THE STRUGGLE

Sometimes I wish I weren’t on this spiritual journey. I wish I could just react emotionally to things going on around me and not seek a deeper understanding of those events, a more compassionate and a grander scope than being a simple human being allows me.

Today is one of those days, and that wish came as the result of something that had nothing to do with me but with a broadcast on the news.

It appears that a couple was locked in a fierce and bitter custody battle for their children. The father, who suffers a bipolar disorder, wanted the kids. The mother sought a protective custody order preventing the children’s visitation with the father--not because of his disorder but because he’d been involuntary committed, had talked of attempting suicide and made threats against the wife of “hurting” her in a way that would hurt her most.

I’m paraphrasing here, but that’s the upshot. A judge denied the request, and the father was allowed visitation--not controlled or supervised visitation, just visitation--and so what happens? The father drowns the kids in the bathtub. That ends the custody dispute decisively, now doesn’t it?

The mother depended on the justice system, and it failed her.
The children depended on the justice system and the mother, and both failed her. The father, of course, failed them in the worst imaginable way.
The father . . .well, who knows what was on his mind, but something failed or he wouldn’t have committed multiple murders.

What I expect will happen now is the father will plead insanity for the children’s murders--and likely will spend the rest of his days in a mental hospital, where he might or might not belong. I say this because I have a dear friend who is bipolar and never in a million years would he harm a flea, much less someone he loves. He’d be more apt to suffer himself than to harm anyone else--and that includes simply hurting someone else’s feelings.

The father, in this case, wanted to hurt the mother in a way that hurt her most--and he has.
The mother in me is appalled at the father and with the judge. If that judge wanted to grant the dad visitation rights, fine. But for heaven’s sake require them to be supervised, controlled. It isn’t just a matter of the father’s rights. There’s an obligation to protect the children, and granting unsupervised visitation with someone known to be unstable just doesn’t make sense to me. Custody isn’t about the parents; it’s about the kids--or it was...

I imagine the mother, and my heart bleeds for her. She tried to do things legally, to follow the law and protect her kids. It didn’t, she didn’t, and I expect she’ll feel she failed them for the rest of her life. She’ll be full of self-recrimination, guilt, asking herself over and over why she hadn’t just ignored the judge and fled with her kids. She’d have been a fugitive, but her kids would be alive. On the run, but they’d be living and breathing. Considering what’s happened, how could she not feel that way? And isn’t this a wicked burden she’ll carry now? An unfair and wicked burden...

I imagine the father, and I wonder if his talk of suicide was genuine or stage setting--so that when he did what would most hurt his wife in this bitter battle, he would get a mental hospital and not the needle. I wonder if the behavior that had him involuntarily committed was genuine or if it too was part of a premeditated plan. Heaven knows there are people so twisted and evil that they would do these things--and have done them for reasons such as this. Not because they wanted the kids. Because they wanted their way. Because they wanted to win the bitter battle. Is that the case in this situation? I have no idea. But I do wonder.

Bipolar disorder is wicked. It can cause horrific complications and requires close medical monitoring. Was it a factor in this situation? I don’t know.

What I do know is that the kids are dead. That can’t be undone. The mother is devastated and desolate, no doubt inconsolable and her trust in the justice system has to be shattered. What of her faith? Is it shattered, too? If it is, then what will sustain her? How in the world will she ever survive this tragedy without faith?

And the judge. On hearing that the father killed the kids... I expect the judge will be haunted by the decision made the rest of his days. Haunted in ways we can only imagine. What of his faith? In himself, in his system, in God? What is the impact on those fronts? How will he live with what’s happened?

The father. After the fact, what is he thinking? Is he filled with remorse, regret, or feeling vindicated and justified? Is he mourning or celebrating? He won. God help him.

For all those involved, I expect it’s a time that will try their souls--and those of many others. Grandparents and parents--of the husband and wife--grandparents and aunts and uncles of the children. Those in their extended families, those involved in any way on any level, neighbors, friends, associates--rippling all the way through society to you and me.

Many react with a terse, “String him up. He killed the kids. Give him the needle and call it done.”

But when you’re a person of faith, nothing is that simple. There are other considerations--some we know about and many we don’t. Many are outside our scope of grasping and understanding.

Maybe that’s why God reserves the right to vengeance for Himself. Because only He knows every detail of every situation. Only He knows the truth that hides in a man’s heart.

There’s a part of me that wants that murdering father to pay dearly. His life ended seems too simple and easy; let him live, it says. Let him reap the full harvest of what he’s sown.

But there the part of me that says, you’re judging. That’s a cry for vengeance. And it’s not your call to make. There’s a part of me that says, the promise is the scales will be balanced. Debts owed will be paid. Tit for tat.

That part of me wonders how--for the kids. But then I remember my limited perspective, and God’s unlimited reach. I confess, I find comfort in that. I pray their mother will, too.

And whatever justice proves to be in this case, I’m glad to know that God is handling it. Because by my reaction to it, I’m not far enough along on my personal spiritual journey to decide spiritually without the human being in me exerting its opinion on the matter.

That human part of me is really struggling with this one because nothing will bring the kids back. The littlest of all are the biggest victims. And I’m human enough to confess that I can’t see a place of justice for them in this.

I’m sure it’s there. I’m sure God clearly sees it--and I have faith that He’s going to handle it.

But I have to say I’d like to see it.

And because that’s so, I guess I still have a long way to go on this path to perfection.

Blessings,

Vicki




Tags: justice, murder, custody, divorce, protection, child protection, character, spirituality, religion

CHILD EXPLOITATION/PROTECTION

I posted an article on Child Exploitation with a link to a very insightful and informative article by author, Liam Jackson.

Then I discovered that one must be a member of myspace.com to read said article by way of that link. So I emailed Liam and asked for his permission to reprint his article. He graciously agreed.

Because this is such a significant issue, and because the pain of bearing the challenge falls on the littlest victims, I’ve made it a permanent part of my site. Go to: www.vickihinze.com and click on Child Protection and you’ll find all the information Liam offers and his complete article.

If you’re a member at myspace, consider befriending the two organizations mentioned (their org logos are pictured above)--and befriending Liam Jackson. His myspace url is: http://www.myspace.com/liammjackson

Blessings,

Vicki




Child Exploitation:
The Eternal War Between Sheepdogs and Wolves
©2007, Liam Jackson

Well met, pilgrims!

Recently, I met a new MySpace friend, "Rock Against Child Pornography. (RACP)." It was my good fortune to have tripped over them in the great expanse of cyber space. RACP is an awareness group consisting of musicians and others, working to raise the profile of this horrendous crime against children.

It was a timely encounter in that several MySpace folk have recently been engaged in a fascinating discussion about "wolves and sheepdogs" in Dr. Kevin Keough's MySpace blog. Sheepdogs (educators, cops, firefighters, medical pros, and many private citizens) have long held a protective affinity for children, a group with few natural defenses against the sexual predator. The problem of child exploitation is one of staggering proportions. It spans the globe with a mind-numbing, intricate network, supported technically and financially by a clandestine army of like-minded sexual deviants.


Sound like an exaggeration? According to federal law enforcement and agencies like The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, child internet porn is a MULTI-BILLION dollar industry. This dollar figure doesn't even factor in the underground magazine market and video industries.

The graph below chronicles the work of Project Predator, a joint effort led by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and involves numerous other state and local law enforcement agencies. An impressive body of work for 12 months, perhaps... until one considers the full scope of this problem. The cases below do not include the hundreds of cases handled independently by various local, county, state, and other **federal police agencies. (**i.e. FBI ) Nor do they reflect the thousands of cases worked each year by international multi-jurisdictional task forces.


Advocacy groups like RACP play a significant role in drawing attention to issues such as child exploitation. I would ask that you make a stand on behalf of our children, and support this effort or another like it. Your actions could result in the single most important contribution to the safety and well-being of a child.

Thanks for your time.

Liam

'The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil
is for good men to do nothing.' — Edmund Burke



Contact info
Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section
Criminal Division
U.S. Department of Justice
1331 F Street NW, 6th Floor
Washington DC 20004
Phone: 202-514-5780
www.usdoj.gov/criminal/ceos/
The Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) of the Criminal Division, U.S. Department of Justice, has supervisory responsibility for Federal statutes covering obscenity, child exploitation, child sexual abuse, activities under the Mann Act, sex tourism, missing and abducted children, and child support recovery.

Innocent Images National Initiative
Federal Bureau of Investigation
www.fbi.gov/hq/cid/cac/innocent.htm
The Innocent Images National Initiative (IINI), a component of the FBI's Cyber Crimes Program, is an intelligence-driven, proactive, multi-agency investigative initiative to combat the proliferation of child pornography/child sexual exploitation facilitated by an online computer.

ICE Cyber Crimes Center
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
Toll-free: 1-866-DHS-2ICE
/www.ice.gov/graphics/investigations/services/cyberbranch.htm

U.S. Postal Inspection Service
Inspection Service Operations Support Group
222 S. Riverside Plaza, Suite 1250
Chicago, IL 60606-6100
www.usps.com/postalinspectors/kid-porn.htm

For additional support agencies and statistical information, see:
http://vachss.com/help_text/report_child_porn.html




2007 Criminal Cases

Alexandria, VA Leesburg Man Sentenced to 120 Months for Child Pornography and Firearms Offenses
Baltimore, MD Western Maryland man sentenced to 50 years for sexually exploiting minor girls to produce pornography
Ft Pierce, FL Former CBS Sports technician pleads guilty to enticing a child to engage in sexual activity following an investigation by ICE and the St. Lucie County Sheriff's Office
Coeur D'Alene, Idaho Idaho man charged with attempted sexual abuse
New York City, NY ICE arrests 22 sex offenders in New York City operation
Takoma, WA Washington State man sentenced on child pornography charges
Cleveland, OH Cleveland-area machine operator sentenced to 15 years in prison for crimes involving child pornography
Los Angeles, CA Two California schoolteachers arrested in ICE-led multi-agency child pornography probe
Birmingham, AL Alabastor predator sentenced to 17.5 years in prison following ICE investigation
Portland, OR Oregon Man Sentenced to Five Years in Federal Prison for Possession of Child Pornography
Portland, OR Child pornographer from Oregon gets 18-year prison sentence
Caguas, Puerto Rico ICE arrests Puerto Rican man for possession, receipt and production of child pornography
Detroit, MI Retired Florida truck driver sentenced to 9 years in prison for "sex tourism"
New York, NY U.S. arrests employee of the National Children's Museum on charges of child pornography distribution
San Juan, PR ICE arrests Puerto Rican man for possession and distribution of child porn
Chicago, IL Chicago Catholic priest facing federal charge alleging sexual abuse of minor boy
San Francisco, CA Belmont man sentenced to 10 years on myriad of child pornography charges
Pensacola, FL Pensacola predator sentenced to 120 months following ICE investigation
New Haven, CT Man who victimized boys sentenced to more than 27 years in federal prison
Dayton, OH Dayton-area pediatrician arrested on child pornography charges
Chicago, IL Elgin man sentenced to 60 years for sexually exploiting a 12-year-old
Louisville, KY ICE agents arrest Louisville man on child pornography charges
Braintree, MA ICE and Massachusetts police arrest fugitive wanted for distributing child pornography
Albany, NY ICE seeks former detective accused of distributing child pornography
Louisville, KY Louisville man pleads guilty to child pornography charges
Louisville, KY Louisville man arrested on child pornography charges
Louisville, KY Child pornography crime conviction results in almost 6-year prison term
Spokane, WA Former university employee sentenced on child pornography charges
Los Angeles, CA 3 arrested for child pornography possession by ICE and LAPD
Springfield, IL Springfield man working as clown charged with sex tourism, child pornography
Detroit, MI Macomb County man pleads guilty to manufacturing, distributing child porn
Anchorage, AK Anchorage man pleads guilty to federal obscenity charges
San Antonio, TX San Antonio resident sentenced to 7½ years in prison for purchasing child porn
Shreveport, LA St. Louis predator sentenced to 30 years in jail for attempted child exploitation and possessing child pornography
Chicago, IL ICE arrests 9 foreign-born sex offenders in overnight operation
Peoria, IL Former Peoria fire captain gets 11 years for possessing child pornography
Santa Ana, CA Former U.S. aid agency contractor charged with having sexual contact with boy while working in Bangladesh
Chicago, IL Former Chicago school principal gets 20 years in prison for child pornography
Anchorage, AK ICE investigation of online predator leads to indictment of Illinois mans
Anchorage, AK California man indicted in Alaska on charges of aggravated sexual abuse
Alpine, TX ICE arrests Fort Stockton man on child pornography charges
Las Vegas, NV Pahrump middle school teacher charged with possessing child pornography
Sacramento, CA Shasta County man pleads guilty to producing and possessing child pornography, including graphic image of his underage daughter
Philadelphia, PA New Jersey man convicted in sex tourism case
Fort Worth, TX Former children's respiratory therapist sentenced to 45 years for molesting incapacitated patients
Portland, OR Oregon delivery truck driver sentenced to ten years for possession of child pornography
Fresno, CA Former University of California employee sentenced to more than 11 years in prison for receiving and possessing child pornography

San Deigo, CA Former children's respiratory therapist sentenced to 45 years for molesting incapacitated patients

New York, NY Six sex offenders nabbed by ICE in Westchester County
Hammond, IN Former girls basketball coach found guilty of soliciting minors on the Internet
Fresno, CA Salida grade school janitor arrested on Internet child pornography charges
Tacoma, WA Pierce County man pleads guilty to possession of child pornography
San Juan, PR Puerto Rican man sentenced to six years in federal prison for possession of child porn
Alexandria, VA Leesburg, Va., man indicted on child pornography and weapons charges
Bloomington, MN ICE deports man who sexually assaulted 3-year-old at daycare
Nogales, AZ Child molester sentenced to more than 6,000 years in prison
Miami, FL Grand juries indict first two South Florida cases charging violation of Adam Walsh Act
Cleveland, OH Ohio fugitive sentenced to 22 years for child pornography
San Juan, PR Puerto Rican pre-school teacher sentenced to serve a three-year prison term following ICE investigation
San Deigo, CA Respiratory therapist at Children's Hospital pleads guilty to molesting incapacitated patients
Detroit, MI Registered Michigan sex offender sentenced to 27 months for transmitting threats to teens
Dayton, OH Truck driver sentenced to 17 years for child sexual exploitation
Washington, DC ICE Operation Predator arrests of child exploiters top 10,000
El Paso, TX ICE special agents arrest convicted child sex offender
Oakland, CA Son of Newark day care operator sentenced to eight years for receiving child pornography
Salt Lake City, UT St. George man sentenced to more than seven years for possession of child pornography following national ICE probe
Atlanta, GA Jury finds Gainesville anesthesiologist guilty on child porn charges
Detroit, MI Detroit man sentenced to 60 months in prison for distributing child pornography
El Paso, TX ICE special agents arrest convicted child predator, process him for deportation
Springfield, IL Springfield woman sentenced to 13 years in prison for trading child porn
Des Moines, IA Iowa man gets 30 years in prison for producing child pornography
Minneapolis, MN Burnsville man sentenced to 750 years in federal prison on child pornography charges
San Antonio, TX Kerrville doctor indicted for possessing child pornography
Orchard Park, NY Orchard Park man arrested on child pornography charges
Spokane, WA Eastern Washington man sentenced to 70 months on child pornography charges
San Juan, PR Puerto Rican sex offender sentenced to four years imprisonment following ICE investigation
San Juan, PR Predator sentenced to 20 years for possession and production of child porn
San Jose, CA Former Peace Corps volunteer sentenced to more than four years for sexually abusing a minor while serving in Costa Rica
Los Angeles, CA Orange County firefighter sentenced to eight years in federal prison for possessing child pornography
Denver, CO Fort Collins man charged with transporting child pornography
Tucson, AZ Sierra Vista man sentenced to 14 years in prison on child pornography charges stemming from ICE probe
San Francisco, CA Bay Area man sentenced to more than five years on child sex tourism charges
Houston, TX A Dallas-area man is charged federally with attempting to entice a child
Cleveland, OH Retired 36-year minister sentenced to 17 years for child pornography
San Juan, PR ICE arrests Puerto Rican for possession of child pornography
New Haven, CT Bristol man pleads guilty to possession of child pornography
New Haven, CT Man sentenced to prison for illegally re-entering the U.S. after twice being deported to Mexico
Houston, TX Distributing child pornography nets Hockley man 17-year prison term
Los Angeles, CA Ex-law enforcement official sentenced to prison for possession of one million child pornography images
Louisville, KY Repeat sex offender gets 14 years in prison following child porn conviction
Fresno, CA Former Tulare County sheriff's deputy sentenced to eight years for receiving child pornography over the Internet
Ft. Pierce, FL Las Vegas couple arrested on charges of Internet child enticement following ICE and St. Lucie County undercover investigation
Salt Lake City, UT ICE arrests 12 foreign national child sex predators in Salt Lake City area
Portland, OR ICE investigation of online predators leads to arrest of husband and wife
Dayton, OH Kettering man sentenced to 10 years in prison for transmitting child pornography over the Internet
Seattle, WA Washington driver license scheme gets state employee prison time
Wilmington, DE ICE partners with the U.S. Attorney's Office and New Castle County Police to combat foreign gangs and child predators
El Paso, TX El Paso man sentenced to 10 years for possessing child pornography
Cleveland,OH Las Vegas man pleads guilty to sex tourism

Springfield, IL Two Springfield men receive significant prison sentences for trading child porn

Birmingham, AL Alabama man sentenced to more than 15 years incarceration after pleading guilty to possession and distribution of child pornography

Cleveland,OH Las Vegas man pleads guilty to sex tourism

Arlington, VA Arlington youth coach arrested on child pornography charges

San Francisco, CA Belmont man pleads guilty to ten counts of transporting, receiving, and possessing child pornography

Detroit, MI Retired realtor pleads guilty to producing, receiving child pornography

Los Angeles, CA Ex-Marine captain charged with having sex with pre-teen girls in Cambodia

Ann Arbor, MI Truck Driver Sentenced to 10 Years for Possessing Child Pornography

San Juan, PR Puerto Rican Man Sentenced on Federal Child Pornography Charges Following ICE Investigation

Boston, MA Three Massachusetts men indicted as part of nationwide investigation of internet child pornography trade

Alexandria, VA Arlington youth coach arrested on child pornography charges

Cleveland, OH Retired 36-year minister pleads guilty to possessing child pornography

San Juan, PR Puerto Rican predator sentenced to serve a two-year prison term following ICE investigation

Fresno, CA Former youth softball coach sentenced to more than 24 years for receiving and distributing child pornography

Los Angeles, CA Orange County firefighter convicted of receiving and possessing child pornography following ICE probe

Milwaukee, WI Kenosha man indicted for arranging sex with 8-year-old girl

Detroit, MI Retired realtor indicted for producing and possessing child pornography

San Juan, PR Puerto Rican man sentenced to 15 years for possession and production of child porn

Washington, DC Virginia man pleads guilty to producing and possessing child pornography

Fargo, ND Moorhead man sentenced to 10 years for possessing child porn

Fresno, CA Orangevale man sentenced to more than six years for possessing child pornography and using the Internet to solicit sex with a minor

(on the website (www.vickihinze.com under child protection, each of the above cases listed is a link to that case...)