You've got some good points. The system sucks, not only in California but everywhere, when it comes to protecting children.
I've wondered if all that is being posted on the internet about this little girl is appropriate. Pictures showing her face bother me but I guess the people involved feel it important for others to see what's going on. What do ya think?
It does seem that trying to go with the flow and trying to do things the right way (so called the right way - the system's way) just doesn't help these kids.
If everything is on the up and up and this dad is telling the truth about all that he has witnessed it is absurd that the "system" has not helped his daughter to get out of an abusive situation with the mother. Now, the child is taken from the father? Put into custody? I wonder where she is now?
OK, maybe the dad has taken this a bit to the extreme with interviews, pictures, and so on (I do have to say that if I were in the same situation and I saw the system was failing to help me, I'd be out of there with my child, no questions asked. I'd find my way out of this country and starting a new life rather than watching what just happened to him. Maybe not the mainstream way of doing things, but hell, you've got another point. Some of the folks on the milk carton could well be parents protecting children from abusive parents. I never thought of that before. I do remember a friend of mine taking his daughter away from the mother and hiding her for about 8 years. The mom was abusive, she was a terrible mother. When she finally found them, the daughter was 18 years old. She was old enough to be able to look at her mother and to tell her to get the hell out of there and that she did not want her in her life. She remembered the abuse all by herself, no one had to tell her. )
Back to this dad. If he genuinely cares about his daugher, and if he thinks the "system" is there to help him, then he probably thought he was doing what was best for her. Go figure, you'd think evidence would be just what they want. Instead, they blame the dad and make him sound like he's nuts. Looks to me that he is protecting his baby.
When I showed a friend, a California cop of many years, the pictures of this little girl and told him the story, he said something must be wrong with the DAD and something must be fishy because the system in CA is great and would protect the child. Wow, I was shocked to hear him say that. I reminded him of times when we witnessed abusive situations that were not handled properly by the authorities - in California - he just shrugged. He would rather think the way he does and hope there is a system that will protect children (by the way, he loves kids and would do anything to protect them, he just doesn't get it or doesn't want to get it). Not getting it is safer, makes ya feel better.
Getting it is not comfortable, it's scary, and it drives you a little nuts at times when you see the injustice happening right under your noses - in America - the land of the free, the home of the brave, all that shit. Ya, who's supposed to be brave, the kids? So they can take the abuse of adults? I thought it was the men who should be brave and work to protect their wives and children. Bullshit if that happens much these days. OK, I'm getting way off topic and probably shouldn't go there.
Though it is scary, though it is uncomfortable, and though I feel it has driven me a little nuts at times, I'm beginning to really see it and to really get it! I've been very sheltered from all of this most of my life. The blinders came off when I learned about this hideous industry of teen warehousing. I'm not saying I thought the system was perfect and protecting our kids properly before I learned of this, I'm saying that I've learned a whole lot more and my eyes are much more open, wide open. I still have a lot to learn, I'm sure.
As I said, it's not a comfortable feeling but it's about time that we look around and figure out what the hell is going on as it relates to kids. Since obviously anyone who posts on here has the best interest of children at heart, then we need to do something (except for our trolling friends, of course. Who the hell knows what's in their hearts, if they even have hearts.)
I have changed my ways of thinking greatly. Instead of trying to take down this industry maybe we should rethink this and put our efforts elsewhere.
Maybe helping individual families is the place to start, helping them heal and learn how to care for their own children and teens.
Educating people that farming children out is not their answer, than the answer lies within them and in their own homes.
I know this is going to sound corny, but it's true. Love is the answer. Respect, as well. Parents need to show children respect and give them love.
Children begin to seek love, respect, and approval from their parents from a very young age.
If they don't get it they're confused and their lives start to spiral out of control. They have to look elsewhere, ie. drugs, alcohol, etc., for comfort.
Most often times the places they look for comfort gets them into trouble. They don't have the tools they need to know how to deal with non-loving, non-supportive parents. Most are ashamed and not able to share their pain with others. So they look for love in all the wrong places and usually they find themselves in trouble.
And then, of course, they're the ones with the problem and they're little hoodlums.
If we can educate families and if we can help them to find the strength to deal with, to love, and to respect their own children, then perhaps less people would see the need to farm out their children.
Oh, I guess that would be trying to take down the industry, indirectly of course. :grin:
