In my research I have found countless parallels to my own experiences, which has made it hard to keep my composure during class. I personally have suffered from physical abuse since around third grade, and what’s worse is the emotional, psychological abuse I endure. Unfortunately, the emotional abuse is harder to identify and I doubt my dad even realizes he does it. The one thing stopping me from acting actually is the regulations in place currently as well as my financial dependence on him. I am the only one in my family who is ever abused so if I were to file a report I may get my little brother into the mess and ruin his life by having him taken away from my parents. So, essentially, the responsibility of holding the family together is mine and I have to keep the family intact.
Monday 9 May 2011
Update on the usual.
If you are wondering. this may explain some things for those who are interested and curious.
Wednesday 27 April 2011
Thursday 21 April 2011
Day 2 of abuse research
Today, in the library lab, since all of the computers in the lab reserved for our class were in use, I decided to go get a book from the shelves. That's right an actual physical book with paper pages. It was a very helpful book with very good information. It was titled The Truth About Abuse, by Mark J. Kittleson, Ph.D. There was a ton of very good information and insight. A lot of it was tough to read since it brought me back to memories of personal experiences with my dad and I. I am not going to elaborate any further on those experiences because I prefer not to share those with too many.
This is one fact from the book that I know is definitely true for my dad. Parents who abuse their children often deny that they are abusive. In fact, the other day, after my dad was physically abusive towards me, I heard him talking, after I returned home after trying to flee temporarily, about how he has to be sure I don't go telling people that he hit me. He was telling my mom about how I apparently was the one who hit him, by trying to close my door and avoid conflict.
I found it very accurate when the book said that young children, and my personal addition would be all children under the age of 18, are the most vulnerable and least protected population. I personally find it difficult to find any resolve for my problems at home. If I were to do anything involving legal intervention, that could compromise my little brother's life and his future, and also might prevent me from being able to attend college next year, as I am financially dependant on my dad. Here I go talking in such detail about my own struggles after telling you and telling myself I wouldn't. I guess I have gotten a bit more comfortable and come to accept my situation more through talking about it even if nobody reads this besides my teacher. Thanks anyway. This has helped me a lot withmy self-understanding.
This is one fact from the book that I know is definitely true for my dad. Parents who abuse their children often deny that they are abusive. In fact, the other day, after my dad was physically abusive towards me, I heard him talking, after I returned home after trying to flee temporarily, about how he has to be sure I don't go telling people that he hit me. He was telling my mom about how I apparently was the one who hit him, by trying to close my door and avoid conflict.
I found it very accurate when the book said that young children, and my personal addition would be all children under the age of 18, are the most vulnerable and least protected population. I personally find it difficult to find any resolve for my problems at home. If I were to do anything involving legal intervention, that could compromise my little brother's life and his future, and also might prevent me from being able to attend college next year, as I am financially dependant on my dad. Here I go talking in such detail about my own struggles after telling you and telling myself I wouldn't. I guess I have gotten a bit more comfortable and come to accept my situation more through talking about it even if nobody reads this besides my teacher. Thanks anyway. This has helped me a lot withmy self-understanding.
Wednesday 20 April 2011
Starting research on child abuse
For my topic I have chosen child abuse. This is a topic very close to me personally, for reasons I am not quite comfortable sharing online. I was given an article by Mr. Kramer on the topic.
The article was a New York Times opinion by Bob Herbert titled "Children in Torment". This articel was striking and appalling, listing instances of children who died from child abuse. This was an interesting article, but I will be focusing more on the abuse that can be more easily concealed. I will be looking into the beatings that do not result in death. I feel that these are the important cases to be dealt with in order to prevent escalation to that extreme level. Prevention is the way to stop this; not treatment, since that is when it ususally too late.
I will keep everyone updated on my research and findings. I definitely will be dedicating a lot of effort to this since it is so important to me. Thank you for reading this.
The article was a New York Times opinion by Bob Herbert titled "Children in Torment". This articel was striking and appalling, listing instances of children who died from child abuse. This was an interesting article, but I will be focusing more on the abuse that can be more easily concealed. I will be looking into the beatings that do not result in death. I feel that these are the important cases to be dealt with in order to prevent escalation to that extreme level. Prevention is the way to stop this; not treatment, since that is when it ususally too late.
I will keep everyone updated on my research and findings. I definitely will be dedicating a lot of effort to this since it is so important to me. Thank you for reading this.
Tuesday 1 March 2011
Mock Trial
Firstly, I was actually quite surprised by the verdict of the rape case that I participated in. I considered it an open and shut case, considering both sides. The defendent admitted that she had said no multiple times and that he still had sex despite her objection. That seems to me to be all the information that would be needed to find him guilty. I wish I had been there on the last day of the trial to have seen just why it ended like that.
I was not surprised by the verdict of the sexual harrassment trial per se. I thought that one could go either way depending on the personal stance of the jury members. I do feel that it was a justified and proper verdict. I think that the defense seemed to avoid the point and simply talk about whether or not she was demoted rather than argue whether or not she was sexually harrassed, which was what the trial was supposed to be focused on.
Furthermore, I have not had any direct or indirect encounters with rape or date rape in this school or this community that I can recall, but there is no shortage of sexual harrassment at this highschool. I think to an extent it is to be expected at the high school level with adolescents with highly active hormones intermingling. But, I do however, believe that it does get out of hand at times. For instance, just yesterday I saw a male security guard clearly staring at a female student's posterior as she passed, with a smirk on his face. That sickened me. I think although the person who he was staring at so innappropriately had no idea and thus was not affected at all, that this is unacceptable behaviour, especially for those who are hired to keep the school as a safe friendly environment. I see a decent amount of verbal and physical harrassment of a sexual nature done by students of all ages. Unsurprisingly, it is almost entirely male students who contribute to it. I have no significant other experience to compare this to so I cannot truly say for sure whether this is too much or a normal level.
I was not surprised by the verdict of the sexual harrassment trial per se. I thought that one could go either way depending on the personal stance of the jury members. I do feel that it was a justified and proper verdict. I think that the defense seemed to avoid the point and simply talk about whether or not she was demoted rather than argue whether or not she was sexually harrassed, which was what the trial was supposed to be focused on.
Furthermore, I have not had any direct or indirect encounters with rape or date rape in this school or this community that I can recall, but there is no shortage of sexual harrassment at this highschool. I think to an extent it is to be expected at the high school level with adolescents with highly active hormones intermingling. But, I do however, believe that it does get out of hand at times. For instance, just yesterday I saw a male security guard clearly staring at a female student's posterior as she passed, with a smirk on his face. That sickened me. I think although the person who he was staring at so innappropriately had no idea and thus was not affected at all, that this is unacceptable behaviour, especially for those who are hired to keep the school as a safe friendly environment. I see a decent amount of verbal and physical harrassment of a sexual nature done by students of all ages. Unsurprisingly, it is almost entirely male students who contribute to it. I have no significant other experience to compare this to so I cannot truly say for sure whether this is too much or a normal level.
Union Insanity in Wisonsin
My take on this is pro-union since so far I have yet to hear any sufficient argument that would make me feel that there is really anything bad about a union. I have personally attended a rally for a union at the congress hotel in downtown Chicago. The owner was a wealthy man who wanted to pay his workers as little as he could and give them the least benefits he could while having them work for him. They got sick of it and unionized and have been protesting for some seven years now. It is terrible and so many people lost their jobs from it and have been facing terrible hardship as a result. I sympathize greatly with union workers and think it is one thing that above all gives the workers something to defend themselves from greedy corporations.
I therefore think that the ability to unionize should be a protected, rather than a restricted, right. I think my stance was most eloquently worded in the article by Linda Kaboolian stating, "While the rich get richer and middle class prospects diminish, they've seen every opportunity to level the playing field crippled by the same people who supported Governor Walker’s election," (See article here). I get sick of the unethical ways of corporate ideology. my dad works in partnership with Microsoft so I reap the benefits of big business but at the same time he is a successful entrepreneur so he has started five successful business which does something to counteract the association with corporate America.
In the other article I read it went into startling specifics of other corrupt policies proposed by the clearly flawed and misguided bill such as, "the department may sell any state-owned heating, cooling, and power plant or may contract with a private entity for the operation of any such plant, with or without solicitation of bids, for any amount that the department determines to be in the best interest of the state," (see NYT article). This gives unchecked power to the gouvernment. This is a direct contradiction to the basis of our entire democracy. i feel this should not be allowed to happen and I hope it does not rear its ugly face for much longer.
I therefore think that the ability to unionize should be a protected, rather than a restricted, right. I think my stance was most eloquently worded in the article by Linda Kaboolian stating, "While the rich get richer and middle class prospects diminish, they've seen every opportunity to level the playing field crippled by the same people who supported Governor Walker’s election," (See article here). I get sick of the unethical ways of corporate ideology. my dad works in partnership with Microsoft so I reap the benefits of big business but at the same time he is a successful entrepreneur so he has started five successful business which does something to counteract the association with corporate America.
In the other article I read it went into startling specifics of other corrupt policies proposed by the clearly flawed and misguided bill such as, "the department may sell any state-owned heating, cooling, and power plant or may contract with a private entity for the operation of any such plant, with or without solicitation of bids, for any amount that the department determines to be in the best interest of the state," (see NYT article). This gives unchecked power to the gouvernment. This is a direct contradiction to the basis of our entire democracy. i feel this should not be allowed to happen and I hope it does not rear its ugly face for much longer.
Friday 7 January 2011
Zeitoun post 2
The most of this books issues relate to the systematic total failure on all levels of the relief effort, which is what the following pertains to.
It is now a few days after the storm, the levees have broken, and Zeitoun is paddling around on his second-hand canoe saving all those he can find who need his help. Unable to transport a woman in a wheelchair and her husband who were both in their seventies due to the size of his boat, he paddles to the medical center where national guardsmen were stationed, with large fan boats. When he asks for help, at gunpoint, he is told first that they could not help him, and after repeating his request the more astonishing answer was given, "Not our problem," (144). I cannot explain my reaction to this any better than was written in the book, "What were they doing in the city, if not helping evacuate people," (144). The worst part in my opinion was the disregard of the stranded elderly couple as someone else's problem. That is just not right or reasonable in any sense.
It is now a few days after the storm, the levees have broken, and Zeitoun is paddling around on his second-hand canoe saving all those he can find who need his help. Unable to transport a woman in a wheelchair and her husband who were both in their seventies due to the size of his boat, he paddles to the medical center where national guardsmen were stationed, with large fan boats. When he asks for help, at gunpoint, he is told first that they could not help him, and after repeating his request the more astonishing answer was given, "Not our problem," (144). I cannot explain my reaction to this any better than was written in the book, "What were they doing in the city, if not helping evacuate people," (144). The worst part in my opinion was the disregard of the stranded elderly couple as someone else's problem. That is just not right or reasonable in any sense.
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