This one hasn’t happened yet but I had the thought this week and needed to get out a logical explanation so I can defend my actions when this happens.
I was at the movie theater this past week where I saw Safe House – pretty good movie, but not the point. When the people come on to tell you to turn off your phone and not to throw trash on the floor, they added an interesting thing I had never seen before. This phrase flashed across the screen:
“Please escort crying children to the nearest exit.”
Yahtzee! So the next time a child is crying for more than 10 seconds and I do not see the responsible adult escorting the rugrat to the door, I can take action right? The reason I bring this is two weeks before seeing Safe House, I went to see The Grey. A child cried for a good 2 minutes before their un-fit parent escorted them out of the theater. They do not specify that you have to be the guardian of said crying child to take action, therefore I am assuming it is anyone’s responsibility for the greater good. It reminds me of airplanes – If you see a child who can’t put on the breathing mask, you do it for them. This is just if you see a kid who can’t keep their mouth shut, you move them.
Letting a child cry in the movie theatre is the same as leaving them alone somewhere – you are asking someone else to help them. You forfeit your right as a parent when you do a shitty job and ask good citizens like myself to step in. Like when Larry had to tell his girlfriend her child was gay – he was only doing what needed to be done and the parent had neglected to do:
Granted I am going to have to answer to the child’s guardian and likely law enforcement about my actions but I think these points will cover me.
1) The guardian was warned prior to the movie and chose to do nothing
2) If I am not allowed to remove the child from the theatre does that mean the guardian will be refunding my money?
3) Would it have been more acceptable to strike the child? I am taking the higher road here I feel and doing whats acceptable not needed.
I cannot wait for my next trip to the movies – a crying kid is going to be in the lobby faster than you can blink and everyone will applaud me – or I’ll be arrested. Only time will tell.
