Blair proposes eugenicist solution to problem kids

[TC]

Blair to tackle problem kids "pre-birth"
Thu Aug 31, 2006 10:20 PM BST
http://today.reuters.co.uk/news/articlenew...1T212024Z_01_By Tim Castle

LONDON (Reuters) - Prime Minister Tony Blair said on Thursday the state should intervene early -- possibly even before birth -- to stop the children of problem families growing up into troublemakers.

One think-tank said the idea, the latest step in Blair's drive against crime and anti-social behaviour in Britain, verged on "genetic determinism".

In his first interview since returning from a Caribbean holiday, Blair told the BBC that teenage mothers could be required to accept state assistance with bringing up their children and could face sanctions if they refused.


Intervention might even be needed "pre-birth", he said.

"If we are not prepared to predict and intervene far more early then there are children that are going to grow up in families that we know perfectly well are completely dysfunctional, and the kids a few years down the line are going to be a menace to society and actually a threat to themselves," Blair said.

Blair is seeking to put the focus on his policies to try to halt a slump in his government's popularity and shift media attention away from the question of when he will step down in favour of his expected successor, Chancellor Gordon Brown.

He said the government could say to an unmarried teenage mother who was not in a stable relationship:

"Here is the support we are prepared to offer you, but we do need to keep a careful watch on you and how your situation is developing because all the indicators are that your type of situation can lead to problems in the future."

Anastasia de Waal, of social policy think-tank Civitas, was quoted on the BBC's Web site as saying: "It is teetering on genetic determinism this kind of saying that before children are even born they are labelled as problematic."

Oliver Letwin, policy director for the Conservatives, slammed Blair's idea, saying more state intervention and bureaucracy were not the answer.

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Sick fuck. Like its not hard enough for teen mothers without the state singling them out legally for totalitarian management of their personal lives.

[Vanguard1917]

This is just another example of the state's increasing readiness to intrude into the everyday lives of working class people.

It says a lot about how the political elite views the public when it cannot even bring itself to trust individuals (so-called 'democratic citizens&#39 to raise their own children.

Just to note, the people who will no doubt be complaining about this in this morning's liberal press are likely to be the same people who have no problem with state-sponsored 'social workers' entering working class homes. The only reason they'll be moaning this time is because 'Blair said it'.

[loveme4whoiam]

Just to note, the people who will no doubt be complaining about this in this morning's liberal press are likely to be the same people who have no problem with state-sponsored 'social workers' entering working class homes. The only reason they'll be moaning this time is because 'Blair said it'.

Indeed

This presents a huge question in sociological terms. I mean, they are going to look at every "category" of society, and draw a line down the middle, with those who are "destined" to be dysfunctional on one side and those who aren&#39;t on another. I wonder how many middle class families will be included on the "negative" side <_<

I hate the anti-social twats who seems to run our streets at the moment, but this is just disgusting.

[Tommy-K]

Yet another blatant, undisguised move further and further towards the right. New Labour aren&#39;t even trying to pretend they are still left-wing anymore. Conservatives in Labour clothing. The sick **** has really gone to far. He said this week that his party should "Stop being so obsessed with when he is going to step down," but with incidents like this, is it any wonder everyone is anxious for him to leave? If he doesn&#39;t go soon, we could be in a situation as bad as the Thatcher years.

[Sir Aunty Christ]

This reminds me of Blair&#39;s utterly ridiculous "Baby ASBO" plan of last year and also of an incident I read of a few weeks ago where an autistic man was issued with an ASBO: Punishing the Sick

[Physco Bitch]

This is one of the many things i hate about society, labeling and shoving all people into the same pockets of society. Fine where i used to live was a disgusting place where mothers (wether teenagers or not) were letting kids as young as three to roam around the streets, and go and collect there drugs for them. But at the same time i have seen teenage mothers in those "kind" of families how look after and bring up nice polite children. This is just fecking stupid and shouldn&#39;t be aloud to happen just because mr.Blair wants to boost popularity , him and his goverment are a bunch of shit heads. They will only boost their popularity for winging interfering people how already support them. There lose even more people how are coming up to their age to vote thanks to this. Fine i admit that their are too many intimdating yobs (where are used to live almost the hole place was filled with them) but this is beyond a joke and is also majorly discriminating against people who could very well won&#39;t be like that. I was put on the at risk list twice (i think they classed me majorly at risk from both parents) and my mom even though she became a single mom, brought me and my brother up to be considerate kind people who won&#39;t be yobs even if you paid us.