A 12 Year Old Speaks On Abortion, But Should She?
February 11, 2009 / 10:44 am • By Dr. Melissa ClouthierMy friend and fellow blogger pointed me in the direction of this video by a 12 year old girl explaining her opposition to abortion. It looks like a school project where she either practiced using the video equipment or turned in her project on video. Go watch it and then come back.
While the content of the girl’s argument is sound and I personally agree with her perspective, my meta issue is the fact that she’s 12, a child herself. The video crawled all over me as a parent. Just as the kids made to sing Obama songs, pay fealty to Obama’s image in school, or in my daughter’s case, come home with homework that required her to describe a change she was going to make (this was a ready-made work-sheet by the way) in honor of Barack Obama’s presidential win, exploits a child ideologically, having a child discuss abortion and then post it on the internet seems…wrong.
A child under the age of 18 cannot enter a contract because he is not “of age”. That is, a person entering a contract must understand the provisions in the contract in order to be held to it. Likewise, a 12 year old child may have the moral clarity to feel a certain way about a topic, but does he have the understanding to comprehend the long-term consequences of having those opinions aired publicly?
This is, no doubt, a gray area. I immediately call to mind child actors, musicians, etc. Children can be mature and wise and change the world for the positive. Lots of kids have started charities, written books, etc.
What do you think?
21 Responses to “A 12 Year Old Speaks On Abortion, But Should She?”
February 11 2009 / 12:51 pm
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Like you, I generally agree with what this young girl has to say . . . and I am working hard to make sure my own 7-year-old daughter grows up with these values. And this is an incredibly articulate 12-year-old. But I also generally object to using children as political spokesmen.
One reason I object is that the Left does this incessantly, often with children much younger than this, and it always struck me as stupid. (Think 7-year-olds telling us how worried they are about global warming/climate change.) What wisdom am I supposed to credit to someone so young? They justify it with “out of the mouths of babes” platitudes, but it’s usually pure emotional heart-tugging.
Oh, and your poll . . . a bit of a false dichotomy there, isn’t it? One could easily answer “both.”
February 11 2009 / 1:35 pm
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It could be both. You’re right. What is the greater principle here, is why I forced the choice.
February 11 2009 / 2:30 pm
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I Timothy 4:12: Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity.
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If her parents didn’t put her up to this, and she wanted to do this on her own choice and her own volition, then by means, go for it.
If her parents coerced her into doing this, then I have a huge problem with it.
In the interest of full disclosure, my first letter to the editor was published when I was 17. My parents didn’t put me up to it; it was something I felt (and feel) very strongly about – my pro-life stance.
February 11 2009 / 2:38 pm
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Wow! What a great speech! She would have won that speech at a Toastmasters meeting. Great job.
I have mixed feelings on this topic. It is a social issue and perhaps her school project was for kids to think of something they would like to see changed in some way. She did a great job researching her topic and then very eloquently speaking on this important issue.
I agree that children don’t have the framework yet to realize long term consequences of opinions aired publicly. It also makes me uneasy when politicians use youth and children to manipulate the public. We would do well to remember Germany’s history and China’s history which clearly has shown how utterly devastating that can be…for the kids (the rest of their lives) as well as for the country itself…if things turn sour. Children should be off limits when it comes to any political issues, in my opinion.
February 11 2009 / 8:08 pm
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I’m not sure I would equate a 12-year-old voicing an opinion (12-year-olds are allowed to have opinions, aren’t they?) with a 12-year-old getting taken in on a used car contract, nor does she appear to be in imminent danger of becoming the next Danny Bonaduce or Gary Coleman. Seems pretty harmless to me.
February 12 2009 / 8:30 am
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I definately have an opinion. How many 12 year old girls are getting abortions. More than you would imagine. Many are brought by their parents or boyfriends or both. Many are against their will. I am glad she has done such good research and come up with a reasonable and compelling argument that she can articulate.
If she was doing a speech against drug use would there be this same reaction. It is good that she is being taught young the evil of abortion. I read some of the comments following her video and it tells a lot about the society we currently live in and how “when good men do nothing evil will prosper.”
We need to teach our children the difference between good and evil and there is nothing good about abortion despite the lack of moral absolutes mantra we hear today.
February 12 2009 / 8:36 am
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Dr., you do not discern your own dichotomy.
There is a profound difference between a collection of children under tutelage pledging impassioned fealty to a demagogue, and that of an individual child expounding upon the idea of perceived moral outrage with a cogent, enumerated argument.
The girl spoke well of the notion that ideas are hierarchal, and people egalitarian – not vice versa – as demonstrated by the disturbing sycophant fawning in our current political culture.
And there in lies the distinction between ‘free speech’ & ‘exploitation’.
February 12 2009 / 10:02 am
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I have to repeat the sentiments of an early poster. This girl has this opinion, perhaps her parents influenced her opinion, and so what? most parents do influence the opinion of their children. This looks like a school assignment, she likely chose the topic, probably got a little help from her family and spoke well about it.
However, to her being exploited? Again, there are girls her age who are having abortions. A lot of girls are sexually mature by age 12. I have no problem with her holding this stance at this age. If she was 8, then it probably would be exploitation, but at twelve, she is old enough to form her own opinions and research them. This is free speech.
February 12 2009 / 10:33 am
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Count me as someone who isn’t bothered by this. Even if her parents put her up to it, and wrote the whole thing, the argument being made is a rational one. The appeal to emotion is minimal. If her parents pushed her into this, she can always rebel later, but if they didn’t, she is displaying, at minimum, a remarkable speaking ability, and at best, an incredible talent for making clear, rational arguments.
February 12 2009 / 11:03 am
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As a product of a Catholic school education, I clearly remember attending presentations on the issue of abortion and of course we were taught it was wrong (a point I agree with). Later we had the option of entering a writing contest to voice our pro-life views. This was all in 7th or 8th grade. At the same time one assignment was a persuasive speech (probably similar to this young girl’s assignment). While nobody did a speech on abortion (at a Catholic school it is presumed this is a one-sided issue), naturally ever speech had at least a tinge of politics. Back then the ebonics debate, homeschooling, and school vouchers were new issues. By the time you reach middle school you do begin to form opinions on politics. Sure, they may be influenced by your parents but at that point in your life, most aspects of your life are. However, the student still has the OPTION to choose a topic which interests him/her. This is very different than the children singing in the Obama videos – most appeared in elementary school and their parents choose to put them in music school. Once in that school, the children likely had no say as to whether they sang a song about Obama, McCain or another political figure.
February 12 2009 / 11:12 am
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My point isn’t whether a 12 year old is old enough to have a well-thought out opinion about abortion. Of course she can. My point isn’t about whether she’s free to express that opinion. Of course she is.
My point is that by putting her video up on YouTube, her image is used to convey a message. It ostensibly has more power that a young girl would share this message.
I call it exploitation when a child on the Left is used to convey a political message. I call this exploitation, too. She cannot consent to the use of this image because she cannot fully comprehend the ramifications of the use of her image long-term.
This lack of consent/exploitation is what seems to be a driving factor in the majority of child stars going nutty. They grow up and realized that they couldn’t fully understand how their image was being used and how they were, as a person, made a product/commodity. Joaquin Phoenix is Exhibit “A”.
It is hypocritical, I think, to decry this sort of behavior by those on the Left and engage in it ourselves when the message suits us. The messenger matters to me.
I do recognize that this opinion puts me in the distinct minority. I appreciate that many of you disagree with me and that’s okay.
February 12 2009 / 11:46 am
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>>February 12 2009 / 11:12 am<<
Dr. Clouthier,
This comment of yours seems to go to the heart of the matter, particularly in re the apparent effects on the children of Hollywood (many of whom are approaching 50 by now). The danger of deciding on and maintaining a consumable “image” turns life into a hall of mirrors, and very few people are blessed with the clarity and strength to remember who they are in the midst of that.
This kid’s parents have suspect values, I think, in allowing this work to be put up on utube and subjected to the inevitable swamp of envy and resentment that is the Left. And of course your stance of resisting hypocrisy while opposing people with no ethics or morals is difficult even to explain to people, but I bet your kids will know the real thing when they see it.
I think this: this girl is smart, persuasive, clear-thinking and a helluva speaker. And you’re a great mother.
February 12 2009 / 4:07 pm
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I think this is a misguided posting on Youtube. After reading comments from friends and possibly family on the video when it was first posted, and seeing that the parent has removed commenting due to the negativity… I think they just unfortunately wanted to share the video and were un-prepared for what it would ensue when the public caught wind of it.
I’m not sure why this one is being singled out however. Is it just because it’s a hot button issue? A message people want to deny and is putting her face in hatreds way?
I call exploitation forcing a child to read a prepared statement and then publishing it on YouTube.
I call exploitation the father who has posted his son after visiting the dentist and the numerous parody’s that have ensued. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txqiwrbYGrs
I call exploitation mothers putting their 5 year old in a leotard and showing them dance and sing to Beyonce’s evey word and move (and publishing her name) (this one’s had 1,645,206 views).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_0JiIIsWd0
Perhaps misguided, but I think pride was behind the posting of this video. I’m frankly more concerned about the parents trying to make “youtube” stardom out of their children than those who are forming an intellectual young woman and are potentially misguided about the internet and use of YouTube. (it’s their only video)
Parents are far too trusting of the internet these days.
February 12 2009 / 5:14 pm
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Well I think she should shut her pie hole she is only 12 . I dont think she understands that this world is over populated now and we need some type of population controll and what better way than 86,ing a unborn unwanted children . Many animals in the world eat there young should we try them for murder? I mean come on and grow up and see the world .
February 12 2009 / 6:23 pm
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Having just watched the video, I can only say that there are few adults that could equal the charisma and poise of this child. Further, given the probable premise that this was a school assignment, it appears likely that the subject matter is familiar within her academic setting. Perhaps it was a debate format. Given the fact that twelve year olds are bombarded with the pro-abortion-do-your-own-thing-message, it is not unreasonable to encourage dissection of the message by those same twelve year old “children,” a far cry from the militaristic chanting of the uniformed Obama “youth corp.”
Sadly, the rest of the world does not wait for our children to “come of age” before thrusting adult themes down their throats.
February 12 2009 / 9:12 pm
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Susan, you hit the nail on the head regarding my feelings on this. People don’t wait until they’re 18 to have abortions – the left has made sure of that. Publicizing it – why not? Other Bible passages have been pointed out, but I think of the one where Jesus says that we all need faith like the little children that had gathered around Him. Sometimes children have the clarity to see straight through all the supposedly nuanced things we adults debate about.
February 17 2009 / 6:26 pm
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nice idea, thanks for sharing it.
February 20 2009 / 10:29 pm
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I commend the young lady on her boldness on this “touchy” issue. You can read this posting because you and I weren’t aborted…THANK GOD. My thoughts on the subject, it is not a political issue. It’s no right or left issue, IT IS A RIGHT OR WRONG issue. And this world has lost its direction. Life begins at conception. And somehow people have developed the idea that, we as humans can determine…Life. God determines LIFE, God gave us LIFE. And I know someone, will answer to GOD for the abortions. If you think its right.. then O.K. We will all find out who is right, and who is wrong on the issue when we ALL give an account before GOD.
February 21 2009 / 11:55 am
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Dr. Melissa Clouthier:
You should use your same philosophy for the thousands of teenagers having sex, using birthcontrol and “choosing” to have abortions–if they can truly “choose” to do so since they are so young and would not fully understand the long term consequences of all these decisions that will impact them for the rest of their lives!!
From what I have read, this young girl has herself been passionate about this topic. Despite her teachers and mother helping her look for other topics to do her speech on, she was adamant that she wanted to continue doing her speech on abortion. She understood that she may have been eliminated from the competition but decided that it was more important for her message to be heard. Where is the exploitation in that? I applaud her for her courage to defend her arguments despite so much discouragement and discrmination from the adults around her.
February 24 2009 / 3:47 pm
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“She should shut her pie hole” is a far cry from “I disagree with what you say, but I defend to my death your right to say it.” Patrick Henry
February 24 2009 / 4:16 pm
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Robert McCade.. If you think that this world is over populated now and we need some type of population control, then perhaps birth control, vasectomies and tubal ligation would be a place to start. If you want a better way to control population, then perhaps we should implement swift execution of murderers and other violent criminals (armed robbers, rapsists, etc). Still too crowded for you? You could start executing non-violent criminals (car thieves, drug dealers, drug users, child pornographers, drunk drivers, burglars, etc). Or is it just easier to kill the young and innocent?