kevinbass Posted August 31, 2006 Share Posted August 31, 2006 PLEASE READ THIS STORY BEFORE READING ON, AS I DON'T WANT TO INFLUENCE YOU BEFORE YOU HAVE READ A HOPEFULLY IMPARTIAL ACCOUNT news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/5301824.stm Watching the Six O'Clock News just now, I saw a story that shocked me. Basically, Tony Blair's suggesting that steps should be taken against problem families much earlier than they currently are. I'm sure that many here would agree with this, but his proposals included screening of families before their children were even born, giving them 'advice' and potentially taking their children away from them if they refused to comply. Now I'm no expert, but this all sounds like terrifying stuff to me and I would ask people to consider the potential impact on their lives in the future rather than dismissing this out of hand as not their problem. What I mean is that if such a law was passed and babies were taken away from their parents for failing to comply then, given time, such govt. action would become acceptable in many people's eyes and possibly pave the way for harsher laws and even screening of political views, lifestyle choices etc. in parents. What do you all think, though? (no thoughtless 'blair is a ****' posts, please) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melthebell Posted August 31, 2006 Share Posted August 31, 2006 two words police state Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaBouncer Posted August 31, 2006 Share Posted August 31, 2006 2 words Wont happen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
downtroad Posted August 31, 2006 Share Posted August 31, 2006 Two words - "Minority Report" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevinbass Posted August 31, 2006 Author Share Posted August 31, 2006 Well it could do if people take that attitude and keep their mouths shut. EDIT: aimed at DaBouncer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
downtroad Posted August 31, 2006 Share Posted August 31, 2006 I seriously think he is loosing his mind. I agree with DaBouncer it won't happen, it's seriously going to cause a huge stir. It's not political suicide, but it's close. Why on earth would he think this would be a good political move? He is clearly going crazy or getting some seriously bad advice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaBouncer Posted August 31, 2006 Share Posted August 31, 2006 Well it could do if people take that attitude and keep their mouths shut. EDIT: aimed at DaBouncer If it was aimed at me then use the quote function It's called media scaremongering.... that's what they do Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vulcan B2 Posted August 31, 2006 Share Posted August 31, 2006 Re: Tony Blair's rant about preventing Yob Culture. So, as usual Tone is out of touch with real people. His latest barmpot idea to deal with tomorrow's yobs while they are still in nappies, or even PRE-BIRTH! He reckons he can stereotype certain groups of people as being likely to produce children who will become yobs in the future, for example families on low income and single parents. Has he considered that one solution may be to improve the standard of living for these groups, and to end once and for all child poverty? Has he also considered providing something for children to do? Not everyone can afford to take their children to activities as taking the kids to, for example, Ponds Forge can be very costly. Sports clubs are also expensive, and out of reach of many parents and teenagers. Of course, there will always be the sort of people who don't care what their kids are up to, and action should be taken in these cases, but he should not tar everybody with the same brush! How quickly he forgets his OWN SON drinking underage and behaving (dare I say it?) Yobbishly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevinbass Posted August 31, 2006 Author Share Posted August 31, 2006 They had Tony Blair on the news talking about it, so they haven't exagerrated anything but have got it straight from the horse's mouth. And I didn't hit quote because you were the most recent poster when I started typing, but downtroad beat me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rubydazzler Posted August 31, 2006 Share Posted August 31, 2006 Actually this isn't a new idea. In the "olden" days (like when I was young ) social workers would quite often remove children for adoption on what we'd now think were fairly insubstantial grounds. Such as being young, working class and unmarried or unemployed. As most of them were middleclass in those days, they probably thought it was a fate worse than death to be brought up in those circumstances. Which it could very well have been of course, as there was a stigma attached to being illegitimate for the child and precious little help, monetary or otherwise to be had for the parent. Mr Prime Minister Blair seems to be scraping the bottom of the barrel with this idea though. We can only hope that someone with some sense is going to make him lie down in a darkened room. Or put him in his room to think about what he's said. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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