"Hard lemonade, hard price" - GoFuckYourself.com

Barefootsies · 04-30-2008, 08:11 AM

47-year-old archaeology professor Chris Ratte is perhaps not the most careful of parents; he says he didn't realize when he bought a $7 "Mike's Hard Lemonade" at a Tigers game, it was an alcoholic beverage (all of 10 proof), and let his 7-year-old son Leo drink the 12-ounce bottle. A vendor noticed the boy with the drink; the boy had no symptoms of inebriation but said he was nauseated; and stadium officials, in a prime example of defensive overreaction, summoned an ambulance, which found Leo fine with no trace of alcohol in his system.

Silly enough so far, no harm, no foul, but Michigan Child Protective Services intervened, held Leo in foster care for two days (refusing to release him to the custody of his aunts, who drove from New England on short notice for just such a possibility), and forced Ratte to move out of the house until a second hearing okayed his return. If Ratte and his wife weren't upper-middle-class academics with access to the University of Michigan Law School clinic professors, it could have been much worse. "Don Duquette, a U-M law professor who directs the university's Child Advocacy Law Clinic, represented Ratte and his wife. He notes sardonically that the most remarkable thing about the couple's case may be the relative speed with which they were reunited with Leo." (Brian Dickerson, Detroit Free Press, Apr. 28 (h/t B.C.)).

Some policy proposals are for taxpayers to fund attorneys to defend parents victimized by Child Protective Services; some go so far as to call it a constitutional right, albeit one having nothing to do with the underlying text of the Constitution. But that would only treat the symptom and ossify the underlying problem of abusive government intervention into the home.

http://www.overlawyered.com/2008/04/...ard-price.html

GrouchyAdmin · 04-30-2008, 08:15 AM

Welcome to the world we live in. Do as I do. Blame California. Their disease spread North, then East. Then, it was over.

fluffygrrl · 04-30-2008, 09:30 AM

Child protection really needs to fall off a cliff.

I don't know who the fuck wants the useless twats it's been producing, or who wants to foot the bill for producing them.

Eriic · 04-30-2008, 09:47 AM

He can read can't he? Contains Alcohol.....clearly printed on the container.

But the Child protective service was out of line in my opinion.

SykkBoy · 04-30-2008, 10:03 AM

CPS does provide a valuable service, but it's always strange to me how parents who seem to be lazy and irresponsible get off, yet this guy who does something that he'll be the first to admit was stupid, is treated like a criminal...

Tom_PM · 04-30-2008, 10:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eriic

He can read can't he? Contains Alcohol.....clearly printed on the container.

But the Child protective service was out of line in my opinion.

I caught it on the news the other night showing the actual menu he purchased from. It said "Mikes Lemonade". He'd never seen an advertisement for the stuff and I dont know many people who buy their kid a lemonade then sit and read the container.

Clearly this is a case of zero common sense on the part of law enforcement division, and mandated zero tolerance bullshit.

fluffygrrl · 04-30-2008, 10:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SykkBoy2

CPS does provide a valuable service,

What might that be?

DaddyHalbucks · 04-30-2008, 11:32 AM

This is the kind of shit that you always get from big government social programs which the Democrats love.

Vote for Hillary or Obama!

Barefootsies · 04-30-2008, 12:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaddyHalbucks

This is the kind of shit that you always get from big government social programs which the Democrats love.

Vote for Hillary or Obama!

Talk about a broad stroke stereotype...

04-30-2008, 08:11 AM	#1
Barefootsies Choice is an Illusion Industry Role: Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Land of Obama Posts: 42,635	"Hard lemonade, hard price" 47-year-old archaeology professor Chris Ratte is perhaps not the most careful of parents; he says he didn't realize when he bought a $7 "Mike's Hard Lemonade" at a Tigers game, it was an alcoholic beverage (all of 10 proof), and let his 7-year-old son Leo drink the 12-ounce bottle. A vendor noticed the boy with the drink; the boy had no symptoms of inebriation but said he was nauseated; and stadium officials, in a prime example of defensive overreaction, summoned an ambulance, which found Leo fine with no trace of alcohol in his system. Silly enough so far, no harm, no foul, but Michigan Child Protective Services intervened, held Leo in foster care for two days (refusing to release him to the custody of his aunts, who drove from New England on short notice for just such a possibility), and forced Ratte to move out of the house until a second hearing okayed his return. If Ratte and his wife weren't upper-middle-class academics with access to the University of Michigan Law School clinic professors, it could have been much worse. "Don Duquette, a U-M law professor who directs the university's Child Advocacy Law Clinic, represented Ratte and his wife. He notes sardonically that the most remarkable thing about the couple's case may be the relative speed with which they were reunited with Leo." (Brian Dickerson, Detroit Free Press, Apr. 28 (h/t B.C.)). Some policy proposals are for taxpayers to fund attorneys to defend parents victimized by Child Protective Services; some go so far as to call it a constitutional right, albeit one having nothing to do with the underlying text of the Constitution. But that would only treat the symptom and ossify the underlying problem of abusive government intervention into the home. http://www.overlawyered.com/2008/04/...ard-price.html __________________ Should You Email Your Members? Link1 \| Link2 \| Link3 Enough Said. "Would you rather live like a king for a year or like a prince forever?"

04-30-2008, 08:15 AM	#2
GrouchyAdmin Now choke yourself! Industry Role: Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 12,085	Welcome to the world we live in. Do as I do. Blame California. Their disease spread North, then East. Then, it was over. __________________ AIM: GrouchyGfy

04-30-2008, 10:03 AM	#5
SykkBoy Jesus loves bacon Industry Role: Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Sin City, Motherfucker Posts: 19,969	CPS does provide a valuable service, but it's always strange to me how parents who seem to be lazy and irresponsible get off, yet this guy who does something that he'll be the first to admit was stupid, is treated like a criminal... __________________ Support my new movie “The Second Coming”

04-30-2008, 11:32 AM	#8
DaddyHalbucks A freakin' legend! Industry Role: Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Las Vegas, Nevada USA Posts: 18,975	This is the kind of shit that you always get from big government social programs which the Democrats love. Vote for Hillary or Obama! __________________ Boner Money

04-30-2008, 09:30 AM	#3
fluffygrrl So Fucking Banned Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 2,187	Child protection really needs to fall off a cliff. I don't know who the fuck wants the useless twats it's been producing, or who wants to foot the bill for producing them.

04-30-2008, 09:47 AM	#4
Eriic So Fucking Banned Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 2,995	He can read can't he? Contains Alcohol.....clearly printed on the container. But the Child protective service was out of line in my opinion.