John,

Have you considered becoming a court appointed special
advocate? You are right, many of the people who make
their living in the system don't seem to care about
these children as much as they claim to. That is why
the system needs volunteers who are committed to
helping the children. People who will actually talk
to the child and find out what is really going on. In
some cases, the children may be suffering horrible
abuse, and in others, they may in fact have been taken
from loving parents who either did nothing wrong, or
who need help to solve their own unique problems.
Anyone who is interested in volunteering to help these
children should visit the CASA website at:
http://www.nationalcasa.org for more information.

--- "v8beetle <v8beetle@...>" <v8beetle@...>
wrote:
> I know how hard it is to wake up in the morning and
> function as a
> part of the world when I feel as though I am not
> part of it. The
> endless questions in my mind making it impossible
> for me to have
> peace. The doubt in myself, and every other living
> soul on the
> planet that makes me second guess everything I do.
> And then I
> remember what I felt like when I was the victim a
> long time ago, how
> helpless, alone, and worthless.
> I also wondered if I would ever be reunited
> with my innocent
> siblings. We were blameless, and yet we paid the
> ultimate price. The
> years of lost time, and memories haunt me, and they
> also drive me to
> take on the world. I lost my family because of
> childhood abuse. I
> see and feel the suffering of the million plus
> children within the
> system today going through the same pain, and
> uncertainty I went
> through, and i can no longer sit by and hope that
> the system will
> get better on its own.
> I must get involved. I must take a stand. It is
> time this
> country had the horrific reality, and its true
> affects on not only
> the body, but the mind revealed. There are people in
> this country
> who just don't have a clue. The child protective
> system is in need
> of help on all levels. They lack the money,
> manpower, training, and
> compassion to address the issues that plague our
> country. the
> children within the system are innocent, and yet
> they are being
> punished because the public is not informed.
> We, the formers, need to tell them. I have
> lobbied in my state,
> as well as all of the others. But being one person,
> I don't have
> much success. I have also lobbied on the federal
> level, but again I
> have been pawned off because they say it is the
> individual states
> issue. I thought we were a country, and we were
> supposed to look
> after one another.
> I guess I am not supposed to care about
> children in Florida
> that go missing because some untrained, overworked
> social worker
> isn't paying attention. And I am not supposed to
> care about other
> states stealing kids because they are confused as to
> what is or
> isn't abuse, or in Californias case, for federal
> money. Am I not to
> care for children who die within the system because
> of lax policies,
> and people not doing his/her job? Who speaks for
> those who have no
> voice?
> No one spoke for my brother and I. I wish the
> had. Maybe things
> would have turned out differently. The courts, and
> the child
> protection system say they care, but I know they
> really don't. I
> tried to test my theory by contacting one of my
> former social
> workers, and she wouldn't even talk to me. If that
> is caring, I
> would hate to see what they did if they say they
> didn't care.
> Abuse scarred us all for life. You will never
> really be over
> it, but with help you will be able to cope. These
> children now need
> our help. Those who haven't been victimized may be
> able to imagine
> our pain, but they will never be able to get the
> full affect unless
> they have experienced what we have. We can each
> bring something to
> the table, but the time is now. Be safe, and I wish
> you all health,
> and happiness. John
>
>
>


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