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It’s not Rocket Science
It’s not Rocket Science! Pouring more money
into a system like this won’t help much, unless the
Battered Women themselves are leading the way. Any
Politician worth his salt should be able to figure
it out … Take some of those billions of dollars that
we’re wasting on personal agendas and ridiculous
wars, and take up the cause of abused women and
their children. You’ll get a helluva lot more
votes! I guess it’s time to focus on her abuser
now. We’d better, he’s still there! He still has
an existence and he’s just waiting. He knows his
time will come.
I
wonder about him and his life, and has he made good
use of his time in prison? When that day comes and
he gets out, will his attitude be better or will he
have wasted his time and become sicker in the head?
And once that choice is given to him, what will he
do? Will he try to do something productive with his
life or will he be consumed with taking his
frustrations out on her, and make her just another
statistic ... Dead? And if he decides to come back
and pay her back for a wrong he feels done, who’s
going to have a camera on him wherever he goes?
Will the next time I see her be at her funeral, as I
view her in her casket … Right before she’s lowered
into the ground? I pray to God that’s not so.
Maybe I’m dreaming, but can’t help it ... I hope for
the best. I see a much better option for him than
retaliation.
Although it will take a lot of determination on his
part, he will now have the chance to show us his
best. He will now have the opportunity to do
something very constructive with his life. What
will he do with this chance of a lifetime? Will he
amount to something or will he just blow it again
and kill her, then another ... Then another? Will
he try to control her life again or has he matured
enough to take control of his own?
If
anyone lives in fear, it should be him! Heather
shouldn’t have to hide … She’s done nothing wrong.
Your guess is as good as mine as to where it all
could end.
As
I’m sure you can tell by now, I’ve felt somewhat
guilty over the years. I was a part of the system
that was supposed to protect her. Heather was right
there when I needed her and the only time that she
called for me … I was nowhere around. Yes, I’ve got
a conscience! Does he? Do you? Does our system?
This
story was mostly written before I ever laid eyes on
her again, and it was only a month or so beforehand
that I had even spoken to her on the phone. I guess
things like this have a purpose, because here I am
at last, writing this story about her.
I’d
like to leave a message for Heather’s abusive
ex-husband, Thomas Price, Jr....As he sits in prison
until April 24, 2009 at the Bennettsville, South
Carolina Federal Correctional Institution…
“It wasn’t Heather! It’s the bad choices you’ve
made that prompted me to write this chronicle. Had
it not been for your abusive actions, this wouldn’t
be much of a story. But don’t expect royalties here
for mistakes that you’ve made.
Soon, you’ll be out again and we’re all
wondering…What will you do? Surely, you’re more
educated now, but at the moment, even you may not
have a clue. But this is my promise to you…
Someday, I may offer my hand to you in friendship
once you’ve proved honorable intentions. But if you
decide to try manipulating Heather or your children,
or harming her, them or anyone else in any way…Now,
everyone who reads this story will know about you.
At the least, I’m going to do my damnedest to make
sure that’s quite a few.
There are many like me who love women out here.
Also, there are many in there with you. Will you
join us, or will we chase you…It’s your choice. It’s
all up to you.”
And
for the government systems that were set up to help
and protect her, I also have a few words...
“You’re just as I was, years ago with my children.
You need help now! You need a Babysitter … A good
one! I did it before and I can do it again. I’m
going to keep searching until I find one I can trust
to look after you and the ones that I love … Like
that little mother hen who watched over our sons!”
It’s
just a matter of time.
Having been in law enforcement for so long, I tend
to be skeptical. I tend not to go with all of the
bullshit that I read, hear or even see ... But more
from my own personal experiences, and even more
importantly than that … From what my gut tells me!
Based upon that, these are the conclusions I’ve
drawn. Both Tommy and the system have become
smarter and better … At covering up.
Education, we need more of it … From the top down
and not from the bottom up. Those who represent us
in government first, then Judges, then Lawyers, then
Law Enforcement, and right on down the line. It’s
like a rope. It’s got to come down … We damn sure
can’t push it up! Our best training will not come
from Politicians, College Professors or
Administrators. Our greatest learning will come
from those in the trenches, the experts who’ve been
there … The Survivors. But we’d better start now,
because we can’t expect that these few Survivors who
do speak out will live but so long.
There are many questions left unanswered…
What
will we do about the protection and care of all of
our children?
Will
Heather and the multitude of others like her, ever
be able to live normal lives without having to fight
every step of the way?
Are
we willing to take the necessary steps to help them
get beyond just surviving … to thriving?
As a
result of our ignoring their basic needs for
survival, will women eventually lose their nature of
compassion and nurturing?
Isn’t the core of our society worth a little more
effort and a few more dollars?
Is
her abuser better now and if so, how will he prove
it?
What
will he do to restore our trust?
How
can we help him to help us?
What
if he’s worse?
Will
we ignore all the others like him?
How
many like him are actually in prison?
Which is closer to the root of the problem … sex
offenders or abusers?
Will
there ever be a way to track them? (Efforts are
showing with sex-offenders … But what about
abusers?)
And
what’s all this crap about “Family Values” and other
sound-bites like that?
(Because so little actions are taken, these
well-placed words for the media have now lost their
meaning)
And
if we’re really so concerned about “Human Rights,”
why has a female’s right to leave, live and continue
to exist been so largely ignored.
Hey! It’s an Emergency! Help me out here! I can’t
handle all of this by myself. I’m just an ole man
on the porch.
For
those of us males who love women and making love
with them, we’d better turn the sound back on and
get off of our asses. We’ve got to help and protect
them … If we do, in fact, love them.
What’s your relationship like? Is it about love and
caring or is about power and control? Pay attention
to your gut! If you’re a female and you just feel,
that it’s the latter and you want to be a Survivor,
don’t think twice … You’d better get the hell out of
there! If you’re a male and it’s the latter, the
same may also be true … Because if you’re an abuser,
we’ll soon be coming after you!
That
message on the card that Tommy sent to his child was
revealing. But who was his note meant for? Was it
for his child or his ex-wife again, or was it for
all of us? I’m going for the largest picture. When
I visualize that little clock with the message that
he scrawled … I take it as a wake-up call. We’d
better hit the floor and start running!
It’s
just a matter of …
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