Lately, I’ve been disturbed by the incidences of young girls, being where they should not be. As usual, the Golden Sheaf Hotel in Double Bay rates a mention. Last week I picked up a young fella there, who immediately complained of the presence of ‘14 year olds’, plus marginally older boys.
He worked in the hotel industry and was pissed off at sharing an adult space with children. We discussed how they were gaining entry and came to the conclusion they had perfectly forged identity cards.
Obviously there is a thriving market in the school grounds for such cards, what with computer photo-shopping and all. My passenger insisted door security staff had the power to make overriding judgements as to the authenticity of ID cards, and refuse entry, as stipulated by industry regulations.
Unfortunately, it would seem these cards are being taken at face value only. Given it is a self-regulating industry, this is where it falls down. Furthermore, I wonder what arrangements are being made at the door, which allow these baby-faced kids entry...
At 1.30 am Friday morning, having a break at MacDonalds, I was shocked, when two schoolgirls entered from the direction of an adjacent mens club, featuring strippers and the like. One wore a red, tartan school tunic over track pants with a plain jumper on top. The other was out of uniform, yet plainly of school age. Both wore make-up, had bleached hair and were barely 16. A group of policemen and policewomen, on a break, ignored them.
Indeed, if parents can’t legally access their daughters medical records, over the age of 14, who can challenge them ? With Federal Health Minister, Tony Abbot, soon presenting legislation overturning this bullshit, to hand power back to the parents, it is especially disappointing the Australian Medical Association is resisting it. As are Labor, the Democrats, the Greens etc. Lunatics stick together.
Last night on dusk, waiting at traffic lights to enter Victoria Road, Drummoyne, I did a double-take as a girl wandered aimlessly past. A girl of 12 years, maybe 13, or an under-developed 14 at best. She carried a shopping bag in one hand and in the other, a large, opened, brown-bagged bottle, of squarish shape. I guessed it was Jack Daniels, or something similiar.
However it was her blanched and wasted, made-up pixie face which disturbed me. I immediately recognised her lifeless and despairing face, as of those girls on the strip at Kings Cross. She moved with the languid demeanor of one waiting to be picked-up, looking back at the traffic occasionally, then making meaningful eye-contact with me, as she crossed in front. Gawd, the sense of rejection was overpowering. Was she looking for public love, or acceptance, at any cost ?
Where are these girls parents ? Later, I discussed these encounters with a middle-aged woman, herself a parent. She stated with the 50% divorce rate, many mothers then take on a boyfriend/lover. Hence for some, their daughters are an interference, or worse competition, and so are shunted aside. The mothers willingly accept, on face value, whatever they are told and have no idea where their daughters are. Many girls are given money to simply disappear.
This all confirms what I have said for years. Some parents are not fit to breed. And it seems to me, driving around town, many such parents are in the middle and upper classes. Like it or not.
There may well come a day when our society looks on procreation as a privilege, not a basic human right. But not in my lifetime, I would hazard to guess.
Posted by: Fabian | June 13, 2004 at 01:09 PM
Indeed Fabian, breeding as a privilege, reflecting the responsibility which such a gift bears. For as it stands, a worrying percentage of breeding in our society is more about financial benefit and status seeking, than anything genuine.
Already we have the Chinese example of regulated breeding, albeit for population control there. But an example nonetheless.
I'll never forget a line by an SMH journalist covering the appalling torture and murder of the baby in Wagga, by the Mums' boyfriend - a case just come to fruition this week - a statement which applies to all classes,
In the ghettoes of the bush, 'children' have children...
Posted by: adrian | June 13, 2004 at 05:12 PM
It ain't just the bush, Adrian, although it's probably more frequent out here. 14 is the youngest Mum I know personally.
Posted by: Dirk Thruster | June 13, 2004 at 10:32 PM
Hi
Just what do you suggest humanity should do about this, after all our forebears died in wars so we have this freedom to have children whether the parents are handicap, spastic, autistic, mongoloid, rich, poor, responsible or irresponsible.
Any sort of restriction and people will cry “NAZI” (We are not in China) for that is what Hitlers Reich wanted to do, to create the Superior Race. And if you read “Mien Kamph” he refers to Responsibility as parents as well as to have healthy children
(i.e. sterilise the handicap and the sick and the poor and the irresponsible)
Here is just a snippet.
Quote
The question of the 'nationalisation' of a people is, among other things, primarily a question of creating healthy social conditions as a foundation for the possibility of educating the individual. For only those who through school and upbringing learn to know the cultural, economic, but above all the political greatness of their own fatherland can and will achieve the inner pride in the privilege of being a member of such a people.
And I can fight only for something that I love, love only what I respect, and respect only what I at least know.
Unquote
Then he goes on later in the book.
Quote
Through educational means the State must teach individuals that illness is not a disgrace but an unfortunate accident which has to be pitied, yet that it is a crime and a disgrace to make this affliction all the worse by passing on disease and defects to innocent creatures out of mere egotism. And the State must also teach the people that it is an expression of a really noble nature and that it is a humanitarian act worthy of admiration if a person who innocently suffers from hereditary disease refrains from having a child of his own but gives his love and affection to some unknown child who, through its health, promises to become a robust member of a healthy community. In accomplishing such an educational task the State integrates its function by this activity in the moral sphere. It must act on this principle without paying any attention to the question of whether its conduct will be understood or misconstrued, blamed or praised.
If for a period of only 600 years those individuals would be sterilised who are physically degenerate or mentally diseased, humanity would not only be delivered from an immense misfortune but also restored to a state of general health such as we at present can hardly imagine.
Unquote
A Hitler 1924
I see these kids sometimes and my heart sinks, but the bottom line is “These kids are not yours” and If I was a parent and if you criticised me with my parenting. I will kick you in the nuts. For my forebears died in wars for this freedom. Like it or not
Posted by: Raving Loonie | June 15, 2004 at 12:31 AM
Raving Loonie, you're a funny guy - assuming you're a male. I don't know where to start, or even if I should start on someone who relies on Hitlers' views, a lack of parenthood, and the threat of violence to make a convoluted point.
But I will, 'cause I'm bored and need a laugh after a 12 hour shift dealing with drunken and drugged idiots all night...
I observe our society from close quarters, every night, and so report on what I see. Additionally, as an experienced parent it is inevitable that I have some informed views, as it pertains to responsible parenting.
However the 'responsible parenting' Hitler advocates is in the context of creating an Ayrian race. Pure racism. I don't see that in my post. Furthermore, I've re-read the post and cannot find any reference to handicapped children either. To make these connections betrays your immaturity.
In mentioning China, I made the distinction they have a serious population problem. In doing so I made no value judgement, re such a policy, but merely mentioned it as an example of controlled breeding, albeit for different reasons than this post addresses. And certainly not related to Hitlers racism. Only you make that connection...
Our forebears died in wars, not particularly for our right to carte-blanche parenting, but rather for freedom from political and social oppression. This is not to say irresponsible parenting did not figure, but in the scheme of things, bigger issues were at stake. If you had a cursory knowledge of history you would not be exhibiting this glaring lack of perspective.
An abject lack of life experience is also indicated by the inane statement, “These kids are not yours”. These kids, once rejected by their irresponsible parents, are then our problem, and become our kids, by virtue of taxpayer-funded social services. Who else is going to help them, you, their parents...?
Remember, as fellow humans, they are our brothers and sisters. Responsible members of a society look out for one another, like it or not. Which is why you are so impotent in recognising this, suggesting an inability, or worse, an unwillingness to help them.
Finally, if you truly are concerned about these kids, you would forego the right to breed. Why ? Cause you're one cold, heartless fucker...
Posted by: adrian | June 15, 2004 at 05:03 AM
The mention of china is a telling one, adrian. Any "regulation" of breeding has to come with punishment, or it's merely words on a page. If there's punishment involved, then the "guilty" will try to cover up their misbehaviour. This results in infanticide and human trafficking. Is that really better than a few underage prostitutes? At least they aren't starving to death.
Posted by: Yobbo | June 16, 2004 at 02:49 PM
On the face of it, yes Yobbo. However are there not degrees of culpability involved ?
How does one judge the starvation by Mugabe of Zimbabweans, not of his tribe or party. To wit, genocide writ large. Or the refusal, to now, of the South African President to recognise the reality of HIV amongst his people, another form of genocide -read birth control- by negligence.
At least the Chinese, with it's 1.6 billion punters drawing on limited resources, have taken a transparent and proactive position, in lieu of a more socially acceptable policy being available.
In an imperfect world, they have rejected Mao's quick-fix of population control by starvation. For us in a priviledged society such measures seem inhumane for sure.
Though, I'm not certain if underage prostitution is related to population control, or responsible breeding in a priviledged Western culture...I suspect we're dealing with a number of different issues here...
Posted by: adrian | June 16, 2004 at 03:22 PM
I stumbled acroos this page with the search words - "looking for love" and think it best to just disconnest and appreciate my life !
Posted by: Susan | June 25, 2005 at 07:07 PM