How Does One Go On?

Devastatingly, I just read about the 8-year old who was raped (with an object) and killed by her friend's mother.  She was found stuffed in a suitcase near some creek last week.  I looked at her picture and started to cry.  The woman who committed this crime is herself a mother and I am so horrified as to how a woman could rape a girl. 

I am generally against the death penalty, yet in cases of child rape I will happily support this option....As a mother of two human beings whom I consider miracles in their own right I witness every day how TRUST is essential in having them develop into happy and emotionally healthy adults....Aside from the obvious physical damage, betray that trust when they are young and helpless and you take away their ability to trust for their entire lives.  

I have so many questions?  Did she act alone? Is she insane?  If not, why? What was going through her head? Does that mean she was abused? Does she abuse her own daughter?

This is the killer.....Her last name is Huckabee...

Thoughts Can Kill.....Question them

Hostages left a building near the American Civic Association in Binghamton, N.Y., on Friday

image from NYTimes.com

I have been just so shocked at all these people going nuts and killing off their entire family or a handful of total strangers. One of them I heard about, shot up his whole family because his wife was apparently leaving him. For all he knows that might have been one of those blessings in disguise. he could have gone on and found someone he connected with better, or better yet, he could have found himself. Some of the strongest people I know are divorced people who after their marriage find the strength to reinvent themselves and be who they never had the courage to be. 

The minute I heard about these serial murders I thought of Katie Byron saying that "thoughts can kill" and to question them often. As the simple question, "is that true" and to be open to all the OTHER possibilities that right off do not seem clear. Having considered myself an "oversensitive" type my whole life I have always allowed my thoughts to get the better of me and all my relationships.....I could easily turn a simple harmless comment into a full-fledged two-hour argument with my hubby.  Even if the comment was purposely hurtful I always have had the choice to not react.  Now,  MY OWN UNDERSTANDING is all I need. 

When I learned about Katie Byron and listened to all her books on CD my entire life changed. By far, my favorite book by her continues to be I Need Your Love-Is That True?  Until then, I had been a woman dragging along her painful childhood (along with other later tragedies).....She taught me to treat each situation in the present without the baggage from the past. I could very well say, she saved me from a life full of purposeless pain, she saved my marriage and all my other meaningful relationships.  

While we are on the topic of husbands and children I am also reminded of a conversation I had with a coworker last year. She belonged to an organized religion (One which escapes me) and we were having a philosophical discussion as all co-teachers do.  I flat out admitted to her that my husband and I both simultaneously think the children come first before each other. When I said it I did not mean there is less love for my hubby than for my children in any way but that if anything ever happened to my children I'd have a harder time recovering; I'd be destroyed. She said things were totally different with her and that you can always have more children, but that her husband was first always. She even elaborated that she served her husband dinner first, then her children.  She sited some bible passage which says this is the way to be.  After much thought, I still feel the same way as before. If my husband were to leave me today to be happy with someone else I would have a very hard time at first, but I love him enough to be happy for him. Would love to know what you think?

WE'RE STILL AT WAR......IF YOU'RE NOT OUTRAGED YOU'RE NOT PAYING ATTENTION

Okay people, I am so appalled that we're still there.....the American death toll is 4259.......remember when it got to two thousand and we were outraged?  

The total US wounded is 31,087. THIRTY ONE THOUSAND EIGHTY SEVEN....

 While on the topic of wounded soldiers, I watched a documentary movie, Body of War, Last night about the life of a wounded soldier who served in Iraq. He was paralyzed from the waist down. Since the injury he's travelled all over in his wheelchair protesting the war. But watching his daily life of catheters, pain, throwing up, no sex with his wife, being dizzy all the time.   I multiply his life times 31 THOUSAND......how many more lives have to be destroyed this way? I strongly feel that as an American it's your duty to watch this movie and see the gore of war....."Do not anaesthetise the war" says Phil Donahue, the man behind this movie. I agree.  I have never quite understood people who claim to support our soldiers, glorify the soldiers, yet will not face the ugly side of this war, such as the injured, the dead, the families who lost their sons and daughters.........I think all teens should absolutely watch it without question...The great thing is you can watch the trailer on YOUTUBE right now.....

Dr. Ira Katz, the VA's head of Mental Health,  said in an e-mail "Our suicide prevention coordinators are identifying about 1,000 suicide attempts per month among veterans we see in our medical facilities." To read this article go to CBS News.

Take 5 minutes and send President Obama an e-mail asking him to get out troops out of there.....NOW.....Sooner...faster........What ARE we doing there?!!!#$%

Other articles to read: War Veterans Cuncussions are Being Overlooked, NYT

Just Watched A wonderful Movie

I just watched a wonderfully moving film on HBO called Taking Chance. I cried during the whole movie. It's based on a true story of a Marine's experience while escorting another Marine killed in battle.  It is an absolute must see for all Americans, left, right, center. For a complete schedule of showing times go to HBO online.

While on that topic. How come we never hear about the American Military casualties in Iraq anymore? 

I looked this up.....It's very important to know. 

* American Deaths Since war began in 3/19/03: 4251 total (3416 in combat)

* Total Wounded: 31054 total, Over 100,000 

* Iraqi deaths due to U.S. invasion: 1,311,696

I look at that number, 4251 casualties and try to wrap my brain around what that looks like. I then came to realization that what I saw tonight has been repeated FOUR THOUSAND, TWO HUNDRED FIFTY TIMES; all across America  It's too much to bear. 

DID YOU KNOW: "The Defense Department has banned virtually all media coverage of deceased vets returning home since the 1991 Gulf War, a decision currently under Pentagon review. But the military offered advice and assistance, providing Taking Chance's film crew with a rarely viewed but painstakingly accurate account of the care and protocol bestowed upon the nation's fallen warriors." 

Would love to know what you think. 

Protesting the Gaza Massacre- Images From Around the World

          Reading the rising casualties in Gaza online is incredibly depressing.  I have chosen to post pictures I found online of protests going on around the world.  Although most of the people around me act and go about their life as if this massacre were not happening, I need to feel connected to other human beings who care about this issue as much as my family does. 

Protests in Madrid 

(Asesinos means "murderers" in Spanish)

Protests in London

Protests in Kiev

Protests in Jordan

 

Protests in Lebanon

Protests in Syria

Reaction to school bombing-a digital collage

          I needed to visually see what I was feeling.  I created this digital collage today using photoshop and digital images found through google image search. This image is available for sale as an 8x10 print, signed and numbered though my etsy store,www. Miriamsart.etsy.com or www.MM72873.etsy.com. I also have some older politically charged digital collages for sale as well. All prints are limited edition.