by Ed Finn

Created on: July 03, 2007   Last Updated: June 04, 2011

Stealing the Children of America: The "Village" Myth

Here we go again. It seems that every time I turn around, someone on the radio is trying to annoy me. I cannot drive from here to there without getting all fired up. Perhaps it is due to the fact that I am passionate about my beliefs. It could also be that I am a little impulsive and overreact in some cases. Now, I do not mean to suggest that I become violent (no one who knows me would suggest such a thing), but rather consumed and outspoken when I feel to have been lied to.

I feel bad enough to be lied to personally, but to know that it is being broadcast to thousands, or perhaps more, people is infuriating. This entire tirade so far is derived from a program conducted in my home state. It is called "Carolina Close-up." It is a public affairs program. Unfortunately, I was driving at the time and could not write down anything I heard so I will do the best from memory.

On this program, the host was interviewing a prominent PHD from North Carolina State University. They were discussing "at risk" youth and how to deal with these children. Of course, they never did deal with the whole parental role. It seems they eliminated the parents out from the beginning. Now, perhaps I missed that part before I entered the vehicle. However, I was listening for over 30 minutes and never heard that mentioned.

I feel really uncomfortable with this whole issue of "It Takes a Village." I am sorry, but "It takes a Family", not a village to raise a child. In this society and culture today, we are inundated with psychiatrists, doctors, and politicians who want to run our families and control our lives. Most importantly, they want to steal our children. I know many of you are parents out there. Some of you may even have your children in counseling or on psychological drugs. If so, please read carefully.

Ritalin and other drugs used to treat so-called ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) are stimulants. They are used in order to tone down a child who is seen to have this disorder. There has been debate for a long time over what causes ADHD and what should be done about it. The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) describes this debate in the following quote: 

As useful as these drugs are, Ritalin and the other stimulants have sparked a great deal of controversy. Most doctors feel the potential side effects should be carefully weighed against the benefits before prescribing the drugs. While on these medications,

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