WHAT, A LIFE; BLOG # 194; FRIDAY, JULY 31, 2015

THE MESSAGE:

Some people are weird; some are just boring. Pity those who are weird AND boring.

A LIFE WASTED:

I am reminded of a man filled with jealousy, ill-will, hostility, bitterness and resentment. He no longer resides with us and is most likely not remembered fondly by many. He did manage to win the respect or perhaps the consternation of a few souls incapable of grasping the true qualities of leadership, co-operation, acceptance and compassion. It is unknown to me how or when he developed into such a misanthrope. In his mind you were classified either as a fine fellow, a ‘yes man', a mockable enthusiast or a believer in worthless ideals. This man must have lived and died in a state of loneliness and confusion. To me he represents the perfect example of A LIFE WASTED. “HE COULDA BEEN SOMEBODY.”

A LIFE UNDEVELOPED

Approximately 1,000 high school students will drop out with each hour that passes in a school day in America. This means that 30 percent of the class of 2007, or 1.2 million students, were estimated to have dropped in that year. 

The high school dropout crisis has received significant recent attention from researchers, policy makers and the media. It has been widely reported that one in three boys, and nearly 50 percent or more of some racial and ethnic groups of boys, will fail to graduate from high school with a diploma in four years. 

What has been generally overlooked, however, is that girls, too, are dropping out of high school at dangerously high rates. In fact, one in four girls overall do not finish high school, and the numbers are worse for girls of color. One in two Native American female students, four in ten Black female students, and nearly four in ten Hispanic female students fail to graduate with a diploma each year. 

There are significant costs to be paid by both the individual and the nation as a whole for each and every student who drops out of high school. In general, dropouts face significant challenges to obtaining employment and achieving economic security. Female dropouts are at particular economic risk. As compared to their male peers, girls who fail to graduate from high school have higher rates of unemployment; make significantly lower wages; and are more likely to need to rely on public support programs to provide for their families. With so many students dropping out of high school each year, the aggregate drain on our nation’s economy—through foregone income tax revenue and increased public spending—is substantial. 

EDMOND SHOAT OF CHICAGO TELLS HIS STORY

The day after Labor Day, Chicago Public Schools welcomed back students from their summer break. Edmond Shoat was not among them. He was supposed to graduate last year. But he didn't. He dropped out just two weeks before school ended.

“I was on probation. I was jobless. I didn’t have nothing. With only two weeks left, I just gave up on everybody,” said Shoat. “I didn't care no more. Like man, forget everybody. F%#k everybody. I just couldn't do it no more. It was too much going on.”

Edmond, who also goes by EJ, is only 19 years old but he's already experienced a lot of turmoil in his short life: from the murder of a close uncle to landing in jail on weapons charges. He's also the father of a 3-year-old boy named Rajan who lives with his mother in another state. Ironically, EJ says school was the bright spot in his turbulent life.

“The school did all that they can. School is a big help. They was encouraging. They was a big help,” he said. “They was trying, trying they hardest. It was too much going on. If my mind was focused on school, like I could do work all day.”

EJ's life started in the notoriously dangerous Cabrini Green housing projects. His father, he says, was a trucker and frequently absent. At the age of 13, EJ's uncle, who was only 7 years older than him, was fatally shot at Cabrini Green. Edmond says his family heard the shooting from their apartment.

“So we went down there to see what was going on and he was just laid out on the ground. He was dead. We couldn't do nothing. So, I’d say about a month later, my whole family moved out of the projects.  My mom, she worked at a nursing home. And you know, sometimes she'd either quit the job or we'd have to move. We couldn't pay the rent. Or we'd find another job and move somewhere else. We did a lot of moving around.”

A LIFE WITHOUT NURTURE


Infants on the loose

Hungry, dirty, barefoot and alone  a 2-year-old girl and her 3-year-old brother were found wandering a Bronx Street. 

The children were spotted around noon in soiled diapers. Their mother was nowhere to be seen and didn’t turn up for almost four hours, according to police. The kids were taken to a hospital for observation. The Administration for Children’s Services was caring for the kids.

Their mother Laschanda Devaughn, 41, claimed she had left the helpless babies with a neighbour, but cops didn’t buy her story and charged her with acting in a manner injurious to a child, police said.

Boy found handcuffed to N.C. porch with dead chicken speaks out, recalls sickening abuse.

His foster parents had 4 other adopted children.

WANDA LARSON

DORIAN LARSON

All of the kids, between the ages of 7 to 14, had been victimized by the couple, however none as severe as the 11-year-old.  The boy, who is being called "Michael" to protect his identity, recalled being starved, whipped, beaten, burned with electrical wires and his fingers pinched with wire cutters. One such act sliced his pinky finger and caused it to be infected.

"A lot of times I would bleed. Sometimes they wouldn't clean it. Sometimes they'd just leave it bleeding. Sometimes, Dorian, he'd stitch it up.  Like, I got hole in my head, different times. And he'd either stitch it up or use doctor medical staples to heal it."

In between all this he said he slept on the floor of a locked room and was bound with handcuffs, a chain or even to a large, wooden railroad tie. He was additionally rarely allowed to bathe and the home was infested with fleas thanks to the 11 dogs that lived with them. 

If he had had a chance to speak at trial Michael said he would have asked that Larson receive a harsher sentence, arguing that she was worse than Harper. 

"She deserves to be in jail for a long, long time," he said.

A LIFE OF BETRAYAL

PEDOHPILES

Predators abound on-line. Pedophiles approaching children in chat rooms are successful because many parents have no idea who their children are talking to in online forums and what is being discussed. 

What is the profile of a child molester? An average child molester will offend 200–400 times before being caught, if ever. The vast majority of offenders do not get caught, and they have no criminal records. According to the FBI, only one out of ten cases of child sexual abuse is reported to law enforcement.

Many of the statistics on these types of crimes are gleaned from incarcerated perpetrators, who have provided civil authorities with an inside view into the lives of child molesters. This information has helped law enforcement authorities ascertain that only the tip of the iceberg is being disclosed and reported.

A 14 yr old girl from Tennessee who had been living in the woods for 16 days with a 41-year-old convicted child molester has been found safe, authorities said. Hayleigh Wilson, of Surgoinsville, and Ben Shook, 41, were living off the land and traveling about a mile a day at night through a wooded area from Tennessee to Virginia before being apprehended.

The fugitive and the teenager asked a woman if they could use her home for a shower and she let them inside. The woman then alerted police, leading to them getting caught.

Wilson was found in good condition considering she had been on the run for the past 16 days, he said. Authorities said they did not believe the two had a plan on where to go other than "not to be caught."

Child molesters usually begin their pattern of behavior while still teens themselves. The vast majority of child molesters are male, and most sexual abusers were sexually abused as children.

Rather than appearing to be “monsters,” perpetrators usually try to be very charming and friendly. After gaining widespread trust, over time, some eventually even head nonprofit organizations of various kinds dealing with youth, giving the molesters not only easy access but also free rein.

Child molesters tend to rationalize their sexual interests and validate their behavior. They tend to show an excessive interest in children, and often seduce children with attention, affection and gifts. They lie and manipulate, typically very skillfully. 

Christopher Paul Neil, convicted pedophile

A LIFE OF VIOLENCE

JIHADIS

Religious extremists are increasingly turning to the internet to find, indoctrinate and radicalize young Muslims.  like sexual predators they prey on vulnerable young people, quickly brainwashing them with Al Qaeda propaganda and very quickly turning them into potential terrorists.

A New BBC series 'Generation Jihad' claims that growing numbers of bright young men dubbed ‘entrepreneurs of jihad’ are using the internet as a tool to foster extremism.  Many prey on younger men and women curious to learn more about Islam but instead bombard them with anti-Western and vengeful rhetoric  that leads to a generation of online recruits for jihad.

These extremist predators,  many of whom are under 25 and highly computer literate,  are setting up blogs, websites and forums in which to find and indoctrinate teens. The BBC documentary claims these men are at the vanguard of a new type of terrorism because of the ease at which the internet is enabling people to make contacts, plan and communicate plots and learn the art of guerrilla warfare.

The series highlights the case of 22-year-old Aabid Hussain Khan who was imprisoned for 12 years in 2008 on 23 counts of possessing articles for terrorism. The programme reveals that he built a website from his home in Bradford aimed at recruiting ‘jihadis from across the English speaking world’.  He  was naive and deadly serious and spoke about setting up a miniature Islamic state Scotland

One of his recruits, Mohammed Atif Siddique, was arrested as he prepared to fly to Pakistan to meet with Khan. He was charged with collecting photographs and videos of notable terrorist actions.

A LIFE WORTHWHILE:

I was at a corner grocery store in my hometown in Idaho, buying some early potatoes, when I noticed a small boy, delicate of bone and feature, hungrily apprising a basket of freshly picked green peas. I paid for my potatoes but was also drawn to the display of fresh green peas.  I couldn't help overhearing the conversation between  Mr. Miller,  the store owner, and the boy next to me.

"Hello Barry, how are you today?"

"H'lo, Mr. Miller. Fine, thank ya. Jus admirin' them peas. They sure look good."

"They are good, Barry. How's your Ma?"

"Fine. Git-tin' stronger alla' time."

"Good. Anything I can help you with?"

"No, Sir. Jus' admirin' them peas."

"Would you like to take some home?", asked Mr. Miller.

"No, Sir. Got nuthin' to pay for 'em with."

"Well, what have you to trade me for some of those peas?"

"All I got's my prize marble here."

"Is that right? Let me see it.", said Miller.

"Here 'tis. She's a dandy."

"I can see that. Hmm mmm, only thing is this one is blue and I sort of go for red. Do you have a red one like this at home?", the store owner asked.

"Not zackley but almost."

"Tell you what. Take this sack of peas home with you and next trip

this way let me look at that red marble."

"Sure will. Thanks Mr. Miller."

Mrs. Miller, who had been standing nearby, came over to help me. With a smile she explained that there are two other boys like him in the community. All three are in very poor circumstances. Jim just loves to bargain with them for peas, apples, tomatoes, or whatever.  When they come back with their red marbles, and they always do, he decides he doesn't like red after all and he sends them home with a bag of produce for a green marble or an orange one, when they come in on their next trip to the store.

I left the store smiling to myself, impressed with this man. A short

time later I moved to Colorado , but I never forgot the story of this

man, the boys, and their bartering for marbles. 

Recently I visited some old friends in that Idaho community and learned that Mr. Miller had died. His visitation was that evening and I agreed to accompany them.  Upon arrival at the mortuary we fell into line to meet the relatives of the deceased  to offer whatever words of comfort we could.

Ahead of us in line were three young men. One was in an army uniform. The other two wore dark suits and white shirts. They were all very professional looking. 

They approached Mrs. Miller, composed and smiling by her husband's casket.  Each of the young men hugged her, kissed her on the cheek, spoke briefly with her and moved on to the casket. Her misty light blue eyes followed them as, one by one; each young man stopped briefly and placed his own warm hand over the cold pale hand in the casket. Each left the mortuary awkwardly, wiping his eyes.

Our turn came to meet Mrs. Miller. I told her who I was and reminded her of the story from those many years ago and what she had told me about her husband's bartering for marbles. With her eyes glistening, she took my hand, led me to the casket, and explained that the three young men who just left were the boys I told you about.

They just told me how they appreciated the things Jim 'traded' them. Now, at last, when Jim could not change his mind about colour or size....they came to pay their debt.'

"We've never had a great deal of the wealth of this world, she confided, but right now, Jim would consider himself the richest man in Idaho." With loving gentleness she lifted the lifeless fingers of her deceased husband.  Resting underneath were three exquisitely shined red marbles.

IT'S NOT WHAT YOU GATHER, BUT WHAT YOU SCATTER THAT TELLS WHAT KIND OF LIFE YOU HAVE LIVED!

THE QUESTION:

IF YOU KNEW YOU WERE GOING TO DIE ONE YEAR FROM TODAY, WHAT WOULD YOU DO AND HOW WOULD YOU WANT TO BE REMEMBERED?

THE QUOTE:

"Throughout life people will make you mad, disrespect you and treat you bad. Let God deal with the things they do, cause hate in your heart will consume you too." WILL SMITH

THE LAUREL:

TO WILL SMITH FOR BEING AN AWESOME PARTNER, FATHER AND ENTERTAINER.

THE CLIP: