of her own volition

In today's news:

Today a headline caught my eye and the story broke my heart.

Galveston, Texas: the body of a two year old girl was found in Galveston Bay.

Although awaiting the results of DNA tests for confirmation, officials are fairly certain that the child is Riley Ann Sawyers. They are holding Riley Ann's mother and stepfather.

According to the mother's statement, the child was beaten with leather belts, repeatedly had her head held under water and was thrown across the room-- among other things.

"The mother told authorities how the girl died "of her own volition," sheriff's Maj. Ray Tuttoilmondo said Tuesday on CBS' 'The Early Show.'"

Indeed? Of her own volition? What does that mean? This TWO YEAR OLD begged to be murdered? The three skull fractures were self-inflicted?

She was "asking for it?"

How can this happen? How is this possible?

According to this horrific story, that simply gets more horrific, the mother's statement detailed that she and the stepfather placed the body in a storage shed for two months before placing the body in a plastic bin and dumping it in the bay. The mother and stepfather forged papers to "prove" that the child was taken by social services.

What is the story here? What could a two year old do that could provoke such -- what? cruelty? rage?

Who can these people be to commit such outrages on the very one, the vulnerable one, for whom they were supposed to be responsible?

darkness

I have been here before.

I know this place too well.

The days are long here, and the nights are longer still.

Nothing has value; shades of gray with no contrast.

No light.

The geography is too familiar-- the terrain rough in its eternal sameness.

How is it that I find my way here so easily-- and cannot find the way out.

D-Town

MY TOWN:

Motor City Named Nation's Most Dangerous

The Grande Mariner cruises on the Detroit River next to the city's skyline i...

By DAVID N. GOODMAN, AP

DETROIT —

In another blow to the Motor City's tarnished image, Detroit pushed past St. Louis to become the nation's most dangerous city, according to a private research group's controversial analysis, released Sunday, of annual FBI crime statistics.

The study drew harsh criticism even before it came out. The American Society of Criminology launched a pre-emptive strike Friday, issuing a statement attacking it as "an irresponsible misuse" of crime data.

The 14th annual "City Crime Rankings: Crime in Metropolitan America" was published by CQ Press, a unit of Congressional Quarterly Inc. It is based on the FBI's Sept. 24 crime statistics report.

The report looked at 378 cities with at least 75,000 people based on per-capita rates for homicide, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary and auto theft. Each crime category was considered separately and weighted based on its seriousness, CQ Press said.

Last year's crime leader, St. Louis, fell to No. 2. Another Michigan city, Flint, ranked third, followed by Oakland Calif.; Camden, N.J.; Birmingham, Ala.; North Charleston, S.C.; Memphis, Tenn.; Richmond, Calif.; and Cleveland.

___________________________________

I ended the quote here to let you know that my OTHER town, Flint, is number THREE!

I will be in Detroit today, and I was in Flint yesterday. Such is my life.

education

Working on my dissertation project involves working everyday Monday through Friday in a school setting.

Whew!

As noted in an earlier post, I am not a fan of institutions. This school at which I am working is a "good" school. The standardized tests that the students take (the MEAP here in Michigan) to assess the school's performance show excellent scores.

And yet.

What learning can happen in 40 minutes? Where is the continuity? Where is the depth?

warning signs

http://www.healthyminds.org/cmhdepression.cfm

How do I know if I have major depression?
The symptoms of depression include:

• persistently sad, anxious, irritable, empty mood
• loss of interest or pleasure in activities that were once enjoyed, including sex
• trouble sleeping or sleeping too much
• significant appetite and/or weight changes
• difficulty thinking, concentrating, remembering, making decisions
• feeling tired, rundown, loss of energy
• feeling restless, agitated or physical slowing
• feelings of guilt, worthlessness, hopelessness, helplessness, emptiness
• persistent physical symptoms such as a headaches, digestive problems, chronic pain that do not respond to routine treatment
• recurrent thoughts of death or suicide, or suicide attempts

Not everyone with depression experiences every symptom. The number and severity of symptoms vary among individuals and over time.

death of a dream

Due to a number of circumstances, a dear dream of mine seems to be near its doom.

We can none of us do it all ourselves; I have realized this more and more.

Part of me recognizes that yes, indeed, we each need to make our own paths; yet a part of me has to question the timing of at least some of these events.

Part of me is bitter: how could you weep, and tell me that I changed your life and saved your life... and now walk away when my utility to you is ended, even though now is the time I have need of you.