|
|
|
timmy
|
 |
Has no life at all |
Location: UK, in Devon
Registered: February 2003
Messages: 13800
|
|
|
I can't finish reading this story. http://www.tampabay.com/features/humaninterest/article992939.ece
It deals with child abuse, possibly even murder, in a Florida state run institution.
I would like to remind us all of Marc, now quite unwell, who suffered in a Worcester, Massachusetts institution. If you write to him, do not remind him or show him this story.
[Updated on: Sat, 04 September 2010 21:01]
Author of Queer Me! Halfway Between Flying and Crying - the true story of life for a gay boy in the Swinging Sixties in a British all male Public School
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sigh...I am sorry to read something like this, and yet I know these places still exist. Juveniles in lock up are the forgotten legions, the ones so easily abused.
Many years ago to save money the Reagan administration went about the country closing mental institutions and withdrawing funds from programs for juveniles. The street soon became the only refuge for the mentally disabled and so now we have a huge homeless population.
From a personal perspective I have worked with abused juveniles, wards of the court who were attempting to become mainstream once again. I was part of the education squad, since any re-entry to society is based upon learning to fit in. Much of that work is confidential and rightfully so, protecting the children was our foremost challenge.
I can tell the story of one boy because I still follow his life and admire him as one brave young man. He was in a county home for juvenile offenders and ran away because he was being sexually abused by a counselor. He was on the street when we found him. He was committed to this facility by the court and was fortunate that I recognized something in him that disturbed me. I also knew he was a gay boy.
So our interview danced around the subject until he finally told me about the abuse and I immediately took him before a friend, the head judge for the juvenile court. She stayed the court decision, placed him in foster care and issued an arrest warrant for the counselor. He was convicted of abusing dozens of boys and is currently serving one hundred and thirty years, a life sentence.
The young boy in question sued the county and state, they settled out of court for a large sum of money. His is the success story that lets me sleep at night. Juvenile counselors in that county are now vetted to the extreme as is just.
I don't think anyone would disagree, every state needs to pay better attention to the juvenile institutions, Florida has among the worst. All facilities of incarceration are supposed to be overseen by a grand jury who investigates conditions in that facility. But I keep envisioning the scene in the movie "Oliver" where the trustees sit at a table loaded with food while the orphans eat gruel.
That is where the abuse begins and yet we do nothing. All our energy is wasted on frivilous concerns about gay marriage and tea party foolishness. I for one would be all in favor of a benevolent dictatorship in our system of incarceration. Counselors who work in these places are servants of the state and if they abuse the privledge of that job the state ought to seek termination, and I don't mean just lose their jobs.
It doesn't take much effort to see the abuse in a child's eyes, it just takes someone to be out there looking. This is the real horror of the situation of abuse in Catholic Church, they knew and did nothing. Thank you for posting this reminder, Timmy. But it won't help any of us sleep better at night knowing it still exists. I guess we aren't angry enough to make it stop.
Age appears to be best in four things; old wood best to burn, old wine to drink, old friends to trust, and old authors to read. (Sir Francis Bacon 1561-1626)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
timmy
|
|
Has no life at all |
Location: UK, in Devon
Registered: February 2003
Messages: 13800
|
|
|
I'm not sure the issue of LGBT equality need be set aside when we strive for simple justice for kids, too. Physically and sexually abusing children, boys and girls alike, isn't to do with homosexuality as the article shows.
These places get away with it because the kids are 'inmates' and 'offenders' and are not to be believed. And all one needs is a medical officer who enjoys pain, and the circle is complete.
Awesome result with the lad you cite.
Author of Queer Me! Halfway Between Flying and Crying - the true story of life for a gay boy in the Swinging Sixties in a British all male Public School
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Thank you, Timmy, but all I did was point the finger and cry foul. It was so easy to see what was happening. I called Alan after making this post, he is 29 now, a brilliant young gay man, it makes me proud to be a small part of his life. It is still a horrible thing. I would have been just as happy if the boy wasn't gay, this is a human rights issue.
Age appears to be best in four things; old wood best to burn, old wine to drink, old friends to trust, and old authors to read. (Sir Francis Bacon 1561-1626)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
timmy
|
|
Has no life at all |
Location: UK, in Devon
Registered: February 2003
Messages: 13800
|
|
|
Please let him know that someone on the other side of the world who doesn't know him at all sends him his best wishes. Surviving crap like that at all is tough. I say this out of empathy, I am glad I have no personal knowledge of his one time plight.
Author of Queer Me! Halfway Between Flying and Crying - the true story of life for a gay boy in the Swinging Sixties in a British all male Public School
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
cossie
|
 |
On fire! |
Location: Exiled in North East Engl...
Registered: July 2003
Messages: 1699
|
|
|
Well, I did read to the end, and it was just as harrowing as Timmy suggested. It was to some extent reassuring that so many of the comments which followed were supportive of the reporter’s angle, but there was still enough pious claptrap to turn my stomach. What conceivable point could there be in ‘bringing Jesus into your life’ if Jesus allowed the suffering to continue while the perpetrators attended Baptist Church each Sunday? Unhappily, as we already know from the ongoing revelations about the Roman Catholic Church (and I suspect that institutional abuse spreads much further that that) this isn’t something limited to the Bible-Belt States, or to the far side of the Atlantic.
One hopeful item among the comments was the news of a project by two politicians – I don’t remember whether they are in the House or the Senate, but one is a Democrat and the other a Republican – to launch a federal review of the system. That seems something that US forum users might like to investigate and support. I don’t know too much about internal US institutions and practices, or about the sensitivity of the division between the powers of Federal and State Governments – maybe someone who does can elaborate further. Do you have any major countrywide child protection charities equivalent to Britain’s Childline or NSPCC? (Google will find you anything you’d like to know about these.) This is just a thought which comes to mind, but on the basis that great oaks from little acorns grow, one acorn that could be sown if you write in support of the above initiative is the idea of random and unannounced federal inspection of state juvenile facilities, by inspection panels including strong representation from child-protection charities as well as government agencies. Representation from outside the system seems to be a necessary part of credible and effective investigation.
Congratulations, Chris, on your intervention in the case you describe, and on the hugely successful outcome. I, too, send my heartfelt good wishes to Alan, but especially to you for having the perception to identify the need and the courage to step outside the loop to act on your conviction.
For a' that an' a' that,
It's comin' yet for a' that,
That man tae man, the worrld o'er
Shall brithers be, for a' that.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
kiwi
|
 |
Likes it here |
Location: New Zealand
Registered: August 2009
Messages: 317
|
|
|
That's just sick and, unfortunately, all too plausible.
I am not a violent person, but i could be persuaded.
cheers
Commas matter - 'Party on Dudes' is not the same as 'Party on, Dudes'
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
I started to read this but was soon persuaded to stop by the unpleasantness and the hints that worse was to come.
I'm a sqeamish old man with four grandchildren. I think bringing up children is the most important thing anyone ever does. I don't think the world would be a better place if I was completely sickened by a story, however true, unless maybe I could do something about it.
I don't want to be driven to hate. I originally came here to read the gay love stories and have been delighted by them.
How nasty would a post have to be, Timmy, for you to tell the poster to stop?
Love,
Anthony
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
timmy
|
|
Has no life at all |
Location: UK, in Devon
Registered: February 2003
Messages: 13800
|
|
|
I do not really understand the question.
If the post furthers our knowledge then I see no reason to ask anyone to cease. If it does not then I trust that it be not posted in the first place.
[Updated on: Mon, 06 September 2010 20:58]
Author of Queer Me! Halfway Between Flying and Crying - the true story of life for a gay boy in the Swinging Sixties in a British all male Public School
|
|
|
|
|
Goto Forum:
|
] 
A Place of Safety
Search
Help
Register
Login
Home
Horrible 
Re: Horrible 
