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From: richl@lumiere.UUCP (Rick Lindsley)
Newsgroups: net.kids,net.legal,net.politics
Subject: Re: ACLU and Parent's Rights (in re Walter Polovchak)
Message-ID: <1207@lumiere.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 7-Oct-85 03:11:59 EDT
Article-I.D.: lumiere.1207
Posted: Mon Oct  7 03:11:59 1985
Date-Received: Wed, 9-Oct-85 03:51:26 EDT
References: <11821@rochester.UUCP> <1679@umcp-cs.UUCP> <2496@mit-hermes.ARPA>
Reply-To: richl@lumiere.UUCP (Rick Lindsley)
Organization: Tektronix, Beaverton OR
Lines: 23
Xref: linus net.kids:2044 net.legal:2078 net.politics:10691
Summary: 

Although I'd like to say I agree with the idea of allowing a 15 year old
Russian to determine he would rather live in the US, I can't abide by
any decision unless we are willing to live by it also. For instance,
turn this case around. A 15 year old US boy decides, during his parent's
trip to Russia, that Russia is the better country, and Russia says
"Look, he wants to stay! It's his own choice!". Are his parents going
to stand still for that? Now ignore any political differences between the
countries. Say we are in England. Is there really any difference? I think not.

On that basis alone, I would (reluctantly) tell the 15 year old that if his
parents immigrate he is welcome, but otherwise he must go home.

I am purposely leaving the politics out of this, because I am considering
this from the viewpoint of a parent/child relationship, which I consider
to be more important than the pervasive struggle between communism,
socialism, and democracy. And for which I will probably be flamed. But
we have to start somewhere, and since we have already laid down ground
rules for ambassadors and diplomatic immunity, let's next start with
parent/child relationships. I'd hate to think that my authority over my
child ended because I passed through a foreign country. (Not to say that
doesn't happen -- that's my point. I think it is wrong.)

Rick Lindsley