	"Creativity overcomes violence."
			John Bradshaw on "Homecoming"
Newsgroups: alt.child-support,alt.dads-rights,misc.kids,soc.men,soc.women