Children's interests (rhetoric)

Citing the interests of children can be used to justify why something should, or should not, be done.

It can also be seen as:

• a rationalization or justification
• a political tool
• a rhetorical phrase (e.g. "but think of the children")
• an appeal to emotion

Occurrence

USA Today technology columnist Andrew Kantor stated in an article about website filtering software that "Do it for the children" was common in debating matters of education, health, culture, and crime. He claims that people think children are impressionable; that youth-related crime is particularly harmful; and that the rhetoric has been applied to various political agendas, sometimes with little or no relevance.

As justification for censorship

Main article: Content-control software

Internet censorship of, and content-control software for offensive material, is often implemented as "done for the children". One of the largest attempts was the Green Dam Youth Escort, by the People's Republic of China, which failed to mandate internet content-control for all children in the country.

Usage to circumvent logical debate

It is possible to claim that something is being done "for the children" as support in a logical argument, or as a counterargument. But if used to avoid logical debate, it is a thought-terminating cliché. Doing something "for the children" is not a logical fallacy of itself. For example, it is reasonable to suggest and legislate to "add traffic lights next to schools so that children are safer from cars."

A recent example of this avoidance of a purely logical, practical debate can be seen in the Australian government's attempt to institute a mandatory ISP level Internet filter. Opponents of the filter claim that it will not work on the basis of cost, practicality (as it will be easy to circumvent), and their fears for what it may mean for free speech in the country, as it would give the government the ability to censor any website secretly.

The EFA, Electronic Frontiers Australia, has been one of the most vocal Internet-based critics of the proposed filter. Much of the government's argument for the filter was based on the premise that the Internet can be dangerous for children and therefore must be censored. They ignored many of the arguments of the internet sector, the business sector and the majority of the Australian political left wing.^{[citation needed]} Prime Minister Ms. Gillard stated that the filter was more of a "moral judgment" than a pragmatic policy.

Examples

In legislation

Operation Protect Our Children banner

• scaremongering, rationalization, rhetoric: Anita Bryant's Save Our Children campaign in 1977 was successful in repealing a Dade County, Florida ordinance which outlawed discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. "By focusing on the idea that gays and lesbians were somehow threatening to children, Bryant had created an incredibly powerful rhetorical focus for social conservatives. In 1981, Jerry Falwell echoed her language in a fundraising letter that reminded his followers, "Please remember, homosexuals don't reproduce! They recruit! And they are out after my children and your children."

• political foothold, justification: The Green Party's billboard campaign in the 2008 New Zealand election includes a picture of a young girl with the words "Vote for me", and a baby in a pram giving the viewer the finger, under the caption "Vote Green, or your grandchildren will be really pissed off!"

• political foothold, justification: Australian Communications Minister Stephen Conroy has billed his internet censorship scheme as being for the purpose of protecting the children, despite concerns from organizations such as Save The Children,^{[citation needed]} Google,^{[citation needed]}Yahoo,^{[citation needed]} and Reporters Without Borders^{[citation needed]}

In society

• rhetorical usage, justification: The white power 'Fourteen Words' motto created by David Lane: "We must secure the existence of our people and a future for white children."

• rationalization: In 1998, after Puff Daddy won the Grammy Award for Best Rap Album, an indignant Ol' Dirty Bastard,felt the Wu-Tang Clan deserved to win, interrupted the awards show to proclaim, "I don't know how you all see it, but when it comes to the children, Wu-Tang is for the children. We teach the children. Puffy is good, but Wu-Tang is the best."

In popular media

• The phrase "Won't somebody please think of the children?" is a running gag on The Simpsons, most often exclaimed by the minister's wife Helen Lovejoy, whenever the town faces a problem however minor or catastrophic.

• The viral image "Cliché Kitty" which has the tagline "Please, think of the kittens" is another comic use of this idea.