NationStates Jolt Archive

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060101/ap_on_re_us/iraq_american_teen;_ylt=AsXTsAN3Z7x_.3hKxfVl2p5I2ocA;_ylu=X3oDMTBiMW04NW9mBHNlYwMlJVRPUCUl

16 year old kid travels to Iraq without telling anyone, for a "project," and is deciding he wants to come home now. And if that wasn't enough, he is Muslim, or at least of Middle Eastern descent (I don't think the State Department cares.) Who wants to bet he gets routed by the feds at the airport?

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060101/ap_on_re_us/iraq_american_teen;_ylt=AsXTsAN3Z7x_.3hKxfVl2p5I2ocA;_ylu=X3oDMTBiMW04NW9mBHNlYwMlJVRPUCUl

16 year old kid travels to Iraq without telling anyone, for a "project," and is deciding he wants to come home now. And if that wasn't enough, he is Muslim, or at least of Middle Eastern descent (I don't think the State Department cares.) Who wants to bet he gets routed by the feds at the airport?

How the hell did he get the money to pay for that escapade!?

Congratulatulations. You win the Profiling Award 2006. :rolleyes:

Congratulatulations. <--- Excuse me while I pour another drink. :p

Congratulatulations. You win the Profiling Award 2006. :rolleyes:
And you can watch his ass get picked up for suspicions of terrorism because all people of Middle Eastern descent are terrorists, duh.

If I was his parents, I would tell him that we don't have enough money to bring him back, and we won't have enough money for six month. If he wants to go to Iraq to see it firsthand, then let him.

If I was his parents, I would tell him that we don't have enough money to bring him back, and we won't have enough money for six month. If he wants to go to Iraq to see it firsthand, then let him.
...he went to Iraq.

...he went to Iraq.

I know he did, you missed the point, he shouldn't have gone over there.

If you read the article you find... that he didn't get to Iraq. The borders were closed.

If you read the article you find... that he didn't get to Iraq. The borders were closed.Yes, he did -- just not when he wanted to.Farris cut school and left the United States on Dec. 11, traveling to Kuwait, where he thought he could take a taxi into Baghdad to witness the Dec. 15 parliamentary elections. The border was closed for the elections, so he went to stay with family friends in Lebanon, before flying to Baghdad on Christmas.

Why the hell would you sneak off to the middle east? This is like one of those bad teen films

If I was his parents, I would tell him that we don't have enough money to bring him back, and we won't have enough money for six month. If he wants to go to Iraq to see it firsthand, then let him.

Hehe. Make him work to get back.

I would :D

Hehe. Make him work to get back.

I would :D

EXACTLY! Hey he got himself over there, he can get himself home.

EXACTLY! Hey he got himself over there, he can get himself home.

i call bullshit on your response and the one you quoted. If it were your kid, it'd all be different. And no way in Hell you'd risk him 'working his way' back, either. Empty sentiments, guys.

EXACTLY! Hey he got himself over there, he can get himself home.

He seems to be doing just that already, having planned for it apparently. The only question is whether the feds will whisk him away and make him disappear or not.

i call bullshit on your response and the one you quoted. If it were your kid, it'd all be different. And no way in Hell you'd risk him 'working his way' back, either. Empty sentiments, guys.

If it was my kid, he wouldn't be pulling that stunt in the first place because he knows if he did, he would be under house arrest until I die.

What I'm concerned about is the fact that he managed to acquire the funds to fly to Iraq (we're talking at least $1000US) without his parents noticing. I mean, do you really need to let your children have access to that sort of money?

What I'm concerned about is the fact that he managed to acquire the funds to fly to Iraq (we're talking at least $1000US) without his parents noticing. I mean, do you really need to let your children have access to that sort of money?

No one ever seems to be able to pay attention.

He saved up Christmas and birthday money to fund the trip. And a 16 year old with a part time job can make that kind of money in a few months. Would you not let your children have access to that sort of money? Would you take it away from them even if they'd earned it?

Odds are that his parents were fully aware of the money their son had. What they were unaware of was the plane ticket he purchased with said money.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060101/ap_on_re_us/iraq_american_teen;_ylt=AsXTsAN3Z7x_.3hKxfVl2p5I2ocA;_ylu=X3oDMTBiMW04NW9mBHNlYwMlJVRPUCUl

16 year old kid travels to Iraq without telling anyone, for a "project," and is deciding he wants to come home now. And if that wasn't enough, he is Muslim, or at least of Middle Eastern descent (I don't think the State Department cares.) Who wants to bet he gets routed by the feds at the airport?

is he mad ?

If I remember the story aright, mom and dad are very wealthy.

This story explains why SOME 16 year olds are not mature enough to possess a passport.

1) Expect him to make the talk show circuit.
2) Don't be surprised if his folks try to sue his school, who also had no clue of what he planned.
3) Unfortunately, yeah... he went to Iraq, he's probably going on a watchlist along with all his family and friends. Is it right? No. Will it happen? Yes.

No one ever seems to be able to pay attention.

He saved up Christmas and birthday money to fund the trip. And a 16 year old with a part time job can make that kind of money in a few months. Would you not let your children have access to that sort of money? Would you take it away from them even if they'd earned it?

Odds are that his parents were fully aware of the money their son had. What they were unaware of was the plane ticket he purchased with said money.
My children work and get to spend a few dollars from each check---BUT I keep a tab on their account and when they get enough I have them buy bonds or a CD (Certificate of Deposit not shiny disc) They have the money but it is tied up where they can't spend it on just anything. Children don't own anything. Everything they have is mine. I make sure they handle what they get properly or I will take it away and keep it in trust.

This story shows it takes more than sex to be a parent.

You wouldn't last thirty seconds as my parent.
While you may have some legal claim to whatever your child has, what ethical claim do you have? Unless they're spending that money to buy RPGs to shoot down planes, what moral grounds do you have for simply repossessing what they've earned?

If my parents took any money from my pay, I would burn everything they own. Everything. And I think they understand this.

We saw his family on the Today show, either Friday or Saturday morning. The kid got to Kuwait, but got stopped at the border. Then his dad, in Beirut, got him a ticket to Beirut, then to Baghdad. Great father, huh?

Everything they have is mine. I make sure they handle what they get properly or I will take it away and keep it in trust.

This story shows it takes more than sex to be a parent.

It also takes a bit of sense to know the difference between guardianship and control obsessed people. Come to think of it, that comes very dangerously close to bonded serfdom since what they produce (cash-wise), becomes taken by, and controlled by you.

Parents can advise kids what to do with their cash, but when they start taking their cash away, especially when they earn it, you had better damn well have made sure they know what you're doing and they accept it cause that's theft otherwise, plain and simple.