The Right to Know

     The past few months have produced numerous debates on our constitutional rights.  Part of the discussion revolves around the idea of privacy.  This is somewhat puzzling as there are many instances in this country where identification and checks involving personal information is required.  We accept these requirements as a means to obtaining our goal.  We don’t cry that it violates our rights.  We understand the necessity of proving our identity, and other information for a variety of everyday activity.  Somehow this has been forgotten.

   We need a photo I.D. to get on a plane, enter certain establishments, organizations and events, purchase alcohol, and do many financial transactions.  We need to present it when we vote which is also a constitutional right.  There has been some protest regarding these issues, but nothing that has caused a large national outcry.

     When we apply for a credit card, loan, or mortgage, our entire credit history is researched and analyzed.  Every dime we borrowed is scrutinized and evaluated in determining if we are eligible for the type of credit for which we are applying.  We accept the consequences of our past actions, and understand that banks and lending institutions have the right to obtain this information.

     If we purchase or sell a home, it becomes a matter of public record and often the transaction is printed in local newspapers.  Personally I don’t like the idea that a person’s name and address, as well as the amount of money involved is made available, but the paper has the right to report it.  In my newspaper they even print divorces.  That seems over the top in terms of needing to know, but it is allowed.

     When we get on a plane, we have to produce I.D. as stated above, and go through security. Our bags and self are scanned for anything suspicious.  There have been cases of TSA officials going too far, but after 9/11, most people favor these measures as a means of providing steps to insure our safety.  The masses aren’t screaming about their rights.

     When I registered my kids for school, I had to bring along the deed to my home to prove my place of residency.  Due to current events, I now have to produce I.D. to any school personnel who make a request.  Everyone understands the necessity of these new procedures without question.

     Many places of business, education, and health, require fingerprinting, drug tests, and background checks.  If you want the job you will comply.  Applications ask if you have ever committed a crime.  I’m sure most individuals would not want to submit such information, but it is all part of the hiring process. Some jobs require testing in order to obtain a license rendering them competent in their field.  Fail the test and you don’t get the license.  If you don’t have a license, you can’t have the job.

     However, there are places in this country where an individual can purchase a gun with nothing more than a simple permit.  They don’t have to pass a test. They don’t need a license.  The seller doesn’t need to conduct a background check.  There are so many other instances in which we subject ourselves to checks, tests, licensing, and identification.  Why does this issue suddenly violate our rights?  If gun advocates want to prove that owners of guns are responsible and trained, they should be out in full support of universal background checks.  It is a requirement that should be upheld and fulfilled. It is a responsibility that must come along with a right.

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Enough is Enough

Official seal of Newtown, Connecticut (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

      On a beautiful Friday morning, the world changed forever.  In Newtown, CT,  26 sweet souls lost their lives in a senseless act of destruction.  I have not been able to shed any tears.  I think I am still in the shock of disbelief.  I am so angry that the perpetrator targeted an elementary school for an act so horrid.   There are no words to explain why this continues to happen in this country.  I heard on one news report that 100,000 Americans have been killed in America, by Americans, since 9/11.  So much focus has been placed on securing our safety from terrorists.   While this is certainly important, the safety of our citizens within our own towns, cities, malls, movie theatres, and schools is another area that deserves immediate attention.

      Our constitution provides the right to bear arms.  This was written at a time in history when the nation was still growing.  It was also essential that people had the ability to hunt for food in order to survive.  Much has changed in the hundreds of years that have passed since its inception.  No one needs a gun that is capable of shooting off multiple rounds of ammunition.  There is no reason for the average citizen to be in possession of this type of assault weapon.  Gun proponents will not be able to convince me that it is right of anyone to own this type of artillery.  Why they continue to have such a hold on our leaders in unacceptable.

    There is much we have ignored.  There are many neighborhoods in this country where its residents live in fear every day.  It has now spilled into areas of the unexpected.  I used to live in the Sandy Hook section of Newtown.  When I became pregnant with my second daughter, my husband and I decided we needed a home with more space.  Eventually we found a home in a neighboring town.  Had we not moved, that same child would have been in Sandy Hook Elementary School.  I agree that never would anyone have thought this could happen in a small community which places a high value on its youth.  Now that it has, we as people need to speak up, act, and work towards building a better society.  If it could happen there, it could happen anywhere.

     Good people in our country should not have to worry that if they go to the movies, or stop for a bite to eat at the mall, they will be in danger.  That if they go to work, they will have to stare into the face of a disgruntled employee.  That if they go to a place of worship, they will be met with evil while they pray.  That if they send their smallest children off to school, they will not come home.  That if they choose a career path of working with those children, they will be forced into a position of having to protect them, and possibly lose their life.

      It is now time for all citizens to send messages to Congress and the President that we need change, and we need it fast.  I am tired of hearing mental illness is the reason for these acts.  I am sure there is more that can be done in that area, but we also need to revise our gun laws, strengthen our communities, and provide a society where people can live without fear, heartache, and left asking why.  Enough is enough.

http://signon.org/sign/gun-control-now-1.fb23?source=s.icn.fb&r_by=6446212

Trayvon Martin….He Just Went for a Walk

The nation is stunned by a story of a young man who went for a walk and never made it home.  A young man who went to a store, in the early evening, bought a soda and Skittles, and ended up being shot and killed.  George Zimmerman is the man who caused the death of Trayvon Martin.  So much has been reported, debated, and discussed involving this case.  I do not wish to repeat what has already been stated, but to visit some of the issues that surround the known details.  Issues that make one wonder how something this horrific could have happened.

The concept of Neighborhood Watch lends itself to defining.  To most it means people keep their eyes and ears open to anything unusual or suspicious occurring in their immediate surroundings.  It is a method of assisting law enforcement in preventing crime.  It is not meant as a vehicle for those who want to act as authority, or to become a hero.  Those who patrol usually do not go out alone, but walk together in a group.  George Zimmerman called the authorities and then for whatever reason, decided to pursue Trayvon.  This is baffling since this young man wasn’t causing a disturbance; he wasn’t harassing anyone, wasn’t peeking in the windows of homes, or pulling on the door handles of cars.  How suspicious could he have been? 

This idea of a hoodie being a symbol of fear and concern is racism in disguise.  Millions of people wear hoodies every day.  Why does it suddenly take on another connotation when worn by a young black man?  How did an article of clothing come to be a feature of a stereotype?  In my opinion, George Zimmerman already decided that this was a person up to no good.  His approach was most likely aggressive and inducing of fear.  Most people would shout, or try to run if a stranger was coming towards them. Remember, this kid was doing nothing wrong.  One can only imagine what was going on in his mind as he saw this grown adult approaching him.  That being the case,  Zimmerman’s claim of self-defense appears twisted to justify his actions.  What could this boy have done to cause Zimmerman to pull out a gun and shoot?  There is simply no excuse.

As a parent, you can see the pain in the eyes of a mother who has lost a son.  You can hear the hurt in the voice of a father who feels he wasn’t there for his child in his time of need.  They did everything right in raising Trayvon, only to lose him in the end.  I believe that there will be charges filed against George Zimmerman.  My hope is that the investigation is being done carefully so that a trial cannot be dismissed because of mistakes in police work.  In the meantime, a nation remains filled with anger, disbelief, and sadness caused by the heartbreak and loss of an innocent young man.  Americans want to believe that we have made much progress in the rights for all people, in race relations, and in freedom granted to all.  This case painfully makes us realize we still have far to go.

Deborah Bradley: Nothing to Hide?

I usually don’t write about a topic twice, but I can’t stop thinking about the Lisa Irwin case.  The fact that it involves a 10-month-old child has much to do with it.  When the story first broke, there was a possibility that a stranger might have taken this baby.  I didn’t fully understand how it could have happened, but my hope was Lisa would be found safe and alive.  The past few days has  created more doubt as the story is changing.  Unfortunately we have seen this pattern before and the outcome is never a good one.

The mother, Deborah Bradley, now admits to being drunk the night of the disappearance.  She reports last seeing Lisa at approximately 6:30.  Why did she leave out this “detail”?  Is she more worried about how she looks at this point?  Why would a mother who is alone in the house at night with 3 children, drink to the point of getting drunk?  Does she have a problem with alcohol?  If it was a lapse in judgment, why did she pick that night?  Did she really get drunk alone?

The parents have spent a great deal of time talking to the media.  This behavior has been observed before with the likes of Susan Smith and Scott Peterson.  I remember the Peterson interview with Diane Sawyer.  He didn’t miss a beat answering her questions and had a response for all of them.  That interview played a big role in his trial.  One could argue that the couple is trying to keep their case public in an effort to find their daughter.  Her new legal team has put a stop to these interviews as they recognize the damage that could come from them.

These new lawyers and investigators have also stated that mother has “nothing to hide”.   That doesn’t match with the new information about what happened that night.  I would think that upon discovering that your child is missing, you would tell the whole truth right at the start.  It only adds suspicion to a case that is becoming increasing incredulous,  and has added a significant amount doubt.  Once again, a child is the victim of something inconceivable to most.  My heart still has the hope of a miracle, but my head fears that it will not happen.

A Baby Goes Missing

A 10-month-old baby girl was reported missing on Tuesday morning.  The parents of Lisa Irwin have stated that someone must have abducted their daughter.  The father, Jeremy Irwin worked the previous night.  Upon return, he noticed that the child was not in her crib.   Both he and the mother, Deborah Bradley, say that the front door was unlocked, lights were on, and that 3 cell phones were taken.  On Thursday it was reported that they have stopped cooperating with the police, and that the mother had failed a lie detector test.  When I saw Deborah Bradley crying on Good Morning America, I felt the pain of a mother who is feeling a sense of loss.  On the other hand, unless she is a very sound sleeper, I don’t know how she didn’t hear anything with a baby is in the house.

I remember when my children were under the age of 2.  We had a baby monitor  next to the bed.  It was a basic model and probably ancient compared to what is out there today.  You could hear every sound in the room.  The monitor was so sensitive that you could hear the child breathing.  Also, as a mother, your subconscious seems to take over and any noise out of the ordinary is  reason to get up and investigate.  My children are now elementary school age, and I still hear them when they get up at night.

Why would someone who is snatching a baby take the time to collect 3 cell phones?  If anything it would  aid in tracking the movement of the perpetrator.  Why would they turn on all the lights if they want to go unnoticed?  In this day and age, doors and windows have to be locked and secured.  How so many are broken into is a mystery.  For the day-to-day safety of children this young, it is important to prevent access to the outside.

I truly hope that the parents are telling the truth and by some miracle this child is found.  The numbers of tragedies involving the young seems to be growing.  Maybe the stresses of everyday life are taking a toll on too many adults which leads to negligent and irrational behavior.  As a society we need to find better ways of coping.  Our children cannot be the ones who bear the brunt of hard times, frustration, and depression.  They need to be guided and protected to ensure a safe and happy life.  They are the innocent.

The Anger of a Second Grade Boy

        I saw a story this morning on GMA about a second grade boy in Colorado, whose behavior was so violent, the police had to be called.  He had been spitting, throwing chairs, and swearing.  He told his teachers that he was going to kill them and was holding a sharp knife-like piece of wood.  His reaction towards the police was the same at which point they decided to use pepper spray on the child.  When his mother arrived she was horrified that her son had been treated this way, and filed a complaint against the police department.  The reaction to this story had been overwhelming.  Many are choosing sides as to who is wrong or right.  I think the situation is a little more complex than that. 

     He is in a class for children with behavioral issues.  His mother claims he only has problems at school.  Elizabeth Vargas, who has small children herself, tried to get this child to admit that his behavior was out of control.  He held back a bit and seemed like he really didn’t understand why it was so bad.  His mother feels excessive force was used.  Not being in the situation at the time we can only speculate what occurred.  But, the school has a commitment to provide a safe environment for all.  This is where we run into problems.

    There are many kids who cause disruptions in the classroom.  The attention all seems to focus on those one or two individuals and not on the climate of the entire room.  Where do the rights of the kids who behave come in?  How can a teacher be responsible for the learning and safety of all when these situations arise?  I find it interesting that these are the issues that create the most action by parents.  Right away they are in the office.  Right away they are seeking lawyers.  They don’t see that there is a much bigger problem in front of their eyes.

    This little boy is a ticking time bomb.  It will only be a matter of time before he hurts himself or others.  The focus should be on getting him the right kind of help he needs while he is still young.  There is something bothering him.  He seems to be deeply troubled.  This isn’t about the police, the school, or the teachers. The story has created much publicity, but I feel those closest to him need to put their energy into the child and let the other concerns rest.  I wish him well.