Wednesday, May 2, 2007

There is something wrong with the world today…

I am taking a day off of art today to think about some things.

Yesterday at the park, a small boy (about half an inch shorter than the Carry-On) deliberately knocked the Carry-On to the ground while the mother of the boy watched. Clearly, the Carry-On is as tall as an older child but her motor skills were obviously not as well developed as this (probably) 2 year old. I stood in horror, kind of like in the movies, because I could not believe my eyes. When I helped the Carry-On back to her feet, the boy ran at her again and I yelled to the mother. She explained to me that the boy “doesn’t know what he is capable of.” The boy was not playing. He was clearly acting violent towards my daughter.

When I yell “HEY” and then state to the nonchalant mother of the boy “I am afraid he is going to hurt her.”, why is she so casual about it? I wonder if she would have felt so casual if the Carry-On were to defend herself? I wonder if she would have been so casual without her 4 “mother” types sitting with her drinking Starbuks. After the first attack, I tried to escort the Carry-on to another area of the park. Why did the mother allow her son to run at her again? Why are parents so “lax” about this?

If the Carry-on exceeds the 97th percentile in weight and height, how is it possible that EVERY other parent that asks me how old she is and how big she is has a child equally as big? Wouldn’t that make her towards the 50th percentile? Does everything have to be a damn contest? I guess it does in Orange County.

Yesterday at an immigration reform rally in downtown Los Angeles, several journalists, women and men were beaten by the Los Angeles Police Department. The police used batons and rubber bullets to disperse a peaceful crowd. There is a grand amount of footage available since the event was so heavily covered by the media. A peaceful demonstration turned into a chaotic and violent mess in a matter of seconds.

A Fox News Woman was thrown to the ground and then shoved and pushed when she was trying to protect her photographer (also female) who was also thrown to the ground. The News Woman is shown on the ground covering her photographer who could not get up in time. Other journalists had their camera equipment thrown and kicked.

We do not live in a zero tolerance society. Why can’t the LAPD (and your local police department, school officials for that matter…) differentiate between a respected female journalist covering a news story and a potential civilian creating a disturbance? Wake up.

6 comments:

primdollie said...

aren't parents a trip!!!!! so sad and with my work I see it every day! so sorry you had to have your daughter go thru that!!! and let's hope maybe the boy's mom wakes up and he doesn't get his little butt kicked by someone else!!!!Hugs Linda

Auntie Jill said...

This is the "little child" that will beat the hell out of his mother when he's 14.

I won't go any further.

Julie Prichard said...

Thank you both for your support!

Anonymous said...

Jake is now 42" tall and not even 3 yet. I can send him up to kick the other kid's ass if you want.
:-)

Vintage Papers said...

Julie I am sorry you went through this with your little one. You are correct - there is something wrong in our world today - I see this behaviour everyday at the high school level and it frightens me.

Tami Bayer said...

I have read this post several times and just can't come up with anything clever to say to you. So sorry this happened. I've been there, too.