George,

I feel that children should be exposed to politics at the point where they are also learning other things in life such as what a television is, what each of the United States are (and their capitols, too), and similar things. I can't say what age this is since it varies from child to child.

I do feel that children should be exposed to politics for what the original intent was - the Democracy of our Republic - Rule by the People, for the People.

When my youngest brother started getting interested in thinking about who he voted for instead of who he was told to vote for... he came to me (in 1994).

I told him all of the issues at hand and where each candidate stood on the issues. This was the year I ran for City Council and he voted for David Toscano and me (I hope).

I did not feel the need to press my views on him, just the facts and let him determine the best outcome.

I think Alex Searls brought up a good point about children at protests. My thoughts are that taking young children to protests burns a picture into their minds about how to hate people. They don't know or understand why they are hating someone - just that their parents want them too.

Now, the parents aren't trying to make the kids hate people, but a 5 or 10 year-old mind doesn't think that way. They think "Mom and Dad look mad and they are waving that sign - that must be a mean man - I hate that man for making Mom & Dad mad!"

Let your children decide on their own when they are ready to protest and they can do it in their own way.I have never attended a protest and a protester, however, my forms of protest are in making appointments with my legislators or writing letters to bring my views forth. I also do background research before voting (http://loper.org/~george/archives/2000/May/78.html) and don't vote based on what the media or more than what 51% of the people say or because someone TOLD me to vote that way. I don't always vote Republican.

Will Lyster (electronic mail, January 12, 2001).