Student 17,
Yes, I do remember you. If I remember correctly, you were one of the voices of reason. Not afraid to speak your mind and didn't like B.S. lies and was one of the 1st people to call someone out. Correct? Also, If I remember correctly, you and I had some good discussions during one of Mike's group milieu.
Thank you for your sympathy. I truly appreciate it. Yes, Tom is still missing, we lost track of him in Kansas City, MO and are very concerned for his safety. Tom has made some bad choices in the last couple of years and we are afraid of what may happen next. We've already gone through to much death and tragedy to go to another funeral. I sincerely hope that he doesn't choose that path anymore. You probably know what I mean.
Psy, thanks for the info, understand free speech and I am a strong supporter of our rights, however you just can't yell fire in a crowded theatre. My concern is that Tom will follow some very bad advice and I'm not sure if I can take another death in the family, especially another one so young. My ultimate goal for Tom is emancipation (more like responsible independence) as well, just not in the way some jerks are calling for it. Some parents aren't monsters like kids or CALO make them out to be. Tom has no real need to fight against me or fight against doing what is right, this is learned behavior.
Ursus the answer to your question is yes, but that's all I'm going to go into here about that topic for now.
Unfortunately, we aren't the ones deciding what will happen next. Tom, at some point will have to face the truth of what was done and make amends. There is always room for forgiveness and there is always room to make things right again. He is only hurting himself more by continuing to run and hiding from the mistakes. He still has chances and opportunities to become an honorable young man and there are people that will help him. People that have always been there to help him. He needs to seek that help out rather than fight against it.
Tom is under the impression that all this will somehow magically go away when he turns 18. Nothing could be further from the truth.
I can only guarantee I will fight to protect him and help him become an honorable young man if that is what he wants. If not, I have no control over what someone else will make him do, or not do. At 18, 17 in my state, a judge won't care about anything that happened prior, they won't care about teenage angst, or a world that someone has created for themselves, or any other excuse for that matter. Harsh lesson for the unprepared. I accept that some people need to learn on their own, but it's ashame that they have to endure that kind of pain and loss when the solution is so damn easy.
Any help to locate Tom would be greatly appreciated.
Sean