OUCH -- WHEN TOLERANCE HURTS

Red State Feminist brings us the disturbing tale of the custody battle over these two little girls, 13-year old twins, Lamb and Lynx Gaede.  These two children are popularly known as the Olsen Twins of White Supremacy. Their mother has homeschooled them in neo-Nazism and has nurtured their careers as a pop duo called "Prussian Blue," which sings odes to Adolf Hitler, Rudolph Hess and the Third Reich.  They are very popular in white nationalist circles and are considered a valuable asset in recruiting new members.

Their dad has been fighting for custody on the ground that their mother is damaging them by teaching them a poisonous ideology of hate.  Unfortunately, dad has a history of drug abuse and domestic violence.  The judge ruled that mother should retain custody, but that father may have limited visitation with the twins.

As everyone agreed in the comments thread at Red State Feminist's site (last I checked), this decision was a no-brainer, albeit a painful one.  We can't start depriving parents of child custody based on the values they are teaching their children-- even if these are socially unacceptable values.  If that were the standard, then atheist parents would be in big trouble in many places.  But ouch, the thought of these young kids being immersed in Nazi ideology sure does hurt. (And certainly, the Gaede twins aren't the only ones.)

The good news is that Nazism is socially unacceptable and is nearly universally understood to be a destructive ideology based on lies.  When the Gaede twins grow up, there is a chance that they will come to the error in their mother's ways.  If not, I suppose, they will live out their lives on the fringes of society, continuing to preach white superiority.  Unfortunately, none of us can choose our parents or the culture in which we will be raised.   

NOTE:   It might, however, be appropriate to revoke custody of the parents just based on the extreme cruelty of naming them "Lynx" and "Lamb."

Comments

[Chipmunk]

"The good news is that Nazism is socially unacceptable and is nearly universally understood to be a destructive ideology based on lies."

But, how is this ideology transforming in light of the recent immigration debate. Many of the underlying "values" of national socialism are still around, though not always clearly labeled with a swastika. What happens when the two little aryians try to go mainstream? Their same message of hate could be broadcast to a larger audience in a more subtler form.

[will]

"Unfortunately, dad has a history of drug abuse and domestic violence. "

ARGGAGGAGAGGGG!!!!

All it takes is for someone to claim "he has a history of domestic violence!!!" and viola everyone decides he shouldnt have custody???!

I want to know what the facts are, not someone's conclusion.

Did he grab her when she was screaming in his face?

Or did he hit her in the face/stomach/some other body part?

Did he stop her from leaving the house by standing in the doorway for 5 minutes while they were arguing and then let her go?

Or did he shove her hard against a wall?

Did he grab her arm ONE time when he found out she was banging some white supremist on the side?

Or he regularly leave bruises on her?

I am not an advocate for regulating speech of the parents, except when you are talking about teaching your children to hate other people (including the other parent).

Did she get an ex parte protective order from a magistrate, but the protective order was dismissed once the man was present and in front of a judge?

These are important distinctions.

[The Happy Feminist]

I have no idea what the history of DV was in this case. Obviously, if I were a judge I would want to know all the specifics, and I assume the judge in this case considered those specifics.

My main point was that I don't think the parent's ideology should be a basis for making a custody decision. I'm sure there are some judges out there who would think I subscribe to a hateful, godless, "culture of death" view of the world that should not be imposed on children.

[will]

"My main point was that I don't think the parent's ideology should be a basis for making a custody decision"

What if the ideaology was that females should serve the males?

Let's say that after the marriage and/or birth of kids, Dad joins a church that promotes the man being in charge and females shouldnt question the males.

Same view?

[Txfeminist]

How could I have overlooked your very salient point about their names? Grounds for parental termination, indeed.

what hideously silly names. Lynx and Lamb. I don't know which is worse. ;-)

[The Happy Feminist]

Yep.

[The Happy Feminist]

That last comment is in response to Will.

[will]

So one parent teaching that the other parent and all other females should be subserviant shouldnt be a factor in a custody case?

Wow.

[The Happy Feminist]

You do more family law than I do.

Is it considered a factor?

[bmmg39]

Before even seeing HF's commentary, I TOTALLY thought that WAS a picture of the Olsen twins.

Lynx and Lamb? I hope one of them doesn't try to eat the other.