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• My stance on the whole "Boycott" of Homeschoolblogger... - Apr. 11, 2006

Michele from Reformed Chicks Babbling asked my thoughts on the whole boycott of homeschoolblogger by certain people outraged by the recent case of a child's death by abuse. Since the woman claims to have been following parenting tips given by "To Train Up a Child" this has lead some to boycott Homeschoolblogger since part of their advertisment is from the ministry.


Honestly, I'm not going to use this blog to discuss my personal beliefs on child discipline, but I will give my stand on boycotts. I believe they are stupid and let me explain why.


Historically in my experience boycotts have lead to no real change. I was a kid when they said that Proctor and Gamble was linked to the church of Satan. Now, on the other side of the boycott, we know this was simply not true. I was a teenager when the Southern Baptists decided to boycott Disney for their part in promoting the homosexual lifestyle. Yet, a couple months later my Southern Baptist friends were watching Disney movies and planning trips to Disneyland.


Boycotts are seen by most to be genearlly ridiculious. The action is stupid. If you were to boycott everything you didn't believe in then, by the end of the day, you would have nothing left in your home. They only serve to be touch points of anger and I don't believe we should do anything in anger.


I feel horrible that this child died. I am angry that this happened. I would love to do something to help, but a boycott isn't going to bring that child back or stop abuse. It's only going to serve to generate a lot of angry talk until it's old news and no one cares anymore.


If you really wish to do something to help - I would suggest joining a group like the National Network to End Domestic Violence or the Family Violence Prevention Fund.


"Punishing" people like myself who use homeschoolblogger is the same thing that the average person does on a day to day basis when they say "homeschoolers aren't really educating their child". You're guilty by association. While I will agree in someway we're all guilty of this child's death. I know I haven't done much lately to help end domestic abuse, but boycotting a site simply because they're "guilty by association" is in the long run a foolish gesture.


As American's we're guilty by association for supplying arms to kids fighting in Africa. As a resident of Chicago I'm guilty by association for the displacement of the citizens of Cabrini Green. As a human being I'm guilty by association for not standing up for the rights of the orphan, the fatherless, the opressed and the widow. Before we start judging people for their "specks" lets remove the giant billboards from our own eyes.


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Apr. 11, 2006 - Untitled Comment

Posted by
I was completely oblivious to this Pearl issue until recently. I've ordered a copy of the book...I want to read it for myself. I agree, boycotts are pretty useless...if these folks are outraged, write a letter clearly stating your concerns. Then, go out in the community and do something....even something as simple as donating planters of flowers to a local women's shelter...anything to encourage those in abusive relationships to get out before their children accpet it as normal and perpetuate the problem. My parents are extremely devout christians and managed to raise 3 children to be christian, hard working adults without every hitting us...not once! So, I do have concerns over what I've read, but I will allow myself to be the judge. Funny, there are books out there that teach all kinds of deviant behavior (i.e. how to make a bomb), why aren't these people boycotting these books, authors, companies, etc.

Edited by eyecorn on Apr. 12, 2006 at 7:06 AM
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Apr. 11, 2006 - To the Delinked

Posted by Anonymous
If anyone is delinked from other blogs, you have a place on the Blogging Chicks blogroll. We are up to 12 sites (woohoo). And even if you aren't delinked, feel free to join us :-).
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Apr. 11, 2006 - I AM SHOCKED!!

Posted by grandmommy
I am shocked!! I have that book and I did not know that it's the one that had come under fire. WOW!! I read it quiet some time ago but I cannot recall anything that I would have linked to child abuse. I certainly did not abuse or murder my children just because I read a book. I even loaned the book to friends and it got great reviews from them.. none of whom abused or murdered their children.

Gina

PS When my aunt was a young girl, she read "Mary Poppins", then climbed to the roof of the barn and jumped off while holding an umbrella. The accident broke her leg but my family did not boycott the author or the movie when it came out years later. In fact, I recently watched the movie with my granddaughter. Never did I think that the movie was advocating jumping off buildings while holding an umbrella.

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Apr. 12, 2006 - Bravo!

Posted by Anonymous
Consider this a standing ovation!! As an advocate of non-violent parenting techniques, a victim of child abuse, and a formerly misguided young parent guilty of reading and following books similar to the Pearls, I felt like I had an unique perspective in all of this. I abhor the punishments set forth in To Train Up a Child. I will, and have in the past, stood up for non-violence in parenting. But when I spoke out and said the boycott was not a good way to deal with this issue my voice was effectively silenced with ridicule, name calling and ultimately threats. Sometimes "movements" like boycotts become more about the "movement" and less about issue they were originally supposed to be about. The message I wish I could get out there is that there are choices that are so much better than corporal punishment; better for the child, better for the parent, better for the whole family, better for society as a whole. Bravo to you!!
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Apr. 12, 2006 - Reformed Chicks Blabbing

Posted by Michele
My website is available for anyone on homeschoolblogger who wants to voice their opinion on this boycott. Email me and send me a link to your post and I will link to it on RCB.

Michele
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About Me [−]

Blogging is my only addiction. Well, blogging and new books. I was homeschooled from K-12. I have an overactive imagination, read a page a minute and type 75 wmp. I've worked with kids since I was 13 and love writing about education issues. I'm an unpaid intern with MINDspriting. I steal paperclips to make up for the lack of a check.

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