Sitting here on the fringe with my kid, looking at the view

[beetiger]

While I was out in Florida taking my kid to Disney World, a totally canonical American family activity, I got email from Marie, the woman who runs the Sampler project I was raving about. She'd been receiving a number of emails, LJ comments in her community, and an anonymous return of one of the pins I sent for the May Sampler, which had this design. I'd cleared them with her before sending, as she does in fact reserve the right to not accept submissions that she thinks might be offensive. She didn't believe they were. However, some people, or maybe someone and zir posse, did. I can't see the comments, as she deleted them, but they were apparently very inflammatory. When she physically got the return, she decided to contact me in case the people had also been contacting me directly. (They hadn't.)

After a friendly if somewhat confused email from me in response, she agreed to let me keep contributing to the Sampler, though she suggested I not preview my items on the LJ community. ("That might not be good.")

She did send me a summary of the complaints, as follows:
1) satanic symbolism
2) items inappropriate for a child
3) their christian ethics being insulted
4) the business name promotes the demonization of children


Usual policy for the Sampler is that if you receive something not to your liking, you should pass it on or trade it. If it's something you really think no one should have, just throw it out and say "Eww" or something.

This is really a trendy arty community, and I really thought hard to figure out what might have a high "cute" factor even if you weren't pagan.

Then I wake up this morning to find my friends' page splattered all over with this case from Indiana where as part of a divorce settlement, the custodial parents of a boy aren't allowed to teach him their Wiccan beliefs -- when this was not otherwise an issue in the divorce settlement, just the judge's personal thing.

I keep trying to get my head around the idea that people think I'm dangerous to kids, just by existing. I start to get worried that I'm setting my little boy up for trouble, as soon as he opens his little mouth to talk about his day to day life. But when he looks down at his shirt and says "Cat! Star!" and laughs a lot, I just can't see any peril there. And the fact that someone can makes me profoundly sad.

Comments

[beetiger.livejournal.com]

Oh, I'm not worried about how I'm raising him.

I'm worried about the first time he tells someone about his life and someone tells him he is going to hell, or that his mother is a slut. I'm worried about people throwing hate at him for who I am.

[susandeer.livejournal.com]

This is something I worried about with Eric's step-son. While not my business, I advized him that the child will not be existing in a bubble, that kids are cruel, simply because they're kids establishing a hierarchy. I met with a brick wall. Bee, the fact that the concern crosses your mind makes you a more responsible parent and you are to be highly commended for that! I worry about Eric's step-son, but not your little guy.

as for that judge, I hope this becomes a big enough scandal to unseat him.

[kensan-oni.livejournal.com]

Trust me. From experince. It doesn't matter who you are, or what you might be. Hate finds you. It is how you confront and deal with that Hate that makes you the kind of person you are.

... It's something that I still am coping with, I think...

[walkertxkitty.livejournal.com]

It still goes back to the fine parent you are. He'll have enough security to understand that these people hate themselves. I don't believe with you and Bard as parents that he'll internalize it. I think he'll be compassionate and pity them instead.