Things that make me happy / angry / less angry, in that order.
Warning: #2 deals with issues that will be sensitive for some people....
There are three things that I am thinking about as I take a break from my philosophy homework.
1 - This morning, I was waiting at the bus stop, when a dozen mentally challenged men and women came up to wait at the same stop. They were led by three people, and I was just thinking, "wow... these three people are pretty amazing." They must have a love for the community that drives them. I think it's just such an awesome vocation. I couldn't help but smile as one man tried about 15 times to shake my hand, and each time, the woman would patiently and lovingly tell him that handshaking wasn't to be done with strangers. It made me feel nice, to know that there are people out there who are willing to dedicate their lives to making the lives of others better.
2 - The RCMP made two announcements this afternoon regarding sex offenders that have been released or are scheduled to be released within the next few days. The reason that there was an announcement? "These are men who we feel are very likely to offend again". WHAT THE CLAP?!!!! What is WRONG with our system that allows people who have NOT finished their sexual offender's rehabilitation program back onto the street (or lets them out EVER, if you want my opinion)?!!!! This one guys "danger group" is women... and male & female adolescents... oh, and children too. This makes me so furious. I have always been so frustrated with a system that will let a someone get away on a techinicality... why oh why should they be let out when they haven't even tried to rehabilitate them? People should have no right to choose whether or not to participate in rehabilitation programs. You lose that right when you rape someone. I know no less than FOUR people, people with whom I am very close, who have been raped, and they're letting these monsters back out onto the streets? Does the law not understand how much the victims have to go through? Last year, I dropped classes, my grades suffered, I couldn't sleep, I was overwhelmed by emotions and lack of time for myself, and spent a good portion of the year as a mess / zombie / wreck... and that was just supporting someone who had been through it. But oh, the rapist has done his time, so let's release him, even though we're pretty sure he hasn't learned his lesson. GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR. They should remain locked up!!!!! What is going to happen when (not if, according to the cops) these people strike again? I would be so angry to be an RCMP and be forced to face people at a press conference and make this kind of statement knowing that some sick, sick man is about to be released into the world. Not to mention the fact that most women who are raped don't even tell people, or at very least don't see their attackers brought to justice. I feel sick. These men need HELP, not FREEDOM. I can't even imagine how their victims are feeling right now.
3 - OK... now that my levels of frustration are skyrocketing, I need to end things off with something less angrifying (yes I know it's not a real world but I'm mad, so I'll say what I WANT :p). For the first time since... well, ever, I don't despise Paul Martin! I know, it's pretty incredible, huh? He's offering 20 million dollars to help in Sudan and he was in New York, urging the United Nations to help out in any way that they can. It was cool - he said something to the effect that instead of arguing over what the term "genocide" really entails, people should be over there stopping the killing. I wholeheartedly agree. If any of you know of a tangible way to help from over here, please do let me know.
I don't know whether to be proud of my fellow humans when I think about my encounter at the bus stop, disgusted with my fellow humans when I think about the news release, or refreshed by Paul Martin's doing something right for a change.
There is so much good in the world, and so much bad. I hope that God will use me to do something to increase the amount of good some day. I have my thoughts... but that's an entirely different can of worms... probably the biggest can of worms that I possess, so we'll save it for Rant II.
There are three things that I am thinking about as I take a break from my philosophy homework.
1 - This morning, I was waiting at the bus stop, when a dozen mentally challenged men and women came up to wait at the same stop. They were led by three people, and I was just thinking, "wow... these three people are pretty amazing." They must have a love for the community that drives them. I think it's just such an awesome vocation. I couldn't help but smile as one man tried about 15 times to shake my hand, and each time, the woman would patiently and lovingly tell him that handshaking wasn't to be done with strangers. It made me feel nice, to know that there are people out there who are willing to dedicate their lives to making the lives of others better.
2 - The RCMP made two announcements this afternoon regarding sex offenders that have been released or are scheduled to be released within the next few days. The reason that there was an announcement? "These are men who we feel are very likely to offend again". WHAT THE CLAP?!!!! What is WRONG with our system that allows people who have NOT finished their sexual offender's rehabilitation program back onto the street (or lets them out EVER, if you want my opinion)?!!!! This one guys "danger group" is women... and male & female adolescents... oh, and children too. This makes me so furious. I have always been so frustrated with a system that will let a someone get away on a techinicality... why oh why should they be let out when they haven't even tried to rehabilitate them? People should have no right to choose whether or not to participate in rehabilitation programs. You lose that right when you rape someone. I know no less than FOUR people, people with whom I am very close, who have been raped, and they're letting these monsters back out onto the streets? Does the law not understand how much the victims have to go through? Last year, I dropped classes, my grades suffered, I couldn't sleep, I was overwhelmed by emotions and lack of time for myself, and spent a good portion of the year as a mess / zombie / wreck... and that was just supporting someone who had been through it. But oh, the rapist has done his time, so let's release him, even though we're pretty sure he hasn't learned his lesson. GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR. They should remain locked up!!!!! What is going to happen when (not if, according to the cops) these people strike again? I would be so angry to be an RCMP and be forced to face people at a press conference and make this kind of statement knowing that some sick, sick man is about to be released into the world. Not to mention the fact that most women who are raped don't even tell people, or at very least don't see their attackers brought to justice. I feel sick. These men need HELP, not FREEDOM. I can't even imagine how their victims are feeling right now.
3 - OK... now that my levels of frustration are skyrocketing, I need to end things off with something less angrifying (yes I know it's not a real world but I'm mad, so I'll say what I WANT :p). For the first time since... well, ever, I don't despise Paul Martin! I know, it's pretty incredible, huh? He's offering 20 million dollars to help in Sudan and he was in New York, urging the United Nations to help out in any way that they can. It was cool - he said something to the effect that instead of arguing over what the term "genocide" really entails, people should be over there stopping the killing. I wholeheartedly agree. If any of you know of a tangible way to help from over here, please do let me know.
I don't know whether to be proud of my fellow humans when I think about my encounter at the bus stop, disgusted with my fellow humans when I think about the news release, or refreshed by Paul Martin's doing something right for a change.
There is so much good in the world, and so much bad. I hope that God will use me to do something to increase the amount of good some day. I have my thoughts... but that's an entirely different can of worms... probably the biggest can of worms that I possess, so we'll save it for Rant II.
posted by Sara at
5:16 p.m.
1 Comments:
http://www.survivorsunited.com <-- ways to help Sudan from here.
By
Anonymous, at 8:57 p.m.
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