Right-wing radio host calls child labor laws a “disaster”
Jesse Kelly: “Well, we did have kids in coal mines, and yes, many of them lived in, worked in horrible conditions. And it harmed them. In some cases, it killed them. But it wasn't the norm.”
Published
Jesse Kelly on child labor laws
Citation From the July 7, 2022, edition of Premiere's The Jesse Kelly Show
JESSE KELLY (HOST): Let's talk about children for a moment. No, not in the same way Joe Biden talks about them. Let's talk about child labor laws. You see, we talk a lot – don't shake your head, Chris. This is a hot-button issue for me. We talk a lot about the danger of "somebody do something."
And what have I said before? What have I said before is the most dangerous invention in the history of mankind. You remember what I said? The photograph. The photograph. When? When things went from words on a page where you could read something, interpret it, have more of a sober, logical way of thinking about it. When it went from that to what picture that created more of a public disaster when it came to governance than anything else. Because pictures give you an emotion – a visceral, emotional reaction. It's human nature, right?
If I was to tell you, "Hey, right now in Sheboygan, there's a dead puppy in the road." You might go, "oh, that's sad." Or you might say, "oh, that sucks." Or I mean, if you're being honest, you might say, "OK, why – why are you bringing this up?" But, if we were sitting here having a beer and I pulled out a picture of dead puppy squashed in the road. Now you feel something. Now that creates an emotional reaction in you because you can see it. It goes into your eyes.
Children. You do understand children used to be able to work in this country. I mean, have a real job in this country. And there are a couple of things about that. One, it helps you mature. Two, it helps you gain responsibility. Three, it helps low-income people get by.
Right now, people are having a very difficult time getting by. Inflation is smashing people. They can't get by. They're not making ends meet. You're telling me that the family 14-year-old shouldn't be allowed to go sweep up the floors at a local family shop for five bucks an hour and help the family make ends meet?
It's – which brings us to the point that Chris just brought up. Chris said, but coal mines. Why do we have these child labor laws? Well, we did have kids in coal mines, and yes, many of them lived in, worked in horrible conditions. And it harmed them. In some cases, it killed them. But it wasn't the norm. I mean, it wasn't the norm for child labor. Child labor simply meant I'm going to help out my neighbor on his farm. I'm going to bale hey. I'm going to go down to the local construction site and I'm going to sign up to be a gopher. And I'm going to go fetch hammers and nails and cords and plug things in. And I'm going to learn responsibility, make some money, and help my family get by. That's why children have worked historically, not just in America and the history of mankind.
But you put a couple pictures out there of little Aiden covered in coal dust, looking awfully dirty and kind of sad – probably had a cigarette in his mouth back in the day. And soon you've got child labor laws passing through Congress. This is maybe the best example ever of "somebody do something" turning into a disaster. Look around you right now at society. Do you find kids now are more responsible or less responsible than they've always been? Obviously, less right? Less. Kids are getting married later, buying houses later, having kids later.
Look, if I was to tell you, an 18-year-old married his 18-year-old girlfriend and they're already pregnant, you would say, what would you say? You'd be tempted to say it, "oh, they're so young, right." You do understand. Historically, that's about when people got married and had kids. That's your prime fertility age. That's when people got married and have kids. But people are maturing later and we're telling them they should mature later.
Are you going to tell me it would be bad for American society for my 13-year-old to go get a job at the local pet shop? Cleaning up poop. He wants a job. I have a 13-year-old. He's doing odd jobs around the neighborhood. We have older folks around my area. And oftentimes they need help lifting things and doing things. You know, your body doesn't work as great when you're older, that's fine. His little 13-year-old body works just fine, you know? When you're that age, you're basically a superhero. So he's been helping people out, making money. He wants a real job. He wants a real job. He wants one. Why can't he have one? Why can't he have one?
What is this insanity that says he can't have a real job? I don't want him to go into the coal mines and get the black lung. But I stand firmly against child labor laws.