Politicos, Where is the Leadership?

The 2008 elections for President of the United States are just two years away, but where is the leadership we the people deserve? Who, from either party, is standing up to say...

"The Iraq War may or may not be a distraction from the real war on terrorist hot spots, still we are firmly committed to success there. Since we are already committed to success in Iraq, let's give our troops the ability to actually finish the job: Let's give the generals everything they need to do their job.

At the same time, let us fight a sophisticated, allied, war on terror. Let us not only bomb, but infiltrate ideas. Let us introduce Arab teens to rational influences. Let us not only invade, but channel economic incentives and pressures to align with our goals. Let us rebuild strong ties with the free world again and stop funding terrorism through buying terrorists' oil."

Where is this politician? Who is this leader that will unite America again? And when can meet this next president?

Mama, Don't Let Your Boyfriend Baby-sit

A mother's boyfriend was sentenced to life in prison last week for killing
the mother's 2-year old daughter while babysitting. In another case, Eric
Tate has recently been charged with capital sexual battery after he raped
and killed his girlfriend's 2 1/2-year old daughter.

Mama, don't let your boyfriend baby-sit. Studies show that the incidence of
child abuse is 33 times higher among children living with their mother and
her boyfriend (compared to children living with their biological, married
parents) [Family Education Trust, 1993].

I know it must be very, very hard to be a single mother: It is hard not to
get a break. But, it would be harder to bury your baby who died at the hand
of your boyfriend. Boyfriends are not babysitters. Nurses, let's get the
word out as mom leaves the hospital.

The Pedophiles' War on Our Children's Safety

The New York Times four-month investigation of pedophiles online reveals revolting and dangerous conversations about molesting children. In sum, today’s online pedophiles believe that society misunderstands them and that children really want to have sex with adults. Online pedophiles are leading a social movement towards the acceptance of sex with children. These chat groups also share information on how to gain access to children and how to further their mission in having sex with children, in propagating child pornography, and in gaining social acceptance of this criminal behavior.

NAMBLA, or the North American Man-boy Love Association, declares that they are fighting oppression against sexual relationships between adults and children. Last year, Robert Hamer, the undercover FBI agent who arrested some NAMBLA members, said before he retired that this was the most personally challenging assignment in his 26-year career: “These are ministers, special-education teachers, a dentist, professional people. They're your next-door neighbor, your kid's coach."

The pedophiles seem to be winning this war on our children’s safety. Most of us remain blissfully unaware that there even is a war. Yet this war is taking precious casualties: Last week in Tampa Bay, a 2 ½ year old girl died from being sexually abused by her mother’s boyfriend.

What can we do? First, we can supervise our children ourselves. Second, we can enact and enforce tougher laws (such as life in prison for first offense) on the sexual predators of children. Third, we can make any discussion of pedophilia on the web illegal. We can recognize the web as a portal to catch pedophiles and designate more resources to catch predators online. Do not retreat from this war!

Colbert Roasts President Bush - 2006 White House Correspondents Dinner - Google Video

Colbert Roasts President Bush - 2006 White House Correspondents Dinner - Google Video

I know this was a while ago, but it is so frickin' funny. How did they let that happen? The man has guts.

Protect children... Shame on Us All

On Wednesday, March 15, the good guys caught the bad guys. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE Cyber Crimes Center) led an investigation into an international child pornography ring and succeeded in arresting 27 child victimizers. These 27 perverts were using an Internet chat room to molest children and distribute child pornography.

Although undercover agents were able to identify the criminals, the investigation took 10 months. That duration of time is more than half the entire life of the baby under 18 months old who was molested on live streaming video. The implications of the 10-month investigation mean that after authorities received the tip, these children suffered brutal rapes, molestation, and victimization possibly several times a day for more than 10 months.

The effects of child sexual abuse are grave physical harm – even death, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), suicide, depression, anxiety, promiscuity, behavior disorders, substance abuse, and psychiatric disorders (http://www.childtrauma.org). Many child molesters were molested themselves as children, which may be creating an exponential increase of child molestation in general over time.

Child sexual abuse brings shame on us all. How can we prevent Internet web and chat room child pornography? How can we prevent child sexual abuse? Perhaps a good place to start would be to hold Google and especially Yahoo (Yahoo has many child porn group members) accountable for allowing access to child pornography pages.

E-mail Yahoo to tell them to stop allowing child porn groups. Contact your legislators to enact laws that would hold more business accountable. Get online (if you can stomach it) and report child porn sites to www.cybertipline.com, https://tips.fbi.gov/, and Operation.Predator@dhs.gov.

The agencies responsible for policing the web are the FBI's Cyber Crimes Program www.fbi.gov/hq/cid/cac/innocent.htm and the ICE Cyber Crimes Center http://www.ice.gov/graphics/investigations/services/cyberbranch.htm. If these agencies cannot adequately protect children, we need to find another way to increase protection. We are all responsible.

The Boyfriend Effect

In the November 5th issue of Pediatrics, researchers reported some astounding statistics. They found that children residing in households with unrelated adults were nearly 50 times as likely to die of inflicted injuries than children residing with 2 biological parents.

The researchers did not find any increased risk for children living alone with a single parent. The majority of known perpetrators were male (71.2%), and most were the child's father (34.9%) or the boyfriend of the child's mother (24.2%).

In these high-risk households, the boyfriend was typically responsible for caring for the child at the time of the fatal-injury event and was the perpetrator of abuse.

Mommas, don't let your boyfriend take care of your baby. Better to not work then to let the boyfriend baby-sit. Most of these deaths came from shaking the baby's head. Nurses and social services, let's get the word out. Will social services please make a pamphlet about "The Boyfriend Effect?"

http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/116/5/e687

Godsend

Here is something close to the lyrics of Godsend by Beat Happening. I heard this song today and I thought of my wife.


Godsend

it's just the things you do, you make it true
it's just the things you do, you make it true

you wanna run and play, you make a sunny day
you wanna run and play, you make a sunny day

you wanna have a look, you open every book
you wanna have a look, you open every book

it's just the things you do, you make it true, you're a godsend
it's just the things you do, you make it true, you're a godsend

you stay up every night, awash in candlelight
you stay up every night, awash in candlelight

it's just the things you do, you make it true
it's just the things you do, you make it true, you're a godsend
you're a godsend
you're a godsend

see a man on the street, you wash his tired feet
see a man on the street, you wash his tired feet

it's just the things you do, you make it true
see a man on the street, you wash his tired feet
see a man on the street, you wash his tired feet
see a man on the street, you wash his tired feet
you're a godsend
godsend...

it's just the things you do, you make it true, you're a godsend
it's just the things you do, you make it true, you're a godsend
you're a godsend
you're a godsend
you're a godsend
you're a godsend...

you wanna run and play, you make a sunny day
you wanna have a look, you open every book

you stay up every night, awash in candlelight
you stay up every night, awash in candlelight

see a man on the street, you wash his tired feet

you wanna rest your head, you make a bed, you make a bed
you wanna rest your head, you make a bed, you make a bed

you're a godsend
godsend

see a tear in your eye, you don't know why
see a tear in your eye, you don't know why
see a tear in your eye, you don't know why, you don't know why

see a tear in your eye, you don't know why
you're a godsend
see a tear in your eye, you don't know why
see a tear in your eye, you don't know why, you don't know why
see a tear in your eye, you don't know why
you're a godsend
see a tear in your eye, you don't know why
you're a godsend
you're a godsend
you're a godsend...

it's just the things you do, you make it true
it's just the things you do, you make it true

you're a godsend.