"A Minor Consideration" is a non-profit, tax-deductible foundation, dedicated to protecting the legal and human rights of juvenile performers in the entertainment industry, as well as their financial security and their physical, mental and emotional health. To this end, "A Minor Consideration" calls attention to child exploitation in all segments of popular entertainment and show business, and works with lawmakers to ensure that child labor laws are effective in protecting the welfare of these vulnerable young actors, singers, dancers, and athletes and with a goal to make industry child labor laws uniform throughout the nation.
The founder and leader of "A Minor Consideration" is Paul Petersen, himself a former child actor best known for his role as Jeff Stone in the classic TV comedy, "The Donna Reed Show." Today Petersen is an accomplished writer, speaker, and advocate for young show business professionals everywhere.
Waiting for the Phone to Ring
What can explain the failure of folks to make use of the communications tools as close as their computer or telephone? Is it just me, or do others wonder why the higher-ups at TLC, the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry, or the so-called professionals surrounding Nadya Suleman can’t bring themselves to pick up the telephone and call A Minor Consideration?
Is there some reason the team around Jon and Kate just can’t see their way clear to involving the premiere experts in the totality of the risks unique to children in entertainment?
Is it guilt or fear? Those are poor excuses when the welfare of dozens of children is at stake.
It is absolutely clear that mistakes have been made by parents and production companies alike, and that whatever advice and counsel may have been sought has been sickeningly misguided.
“What we have here,” said Strother Martin in “Cool Hand Luke,” “is a failure to communicate.”
It is the height of corporate irresponsibility to employ children in profit-making endeavors and pretend that there are no consequences…now or in the future.
Generations of parents who exposed their flesh-and-blood to celebrity have learned to their sorrow that they didn’t know best.
State labor officials need to recognize how dangerous their lack of knowledge of the production process can be when children are employed, especially in reality shows, which are all show and no reality.
The legal advisors to those named above might want to take a look at the principle of Disaffirmance, for I can promise you that when the kids you are employing get around to calling us on their 18th birthday every dollar you think you saved by not treating them fairly will be multiplied a hundred-fold.
Count on it.
A Minor Consideration does not engage in “I told you so” if that is your concern. We deal in the present and the future as only we know it.
There is no excuse for child abuse.
And finally, if there is anyone in the White House who wants to know how the $68 million dollars committed to global child labor the President just announced might be better spent right here at home, you’re welcome to call, too.
Paul Petersen
Please visit us at " A Minor Consideration" to learn more about the history of AMC, our accomplishments and what we stiil strive to achieve.
http://www.minorcon.org/index.html
Thank you for visiting and thank you for your support.
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