Monday, January 7, 2008

Or can they?

Going along with the title of the blog, "they're mine and you can't have them", I came across a story today which puts that very statement in question. Here's the headline link:

SWAT officers invade home, take 11-year-old at gunpoint
(WorldNetDaily)

If you've got a minute to spare to read it, I'm sure the shock and outrage you will feel after reading will make it worthwhile. That is to say, if you're into shock and outrage.

Here's the nutshell:
  • 11 y.o. Boy plays rough.
  • Boy falls during horseplay.
  • Father of boy (and 9 others) uses his training as a medic in Vietnam, diagnoses damage as a bruise and decides to observe the child at home for signs of trauma.
  • Neighbor calls paramedics
  • Paramedics show up say nothing is wrong, but want to take child to hospital for observation
  • Father, seeing it was only a bruise and wanting to avoid hospital bills, says, "No."
  • Paramedics call police
  • Police say, "No, the parents are right."
  • Paramedics call Sheriff
  • Sheriff goes to house gets a good vibe and leaves
  • Somebody calls DSS
  • DSS goes to home demands to see the boy in private, eventually leave
  • SWAT Team shows up the next day with court order from Magistrate, beats literal hole into family door, points gun into face of daughter, handcuffs parents, takes boy to doctor
  • Doctor evaluates boy and releases him immediately
Memorable quotes from the story:
"He immediately carried his son into their home several doors away, and John was able to recite Bible verses and correctly spell words as his father and mother, Tina, requested. There were no broken bones, no dilated eyes, or any other noticeable problems."

"
The sheriff said the decision to use SWAT team force was justified because the father was a 'self-proclaimed constitutionalist' and had made threats and 'comments' over the years.
"However, the sheriff declined to provide a single instance of the father's illegal behavior. 'I can't tell you specifically,' he said.


Since when did providing for your family become a crime?
How/Why is being "a self proclaimed constitutionalist" a bad thing?

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