Platform : After the King Verdict: What Can Parents Do for Peace? : FRANK JUAREZ / President-elect, League of United Latin American Citizens, Council 2010. Member, Westside Coalition de la Comunidad Latina Unida

I didn’t think that I would have to prepare my children to decide on whether they could riot or not because you just don’t expect those things to happen.

I asked my daughter what she thought of the (original) Rodney King verdict when it was announced. She looked at me like I was having another one of my weird moments. She said, “I understand why people got mad, Dad. I think they had a right to riot.” Then I asked her if people had a right to burn other people’s houses and stores. She said, “No. They did have a right to protest.” I egged her along and said, “You mean like civil disobedience?” And she said, “Yes. Like civil disobedience.”

Then I asked her what if the jury finds the officers innocent in this next trial? Do people have the right to riot? She said, “They do not have a right to go out and burn things, but they do have a right to protest.” Whether I taught her that or not, I’m happy that she answered me that way. So I gave her hug.

My son just turned 20. I still consider him sort of a teen-ager in a way. He just said, “It wasn’t cool.” He feels like people are just asking for trouble when they burn and loot. But he also felt that when the individual goes up against the government, they always screw the little guy. But that still didn’t give people the right to burn down the city.

Those are good questions to ask your children now. It’s preventive maintenance.