Man on Trial for Branding His Kids Like Cattle

While I think this was, in retrospect, a pretty stupid decision, in my opinion the fact that the father himself received the same branding shows that there was no ill intent by the father, just a very strange and painful display of family love and comraderie. So he's not the brightest guy in the world? I have seen worse parents in my hometown Walmart on a Tuesday afternoon. Investigate to be sure there isn't something more to this, but I agree with an earlier post. It's quickly looking like a good dad who made a bad judgement call.

Originally posted by LadySkadi

Originally posted by The Cusp
There were no charges laid for the daughter, because she was the age of consent. She obviously consented to that, otherwise he would have been charged with her branding as well. I can only assume the younger boys consented to this as well, in which case it's really not so bad.

Read these descriptions and if any of them apply to this family's situation (i.e. if this guy is found to have done something like this to his kids) than you can see how they may have consented and even believed it was what they wanted - when in fact it was indeed, child abuse and therefor the assertion that "it's really not so bad" is completely misguided and dangerous line of thought.

You are quite right.

At 13, I agreed to commit suicide when my parents said I should for the good of the family. I had been abused and manipulated all my life, but, as that was the only life I knew, I had no way of knowing I was being manipulated like that, I had no way of knowing I was not responsible for the abuse I underwent, and thus was not in a position to make a sound choice.

Yes, I chose, after much "persuasion," to sacrifice my life, but, morally, if I had, my parents would have been murderers.

As it was, something happened when I was about to swallow the pills they'd provided which made me believe it was no longer necessary. I was lucky.

Recently I learnt that my mother was piano teacher for a sicko local sect called "the family", begun by the CIA to experiment with drugs and torture on stolen babies.

You can never assume a child's agreement to something strange like this branding was freely given, even if the children themselves believe it was.

reply to post by RestingInPieces


One has to wonder what 18 year old would want the word "kid" branded on them.

Something going on in this home beyond the father and the hot metal, I'd bet the ranch on that.

Just because the children agreed to it doesn't make it OK. Would it be OK for a father to sleep with his 14 yo daughter if she 'agreed' to it?

reply to post by nik1halo

A question would be, is there any real difference to this and getting your kid's ears pierced? Both are mutillation for the sake of decoration.

Yes there is a real difference between the two.

Ear piercing like you said is done for decoration.

Branding is done to lay claim to something. He branded his children to tell the world that he OWNS his children. Disgusting.

reply to post by MessOnTheFED!


Yes other cultures in other countries. Branding your child is not part of the American culture. When you live in a society there are rules in place to keep it functioning smoothly. Those rules come from people's morals, and if you break those rules you have to answer to the society that you are a part of. In American society taking a red hot piece of metal and applying it to your childs flesh is not acceptable. To the overwhelming majority of our society it is considered child abuse so if he is found guilty he must suffer the consequences of his actions. That is what people agree to when they choose to live within a society.

Originally posted by chise61
reply to post by nik1halo

 

A question would be, is there any real difference to this and getting your kid's ears pierced? Both are mutillation for the sake of decoration.

Yes there is a real difference between the two.

Ear piercing like you said is done for decoration.

Branding is done to lay claim to something. He branded his children to tell the world that he OWNS his children. Disgusting.

So, what your saying is that it would have been perfectly okay for the children to do the exact same thing that they agreed for their father to do to them... to themselves?

Originally posted by chise61
reply to post by nik1halo

 

A question would be, is there any real difference to this and getting your kid's ears pierced? Both are mutillation for the sake of decoration.

Yes there is a real difference between the two.

Ear piercing like you said is done for decoration.

Branding is done to lay claim to something. He branded his children to tell the world that he OWNS his children. Disgusting.

I disagree. Branding and scarification is getting more and more common as decorations.

Originally posted by MemoryShock

Originally posted by LadySkadi
Read these descriptions and if any of them apply to this family's situation (i.e. if this guy is found to have done something like this to his kids) than you can see how they may have consented and even believed it was what they wanted - when in fact it was indeed, child abuse and therefor the assertion that "it's really not so bad" is completely misguided and dangerous line of thought.

While this story is centered on a potentially isolated experience, I think it bears some consideration, especially in light of LadySkadi's link above (and it's association's to "cult recipe's" and recent Behavioural Modification Techniques admissions from the Pentagon that this may be signiificant of something that may be impossible to describe without subjective experience.

There is a lot we don't know about the evolution of some of our countries subcultures and I can't even think to understand why someone would deign to brand their progeny...if not for some kind of need for recognition.

The psychology of it baffles me...

Edit to add a word for clarification.

[edit on Thu, 13 May 2010 00:12:30 -0500 by MemoryShock]

Methinks that Mommy has a new boyfriend maybe, and this is a message sent to him via the disfigurement of his own children....sort of the good old, "I was there first, dude" adage taken to the most extreme manifestation I've ever seen or heard of.

If this is Seamand's motivation, than this is a pure cut and dried example of child abuse.

UNLESS:

The children themselves wanted the brand to make sure step daddy knew his place in their lives. Still, one hell of a way to send a message.

Still abuse either way, in my book.

I have seen first hand how easily a man can rationalize obvious abuse of his own kids to get back at mommy/ step daddy. Nothing this absurd, but abuse on any level nonetheless.

I am step daddy.

Originally posted by chise61
Yes other cultures in other countries. Branding your child is not part of the American culture.

...there is no such thing as the american culture... we are many cultures, all of which have been bastardized to the point that they are no longer indicative of the "original" culture... ("original" is in quotes because i doubt there is such a thing as an original culture anywhere on the planet, with the exception of the few primitives in remote regions)...

Originally posted by chise61
In American society taking a red hot piece of metal and applying it to your childs flesh is not acceptable. To the overwhelming majority of our society it is considered child abuse

...but circumsizing a newborn male is not only deemed okay, it's the governmentally sanctioned RITUAL of PERMANENTLY MARKING male offspring...

...the problem with those who live in pink houses is that they think everyone should live in pink houses...

reply to post by LadySkadi


And what if there was?

Do you want governmental agencies from local up to the feds snooping into peoples' private lives? Their psychological lives at that?

I know I don't.

IMO people need to have some sort of compentancy test performed by a medical or psychological professional BEFORE they are allowed to breed. Testing them after the fact is not only redundant but a waste of time and money by the agencies involved.



Peace

reply to post by chise61


I understand that we as Americans have taken the so called "moral high road" but doe sthat mean that we all have to be cookie cutter people? All the same? I thought we were a people of understanding and tolerance to others that may be different than us? Obviously not. As i said earlier, this site has a lot of people who would force their morals and beliefs down your neck if you would let them.

And that whole "Burning metal to a childs flesh" statement that you made... Trying to make it sound as bad as possible arent we? Its called a BRAND. Believe it or not, sane, civilized people actually do things like this here in the good old U. S. of A. Its called freedom.

MessOnTheFED!

reply to post by Raustin


Totally opposite end of the spectrum there pal. Please dont put this man in the same category as a child molestor. If you dont have an argument then stop typing...... see how that works?

MessOnTheFED!

the world needs to stop thinking for others!!!! branding have been done to men women and children for 1000s of years. just because YOU don’t understand the meanings behind these things does not mean they are wrong. I cut and tattooed my self when I was thirteen. I got my ear pierced when I was 6 years old. my mother was the one who took me to get the piercing. I was fine with it then and I am fine with it now.

stop trying to run other peoples lives!

this world has gotten way out of hand. every one thinks that just because they are alive or went thru training or got appointed to some kind of possession that they get to rule over others.
well I know I didn’t appoint any one to rule over my life and decide what is best for me. I didn’t chose to be put into this world and I didn’t chose to be ruled over when I got here.

and it sickens me the way that people use 'the children' as a way to control others. children use to be adults at the age of 13. they use to start their own families, pay their own bills and hunt their own food. now 13 year olds are fragile little puppies who know absolutely nothing about the world and can not decide for them self's.

we have dumbed down our children by treating them like idiots. if you raise your children as adults they will become adults. children's minds are being warped because we "say" that certain things have warped them. if we realize that bad things happen and life goes on and teach that to our children then our children's minds would not be warped.

I have a 6 month old girl and a 5 year old girl and I treat them like humans not puppies. I know that they know better. I also know that they know more than they are trying to let off. children understand us. some times children understand the world better than we do. our children will become what we raise them to become.

in my opinion that man should be let go to raise HIS children but checked on to make sure he is not doing this to intentionally hurt "the children".

mind your own business. worry about your self's for once.

but peace be with you and all that junk

[edit on 13-5-2010 by fallow the light]

reply to post by Taupin Desciple


Yes, I do.

*If* there was abuse, psychological or otherwise than I want someone or some agency stepping in to protect the children. Plain and simple.

Government population control, is not an option (IMO) and I would not support it.
And... if that was a joke, well... I don't see the humor.

Damn!

That man has serious issues!

i cant believe a father would do this to his kids and himslef.
this reminds me of the kids in my neighborhood giving themselves burn tattoos to "represent" lol

Absolutely sickening.

It's hard to believe that the father thought it was in his kids best interest.

Like said before here, it's like ownership, didn't they brand the slaves too when there was still slavery?

I wonder how it is possible that so many people that had a bad childhood pass it on to their own kids, seen it happen with my own parents.

You would expect they wouldn't make the same bad mistakes.

It's sad that stuff like this happens and I can only hope he gets what he deserves and that the kids have professional help to get them through that trauma.

Originally posted by RestingInPieces
you don't make any sense until you turn 18. Everyone knows that.

Actually, you don't develop full critical thinking skills until the brain is fully developed at about age 25. Shhhhhhhhh, don't tell the kids that though.

It is odd how culture can make such a difference.

I'm waiting for when those who covered themselves in tattoo's grow up and realize they don't want them and now they can't get rid of them. Who puts a person who looks like a circus side show in a position of power or authority? Nobody does. Lots of young people ruining their careers with crappy tattoo's all over themselves.

Sounds like this man is mentally still a child himself.

reply to post by semperfortis


I like that idea. That should be his punishment.