--why would law enforcement use children in operations? Doesnt that put them in danger? Also, what happened to Truth, Justice, protect and serve? When did they become purveyors of criminal activities and dishonesty?--
Dublin Core
Title
--why would law enforcement use children in operations? Doesnt that put them in danger? Also, what happened to Truth, Justice, protect and serve? When did they become purveyors of criminal activities and dishonesty?--
Description
Law enforcement agencies sometimes use minors in operations—primarily as
confidential informants (CIs) or decoys—when adult officers cannot effectively infiltrate specific environments. For instance, a minor may be used to identify individuals selling drugs, alcohol, or tobacco to teenagers, or to infiltrate youth gangs where a 30-year-old detective would be easily spotted.
The Risks and Safety of Minors
You are correct that these operations carry significant inherent dangers. Critics argue that children lack the cognitive maturity to fully weigh the risks of being a "spy" and are vulnerable to coercion, especially if they are offered leniency for their own legal troubles in exchange for cooperation.
Tragic outcomes have led some states to pass restrictive laws:
California
(Chad’s Law): Prohibits children under 13 from being informants and requires parental consent and a court hearing for older minors.
Florida
(Rachel’s Law): Mandates that agencies disclose risks and consider the minor's maturity.
North Dakota
(Andrew’s Law): Prohibits informants under 15 and requires that no other "reasonable avenues" for evidence exist.
"To Protect and Serve" and Public Trust
The motto "To Protect and Serve" actually originated from a contest held by the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) in 1955. While it has been widely adopted, the legal mission of policing has evolved significantly from its 18th-century roots in managing urban disorder and riots.
Regarding your concerns about "criminal activities and dishonesty," public trust has been strained by high-profile investigations into misconduct:
Systemic Abuse: A Washington Post investigation revealed that between 2005 and 2022, approximately 1,800 state and local officers were charged with child sexual abuse.
Leniency: Nearly 40% of convicted officers in these cases avoided prison time, leading to calls for national tracking systems and stricter hiring practices.
While many agencies maintain that these actions are the work of a small minority, the use of minors in undercover work remains one of the most ethically controversial practices in modern policing.
Would you like to know more about the specific state laws that regulate or prohibit the use of juvenile informants?
--Why would an agency try to destroy Eartha Kitt and does still exist today and in what capacity?--
The agency most famously associated with an attempt to "destroy"
Eartha Kitt
was the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), acting at the request of the Johnson administration.
Why Eartha Kitt Was Targeted
In 1968, Eartha Kitt was blacklisted in the United States for nearly a decade after she publicly criticized the Vietnam War during a White House luncheon hosted by First Lady Lady Bird Johnson.
The Incident: During a discussion on "crimes in the streets," Kitt argued that young men were rebelling because they were being sent to die in a war they did not understand. Her comments reportedly brought the First Lady to tears.
The Retaliation: Within days, the CIA—prompted by the Secret Service and, as later revealed, likely the President himself—compiled a defamatory dossier on her.
Character Assassination: The dossier characterized her as a "sadistic nymphomaniac" with a "vile tongue" and "nasty disposition". This report was used to damage her reputation and ensure she was "not seen" in American media, effectively drying up her work opportunities.
Kitt was forced to live and perform in Europe until her career in the U.S. began to recover in the late 1970s.
Does the CIA Still Exist?
Yes, the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) still exists and remains the premier foreign intelligence agency for the United States.
Current Capacity: Its primary mission is to collect and analyze foreign intelligence and conduct covert actions as directed by the President.
Legal Restrictions: Unlike the era of the Eartha Kitt investigation, the CIA is now strictly prohibited by law and Executive Order 12333 from conducting internal security functions or law enforcement within the U.S.. It cannot collect information on "U.S. Persons" (citizens or legal residents) unless they are specifically suspected of acting on behalf of a foreign power.
Oversight: Following scandals in the 1970s (including the exposure of the Kitt dossier), much stricter congressional oversight was established to prevent the agency from being used against political dissidents at home.
Would you like to see more details on the declassified CIA files or other public figures who were targeted during that same era?
--Tickling Giants as an association--
"
Tickling Giants
" is not a criminal association or intelligence agency, but rather the title of a 2016 documentary film and a related social movement focused on non-violent resistance through satire.
The Documentary
Directed by Sara Taksler, a former senior producer for The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, the film chronicles the story of Bassem Youssef, an Egyptian heart surgeon who became a comedian during the 2011 Egyptian Revolution.
The "Jon Stewart of Egypt": Youssef created Al Bernameg, a satirical news show that reached over 30 million viewers per episode—far more than the original Daily Show.
The Struggle: The film follows Youssef and his team as they face extreme censorship, physical threats, and legal action from successive Egyptian regimes (Morsi and el-Sisi) for using humor to hold power accountable.
The "Association" and Call to Action
The term is often used as a call to action rather than a formal organization. The "giants" represent people or institutions that abuse their power, while "tickling" refers to using creative, non-violent means—like comedy and satire—to challenge them.
Social Impact: The project aims to inspire international dialogue about free speech and finding creative ways to be heard when freedoms are threatened.
Community Screenings: Organizations like the Meaningful Movies Project and the Backbone Campaign have used the film to host community events and discussions on activism and social justice.
In summary, if you are seeing "Tickling Giants" mentioned as an association, it is likely in the context of these human rights and free speech advocacy efforts prompted by the film's message.
Are you interested in learning where you can currently watch the documentary or how to get involved in free speech advocacy?
confidential informants (CIs) or decoys—when adult officers cannot effectively infiltrate specific environments. For instance, a minor may be used to identify individuals selling drugs, alcohol, or tobacco to teenagers, or to infiltrate youth gangs where a 30-year-old detective would be easily spotted.
The Risks and Safety of Minors
You are correct that these operations carry significant inherent dangers. Critics argue that children lack the cognitive maturity to fully weigh the risks of being a "spy" and are vulnerable to coercion, especially if they are offered leniency for their own legal troubles in exchange for cooperation.
Tragic outcomes have led some states to pass restrictive laws:
California
(Chad’s Law): Prohibits children under 13 from being informants and requires parental consent and a court hearing for older minors.
Florida
(Rachel’s Law): Mandates that agencies disclose risks and consider the minor's maturity.
North Dakota
(Andrew’s Law): Prohibits informants under 15 and requires that no other "reasonable avenues" for evidence exist.
"To Protect and Serve" and Public Trust
The motto "To Protect and Serve" actually originated from a contest held by the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) in 1955. While it has been widely adopted, the legal mission of policing has evolved significantly from its 18th-century roots in managing urban disorder and riots.
Regarding your concerns about "criminal activities and dishonesty," public trust has been strained by high-profile investigations into misconduct:
Systemic Abuse: A Washington Post investigation revealed that between 2005 and 2022, approximately 1,800 state and local officers were charged with child sexual abuse.
Leniency: Nearly 40% of convicted officers in these cases avoided prison time, leading to calls for national tracking systems and stricter hiring practices.
While many agencies maintain that these actions are the work of a small minority, the use of minors in undercover work remains one of the most ethically controversial practices in modern policing.
Would you like to know more about the specific state laws that regulate or prohibit the use of juvenile informants?
--Why would an agency try to destroy Eartha Kitt and does still exist today and in what capacity?--
The agency most famously associated with an attempt to "destroy"
Eartha Kitt
was the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), acting at the request of the Johnson administration.
Why Eartha Kitt Was Targeted
In 1968, Eartha Kitt was blacklisted in the United States for nearly a decade after she publicly criticized the Vietnam War during a White House luncheon hosted by First Lady Lady Bird Johnson.
The Incident: During a discussion on "crimes in the streets," Kitt argued that young men were rebelling because they were being sent to die in a war they did not understand. Her comments reportedly brought the First Lady to tears.
The Retaliation: Within days, the CIA—prompted by the Secret Service and, as later revealed, likely the President himself—compiled a defamatory dossier on her.
Character Assassination: The dossier characterized her as a "sadistic nymphomaniac" with a "vile tongue" and "nasty disposition". This report was used to damage her reputation and ensure she was "not seen" in American media, effectively drying up her work opportunities.
Kitt was forced to live and perform in Europe until her career in the U.S. began to recover in the late 1970s.
Does the CIA Still Exist?
Yes, the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) still exists and remains the premier foreign intelligence agency for the United States.
Current Capacity: Its primary mission is to collect and analyze foreign intelligence and conduct covert actions as directed by the President.
Legal Restrictions: Unlike the era of the Eartha Kitt investigation, the CIA is now strictly prohibited by law and Executive Order 12333 from conducting internal security functions or law enforcement within the U.S.. It cannot collect information on "U.S. Persons" (citizens or legal residents) unless they are specifically suspected of acting on behalf of a foreign power.
Oversight: Following scandals in the 1970s (including the exposure of the Kitt dossier), much stricter congressional oversight was established to prevent the agency from being used against political dissidents at home.
Would you like to see more details on the declassified CIA files or other public figures who were targeted during that same era?
--Tickling Giants as an association--
"
Tickling Giants
" is not a criminal association or intelligence agency, but rather the title of a 2016 documentary film and a related social movement focused on non-violent resistance through satire.
The Documentary
Directed by Sara Taksler, a former senior producer for The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, the film chronicles the story of Bassem Youssef, an Egyptian heart surgeon who became a comedian during the 2011 Egyptian Revolution.
The "Jon Stewart of Egypt": Youssef created Al Bernameg, a satirical news show that reached over 30 million viewers per episode—far more than the original Daily Show.
The Struggle: The film follows Youssef and his team as they face extreme censorship, physical threats, and legal action from successive Egyptian regimes (Morsi and el-Sisi) for using humor to hold power accountable.
The "Association" and Call to Action
The term is often used as a call to action rather than a formal organization. The "giants" represent people or institutions that abuse their power, while "tickling" refers to using creative, non-violent means—like comedy and satire—to challenge them.
Social Impact: The project aims to inspire international dialogue about free speech and finding creative ways to be heard when freedoms are threatened.
Community Screenings: Organizations like the Meaningful Movies Project and the Backbone Campaign have used the film to host community events and discussions on activism and social justice.
In summary, if you are seeing "Tickling Giants" mentioned as an association, it is likely in the context of these human rights and free speech advocacy efforts prompted by the film's message.
Are you interested in learning where you can currently watch the documentary or how to get involved in free speech advocacy?
Collection
Citation
“--why would law enforcement use children in operations? Doesnt that put them in danger? Also, what happened to Truth, Justice, protect and serve? When did they become purveyors of criminal activities and dishonesty?--,” Lawrence Catania's Omeka, accessed June 6, 2026, https://omeka.lawrencecatania.com/items/show/4408.