# Using kids as spokespersons for a political cause: Does it really achieve the desired effect?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-kids-as-spokespersons-for-a-political-cause-does-it-really-achieve-the-desired-effect/840801
**Category:** Great Debates
**Created:** [September 25, 2019, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-kids-as-spokespersons-for-a-political-cause-does-it-really-achieve-the-desired-effect/840801 "2019-09-25T14:18:15Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 2
### Author:  [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)
#### Post date: [September 25, 2019, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-kids-as-spokespersons-for-a-political-cause-does-it-really-achieve-the-desired-effect/840801/21 "2019-09-25T16:06:11Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#):
>
> But once you put a sign in their hands and/or lead them in a chant you’ve stepped over that line.
What line?
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### Author:  [@pool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pool)
#### Post date: [September 25, 2019, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-kids-as-spokespersons-for-a-political-cause-does-it-really-achieve-the-desired-effect/840801/22 "2019-09-25T16:12:50Z")
I think it’s stupid to listen to children’s opinions on virtually any political topic, they’re children who gives a shit. Maybe their opinion about something regarding the school system would be appropriate at times.
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### Author:  [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)
#### Post date: [September 25, 2019, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-kids-as-spokespersons-for-a-political-cause-does-it-really-achieve-the-desired-effect/840801/23 "2019-09-25T16:21:10Z")
I’d have to say it depends on your definition of ‘child’.
My oldest is 19. She’ll be voting in her first presidential election next year. She and I went to a Pete Buttigieg event before she went back to school and she asked him a question about youth and the future. Fine. He fielded it.
She was interviewed after by local news and when asked about it she replied, “He should pay attention. People my age are going to be voting for a very long time.”
Sharp kid.
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### Author:  [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)
#### Post date: [September 25, 2019, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-kids-as-spokespersons-for-a-political-cause-does-it-really-achieve-the-desired-effect/840801/24 "2019-09-25T16:28:11Z")
> [@Miller](#):
>
> What line?
The line between showing them what you do, and using them as a tool to further your cause.
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### Author:  [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)
#### Post date: [September 25, 2019, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-kids-as-spokespersons-for-a-political-cause-does-it-really-achieve-the-desired-effect/840801/25 "2019-09-25T17:05:02Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#):
>
> The line between showing them what you do, and using them as a tool to further your cause.
And that’s a problem because?
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### Author:  [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)
#### Post date: [September 25, 2019, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-kids-as-spokespersons-for-a-political-cause-does-it-really-achieve-the-desired-effect/840801/26 "2019-09-25T17:17:46Z")
> [@filmore](#):
>
> One problem with kids speaking on political or global matters is that knowledge is limited and their views are simplistic.
Hardly an issue limited to children. Have you met the president?
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### Author:  [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)
#### Post date: [September 25, 2019, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-kids-as-spokespersons-for-a-political-cause-does-it-really-achieve-the-desired-effect/840801/27 "2019-09-25T17:21:04Z")
> [@Miller](#):
>
> And that’s a problem because?
1. Exploitation of children
2. Pressure and attacks from peers
3. Pressure and attacks from total strangers
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### Author:  [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)
#### Post date: [September 25, 2019, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-kids-as-spokespersons-for-a-political-cause-does-it-really-achieve-the-desired-effect/840801/28 "2019-09-25T17:21:25Z")
Adults fill kids’ heads with all sorts of nonsense they parrot back unthinkingly. I’m not going to single out political causes as the one area to push back in. I assume, unless there’s evidence to the contrary, that any given kid believes their opinion is their own, and deserves to have that opinion respected as much as any adult’s would be.
Disregarding children’s opinions on the basis of “They’re stupid kids” seems like a great way to inculcate a generation of politically disaffected youth.
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### Author:  [@Dallas\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dallas_Jones)
#### Post date: [September 25, 2019, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-kids-as-spokespersons-for-a-political-cause-does-it-really-achieve-the-desired-effect/840801/29 "2019-09-25T17:28:47Z")
Although the children may hold sincere beliefs on issues it always feels to me as if they are being manipulated by others, for the goals of others. When children are bused in for protests, no mater what they are protesting, whose goals are being met? Not the children’s. Who is organizing all this? Not the children. Who is paying? You get the point.
It turns me off and I feel sorry and a little mad about the manipulation of youth for political causes.
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### Author:  [@MandaJo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MandaJo)
#### Post date: [September 25, 2019, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-kids-as-spokespersons-for-a-political-cause-does-it-really-achieve-the-desired-effect/840801/30 "2019-09-25T17:29:29Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#):
>
> 1. Exploitation of children
> 2. Pressure and attacks from peers
> 3. Pressure and attacks from total strangers
I saw a lot of pictures of people with kids at the Women’s march, and the March for Science, and lots of them were wearing signs or holding posters. It didn’t feel exploitative to me. Now, part of that is because, in my mind, saying “women are important” and “science is right” are so incredibly, obviously TRUE that it seems inarguably positive to take your kids to the event celebrating those things. Also, in my mind, giving your kid a picture of an aborted fetus and telling him those women are whores is terrible–but it’s because I think the message is terrible, not because I think parents shouldn’t share their beliefs with their kids.
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### Author:  [@kevlaw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kevlaw)
#### Post date: [September 25, 2019, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-kids-as-spokespersons-for-a-political-cause-does-it-really-achieve-the-desired-effect/840801/31 "2019-09-25T17:34:40Z")
In general, I am more annoyed than persuaded by children making political points. I can think of two recent exceptions though.
1. The Parkland students were compelling because of the terrible tragedy that they survived. It wasn’t because they were children per se; or because they were great advocates for the cause. It was because you could look at those students and imagine the other students who didn’t survive.
2. There were millions of students around the world marching to protest climate policies last week. I expect many of them were there because of the example set by Greta Thunberg. There was an aspect of that with the Parkland kids as well. The target audience was not, directly, the world leaders at the United Nations. The target was the millions of kids around the world who joined the cause. I’d say she was very successful.
Getting kids to speak a political message to the general population is usually counter-productive but kids appealing to kids to join a cause that affects them seems to work very well indeed.
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### Author:  [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)
#### Post date: [September 25, 2019, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-kids-as-spokespersons-for-a-political-cause-does-it-really-achieve-the-desired-effect/840801/32 "2019-09-25T17:35:12Z")
If the kids are brought to these events and hold up signs made by their parents or other adults I find it exploitive no matter _what_ the cause is.
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### Author:  [@Airbeck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airbeck)
#### Post date: [September 25, 2019, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-kids-as-spokespersons-for-a-political-cause-does-it-really-achieve-the-desired-effect/840801/33 "2019-09-25T17:41:21Z")
What age are people allowed to speak about their opinions?
Just want to get the consensus on the magic age that you are allowed to care about the future of your world.
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### Author:  [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)
#### Post date: [September 25, 2019, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-kids-as-spokespersons-for-a-political-cause-does-it-really-achieve-the-desired-effect/840801/34 "2019-09-25T17:43:04Z")
So how much political activism do you allow kids to do?
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### Author:  [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)
#### Post date: [September 25, 2019, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-kids-as-spokespersons-for-a-political-cause-does-it-really-achieve-the-desired-effect/840801/35 "2019-09-25T17:43:21Z")
> [@Jonathan\_Chance](#):
>
> I’d have to say it depends on your definition of ‘child’.
>
> My oldest is 19. She’ll be voting in her first presidential election next year. …
>
> Sharp kid.
Not a child. A “young adult” if you must.
Back to the OP- Ok, it annoys me, and makes me want to support the other side, even Thunberg. (and yes, I get why the Op wants to exclude her, otherwise that’s what this whole thread would be about). Same thing with kids on TV selling adultish stuff. (of course you expect kids for diaper ads)
And I have been at Council meetings where they drag in some kid or senior or person in a wheelchair and trust me, the Politicos behind the dais just roll their eyes (inwardly, of course).
It hurts more than it helps.
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### Author:  [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)
#### Post date: [September 25, 2019, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-kids-as-spokespersons-for-a-political-cause-does-it-really-achieve-the-desired-effect/840801/36 "2019-09-25T17:43:22Z")
> [@Airbeck](#):
>
> What age are people allowed to speak about their opinions?
>
> Just want to get the consensus on the magic age that you are allowed to care about the future of your world.
I think this is more about adults exploiting children and not about children speaking for themselves.
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### Author:  [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)
#### Post date: [September 25, 2019, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-kids-as-spokespersons-for-a-political-cause-does-it-really-achieve-the-desired-effect/840801/37 "2019-09-25T17:45:38Z")
> [@Inner\_Stickler](#):
>
> So how much political activism do you allow kids to do?
Allow, or push them into?
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### Author:  [@Airbeck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airbeck)
#### Post date: [September 25, 2019, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-kids-as-spokespersons-for-a-political-cause-does-it-really-achieve-the-desired-effect/840801/38 "2019-09-25T17:50:16Z")
Which kids are being exploited and how? Oh, that’s right the OP poisoned the well immediately by stating that we can’t talk about specific kids.
Makes it hard to counter anyone’s vague assertions about kids in general. What kind of debate is this supposed to be? Old men (and women) yelling at clouds and complaining about kids these days, or sorry, parents of kids these days? Not exactly compelling ground for a debate.
Are we just assuming that anyone under say the age 18 was pushed into their views? How convenient to then dismiss everyone under 18 when they say something you disagree with.
Lot of assertions and assumptions about today’s youth here, very little to actually debate.
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### Author:  [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)
#### Post date: [September 25, 2019, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-kids-as-spokespersons-for-a-political-cause-does-it-really-achieve-the-desired-effect/840801/39 "2019-09-25T17:53:14Z")
> [@Airbeck](#):
>
> Which kids are being exploited and how? Oh, that’s right the OP poisoned the well immediately by stating that we can’t talk about specific kids.
>
> Makes it hard to counter anyone’s vague assertions about kids in general. What kind of debate is this supposed to be? Old men (and women) yelling at clouds and complaining about kids these days, or sorry, parents of kids these days? Not exactly compelling ground for a debate.
Some examples have been given in this thread that the OP says represent what he is saying, so that lets him at least partially off that particular hook in my opinion.
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### Author:  [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)
#### Post date: [September 25, 2019, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-kids-as-spokespersons-for-a-political-cause-does-it-really-achieve-the-desired-effect/840801/40 "2019-09-25T18:06:10Z")
> [@Airbeck](#):
>
> Which kids are being exploited and how? Oh, that’s right the OP poisoned the well immediately by stating that we can’t talk about specific kids.
>
> …
If he allowed it to be about \*that \*kid, then there’d be no other discussion.
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