Michael Speaks Out

As a life long advocate for the protection of women and children at risk, I feel compelled to comment on the recent developments at Penn State. This event has brought greatly needed national attention to the harsh reality that child abuse can and does occur in any town, at any time, to any of our children. We continue to discover that the mechanisms currently in place to prevent and report inciden...ts of abuse often fail and therefore may not be enough. We can and should be doing more, including talking to our children about their right to feel and be safe. My hope is that this horrible tragedy will begin a long-overdue dialogue about personal responsibility and moral obligations as they relate to protecting those who cannot protect themselves. My thoughts, prayers and heart are with the victims and their families as well as my deepest respect for their courage to speak out and seek justice.

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Comment by Anna Mason on November 11, 2011 at 6:49pm: Eloquently expressed, Michael!

Anna (in MO)

Comment by Spirited Dona on November 11, 2011 at 6:29pm: To paraphrase, Jim Morison, we live in strange days! If there was support for homeless vets, the way we see people in the streets, actually helping no one, we would be accomplishers! It is harder to help abused people, pets than i thought, because no one abuses without a support system. You faced a deep issue. I am proud of you!

Comment by sylvia doughty on November 11, 2011 at 10:33am: I feel ashamed to be a member of the human race not only for the abuse that takes place in our world but also when one hears of all those fellow beings who can turn a blind eye and as I said on FB I applaud Michael for his statement and for standing up and reaffirming his beliefs.

Sylvia. Your wee Scottish friend.

Comment by Cara Michelle Bridges on November 11, 2011 at 10:07am: ITS HORRIBLE TO THINK NO ONE WAS THERE TO PROTECT THIS CHILD INSTEAD THEY COVERED IT UP .BECAUSE OF THE JOB STATUS THIS MAN HAD IN HIS COMMUNITY BUT, ITS SAD TO SAY IT HAPPENS EVERY WHERE EVEN IN RURAL AMERICA. LIKE MICHAEL I HOPE THIS BRINGS SOME A WAKE UP CALL WE ALL NEED TO BE MORE AWARE OF WHATS GOING ON AROUND OUR CHILDREN OF TOMORROW OUR CHILDREN, GRANDCHILDREN, NIECES ,NEPHEWS EVEN OURS NEIGHBORS CHILDREN (YES I SAID OUR NEIGHBORS CHILDREN ) IF IT WERE YOUR CHILD BEING ABUSED AND YOU WERENT THERE WOULDNT YOU HOPE SOMEONE WAS THERE TO PROTECT THEM WE HAVE TO BE INVOLVED WE ALL HAVE A PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY AND A MORAL OBLIATION AS MICHAEL SAID AND ITS CRITICAL FOR OUR CHILDREN OF THIS WORLD THAT THERE ARE ENOUGH PEOPLE LEFT IN THIS WORLD WHO TAKE THERE WELL BEING TO HEART .BESIDES TALKING TO LOVED ONES AND MAKING THEM FEEL SAFE. IF YOU SEE AND KNOW OF ABUSE TAKING PLACE DONT LOOK THE OTHER WAY BECAUSE OF WHO THEY ARE THERE STATUS IN THE COMMUNITY WHETHER OR NOT ITS A FAMILY YOU DONT WANT TO SEPERATE TRUST ME THERE BETTER OFF YOU HAVE NO CLUE THE DAMAGE THE CHILD SUFFERS THE LONGER THEY ENDURE .MENTALY PHYSICALY,SEXUALY ( SOMETIMES IT TAKES A LIFE TIME TO OVER COME) ...WITH A STRONG LOVING SUPPORT SYSTEM.... SOME NEVER DO INSTEAD THEY TAKE THERE OWN LIFE THE PAIN IS TO GREAT .HOW DO I KNOW SO MUCH ON THE MATTER.. I WAS A VICTIM OF CHILDHOOD ABUSES BUT, NOW I AM A SURVIVOR THO MY BODY IS DISABLED NOW.. MY BACK IT SEEMS COULD NOT WITH STAND THE NEAR DAILY BEATINGS AND ABUSES. MY SPIRIT IS STRONG NOW THO.. AND LIKE MICHAEL I TAKE THESE MATTERS TO HEART NO CHILD SHOULD HAVE TO ENDURE ANY TYPE OF ABUSE PLEASE...! DONT LOOK THE OTHER WAY BECAUSE YOU THINK ITS NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS THAT CHILDS LIFE MIGHT BE AT STAKE ITS NOT JUST A PERSONAL RESONSIBLITY IT IS A MORAL OBLIGATION AS WELL AS IT SHOULD........................CARA