Love and Inaction

The issue of whether or not we, as a society, respect our children and adolescents is sort of a tough one, and in many cases, the scale can be tipped either way. However, it seems to me that American society loves the idea of children more than the reality of children. We claim to love them, yet often do little to protect them from those who do them harm. In cases of violence or exploitation of children, especially when the attacker's reputation/the reputations of those they represent are at stake, the attacker is often times protected at the expense of the victimized children. As seen in the Jerry Sandusky case as well as the multiple cases of molestation committed by religious figures,  the crimes are often covered up or disregarded in order to protect the names of prestigious universities/football legacies and religions. Certainly there are laws and policies in place to protect children from such atrocities, but despite these, child welfare comes often second to an adult's reputation. I might also add that protections of the abuser don't just occur in high-profile cases; children who have been removed from toxic home environments may be sent right back "home" due to parental rights.

Loving and respecting children goes hand in hand with providing them with basic needs, such as those highlighted by Maslow's Heirarchy of Needs. The bottom block on Maslow's pyramid represents physiological needs such as access to food/water, shelter, warmth and possibly healthcare. And yet, one in four American children are living in poverty and may have less access to food. While there are federal assistance programs to help provide food and healthcare to those who cannot afford it, those very programs (not to mention educational programs) are often the first to go when it comes to trimming down the federal budget. The next level on Maslow's pyramid is that of safety, which includes stability and security, but as I mentioned before, we are clearly not doing all we can to protect children from those who would do them harm. Even cases of mass violence against children are not enough to convince this country to enforce stricter laws (i.e. gun laws) that would keep them safe.

I won't deny that Americans love our children in theory, but I'd be hard pressed to admit we love and respect them in practice.