Because all over we have heard the same stories coming out parents are afraid of letting their children outside because of an overblown sense of stranger danger and yet, when kids are outside people don't even think to keep on eye of them and them I say 'them' I don't necessarily mean 'your child/ren' I just mean, the children in general. Because the children are the future, if there is a child riding a bike outside my front window and then I see a man (sorry male readers but let's call it) watching from a car across the road, you bet I am going to keep an eye on that child, maybe I will open my door and sweep my step (all this is fictional btw, I live in a block of flats) or call the child over and talk to it, get the child's name and door number.
The thing is, in the past I wouldn't need to do that because I would already know, in a time when you knew your neighbours and their children and felt free to tell the parents that their children were acting up as well. Now the rise of the Chav has made it an awkward prospect as people feel frightened that they will be attacked by some string vest wearing, drunk Rab C. Nesbitt
look a like who is just hacked off that you were disturbing his drinking time by complaining that his 'lil Angels' might have been terrorising the street. Of course those fears are overblown also, not every father is Rab, not every man is a predator nor is every teen a gang banger just waiting to cut you, but these fears, perpetuated by the media has just fuelled the 'closeting kids syndrome which is ruining the lives of our children who spend more time indoors locked up than any previous generation, turning into pasty, fat, ache riddled, lazy little kids who don't know what a tree is or where their meat comes from.
Jah love Natja. I give thanks and praises for your compassionate standpoint on this issue. I live in NYC and I was born here and came of age in the madness. I completely and totally agree with you and I feel strongly that our children deserve to be safe and that requires that all capable folks get involve and do their part. I and many others of my generation were abused and victimized by strangers outside as well as intimate relations inside the home. During the decades of my coming of age in NYC the victimizers were given carte blanche to inflict as much pain on as many of us that they could. And they did not hold back nd carried out their hateful and violent attacks everywhere in public and in private. I am glad that the Oprah Winfrey show and some other talk shows did a little bit to bring the highlight the problem of sex abuse. Unfortunately, most of the outcry and the media coverage is superficial and tenuous. It will not last as we wilp move on to more salacious scandals such as who, is comitting adultery and the fundamental problem will go on. Frankly, there are hundreds of thousands of children and people who are abducted and suffer a similar fate as those women did. The fact is that children are not taught effective self defense which comes with core values that emohasize self love. And many people will continue to make the grave mistake of taking rides from folks and also from in house victimization. I do not believe that the same justice system which is seeking to charge this Castro violator with criminal manslaughtet is really serious about ending those kinds of problems from reoccuring. Instead, the U.S. And many of its other allies in various nations states around the world seeks to expand its war machine by promoting domestic war on terror. In reality, they are the biggest threat to our natiinal security by misusing our tax dollars and by abusing their power. We are not safe and that is due to the inherent problems in our system. My heart and soul are with those who have been victimized and I pray that the victimizers and their enablers burn in hell. Blessed love.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comment, we are going through a flood of abuse claims in the media and it is very disheartening but we should also allow our children to BE children.
ReplyDeleteJah love Natja. I am not surprised that there is a flood of media coverage on this issue of sexual abuse. Unfortunately, media coverage has to be buttressed by grass roots engagement with the problem. And I fear that it will not happen so long as those activists continue to relegate child abuse and sex abuse or violence as non issues in comparisson to war and bank fraud.
DeleteAnd when you can, please explain what you mean by let children be children.
Blessed love.
I think children should be be aware of course, but not raised in fear, they should be allowed to grow up feeling safe, secure and free. Not a prisoner of their parents fears.
ReplyDeleteJah love Natja.
ReplyDeleteI get that children will be curious about other people and things. And personallyc I encourage my children to be adventurous up to a loint. I do not like to have my black Nyabinghi Rasta Haitian and working class kids too far, out of view. My experience has been that those kinds of characteristics often draw a negative and violent reaction from other folks. These abusers or would be violators are too ready to act like dominator civilizers who take on the role of discipliner. For instance, they are quick to scold, punish and give nasty looks and unwarrented touching. That has been my experiende in the United States in the many places that we lived as well as in another country abroad. My children look black and the media has presented them as the usual suspects. I suppose that other children who look like Michael Angelos depiction of Jesus/Yehoshuah DO NOT get the same treatment. I want my children to be careful and aware of this social problems and the legacy behind it which we still contend with in our culture and society. Added to that the post 9/11/01 era has made things even more violent ir children. I highly recommend the book Childism:Confronting Prejudice Against Children by Elizabeth Young Bruehl. She really outlines the legacy of this problem and how it leads to child abuse and victimization and mostly, she presses us to question the motivation of the abusers or would be violators.
Blessed love Natja.
I am lucky that I don't think that would be such an issue where I live and yet, I was lucky enough to be raised with a certain amount of freedom. My girl did not have that freedom, I am committed to making sure that my babe has more freedom.
ReplyDeleteJah love Natja. That is good, we are all looking for safe and loving communities where.our children will be free. It takes time, hard work and a lit of resources. I am hopeful and prayerful that it will materialize someday in the near future. Blessed love.
ReplyDelete