Croc Hunter holds baby

[lilcountriegal]

Does anyone have any thoughts about what Steve Irwin did?

I thought I'd make a new topic on this because I saw an interview with him on the Today Show this morning on this.

I agree that it is comparable to whole Michael Jackson dangle incident. He's pretty popular over here in the U.S. I got the feeling from the part of the interview that I saw that he doesnt really see anything wrong with what he did, but what he's sorry for is basically the reaction.

Like I said... I like him, but I tend to agree with all the other critics: what he did was child abuse.

 

[DKSuddeth]

my opinion, Irwin has been working with crocs the whole of his life and murray (the croc in question) for about 13 years. He knows that croc better than any of the others in the zoo. Unlike wacko jackson, who has little experience dangling anything off a balcony, what irwin did may seem reckless but I feel he was in more control of that situation than anyone else could possibly have been.

While I certainly wouldn't have allowed my child to be in there with him I feel that irwin knew what he was doing and that it presented little, if any, danger to his son.

 

[lilcountriegal]

Actually DK, your post made me sit back and think. Admittedly, I was not aware that this croc was one that Steve Irwin works with, and has for 13 years. (I only caught the front portion of the interview this morning before I had to leave for work)

However, I still stand by my original opinion, but less enthusiastically. Animals just aren't predictable enough (look at Sigfried & Roy... they have worked with that tiger for years ). You can never assume how any animal will react, domestic or otherwise.

I'll ease up on the "child abuse" conclusion and leave it at "gross stupidity". If he wants to raise his numbers or do a publicity stunt, dangle yourself naked in front of a croc, dont use an infant.

Like I said... I like him. I've always watch Croc Hunter. This was just a stupid, stupid, stupid idea.

 

[DKSuddeth]

I can certainly agree with the 'gross stupidity' arena. It shouldn't matter how much of an expert anybody is with anything, you shouldn't subject your one month old to that kind of potential danger.

On the matter of the Sigfried and Roy portion. One of the most important differences between a trained tiger for a show and the crocs in the australian zoo is the crocs aren't trained. With the exception of the feeding in captivity, those crocs are left as much alone and untrained as possible. Most likely because a crocodile is much too primitive in its mindset to be trainable but also because thats how the australian zoo likes to maintain it, therefore, you can expect the basic primordial instincts from the croc every single time. With the tiger show though, trained show animals are far too unpredictable to be safe, in my opinion. You expect a trained response and could get an instinctual attack.

 

[Jackass]

I agree with you both. I dont think it was child abuse..just stupid.

 

[jimnyc]

I side with Steve Irwin on this one. He's lived this life and his child probably will too. I'm not in a position to tell him how to properly act around crocodiles. What might seem crazy and careless to us is part of his everyday life.

Would I do something like that with my child? Absolutely not. But I think Steve knows what is best for his child and the parenting should be left up to him.

 

[Graeme Kessey]

I wish this rational thinking could come "Down Under" the powers that be want to hang Steve out to dry. Child protection officers giving advice when they don't even have children makes ya laugh. So called "experts" waffling on for 5mins of fame,God save us all from do-gooders who want to regulate our lives.
All he is guilty of is a lack of judgement.


Cheers.

 

[Jackass]

I have to disagree Jim. All parents "know" whats best for their child but they are not always right. Just look at the couple who were feeding their infant the vegetarian diet. The kid almost died. They thought it was right, but they were very wrong.

 

[jimnyc]

Originally posted by Jackass
I have to disagree Jim. All parents "know" whats best for their child but they are not always right. Just look at the couple who were feeding their infant the vegetarian diet. The kid almost died. They thought it was right, but they were very wrong.

Then who should decide what is right and wrong for a child? Until a law is broken I don't think it should be of anyone elses concern.

Parenting is a sticky subject with me. I don't want anyone ever telling me what I should and shouldn't do with my son. If I ask for advice, great! If I don't, it's my business how my son gets raised.

There will be plenty of parents that would disagree with having my son play football. Should I listen to them and restrict his activities even though I played contact sports my entire life?

What if I'm at the park in the snow and my son doesn't have gloves on, should I have other parents scolding me?

Soon people will tell me junk food is dangerous for my son and they'll call the police on me if I take him to McDonalds.

I just don't think we can impose what 'we' think is right and wrong on other parents.

 

[MtnBiker]

It probably wasn't the best idea for Irwin to do that in public, he should have known it would freak some people out.
I do wonder though, would this be such a story if Michael Jackson hadn't dangled his baby over a balcony? The media is really comparing the two, Irwin is no sicko like Jackson.

 

[Jackass]

What law was broken when those parents put their kid on the vegan diet? None, but was it dangerous and not right for the child? Yes. And yes if we were at the park playing in the snow and your kid didnt have gloves on..yes I would say something to you.
As for the Steve Irwin incident, Im not saying he should go to jail or anything, but it was a dangerous stupid situation to put your kid into.

 

[Graeme Kessey]

Originally posted by MtnBiker
It probably wasn't the best idea for Irwin to do that in public, he should have known it would freak some people out.
I do wonder though, would this be such a story if Michael Jackson hadn't dangled his baby over a balcony? The media is really c
comparing the two, Irwin is no sicko like Jackson.

As I said before rational thought will prevail.

 

[Jackass]

Im not looking to hang him out to dry, I like him, watch all his shows. I just think it was a very stupid dangerous thing to do.

 

[Graeme Kessey]

From the posts I've read Jackass I know Steve has a big following there. How is it you Yanks took to him,he's just a larrakin down here one of many in a long line. We have had lots of silly buggers, swimming with sharks,playing with snakes,just heading out bush for something to do.You must have silly buggers like that in the States or Canada?

 

[Jackass]

I thik with Steve it is his childish ways that make us like him. Its fun to see a grown man act like achild. I think it brings out the child in all of us. Here in the states..I dont think any of us have seen anyone do the crazy things he does.

You have to remember, the states dont have alot of "wild dangerous" animals. Most of us live in suburbs that are mostly wildlife free. (Well at least the larger animals). I would say the 80% of the people in the states will never see an alligator, bear or cougar other than in a zoo.

 

[Graeme Kessey]

Fair enough,I keep forgeting that having to look out for Roo's,wild pigs,wombats,etc is not something that people in our cities have to do.Being in rural Aussie though it is what you have to worry about. So it goes there too. That's why you have to have a bullbar on ya ute, hit a Roo at 110klms it will bugger your car!!

 

[jimnyc]

What law was broken when those parents put their kid on the vegan diet? None, but was it dangerous and not right for the child? Yes.

I have no problem with them putting their child on a special diet. What I do have a problem with was them not doing anything to help the child when the health deteriorated.

And yes if we were at the park playing in the snow and your kid didnt have gloves on..yes I would say something to you.

And then I would have politely told you to mind your own &^$%$^ business!

As for the Steve Irwin incident, Im not saying he should go to jail or anything, but it was a dangerous stupid situation to put your kid into.

According to 'us'.

You have to remember, the states dont have alot of "wild dangerous" animals. Most of us live in suburbs that are mostly wildlife free. (Well at least the larger animals). I would say the 80% of the people in the states will never see an alligator, bear or cougar other than in a zoo.

Exactly my point. We are judging someone elses parenting based on our own lifestyles. While wild animals aren't a part of our lives, they are everyday occurences where he is from.

 

[Jackass]

Well who is to say they didnt? Only they know what is best for their child right? Maybe they gave him extra bean sprouts and tofu at lunch. They thought they were doing the right thing.

I doubt if I suggested you put on gloves for your kid you would say that. I also wouldnt berate you about it either.

I dont know about everyday accurances. He specifically went looking for this stunt. It wasnt to teach his kid anything, it was just a stunt. His kid could have learned anything he needed to outside of the fence.

 

[Dan]

I definitely think it was a stupid thing for him to do. Someone noted that Irwin's been working with the croc and probably knew more about th situation than anyone else, that's no excuse. Dale Earnhardt, Jr. probably knows a lot more about cars than most people, does that mean he should strap his toddler to the hood and take a few laps at 100MPH? Just because you have experience with a dangerous and unpredictable situation doesn't mean you should be allowed to force your relatively defenseless child into said situation. I really think this classifies as endangerment of a child, though I think Jackson's actions were far more criminally negligent than Irwin's. I think the most disturbing thing about the whole thing is that he did it in front of an audience. If he had just done it one-on-one, maybe with just a camera crew, it could be maybe seen as him trying to teach his son about what he does or something, but with the crowd of people there, it seemed much more like just a publicity stunt.

 

[Moi]

I have a hard time defining this as criminal or child abuse because of his intent. I do not believe, for one second, that the man intended for his child to be injured nor do I think that he was oblivious to the care he had to take. I can no more assess the risks the child was under than I can say how many teeth a croc has.

Incidentally, should we bring criminal child abuse charges on everyone who drives with their kids to the mall for a shopping spree? Or allows their child to play sports? Or takes an infant swim or gym class?

All of those actions seem to put children at a risk that is greater than the risk they would be exposed to if their parents hadn't put their children in these activties.

Would it have made any difference if the child were not one month old?