# Kid Nation 10/10- "Bless Us And Keep Us Safe" (SPOILERS) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 11, 2007, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kid-nation-10-10-bless-us-and-keep-us-safe-spoilers/422291 "2007-10-11T01:09:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2007, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kid-nation-10-10-bless-us-and-keep-us-safe-spoilers/422291/21 "2007-10-12T05:04:28Z")
[QUOTE=KGS] During that whole religious debate, as they’re talking about Christians & Jews & Muslims & Hindus & Atheists & such, I couldn’t help but think: WHERE ARE THE PAGANS??!?? [/QUOTE] Maybe they were the “others”? I wanted to know what fell into the “Other” category on the list Alex was making. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2007, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kid-nation-10-10-bless-us-and-keep-us-safe-spoilers/422291/22 "2007-10-12T05:20:37Z")
Heh. Looked up Taylor on the Kid Nation website: > [@](#): > > **What world leader do you admire?** > The President of the United States because he gets to make important decisions and run our Country > > **Who have been some of the worst U.S. presidents, and why?** > Since I’m only 11 & Bush has been Pres. for the last 7 years then I asked my family & friends to tell me about some past presidents and their opinions. This is what we came up with. Bill Clinton because he lowered the country’s moral. Jimmy Carter because he gave away the Panama Canal. > > **If you were in charge of immigration, would everyone be allowed to enter the country? Would illegal immigrants be allowed to stay?** > I feel that it’s okay to allow a certain number but not too many due to our country’s overpopulation. I don’t think illegal immigrants should be allowed to stay because they are not paying their share to be here. Aiyiyi. ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2007, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kid-nation-10-10-bless-us-and-keep-us-safe-spoilers/422291/23 "2007-10-12T05:33:13Z")
I wonder what Taylor’s stance on bears is? ---
**Author:** ![Sapo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@Sapo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sapo)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2007, 11:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kid-nation-10-10-bless-us-and-keep-us-safe-spoilers/422291/24 "2007-10-12T11:44:19Z")
[QUOTE=mobo85] I wonder what Taylor’s stance on bears is? [/QUOTE] Well, we know her stance on elephants and donkeys. ---
**Author:** ![Sapo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@Sapo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sapo)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2007, 11:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kid-nation-10-10-bless-us-and-keep-us-safe-spoilers/422291/25 "2007-10-12T11:46:43Z")
[QUOTE=Rubystreak] Now, because you said that and it seems sooo obvious and foreshadowed, I’m wondering if somehow it won’t happen. Anytime I think I know what’s going to happen on a reality show, the opposite happens. There’s going to be campaigning, so maybe somehow she’ll win people over? Seems vastly unlikely, but… [/QUOTE] If we go by my success record on Survivor, my prediction means that she will be crowned lifelong queen of all Kid Nation, Imperatrix Mundi and Top Chef. ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2007, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kid-nation-10-10-bless-us-and-keep-us-safe-spoilers/422291/26 "2007-10-12T12:31:38Z")
[QUOTE=Sapo] Well, we know her stance on elephants and donkeys. [/QUOTE] I think you’ve been whoosed- I’m saying Taylor is a miniature Stephen Colbert. Only she isn’t being facetious. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2007, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kid-nation-10-10-bless-us-and-keep-us-safe-spoilers/422291/27 "2007-10-12T13:39:43Z")
Alex, age 9. > [@](#): > > **Who have been some of the worst U.S. presidents, and why?** > George W. Bush, for leading us into a war without checking his facts first and for not having a clear plan prior to the invasion. He also suppressed anyone who wanted to question his decisions, which is against the American concept of free speech. William Harrison because he was too stupid to wear a coat at his inauguration speech, and caught pneumonia and died without doing anything in office. First, I’m impressed that he knows about Harrison. Second, I’m amused by the juxtaposition of Bush and Harrison in his answer. ---
**Author:** ![kingpengvin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9dc877/32.png) [@kingpengvin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kingpengvin)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2007, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kid-nation-10-10-bless-us-and-keep-us-safe-spoilers/422291/28 "2007-10-12T21:33:42Z")
[QUOTE=AuntiePam] I didn’t catch any out and out prejudices, just a natural bias in favor of the kid’s own religion. “Christians are best!” from the Christians, “Jew crew!” from the Jewish kids. Little Emilie didn’t seem to know for sure what she was. 🙂 If there were any hateful or ignorant statements, I missed them. The kids were reluctant to discuss religion at first but their curiosity won out, especially when they saw Anjay with the icon and the incense. [/QUOTE] Well prejudices aren’t always the full on hateful type. The Kids expressed not only a preference for their own religion but also an intolerence about learning anything about another way of thinking. Some of teh kids didn’t want a shared service because they didn’t think others deserved equal time with their own beliefs. There were also a few small comments made that were slightly disperaging. I don’t think they are rotten kids or anything like that. It just shows that we sometimes train our kids to see our worldview and they parrot what they’ve been taught rather than question things. So if they are grow up in a community of only one religion and taught that it’s the best and only way to believe they will naturally be suspicious of other teachings and unwilling to learn about them. Without the adult influeneces (except the crew and the producers and whatnot… which may also affect how they behave…) the kids natural curiosity and desire to share their beliefs allowed them to see others in a different light. ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2007, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kid-nation-10-10-bless-us-and-keep-us-safe-spoilers/422291/29 "2007-10-12T22:08:14Z")
Some folks have expressed dislike for the religous aspect forced itnto this show, but I take the opposite view. I appreciate that they force the kids to confront topics they might normally avoid. THis clearly is not simply about putting kids in an abandoned town and see if they can survive, this is not Kid Survivor. This is about seeing how kids would tackle adult issues and problems if left to their own devices. Given the short time frame of the show, you can’t just wait for these issues to come up organically, you need to force the issue. I think the kids showed ignorance, but it is simply the ignorance that comes from them being young. What I think they displayed was a misunderstanding of religon in general. I mean I am sure that many of them felt that by going to some other religious ceremony they were somehow violating the “law” of their faith or that they might become “infected” . Iknow none of them expressed itlike that, but I think that is how kids think. ---
**Author:** ![Szlater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/90ced4/32.png) [@Szlater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Szlater)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2007, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kid-nation-10-10-bless-us-and-keep-us-safe-spoilers/422291/30 "2007-10-12T23:34:40Z")
[QUOTE=Gangster Octopus] THis clearly is not simply about putting kids in an abandoned town and see if they can survive, this is not Kid Survivor. [/QUOTE] William Golding already wrote that story. I “obtained” this show because Jon Stewart’s mockery of it on the Daily Show piqued my interest, and I’ve taken a bit of a shine to it. Some of the accents though really grate, Laurel’s and Taylor’s in particular (that weird boy with the glasses is amusing rather than annoying). Whilst I think that Taylor’s catchphrase is awesome, the producers deserve much credit, they managed to find a child that everyone can hate without feeling guitly. I do wonder though how much of the programme is staged, and how much is down to creative editing. ---
**Author:** ![Sapo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@Sapo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sapo)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2007, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kid-nation-10-10-bless-us-and-keep-us-safe-spoilers/422291/31 "2007-10-13T00:13:14Z")
[QUOTE=Szlater] I do wonder though how much of the programme is staged, and how much is down to creative editing. [/QUOTE] I think that the fact that there is pending legal issues about whether the kids were treated fairly under child actor laws goes a ways answering your question. ---
**Author:** ![KGS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/90ced4/32.png) [@KGS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KGS)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2007, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kid-nation-10-10-bless-us-and-keep-us-safe-spoilers/422291/32 "2007-10-13T01:46:46Z")
[QUOTE=Sapo] I think that the fact that there is pending legal issues about whether the kids were treated fairly under child actor laws goes a ways answering your question. [/QUOTE] Cite for legal issues? I heard there was controversy about safety (and after watching some of the boys chase bulls, I can understand why!!) but I’m not aware of any lawsuits actually being filed. As for some scenes being staged…I get that feeling myself sometimes. ---
**Author:** ![StarvingButStrong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/starvingbutstrong/32/335_2.png) [@StarvingButStrong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StarvingButStrong)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2007, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kid-nation-10-10-bless-us-and-keep-us-safe-spoilers/422291/33 "2007-10-13T05:03:53Z")
They have some really bright kids there. When the council was doing their best to force everyone to gather for a worship service – ringing the bell and yelling – I was really hoping one of the others would point out that a BIIIIIG factor in the formation of this country was freedom of religion and how DARE they try to force the town to worship to order? ---
**Author:** ![interface2x](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c0e974/32.png) [@interface2x](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/interface2x)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2007, 6:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kid-nation-10-10-bless-us-and-keep-us-safe-spoilers/422291/34 "2007-10-13T06:31:35Z")
[QUOTE=KGS] Cite for legal issues? I heard there was controversy about safety (and after watching some of the boys chase bulls, I can understand why!!) but I’m not aware of any lawsuits actually being filed. [/QUOTE] No lawsuits filed, but [this article](http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/22/us/22kid.html?_r=1&ei=5065&en=24916b7ee51cb146&ex=1188446400&partner=MYWAY&pagewanted=print&oref=slogin) has some discussion on the topic: > [@](#): > > But on May 1, two weeks after a state labor inspector was turned away from the site, Andrea R. Buzzard, a New Mexico assistant attorney general, warned in a letter to lawyers for the production that the state did not agree with the network’s interpretation of state labor law. > > “We are not certain that those laws are limited to traditional ‘employment’ relationships,” Ms. Buzzard wrote, citing part of the state child-labor statutes that say that a child’s frequent presence at a work site “shall be prima facie evidence that such child is unlawfully engaged in labor.” ---
**Author:** ![Sapo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@Sapo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sapo)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2007, 10:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kid-nation-10-10-bless-us-and-keep-us-safe-spoilers/422291/35 "2007-10-13T10:00:40Z")
[QUOTE=KGS] Cite for legal issues? I heard there was controversy about safety (and after watching some of the boys chase bulls, I can understand why!!) but I’m not aware of any lawsuits actually being filed. As for some scenes being staged…I get that feeling myself sometimes. [/QUOTE] Their wiki entry has a good primer of the situation with some links. The sum of it is whether these kids were actors working 24 hours a day or whether this was a reality show of a kids “summer camp”. Apparently, creative editting was not enough to get the desired results and there was a lot of reshooting. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kid-nation-10-10-bless-us-and-keep-us-safe-spoilers/422291.md?page=1)