Parents of Baby 'Adolf Hitler' Lose Custody of 3 Children Despite 'Free Speech' Claim
Can a name be a form of child abuse?
Two parents from New Jersey who named their children "Adolf Hitler" and "Aryan Nation" have officially lost custody, despite the court not finding any proof of physical abuse.
It has been reported that the court ruled it can take away children from parents without cause.
"The judge and [the Division of Youth and Family Services] told us that there was no evidence of abuse and that it was the names! They were taken over the children's names," said Hitler's and Aryan's father, Heath Campbell, according to NBC 10 News in Philadelphia.
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The parents started making headlines in 2008 after they asked a Shop-Rite grocery store to write "Happy Birthday Adolf Hitler!" on a birthday cake. When the store refused, the couple complained, saying their son deserved a cake with his name on it. A month later, state authorities declared that the parents had psychological problems and took the children away from the Campbells.
Since then, the New Jersey couple's story has been watched with fascination as they have been in and out of court trying to get their children back and inciting debate about how "free" can free speech be when it involves one's children and whether or not parents' ideological beliefs are reason enough to take children out of their homes.
"This is America, they say it's free, you have the right to name your child whatever you want to name your child, no matter what," Heath Campbell said, according to Fox News.
Jack Marshall, a lawyer and president of ProEthics, Ltd, said on the blog, Ethics Alarms, that even though one can have the legal right to name their child whatever they wish, a Nazi-inspired name can still be a form of child abuse.
"The law can't limit parents' rights to determine their offspring's names, which come squarely come under the category of free speech," Marshall wrote. "Unfortunately, these names say 'Hate me,' 'Shun me' and 'Beat me up.' "
He added: "It may be funny to hear a song about a father who names his boy 'Sue' to make him grow up tough, but inflicting these names on helpless children is no laughing matter. It is child abuse, there's no question about it. It is just child abuse that the state has no way to stop...This is a form of child abuse that is horrible, cruel, and as unethical as can be, yet the parents have a right to do it."
Nonetheless, the state of New Jersey has decided that the children would be at risk if they were to stay with the Campbells for now. Another court date is scheduled for December when a judge will decide if the kids will be able to be return to their Nazi-sympathizing parents, FoxNews.com reported.
