The Truth...The Whole Truth...And Nothing But The Truth...
By twoey68
@twoey68 (13627)
United States
May 1, 2008 9:56am CST
Most ppl are taught to stand by their family but where is the line drawn. If a crime were committed, regardless of what it was…murder, rape, shoplifting, child abuse, embezzlement…and you knew a family member had committed it, would you turn them in?
What if the police had no evidence to convict them but your testimony would send them to prison…would you tell them? Would you lie under oath and claim you knew nothing? Which would mean more to you…telling the truth or protecting your family member?
What if it was your child? What if the Death Penalty was a possible sentence if they are convicted?
Personally, I hate to say it but I’d tell the truth. I can’t imagine anyone in my family doing anything like murder, rape or anything serious enough to get the Death Penalty and if they did any other crime then like it or not they deserve the time. I would hope that if I had children that they would be smart enough not to turn to crime and risk getting caught. I’ve often told a friend that they really don’t want me on a witness stand b/c I’m not lying for anyone.
So, how about you? Could you do it?
**AT PEACE WITHIN**
~~STAND STRONG IN YOUR BELIEFS~~
7 people like this
15 responses
@34momma (13882)
• United States
1 May 08
What a interesting question. I think i too would have to tell. those are some serious crimes and I don't know if i could live with myself knowing that someone in my family has killed, raped, or hurt a child. So yeah i am going to have to tell
@Rosekitty (19368)
• San Marcos, Texas
2 May 08
Well Being a mother this is a hard question..not that any of my children are anything like that..but if they were..Maybe..it depends on what they did...I do know that i will protect them and die for them if i have to and sadly i have lied to schools and Officers when My Son's did get in a bind over something they brought to school that they wanted to smoke..this was many years ago.
2 people like this
@minnie_98214 (10557)
• United States
1 May 08
Wow I so hope im never in this spot cause id feel guilty but id turn them in. i mean they dont get to get off just because i love them its wrong its wrong no matter who it is doing the crime. I would not even lie at all for even my own child you gotta awn up for your own actions.
2 people like this
@slickcut (8141)
• United States
1 May 08
Oh My I am not sure what i would do Twoey...If they committed a murder,i am not sure,i would feel so sorry for the parents of the murdered person but then its my child...OH i would first try to convince my child to tell the truth...I might have to tell ,i am not sure...The right thing to do would to bring them to justice...I have never thought of that before...
2 people like this
@sunshine4 (8703)
• United States
1 May 08
I would never lie on the witness stand either~ I also hope to never be in that position.
I think it would be the hardest thing for a mom to turn in their child, but if they are doing harm to someone else, they need a reality check and jail might just be the answer.
@littleowl (7157)
•
1 May 08
Hi Twoey-this is a difficult one to answer,but if one of my children/family committed murder,rape or were a peadeophile I definitly would turn them in and under oath tell the truth about it all-but I do have too be honest and say that the others I'm not sure what I'd do unless the situation arose-fortunatley though my children are now 24 and 25 and are honest and it is a releif to know that they wouldn't do that-blessings littleowl
2 people like this
@tarheelnancy (1317)
• United States
1 May 08
If it were my children, NO I couldn't turn them in but I would honestly try to get them to confess.
Any other family member? I would turn them in.
@Thoroughrob (11742)
• United States
2 May 08
I think until it happens, it is easy to say that we would always tell the truth. When you are put in that spot, I think it really could mess with your mind. I don't know if I could turn my child in or not. I don't think I could lie either, but until that situation comes up, I don't know.
@Lakota12 (42600)
• United States
1 May 08
I just cant imagine any one I know would do thiese things So I just dont know what I would do to protect one of my kids moms are like bears we protect thier own and I would really have to see something go wrong than just be told about it.
need very good evidance they had done this!
2 people like this
@MsTickle (25180)
• Australia
4 May 08
My daughter came close to being reported by my other daughter and I for neglect. The only reason we didn't do anything was we were worried to lose my grandson. We just couldn't figure out what to do so she got away with a lot of things while we did our best to make up for it.
@sarahruthbeth22 (43143)
• United States
6 May 08
I am not a rat.I wouldn't report them to the police and I wouldn't testify against them either. I guess the family member and I would head to Mexico.
@sunshinelady (7609)
• United States
2 May 08
I would have to tell. I would have no piece of mind if I told a lie on something like that. My Mom raised everyone of us kids to always tell the truth. So it is ingrained into me. I still would give them moral support. But the truth is what I would have to say. They shouldn't have done the crime and than there would not have the problem of me telling the truth or lieing for them. Because the truth is what I would do.
1 person likes this
@jillmalitz (5131)
• United States
1 May 08
I had a lot of trouble with my son when he was a freshman in high school. He got caught stealing and vandalizing the high school. He was put on probation and had to do community service. At one point I felt like I was on a first name basis with th cops. I would have no problem turning my family in. I even told my kids that if they did get cought that I would not bail them out. I remember talking to one of the juvy court people that I could not stand to hear mothers who refused to believe their kid got in trouble. They always said that their kid would not do that! Yeah right! People do what they think they can get away with. I have had to go to court over what my ex-son in law said and did and I dont regret any thing I had to say.
2 people like this
@newzealtralian (3930)
• Australia
20 May 08
Protecting family is important, but I think standing by your personal beliefs is important too.
Me, I would turn them in, because I am a firm believer of facing the consequences of our actions. I would support them through it all the best I could, but I would still have to show them that you can't do something and not be punished for it.
I will be like this with my kids. I'd hope they would come to me in times of trouble any way and would trust that I would stand by them, support them and help them where I could, but not telling isn't really helping them at all.
@emeraldisle (13139)
• United States
2 May 08
For myself it would depend on the crime and the reasons behind it. I can't give a pat answer to say that I would tell the truth because it's not an easy question.
For example if either of my nieces or my sister were raped and one of my brothers killed their rapist I wouldn't be turning them in. There are some things I could turn a blind eye to. That being said there are other things I would feel compelled to turn them in for. Child abuse, rape, cold blooded murder things like that yes I would testify against them. I would hate to do it but at the same time I couldn't let them continue. It might be hard and difficult but one must at times do that.
