Is F9/11 Appropriate for a 10 Year Old?

[earthside]

I haven't had a chance to see Fahrenheit 9/11 yet, having just returned from the Green Party National Convention.

Folks who have seen it already tell me that they think the movie would be okay for my 10 year old daughter to see. She's been listening to politics and attending anti-war and peace rallies since she was in diapers.

From DUers that have seen the movie, what do you think?

Is F9/11 Appropriate for a 10 Year Old to See?

[nini]

1. I wouldn't take her...

seems a bit heavy for a 10 year old even if they're somewhat saavy for their age..

[seventhson]

11. I imagine it' heavy for the Iraqi babies who are living it and seeing it

Live and in color.

If we are to stop such violence we need to educate our children that it is wrong so that they are prepared to oppose it when we are gobe (and whern they are old enough to vote). They need to be aware (unless they are unusually sensitive).

[nini]

17. This kid is 10 years old

why should she have to be exposed because Iraqi children are seeing if first hand.

while I agree with the disgusting reality that Iraqi children are being subjected to, I don't see how exposing a kid here at that age can be justified because of it.

We're not talking about a 15 or 16 year old - but a 10 year old which is why I added the 'you know the kid better than I do' part. But I would still say 'most' kids that age aren't ready to process all this crap and therefore shouldn't be freaked out because of it if they don't have to.

[Deja Q]

2. Is "peak oil" apprpriate for anyone in society?

Yes.

Hell YES.

Knowledge is power.

People cowered 25 years ago despite the oil flowing again.

If the theory is true, we've 10 years tops. (If 2012 is the fabled end of the world, make it 8 years.)

The more we get people aware, the greater the chance (still albeit slight) of making an impact that benefits us all. (but don't forget, corporate bastards are doing what they can to benefit themselves at the cost of us. So when the hell will people revolt? And they can do that all I want, I already know my fate. Thank you "Final Exit".)

[apnu]

3. well... I'll leave that for you to decide.

There is a lot of foul language in there on part of our military. And there's some live footage of battle field hospitals and civilian causalities. And there is a bit of footage from "chop chop square" in Saudi Arabia.

I'd like to say yes, but I feel you should be informed that there is some real life horrors in the film. You'll have to judge if your child can (or should) see how brutal the world is.

[tom_paine]

4. I suppose it depends on how mature said 10-year-old is

There is some violence, some displays of savagery and bloody messes. Not much overall, though.

In truth, much worse in on TV most nights, discounting the real vs. faked issue.

It might be disturbing to a 10 year old. Though perhaps your daughter's political savvy & maturity would be enough to overcome.

I just don't know...

[dolo amber]

5. I took my 13 yr old

There were only one or two parts she covered her eyes during, war footage and all. Other than that as long as she's interested I wouldn't have any qualms.

One side note, and I'm sure this isn't true of *normal* people who have no problem sitting still for any length of time, but there are (I thought) some sloooooooooooooooooow parts :boring: so her attn. span my be a bit challenged. ;)

[cally]

6. There's another discussion about this

on this thread. See post 7 and the following posts.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=1886586#1886835

[proud patriot]

7. I haven't taken my 8 year old son

I think he would be bored .

[SpiritsDad]

8. Just one person's opinion....

I took my 14 year old grandson and he handled it OK. But I can honestly think of no real good reason for a 10 year old to attend. It has s few really gory scenes that could be hard for a young one to take and the basic message that Bush is a dolt, and that our middle east policy is corrupt, are themes with which your daughter is probably already familiar. It is really borderline at best IMO.

[seventhson]

9. My kids, 9 and 14, said yes and they are pretty much in the same shoes

explain that there will be scenes of war (and death) like you sometimes see on the news except on a big screen and let her decide.

Pictures of dead Iraqi children (as we have seen here on DU) are in it, but not for too long. I think we all need to see what is happening there (but we do not need to look at the scenes of death,as children, if it is too much for us).

The images made my wife and I cry, but the kids got through it all more convinced that Bush is an idiotic and evil man who needs to go to prison instead of another term as president.

Our kids must face the world Bush and his fiends are creating and they need to be prepared.

It may get worse before it gets better.

[seventhson]

15. "burn, motherfucker, burn is the hard rock song the soldiers like

when they are fighting the Iraqwis and killing them - blasting in their tanks' stereo systems and into their helmets.

They seemed quite sick and it reminded me of the Vietnam scenes in apocalypse now with the wagner playing as they napalm.

THAT was chilling and not very flattering of our troops

[hlthe2b]

10. Well, you need to judge your child... but the kind of things seen in F9/11

used to be not uncommonly seen on TV and life magazine when I was growing up during the Vietnam War. Granted, that was a very violent period between the assasinations of JFK, RFk, MLK, the riots at Kent State, the fights for civil rights, the riots at the 1968 convention and the war, but i was no older than 10 years old at the time and it made me both politically aware and very committed to the sanctity of life and fairness. So, take that for what it is worth.... Given the more sanitized version of news now-adays, perhaps it will be too much for a few young kids, especially if they have been particularly sheltered. But, if she is mature for her age and you are going along to talk about what she sees afterwards, I don't see a problem.

[Career Prole]

12. She just has to see it before she reaches voting age...

I have a ten year-old daughter myself and I wouldn't take her because these days childhood is much too short as it is. I'd let her think the grown-ups can actually take care of the world for her for a little while longer if it were me. :shrug:

[girl gone mad]

13. I decided to see it first..

before taking 2 ten year olds, and I'm glad I didn't take them. One is very squeamish and I know he would have been upset in several places. I think the other would have been bored during most of it.

It does depend on the child and his or her experiences, but my feeling is that it would be inappropriate for most in this age group.

14. during Vietnam they showed the stuff on TV

I remember being ten and seeing the monks light themselves on fire on tv.
There's some pretty graphic footage in Moore's film. A child with half their face stitched up & still being stitched while the child cries.
That might be a bit much. That's about the worst actual visual image.

Your call.

[AlFrankenFan]

16. It was a little graphic

But my brother, 12, saw it and had no problem with it. If it really concerns you see it first before you let your daughter see it,.

[troublemaker]

18. I would wait for the DVD or Video

There's nothing we've never seen on TV but it's different. The movie screen is a pretty powerful thing.

[kcwayne]

19. IMO, 10 years is too young

First of all, she wouldn't get it. The subject matter is not something that permeates the domain of 10 year olds.

Secondly, seeing a man pull half a baby that has been burned to a crisp out of a truckbed full of bodies, and shake it with rage at a reporter, is something that I think 10 year olds shouldn't have to be exposed to. Likewise for seeing a child whose arm has been blown open so that you see the bones with barely any flesh on it is gut wrenching, and again, something I wouldn't want my 10 year old to have to witness.

When I was that age, movies were not a graphic as they are now, so maybe I am not in tune with what kids that age can really stomach. I do have a 13 year old daughter, and I know that it would be inappropriate for her.

I'll let her be a kid for a few more years. She has her whole life in front of her to have to deal with the horrors in the world, so I am not in a rush to stick her nose in it.

[DebJ]

20. I would have taken my children at that age..offset video game

and tv violence false images...why is it okay to show kids fake violence which has no repercussions, but not okay to show them real life? What did the children of our forebears see in the Revolutionary War? In the progression west as we committed genocide against Native Americans? What do inner city school children see almost every day on their own streets? Daily ingestion is dangerous. A once in a lifetime shocker at a formative age is a very very good thing, in my opinion!

[earthside]

21. Thanks ...

I appreciate everyone's comments.

From what most of you have said, I think I will pass on taking her. She understands about this war and what Bush is doing to the future of her country ... that is probably traumatic enough for now.

Thanks, DUers.

[latebloomer]

22. I took my 12 and a half year old

but wouldn't take my 10-year-old. The images are too disturbing and I think a lot (most) of it would be over her head.

[sasquatch]

23. Well my parents took me to see "Full Metal Jacket" when I was 6

And I turned out alright:eyes: