it was almost inevitable that he was going to end up abusing children
I agree with everything you said about Jackson except I don't see the "almost inevitable" part. Although my knowledge on how abused children grow up is minimal....
Dawn: Is that supposed to scare me? Spike: Little tremble wouldn't hurt.
'The Killer In Me'
Natter 64: Yes, we still need you
Off-topic discussion. Wanna talk about corsets, duct tape, or physics? This is the place. Detailed discussion of any current-season TV must be whitefonted.
tommyrot - Sep 29, 2009 5:20:56 pm PDT #11488 of 30001
Sir, it's not an offence to let your cat eat your bacon. Okay? And we don't arrest cats, I'm very sorry.
Barb - Sep 29, 2009 5:24:54 pm PDT #11489 of 30001
“Not dead yet!”
But, yeah, I can't get around the fact that honoring the victim's desire to let it all be over and letting it go would mean (a) opening the door to letting a horrific number of domestic violence and child abuse cases go, and (b) sending a loud, clear signal that you can dodge the law forever with zero consequences if you're only rich and important enough.
Yeah. I was just really blinded by the "She wants it gone, let it be gone, please let it be gone," desire and not really looking at the bigger picture.
Bleah. I just look at Matilda sitting on the floor all absorbed in her toddler TV and the mama bear brain goes pure HULK SMASH.
Oh God yes. What I want most for my kids is for them to be kids and be kept safe from this sort of thing and frankly, I'm a little ashamed of myself that I... not so much let that slip, because as I already said, if anyone ever laid a finger on Abby or Nate, for that matter in such a manner, I'd probably kill, but that I let the victim's adult wishes supercede the child who was violated and all the children that can be protected in the future.
SuziQ - Sep 29, 2009 6:42:45 pm PDT #11490 of 30001
Back tattoos of the mother is that you are absolutely right - Ame
And now for something completely different...
A few months back CJ submitted a poem to a poetry contest. He had actually written the poem a few months before, but edited it down to fit the word count requirement. Anyway, he is poem was chosen to be published in a "Young American Poetry Digest" for 2009.
We just got our copy of the digest and it is so cool seeing his creativity in print. My mom had been so proud of him and had paid for our copy of the book. I'm so sorry she didn't get to see it. CJ is very happy with himself, as he should be.
Lee - Sep 29, 2009 7:00:57 pm PDT #11491 of 30001
The feeling you get when your brain finally lets your heart get in its pants.
Go CJ!
Vortex - Sep 29, 2009 7:01:29 pm PDT #11492 of 30001
"Cry havoc and let slip the boobs of war!" -- Miracleman
Aww, go CJ! would he mind if you posted the poem? I'd love to read it.
DavidS - Sep 29, 2009 7:08:30 pm PDT #11493 of 30001
"Look, son, if it's good enough for Shirley Bassey, it's good enough for you."
That's great news about CJ! A poet! That's not how I pegged him at age 10.
SuziQ - Sep 29, 2009 7:14:58 pm PDT #11494 of 30001
Back tattoos of the mother is that you are absolutely right - Ame
The full version of his poem was written back in November and is here.
The edited/condensed version is...
He should have died many times before.
Why?
Why have my friends died in wars I survived?
Why have I lived through diseases
that my family died from?
But there was on thing he could not
escape, and that is time.
Death celebrates triumphantly.
He has finally caught up to the one
who has eluded him.
But Death is surprised when he is asked
"Is it my time now?"
And they walk, like friends,
to the land of Death.
I like the longer version better, but there was a tight word count requirement for this submission.
Burrell - Sep 29, 2009 7:31:00 pm PDT #11495 of 30001
Why did Darth Vader cross the road? To get to the Dark Side!
Congratulations Dana, and go CJ! Good to see some good news in here.
I am going to keep out of the Polanski discussion as my opinion on the matter has already been said.
Hil R. - Sep 29, 2009 7:35:07 pm PDT #11496 of 30001
Sometimes I think I might just move up to Vermont, open a bookstore or a vegan restaurant. Adam Schlesinger, z''l
Cool apple. Horrible science journalism. (As always in the Telegraph, unnamed experts say the odds are a million to one.) [link]
Topic!Cindy - Sep 29, 2009 7:57:29 pm PDT #11497 of 30001
What is even happening?
Barb, I totally get where you're coming from, but this:
What I want most for my kids is for them to be kids and be kept safe from this sort of thing and frankly, I'm a little ashamed of myself that I... not so much let that slip, because as I already said, if anyone ever laid a finger on Abby or Nate, for that matter in such a matter, I'd probably kill, but that I let the victim's adult wishes supercede the child who was violated and all the children that can be protected in the future.
...for me? That gets to the heart of the matter. If, God forbid, something were to happen to one of your kids -- you (or they) wouldn't get the say on the punishment due the perpetrator. We don't let survivors and their families take the child rapists up into the hills, kill them, and bury their bones. The flip side of that sane system is not forgetting about imposing a legal sentence, even after the survivors and their families have had too much. We ask common, objective people to decide cases, because it's all too subjective for those who are involved.
The rule of law is important, maybe especially when it is difficult to uphold. There's a place for mercy, but not to the exclusion of justice.