Faith to Faith

Still…admit it, TV watchers: You'd have picked the mini-golf course. I'd have picked the mini-golf course. Most kids who don't have TV cameras on them and the sure knowledge that their parents are going to see them would've picked the friggin' mini-golf course. No disrespect to spiritual people (I am one myself, so don't holler), but choosing the blessed articles of faith was about as disingenuous as smiling over a hideous purse your aunt buys for your birthday, because you're hoping there's at least a check in the pocket. Then again, the little holy warriors did seem to have a newfound respect for other religions after that challenge (witness one of the Christian soldiers joining Anjay in his prayer), and they even took a genuine interest in those hard-won religious texts — for about 30 seconds.

But now, it is my crushing, dispirited duty to remind you of what didn't happen: another week, another golden (missed) opportunity for a much-needed coup de tyke. And it was so close! Zach had Pageant Princess Taylor on the ropes. He calmly and clearly articulated her failings as a leader, only for her to threaten him with menial labor for daring to open his yap. (Down, peasant!) But does Il Duce lose her seat? No! Not even with wassisname goading the kids toward insurrection. Taylor yet lives!

But look at the previews for next week: elections. Not that the kids asked for them — clearly they're on a long, slooooow build toward protest marches and viva la revolución! — no, this is the bright idea of Producer 1 and Producer 2. And look at that:

Once again we're back to the same question: What do you let the kids figure out on their own, and what do you force them to confront?

It comes to this: Should the adults behind KN force the participants of KN to confront things like religion and politics, even if their messages (fascism is bad, accepting other religions is good) are ultimately harmless? Because the problem is, if you don't let the kids think for themselves — if you have a hand in, let's say, guiding their decisions — then it looks like you have an agenda. And ultimately, you can't actually answer the question: Can the kids build a better society? You've already socially engineered it for them.

And yeah, I say this as a fan. What say you?

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