Boston Globe Reporter Drags 11-Year-Old Daughter to Occupy Boston
“Bring the Family: Looking for Adventure with the Kids” reads the tag line over a weekly series of tips to Boston Globe readers suggesting what to do with them on weekends. In Saturday’s “g” section, the headline announced the “what,” a bizarre recommendation to expose them to a volatile, unsanitary and politically heated situation: “Occupying Boston with the kids.” The who: “Globe reporter Mark Shanahan and his daughter, Julia.”
Shanahan, who “covers the comings and goings of Boston’s celebrity class in the newspaper’s daily ‘Names’ column,” decided “it was time to visit Dewey Square so my 11-year-old daughter could see for herself what Occupy Boston is all about, to hear what the protesters are saying about ‘corporate greed’ and ‘income disparity,’ and maybe to get a few ideas for our next camping trip to Baxter State Park.”
Shanahan recounted how he decided to “strike while the iron is hot” since his daughter now has “great empathy for have nots”:
Julia doesn’t know yet who Eugene Debs is, but she did just read ‘Uprising,’ a book about three friends caught in the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire, and she has great empathy for have-nots. Strike while the iron is hot, I figured, even if it means exposing her to people eating Chex Mix with a fork.
Shanahan’s commentary matched the agenda of the protesters:
We stopped by on a warm fall afternoon, and I pointed out the towering and ominous-looking Federal Reserve Bank building across the street. It was no coincidence, I explained, that the protesters had pitched their tents and tarps in the shadow of this steely monolith to money. We arrived as Harvey Wasserman, a well-known activist sometimes credited with coining the phrase “No Nukes,” was giving a tutorial on social movements of the past, and the people who inspired - or obstructed - them.
“Gee, he really doesn’t like Woodrow Wilson,” whispered Julia.
A small crowd had gathered to listen, and there were a couple of police officers standing nearby, but they looked more bored than menacing. We wandered amid the tents, clutching a copy of the Boston Occupier newspaper, before Julia paused to look at a sculpture of Gandhi and at a sign that read, “The first act of disobedience is contemplation.”
- Brent Baker's blog
- Login to post comments
Comments
The article doesn't mention
Submitted by Bhaal on Sun, 11/27/2011 - 11:38am.
The article doesn't mention anything about a good dose of anti-semitism to blend in with the other brainwashing his daughter is getting. After the OWS field trip, I'm sure he will take her around to see all the charity work people like Bill Gates and Boone Pickens support. Maybe he could show her all the jobs they have generated in the businesses they run.
The kid is already indoctrinated, so a visit to OWS . . .
Submitted by Galvanic on Sun, 11/27/2011 - 2:26pm.
. . . won't really add anything.
But the images, sounds, and smells of the squalor may have more lasting impact than the chanting and daddy's narrative.
She would like to
Submitted by dr-go on Sun, 11/27/2011 - 2:28pm.
"....get a few ideas for our next camping trip to Baxter State Park.”
and compare the way different animals live.
Great job Dad!
What a jerk.
Submitted by NeoKong on Sun, 11/27/2011 - 12:02pm.
He can't let it go.
The OWS movement has been a complete failure and yet somehow this guy needs to find some sort of nobility and purpose there.
What is even funnier is how he tries to represent their location as some sort of irony when in fact is because it is a large public park directly across the street from the South Station train depot where the protesters can eat from the dozen or more restaurants, wash up in the public restrooms and stay warm and dry when the weather is bad and use the free electricity and WI-FI for their laptops.
What is most pathetic is that he claims that his "11-year-old daughter could see for herself what Occupy Boston is all about, to hear what the protesters are saying about ‘corporate greed’ and ‘income disparity,’ " as if there are any 11 year old girls who think about OWS for even a second without being led to it by their misguided father.
I especially loved the quote about Woodrow Wilson as if his kid even knows who the guy was. I would wager at least half the protesters couldn't even say who he was.
I've said it before. Dragging children to protests is pathetic. I suspect that Shanahan did it because he could frame their narrative to someone who could not argue back.
Pretty lame.
Someone should call DSS on this idiot
Submitted by griv on Sun, 11/27/2011 - 11:58am.
What a great way to "expose" a helpless 11 year old to the filth that is Liberal America. Maybe Social Services should be notified to what this idiot did.
A tool turning his daughter into a tool.
Submitted by motherbelt on Sun, 11/27/2011 - 12:02pm.
Maybe now that they're back home, he and his daughter could read this together,
From a global perspective the 99% are the 1%
and both get a grip.
This guy needs a citation...
Submitted by Guapo Diablo on Sun, 11/27/2011 - 12:00pm.
Too bad the cops couldn't cite this guy with a warning that as a parent he needs improvement.
Child abuse,...
Submitted by BBallleaper on Sun, 11/27/2011 - 12:03pm.
This leftist moron should be arrested and charged with child abuse / child endangerment. These great 'heros' of his are rapists, murderers, alcoholics, drug addicts, anarchists, and terrorists. What a message it would be to send to these mutants to see this idiot 'perp-walked' for abusing his kid. Yeah, I know it's a dream. In Boston the elitist class is reading this tripe and smiling to themselves that their own perceptions of this trash are correct,....one of their own has authenticated it. Have another scone, dear?
Indeed
Submitted by Darks Shadow Show on Sun, 11/27/2011 - 3:43pm.
While I was reading the article, I kept expecting something about one of the protesters exposing himself to her or trying something worse, as we've heard in so many reports of these animals. He should indeed be charged with child endangerment.
Baxter State Park
Submitted by chiefdave on Sun, 11/27/2011 - 12:12pm.
We do not need this jerk coming here ,we have enough of his kind transplanted
here.
Chief Dave....boy, are you
Submitted by celator on Sun, 11/27/2011 - 12:30pm.
Chief Dave....boy, are you right. We don't need any, as in not one more, of these out of state, liberal mush heads coming across the border into Maine. They've screwed the place up enough already. I won't even take them hunting long haired, yellow bellied tree squeeks anymore. (Even though it was fun telling them to look way, way up in the trees to find these little critters.) "Look, at the top of that spruce tree, wiggling his tail, eating creek nuts." ;+}.
Child abuse is a terrible thing
Submitted by Dave. on Sun, 11/27/2011 - 12:36pm.
This is even worse.
-Dave
Vote for the American in November
Does his daughter have cuts and bruises?
Submitted by Kingfish17 on Sun, 11/27/2011 - 12:36pm.
This guy should be in jail for dragging his daughter. That had to hurt.
But seriously......Isn't the Federal Reserve building a government building?
And it would also be interesting to see if this guy sends his daughter to a private school.
"You can’t go take a trip to Las Vegas...on the taxpayer’s dime." Barack Obama
yeah....
Submitted by Mark81150 on Sun, 11/27/2011 - 12:45pm.
I somehow suspect, this same "socially aware" reporter, would take savage exception to a man bringing his children to a Tea Party rally, and using it to explain the knee jerk class warfare idiocy of the rich left. Too in love with their .. down with the peoples struggle myth.. to understand how pathetic rich white kids are when they play at being oppressed....
So he didn't feel threatened by the cops there?........ how nice of him...
Wonder if he felt threatened by the literally unwashed scumbags who have made these protests great examples of urban crime? I really, really hate leftists using their kids as props in ways that make their Palin bashing for merely introducing her kids,...just obscene in it's raging cynical hypocrisy.
My daughter is 12, and his kind of activist among her teachers has driven her screaming into the conservative camp.. I never had to say anything, they in their zeal to indoctrinate, alienate more than a few of the smarter children. She was in the 5th grade when O ran in 08,.. and her school, (semi-rural) , was shot through with the few O-bots who populate our town. 60/65% conservative, and the most rabid leftys are concentrated in the faculty. A 5th grade class... and the only subject she learned that year was how awesomely awesome the staff thought Obama was.. his posters wallpapered the school.. and parents protesting the crass politization of our kids were berated as being "afraid" of change, and potentially racist...
I didn't used to hate liberals.. but they took me there when they tried to hijack my kids.
like this moron.
The cops weren't too threatening
Submitted by ThisnThat on Sun, 11/27/2011 - 8:16pm.
And what is his daughter to learn of that? "Honey, we can walk past these cops today -- the OWS protesters are here to support us, and so the cops aren't too threatening."
I wonder if he would:
Maybe he left that out of today's lesson? Perhaps another time, then?
__________
“Didn't win the Medal of Honor? Didn't even serve? Then lie about it. We'll support you." — 9th Circuit Court
Let me guess.
Submitted by Newsbubba on Sun, 11/27/2011 - 12:44pm.
"Shanahan, who 'covers the comings and goings of Boston’s celebrity class' " most probably gets paid a handsome salary for his "toil" among the celebrity class. I would guess that his beat is the party circuit where he is served only the best of food and drink, and he probably has to own more than one tuxedo to be able to dress properly for "work."
He hobnobs and sucks up to the rich and famous, who cater to him like a bunch of lobbyists so that he will say only nice things about them. The only difference between him and the congressmen he probably hates is that he can be bought a lot cheaper than they can. Whores are whores. Price separates the good ones from the bad ones.
His darling little daughter probably attends a very prestigious private school, and wants for nothing. I suggest that he have her drop out of school, take the tuition money, and let her contribute it to Van Jones. She can also sell all her clothes, and shop at the Salvation Army store from now on. Ditch the iPhone, the computer, and every other decadent toy she owns, and give the money to the bums in the park.
I'm guessing that the Shanahan's live in a house that could easily give three or four more people a really roomy, comfortable place to live. Let the daughter pick out some of the bums and bring them home. She can help them for the rest of their lives.
Do all of these things, or shut the hell up! I'm guessing that you are a typical liberal who has absolutely no plan to help anyone, and your daughter will grow up the same. So do us all a favor and flock off.
PS. If you really want to prove what a great man you are, let your daughter go to Occupy Boston for a sleepover for the weekend. That should teach her a thing or two.
Reminds of a joke
Submitted by Model850 on Sun, 11/27/2011 - 2:35pm.
Newsbubba, your comment "Whores are whores. Price separates the good ones from the bad ones."reminds me of an old joke:
Man (to attractive woman): Would you go to bed with me for $20,000?
Woman: Yeah, I probably would.
Man: How about for $20?
Woman (indignantly): What kind of woman do you think I am?!
Man: We've already established that; now we're just negotiating the price.
One of my favorite!
Submitted by Newsbubba on Sun, 11/27/2011 - 4:35pm.
Also like the one: Do you know the difference between a whore and a call girl? About $600 an hour.
Newsbubba
Submitted by Radical1979 on Sun, 11/27/2011 - 2:47pm.
My sentiments exactly. Why doesn't he tell his precious that in order to help the have not's he and his family forgo Christmas gifts this year, and give all that money to the occupiers. That would get her thinking...
I dunno,
Submitted by killa37 on Sun, 11/27/2011 - 2:55pm.
I dunno, bubba.................just speaking for myself - when my kids were 11, it was soccer, basketball, baseball, surfing, swimming, learning how to do chores, homework, teaching hygiene and personal responsibility, and the rest of the 'usual' and 'normal' kid stuff. If we had ever had the occasion to see a situation like OWS - knowing my own kids, they'd wonder why these idiots were gathered up in such a stinky, filthy mess instead of doing what most 'normal' people do................and now that they're grown, I can assure you that is the case.
I get a laugh in my little peabrain thinking about what could happen if one of those OWS bowel movement maggots accosted either one of my sons with their stupid agenda - it WOULD be toilet time!! Actually, I sent that article a few weeks ago about the Coast Guard member who was harrassed by some OWS types - that son is an Officer in the CG. I know that he would have behaved professionally, but those little cretins would have gotten the message - both intellectually AND physically.
killa
Submitted by Radical1979 on Sun, 11/27/2011 - 2:57pm.
If anyone from OWS (or anyone else for that matter) tried anything on my petite daughter, they would regret it. Physically and intellectually.
No doubt, Ms.
Submitted by killa37 on Sun, 11/27/2011 - 3:05pm.
No doubt, Ms. Rad..............except that you have too much common sense and ethics to even CONSIDER taking your daughter to an OWS bowel movement for a 'field trip'..................I'm sure that she has a wide variety of 'girlie' things to do that will be much more beneficial to her upbringing.
You know............I came from a family of 4 boys - and my Dad ALWAYS wanted a daughter ............and I had 2 sons, but I would have LOVED having a daughter......and so far I have one grandson. I guess there's still time - somehow. I think that girls (who later become women) are a wonderful creation!!!
Yes they are, Killa.
Submitted by Newsbubba on Sun, 11/27/2011 - 4:43pm.
I have two boys who I love, dearly, but my baby girl is a true delight! Best part is, having grown up with two big brothers who never cut her ANY slack when playing sports, she is one tough cookie. She was about 10 before she figured out that she couldn't ever play in the NFL, for she truly loves the game. We would spend "quality time" together watching football on Sunday from the time she was 3, sitting in my lap. By the time she was 5, she knew more about the game than I did, having memorized everything that John Madden would say during his comments. She knew what a nickel defense was before she knew what a nickel was.
You would love it.
BTW, if your father had had a girl, he would have named her Loretta?
Believe it or not, bubba, I
Submitted by killa37 on Sun, 11/27/2011 - 5:57pm.
Believe it or not, bubba, I DID have a kitty-cat named Loretta - so you swerved (sorta) into that one!!!
OK....so this innocent and naive Hawaiian guy - who'd never left his hometown on an outer island of Hawaii, got invited to go to Vegas with some friends. He was excited, because he could finally 'hook-up' with a woman. When he got there, the first thing he did was go to try and cut a deal with a hooker.
She stated her price,and he asked how much it would be for 'Hawaiian style'..............well, she wasn't into anything weird, so she said no dice. He kept pressing her and increasing his offer, just so they could do it 'Hawaiian style'.........but she kept rebuffing him, thinking that it must be something too weird or kinky to deal with.
Finally, when he got to $1000 bucks for a 'session', she figured - what the hell, I've been in this business a while - what could be any weirder or kinkier than anything I've allready seen?? So she relented, and they went to his hotel room.
After the gig, and they were getting dressed - she told the guy - 'so that wasn't anything too weird or kinky or depraved. What's with this 'Hawaiian style' that you kept talking about'???
He said - 'oh, yeah................can I pay you next week'????
killa
Submitted by Radical1979 on Sun, 11/27/2011 - 5:59pm.
You remind me of this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CRnbtRPC6v4. If I must say, my daughter is a wonderful mix of femininity and toughness, as in she goes to school, works hard, and hopes to find a guy who will be a partner in life and not meal ticket.
And, she's a conservative. However a granddaughter should prove less daunting than a grandson. It's not always easy, but it's worth it.
Just another case of the liberal media
Submitted by Boudin on Sun, 11/27/2011 - 12:44pm.
Proving their bias. How in the heck could anyone take this moron seriously again? And what kind of life does he expect for his Daughter, when anarchy is the rule?
Wonder how many Tea Parties they went to?
I'm sure...
Submitted by ChrisNH on Sun, 11/27/2011 - 12:51pm.
I'm sure that this radical, hippie-looking Leftist media hack would be happy to BRING his daughter to downtown Boston and then right back to his cushy suburban digs, bought with 'capitalist' dollars.
Leftist media hacks are all hypocrites. This idiot probably doesn't recognize that to millions of people, he IS in the 1%.
I just watched a program on
Submitted by Pewah on Sun, 11/27/2011 - 12:47pm.
I just watched a program on the Khmer Rouge this morning on PBS and their botched attempts (2 million dead) at shaping a society that was more fair, with less economic disparity, etc.
Somehow...
Submitted by StarAZ on Sun, 11/27/2011 - 1:04pm.
This is no street guy--wonder what would have happened if some schizophrenic or drunk had braced him and the kid. Oh, that's right--cops standing by. A lot of "have nots" have it not this way.
Julia is much smarter than dad.....
Submitted by notinstl on Sun, 11/27/2011 - 1:22pm.
...no one should like woodrow wilson....and division of family services should visit this guy's house
Dragging the kids [students] to OWS - Civics anyone?
Submitted by Gary Hall on Sun, 11/27/2011 - 1:26pm.
The LA Times, on Friday, offered up a bit of shocking news (an excerpt - my bold):
While I'd like to believe that the presentation here that one teacher also taught about the Tea Party (is there another one out there?), somehow, I'm not believing that C-SPAN set up a lesson plan sent out to 40,000 teachers, which presented a fair and balanced look at the Tea Party.
(;~/ gary
"Income disparity"? There
Submitted by rbosque on Sun, 11/27/2011 - 2:22pm.
"Income disparity"?
There sure is!
My boss makes more than I do because he has a master's degree. I have a B.A.
My brother started his own business and earns $500,000 a year because he busted his hump. I don't make anything near that.
My uncle openned a restaurant and retired with a pile of cash. Why? because he too busted his hump to EARN it.
Anyone who complains about "income disparity" is a stupid asswipe who can't understand a very simple concept: work hard, and you'll eventually make it big. These people sit on their ass and are upset they're not "rich". Stupid jerks.
Flower Power
Submitted by Kleenex on Sun, 11/27/2011 - 4:17pm.
OWS is a bowel movement and is quickly losing what little public support they had. It gives the 60's generation one more chance to re-live old times but that's about it. The media has and still will try to give them relevance, but the public is just not buying it.
"Daddy, Daddy, What's That!"
Submitted by bigdaddy on Mon, 11/28/2011 - 12:43am.
"Don't worry Sweet Heart, it's just a man taking a crap on a police car. It's a form of "Civil Disobedience".
maybe to get a few ideas for
Submitted by moderncommentaries83 on Mon, 11/28/2011 - 7:20am.
maybe to get a few ideas for our next camping trip to Baxter State Park
Like what? Not bathing for weeks on end and pooping on cop cars?
But remember: These same people who drag their kids to rape and disease-infested illegal occupy camps think it's a great idea for the UN to decide whether or not it's okay for me to take my kids to church.
Child Abuse
Submitted by rammingspeed on Mon, 11/28/2011 - 12:53pm.
This is child abuse. The same kind of thing whereby racist parents indoctrinated their children into believing that the KKK was right.
“The first act of disobedience is contemplation.”
Submitted by misterbee241 on Mon, 11/28/2011 - 1:05pm.
I think there is some truth to this. I'm sure that Adam and Eve, the purveyors of the very first act of disobedience and who ruined life for all of us, contemplated eating that fruit before they actually did. But not for very long though. One bite and paradise fell. And as we can see, oh so many eons later, disobedience and rebellion is still mankind's problem. and OWS wont stop that. They are part of the problem.
I'm glad the child has empathy for the "have nots." that is not totally a bad thing. the question is, how will she be taught to solve it? being the good liberal she is being raised to be, you know she'll want to solve the world's problems. But that question is rhetorical. i already know the answer.