Poor family tries to survive without welfare; CPS confiscates their 6 kids

[redneckmedic]

Did you not look at the picture? The storage building is clearly made of wood. Nowhere does the article mention a row of storage units. It's likely a stand-alone storage shed on the property which the father works to maintain. Basically the kids were removed because it wasn't a "proper house" with running water.

No I didn't look at the picture, I watched the video, it shows a length of storage units in a row with sheet metal skin. Did you watch the video?

I was raised in Texas, it gets very very hot there, and its my opinion that is very dangerous, especially for children who have a significantly lesser ability to maintain hydration and keep cool. I'm sorry if I have an opinion on this that differs from yours.

And I will say, parents don't always know best, (not saying the gov does either) I will be the first to admit, I sometimes screw up with my kids, but keeping them in Texas heat isn't one way I will do that.

It has an air conditioner, a refrigerator and two personal computers. The Leonards said their kids were well cared for and happy there.

And not to split hairs, but who is paying for his A/C, fridge, and PC electric bill?

 

[rambone]

I was raised in Texas, it gets very very hot there, and its my opinion that is very dangerous, especially for children who have a significantly lesser ability to maintain hydration and keep cool.

The article says that they do have an air conditioner and a refrigerator...

Should parents without air conditioners have their children taken? Seems like that line of thinking could be used to confiscate kids under a great number of circumstances.

 

[Paco Bedejo]

No I didn't look at the picture, I watched the video, it shows a length of storage units in a row with sheet metal skin. Did you watch the video?

Ah, my bad. In chrome it showed the "play" arrow, but was a static image, so I assumed the article simply "lifted" a thumbnail from somewhere else. I pulled it up in IE, watched the video, and have changed my opinion. I'm also curious how a news agency (the printed article) could refer to a row of storage facilities as a "storage shed"... I suppose they were purposely trying to mislead readers.

Thanks for the clarification.

 

[pirate]

If they are healthy, then who cares? Stay out of peoples lives Uncle Same.

 

[mrjarrell]

I watched the footage. Still doesn't change my mind.

 

[redneckmedic]

It's quite simple, if you live in society, you play by the rules, somewhere someone has to say what is safe and not, clearly not every citizen has the ability to do that. If you disagree come do my job for a day, it will change your mind. So we have folks who have to walk that line and make those decisions, not a popular job, as you are always pissing someone off.

I never said I agreed with the article, however I think that storage units as a home is very unsafe, of course that's because I've ripped open plenty of them that had chemicals leaking out, fire pushing through the door, or lol even a car lodged into the side of one. These places aren't your every day box with furniture and clothes stored in them. Several folks run business out of them, and if you know anything about Hazmat, there are several items that can't be within proximity of each other, happens all the time.

It's funny how much resistance I see, when I call kids living in a storage unit unsafe, I'm not comparing it to anything, nor saying its the "unsafest" place to live, I just know from experience, those places are bad news.

 

[Awful Waffle]

Three years living in a storage shed!!!! No that ain't gonna cut it. I can understand that no one wants the government interfering with their family unit. I might also be able to understand their living there temporarily. Three years living in a place with no running water ect is not good. I think the state of Tx. is right on this one.

Your great great grandparents didnt have running water either. The state of Texas is going to split all these kids up and basically ruin the family.

If they are fed, washed, and clothed whats the problem? It may be unorthodox, but if its all they can do to scrape by, then so be it.

 

[pirate]

I tend to agree Awful Waffle. It's their family. Let them live and raise it as they wish.

 

[Awful Waffle]

It's quite simple, if you live in society, you play by the rules, somewhere someone has to say what is safe and not, clearly not every citizen has the ability to do that. If you disagree come do my job for a day, it will change your mind. So we have folks who have to walk that line and make those decisions, not a popular job, as you are always pissing someone off.

I never said I agreed with the article, however I think that storage units as a home is very unsafe, of course that's because I've ripped open plenty of them that had chemicals leaking out, fire pushing through the door, or lol even a car lodged into the side of one. These places aren't your every day box with furniture and clothes stored in them. Several folks run business out of them, and if you know anything about Hazmat, there are several items that can't be within proximity of each other, happens all the time.

It's funny how much resistance I see, when I call kids living in a storage unit unsafe, I'm not comparing it to anything, nor saying its the "unsafest" place to live, I just know from experience, those places are bad news.

Never seen a house fire?

I just dont understand your logic. I think we can all agree that a storage facility is not the ideal place to raise children. Thats pretty obvious. But it doesnt pose any actual immediate danger, no matter how big of a death trap you claim all storage places are (which I have never seen, and Ive been to a bunch of them).

I really respect the parents for doing this honestly. They didnt want to accept the public assistance that most people would jump at. It sounds like they are trying to pull their own weight in society. And for the state to pull kids away from parents like that is a shame.

 

[dross]

Just googled some other articles about this. Let's change the scenario. Let's say that you took your kids and moved to Alaska. You build a cabin without running water. You haul water to use, and build an outhouse. Should the government take your kids? In remote Alaska you can combine the condition with bears and being too far from medical care.

Same thing, only they are doing it in a city.

I think it's a creative solution. Sure, they could move into some subsidized housing - government projects - and live with the crime and the drug dealers. Instead they move into a secure fenced area, probably making them safer than most of the lower income black folks in Houston.

I call BS on CPS.

Tell me, how many of you would object to the Alaska scenario? What's the difference?

 

[pirate]

Makes sense to me dross

 

[rjstew317]

so, should we do away with all zoning laws?

 

[hoosierdaddy1976]

apparently someone in houston didn't think the state should take their kids either.

khou.com | Khou.com - Video

 

[88GT]

Tell me, how many of you would object to the Alaska scenario? What's the difference?

Nothing, and the fact that people live in and raise them children in homes without running water from sea to shining sea doesn't seem to make a difference either. It simply doesn't fit their acceptable standards so they want to force everybody else to bend.

I know it was a rhetorical question of sorts, but this hypocrisy is irritating.

 

[88GT]

so, should we do away with all zoning laws?

Straw man argument.

 

[rjstew317]

Straw man argument.

how is it straw man?

 

[88GT]

how is it straw man?

Because nobody is arguing that we should eliminate zoning laws to allow people to act in any manner they want.

If this were a zoning issue, the children wouldn't necessarily have been taken; the family would have been issued an order to move. (Though I don't doubt that CPS would attempt to use whatever excuse was necessary to kidnap the children.)

 

[rjstew317]

Because nobody is arguing that we should eliminate zoning laws to allow people to act in any manner they want.

If this were a zoning issue, the children wouldn't necessarily have been taken; the family would have been issued an order to move. (Though I don't doubt that CPS would attempt to use whatever excuse was necessary to kidnap the children.)

and I don't think that they should have taken the children away either, but many on this thread have been arguing that they should be able to live how and where they want to, which is a matter of zoning law.

 

[88GT]

and I don't think that they should have taken the children away either, but many on this thread have been arguing that they should be able to live how and where they want to, which is a matter of zoning law.

Did the article mention this was a zoning issue?

 

[thebishopp]

I got pissed off, ran outside the the street with my pitchfork... but no one else was there.

I guess I'll settle for a strongly worded letter.

Lol, I love this. It's actually the point I've been trying to make about quite a few many things lately, and I am guilty of it as well.