The National Night Out campaign strives to bring a focus on the awareness of drug & crime prevention efforts, to strengthen the collective power of neighborhood watches and the role of police and community programs to build up anti-crime programs to protect local communities.  It is high time that the criminal element recognize the fact that law abiding citizens are sick and tired of being held hostage to those who have little regard for the safety and well-being of others.

Tonight is the night that many communities will hold events to support efforts to be aware of neighborhood crimes, to report suspicious activities and to recognize the fact that individuals have the power to change negative behaviors that affect whole communities by being mor pro-active in their own local areas by helping to fight back through a partnership with law enforcement to take back the streets to make them safer for friends, neighbors and families.   If you would like to find out more about National Night Out activities…check out their site here: http://www.nationalnightout.org/nno/

       The incident involved the forced, and coerced, tattooing of a 14 year old special needs student.  This student had been exposed to bullying at school; and, these so called adults (all over the age of 18) allegedly told him that the bullying would stop if he got a tattoo.  He said he didn’t want one; but still, he was allegedly threatened and forced to get a tattoo which had some kind of image along with obscene words on his buttocks. 

         Tattoos take time to apply to a person; even when a person wants to have one.  I can’t imagine what this young man endured during this “procedure”.  He’s been taunted at school by other students who are picking on him because of his special needs and then he is assaulted in this way.  Not only is he physically scared but he is also emotionally scared because these people chose to humiliate and abuse him. 

         This whole situation came to the attention of the authorities because pictures of this young 14 year old abuse victim were being circulated at school and a teacher reported it to the authorities when they became aware of the pictures.    Thank you to the unknown teacher who had the courage to do the right thing!  Teachers don’t often get enough credit these days for what they do at school for our kids.  Often, teachers are on the first line of defense when it comes to protecting special needs students from abuse or bullying.   Along the same lines, other students who are caring and filled with the strength of character to be an advocate for special needs students are becoming more rare these days.  To those of you who do the right thing in these types of situations…I thank you as well.

        I wonder, just how many people saw these photos and laughed?  Were they amused at the image, the words, or just the fact that someone that they considered to be of a lessor value than they themselves, or one of their friends, was put in this position of having their picture plastered all over the school for others to look at and make fun of him? 

         Were they not moved by compassion to report such a terrible crime?  How can a person take joy in the torture, humiliation, or abuse of another person; whether they know them or not?  Is not a special needs person worthy of protection, compassion, or caring? 

          I mean, even if someone does not know a special needs person; don’t they understand that they have feelings and emotions just like they themselves?  Everyone wants to feel safe, be loved, be accepted and have friends at school.  It is unacceptable that this situation was turned into a source of entertainment by some students. 

          The victim here was only 14 years old.  I think that those pictures should be considered sexual exploitation by anyone who had access to them or viewed them and did not report it.  Any person who was passing along the photos to others should suffer consequences as well as the people who were involved in the actual abuse of this young man.

       How can people who are supposedly blessed with average or above intellectual abilities treat another human being in this way?  What gives them the right to consider themselves better than another person; simply because of a perceived imperfection called special needs?   It is wrong, it is cruel, it is immoral, and it is…ILLEGAL. 

       Parents, teachers, neighbors, grandparents, church leaders we must all take our roles of leadership seriously and start instilling in our young people tolerance, compassion and empathy towards others; especially the most vulnerable individuals in our society such as young children, the elderly or those who are afflicted with disabilities.   It is important that we do this because as a nation, we are losing our moral compass because people who can do these kind of horrible things to their fellow human beings and not see something wrong with it are becoming more common everyday.

         Hello…no-one SHOULD have to tell another person that this kind of behavior is wrong.   However, New Hampsire’s court system should make it clear; because these four individuals in New Hampshire have been arrested and charged for their actions.   Let’s hope that the legal system really makes an impact on others who think they can be cruel, and treat other human beings any way they want to and get away with it; by making the legal punishment fit the crime.   The punishment should be large enough to send a message to anyone else who may consider bullying or abusing a special needs individual, that it is NOT the right thing to do!   What do you think would be an appropriate punishment for someone who abuses another person in this way?

        That is fine and good…even an interesting social experiment if you ask me.  However, recently some of these flash mobs have turned towards destructive behaviors such as blocking traffic, walking streets and smashing windows, climbing on vehicles and scaring tourists and community members. 

          Many of these flash mobs are being organized with text messages, online social media sites like Twitter and Facebook as well as others.   Even in the best of circumstances, an event that is organized like this has the potential to go from good to bad at a moment’s notice. 

           However, my feeling is that depending on what the original intent of the coming together of large groups of young people; it is imperitive that they maintain a clear head and think for themselves.   If the “invitation” to come together is for a theme or idea of something good and pure…then by all means, go with the best of intentions.  Do good.  Have fun.   Enjoy!  However, be responsible for yourself and your actions.  If things start to go badly…use that technology or social media to notify authorities.  Don’t join in illegal, immoral, or destructive behaviors.

       If that “invitation” for a flash mob or group activity starts out with some destructive purpose…be responsible; don’t join in, and please, notify the authorities about what you have seen or heard.  Don’t take the pathway of “It is not my responsibility to do anything about it”.  If you “know” about it…you have a responsibility to report it, in my opinion.  You could be instrumental in preventing a tragedy, or violence or some kind of related damage to an event that never had the potential of being a positive event in the first place.

        Thinking for oneself is critical to keeping people on a positive moral track.  It can help prevent a person from being caught up in that group mentality that can have long term legal, moral,physical, spiritual and emotional consequences.

         Instilling a strong sense of values and personal responsibility in children is the best way to avoid raising up young adults who will diregard the safety and well-being of others or in other words desensitizing them to doing what is the right thing to do in any given circumstance.

          Any time we try to persuade someone to go along with the crowd, without thinking that action through, weighing the pros and cons of taking such an action; it is wrong.  

           I happen to love social media, the immediacy of the technological world that we live in…but like anything in our environment it can be perverted or used for selfish intent.   Teaching our young people to think for themselves, to consider any consequences of their actions before they choose to follow the crowd can make for stronger individuals and promote a life of keen decision making.   Believe it or not, it can also be a shot in the arm at preventing crime or illegal activities that can negatively impact our families, our communities, businesses, and our schools.

           Parents, friends, neighbors, clergy, teachers…authority figures of any description need to inspire our youth to live and breathe independent thinking; combined with responsibility and caring action.  If you see someone who is being be-littled or bullied by others, or being controlled by stronger willed personalities in their lives…encourage them to stand true to themselves and the values that they believe it.  Teach them it is ok to do the right thing- teach them to recognize what IS the right thing.   In fact, live that life yourself and be an inspiration; simply by the way you live your own life. 

        This was illustrated very clearly to many this past month when a young 13 old girl was given in marriage to a 23 year old Yemeni man.  He and his in-laws allegedly arranged a sort of deal for him to be given the 13 yr old bride and for his brother in law to be given HIS sister in marriage to avoid the high cost of a bride price.  According to the new pieces i have seen, it appears that the 13 year old bride was not only a reluctant bride when it came to sexual relations…the groom supposedly took her to a clinic to allegedly get medicated to render her helpless to resist his advances. 

        When the clinic denied him…he supposedly took her home and somehow was able to get himself a type of male enhancement drug to help him perform the sexual act because he was having trouble having intercourse.  The young girls mother says that her daughter told her in the hospital shortly before she died that her husband tied her up and raped and sodomized her.  This after he had already allegedly forced her to have sex and caused her internal injuries that required a trip back to that clinic.

       The news pieces said that they adviced the husband to avoid having relations with his wife for approximately 10 days.  He had carried her into the clinic because she could not walk.  The injuries evidently became more life threatening after he allegedly returned home and continued having sex.   The young girl was admitted to the hospital days after the wedding, where she died from ruptured reproductive organs.  Her mother says she appeared as if she had been butchered.  How do you look your child in the eye and know that what had been done to them will result in their death and you were powerless to change the outcome? 

         It is hard to think of a human being abusing someone so callously, as to think of their sexual needs exclusively to the well-being of the other person, outside of a predator or rapist who attacks another person purely for this purpose.    I am sure that the young brides family had no idea that her husband could be capable of such treatment of their daughter or they may not have agreed to the marriage arrangement…yet, this is what happened.  It is a tragedy.

        Not only was her body and spirit abused…but she was not protected in any way from a further sexual assault on her body once she was brought into the clinic the first time.   She was a 13 year old girl and she had to have been fearful.   She suffered greatly and lost her life simply because she was female and vulnerable to her situation because of where she was born and  into a culture which allows such things to happen to those unfortunate enough to be in her position. 

         Just today, there was another news piece about another girl; an 11 year old child.  She was also allegedly hospitalized with damage to her genitals.  She too was a child bride; this is unacceptable. 

          It is a human rights issue.  Poverty and ignorance are no excuse for these situations to continue.  Families have to protect their children from the potential of this kind of treatment by not giving children in marriage.  It is wrong to subject them to the sexual torture of their bodies and possible pregnancies… to protect them even from a potential death from young bodies that strain to give birth when they are yet barely matured to the point of conceiving a child in the first place; and truly, some of them are not even that physically mature.

         There are some people and cultures that believe marrying children off before they are considered adults will help to avoid premature sexual activity.  While it might prevent them from having sex before they are married…it in no way guarantees that they will not have sex until they are an adult; willingly or by force.   Because, there is no way to insure that once a child is legally, morally, or spiritually entered into a marriage that the adult partner won’t try to enforce a sexual relationship with that child. 

         Empoverished nations must be given alternatives to joining children in marriage to adults as a means of relieving financial burdens upon their families.  Educating people to the use of birth control to help reduce the number of children born to impoverished parents would be helpful.  Creating an awareness program about the dangers of forced sexual activity upon the bodies of children.  Holding offenders legally responsible for death or for damage caused to the children that this happens to; making it a crime to harm a child in this way.  

          Creating a means of earning a higher wage for families in those areas where these kind of arrangements take place;  so that they don’t see the need to marry off their children while they are still yet children.  How horrible to have such a situation within your own family or circle of acquaintance.   No caring parent would want to have to live with such an outcome on their conscience.  I hope that those who have a voice and have power will find the courage to change the way things are so that no family has to live with the knowledge that they have failed to protect their child from such a tragedy.  

            It makes me angry, and it makes me sad that people who are in the position of stopping this abuse of children do not; we must demand accountability and responsibility of our leaders, our religious counselors, law makers and our own family members!

         It got me to wondering what it is about heros that attracts us to them; what are they made of.   Why do heros do the things that they do?  Most of the time heros are fighting for justice, in other words fighting against the bad guys/gals, trying to protect other everyday non-heros from harm.  I think as we grow up, our understanding of what a hero is changes a bit.  I think we are attracted to the goodness in a hero or their ability to protect and to serve.  It is admirable and desirable to be capable of doing the right thing, for the right reason.

          In my mind, a hero is someone who does something unexpected in a challenging way that helps/protects/inspires/encourages another person who is not in a position to do it for themselves at the time.   A hero is someone who makes a split second decision to reach out and make a difference even if the cost is high-such as a stranger who rushes to protect another person from a crime, a threat, a bad decision, or a moment of danger.

           Sometimes a hero is a person who is “just doing their job” in their own words; but to another ordinary person their commitment to the deed is extra-ordinary because of the level of commitment to performing the deed comes with high risk or a high cost to the person choosing to take action.  A police officer, a fireman/woman, a postal worker, a teacher, a store clerk, military men and women…the list goes on and on; these people are heros in my book. 

           What about the volunteer or caregiver who takes extra measure to seek a solution to another person in need?  Are they a hero?   What about people who put themselves out on the front line to fight for what they believe in even when it is not popular; are they heros?  I believe that they are.

            I think about those people who fight for the poor, aged, disabled, ill, those who wage a war against cancer, domestic violence, drug & alcohol addictions, human trafficking, homelessness, abortion, abuse/neglect, children without families or without basic needs being met.  The people who champion for an awareness or for changes to existing circumstances just because it is the right thing to do…I believe these people are heros.  They are an inspiration!

           Miep Gies died yesterday at age 100.  She was a hero but she didn’t like to think of herself that way.  She was an office worker in the employ of Anne Frank’s father Otto Frank; she hid Anne Frank and her family and friends in a secret room in a warehouse during the years that Hitler was rounding up Jews to kill them, during the Holocaust.  She is the woman who bicycled around the city finding food to feed them, and who eventually found the pages of Anne Frank’s diary when they were arrested.  She risked her own life to do what was the right thing to do to protect other human beings in extra-ordinary difficult circumstances.

             There are so many different kinds of heros in our every day lives if only we stop to think about it.  I think the act of a hero is a call from God to step outside of ourselves to be the hands and feet of Jesus…to be the best person that we can be.

           Do you know someone like this?  Write me a comment and give them a little plug.  Most heros are unsung heros because they don’t believe that they deserve attention for doing what they consider the right thing to do.  And, maybe in one sense they don’t…because we should all be doing these things…but the truth of the matter is, that without examples how will others learn to be heros in their own right?  We must hold up examples of special people who do acts of heroism…because in doing that we are encouraging more of that kind of behavior. 

So is there a hero that you know of doing something wonderful?   What is your hero made of…tell us all about them.  Please comment here and let us know about this person and what they are doing to make the world a better place!  Thanks for being a light!

      Many people don’t realize the extent of the problem of homeless youth.  They are at risk for drugs & alcohol addictions, prostitution, violence, human trafficking, HIV, suicide, teen pregnancy, abuse, abortion, early death, mental & physical health problems, and crime & imprisionment.  It doesn’t have to be this way.

       Tellman started out with this challenge in Battery Park in New York in September of 2009; he plans to end the journey within 99 days in California at the Santa Monica Pier.   He has been documenting his journey as he goes.  He started in September as I said, and the route has changed some; which is good considering that winter has fallen in many parts of the northern & eastern states.  He is meeting great people along the way.

         Tellman Knudson believes that the homeless youth are great problem solvers and are good at surviving.  He wants to harness those skills and teach them to reduce their risk- related behaviors; and, to get themselves out of whatever kind of dangerous situations that they are living in.  After he has accomplished that, he hopes to be able to teach them business and life skills using their unique problem solving abilities.  That $100 million dollars will be put to good use.  Tellman knows that this is a group of individuals worth saving…he was once a troubled youth himself who faced many challenges including a debilitating leg condition which hindered his ability to even walk well.   http://runtellmanrun.com/press-and-sponsors/who-is-tellman/

        He has suffered a severely brused, painful heel condition which required him to recently reduce his running schedule.  He has been advised by a doctor to only run 3 miles a day and to only run 5 days a week instead of the 7 that he was running.  This will of course add time to his original plan of running this journey in 99 days time.  No matter, he is following doctors orders and doing as he is told so that he can still achieve his goal.  In the meantime….

       Tellman Knudson is in Atlanta, today, trying to raise funds in the internet community at the Sheraton Hotel where a seminar is being held with many of his friends and supporters.  He asks that we wish him luck; but, I say…even more than that…send him money!  If you go to his page you can donate online, what do you say…are the youth of today worth investing in?  http://runtellmanrun.com/   This isn’t just a holiday charity drive…this is Tellman’s purpose and passion…won’t you help?

         I find it ironic that Mr. John Allen Muhammad chose not to choose how he wanted to die…yet, he felt it necessary to choose not only how his “victims” should die…but when!   Due to his actions, his victims and their families and friends have missed out on seven years of moments together; while he and his “son” have continued to live and breathe.   Every life has value, and Mr. Muhammad had no right to end the lives of those he murdered; nor did he have a right to negatively impact the lives of those he injured or, to impact the lives of those of us who lived in fear, while he chose to terrorize the nation randomly shooting at people, destroying lives.  He and Lee Boyd Malvo showed little to no respect for the lives of others.

          He has had seven years to think on his actions, as well as to get himself right spiritually.  I don’t wish death on anyone…however, if the state of Virginia follows through and executes him…I hope that John Allen Muhammad gets real with God and asks for forgiveness of his actions.   It is more opportunity to determine his eternal path; than he and his son gave to those they shot!

          The young man’s name is Joshua Fry and he has been diagnosed as Autistic.  He was living in a group home at the time of his enlistment; in fact, it is alleged that a Marine recruiter picked him up from the home and took him to the recruitment center to enlist.  The background of the story, as I understand it, is that this young man was born to parents who allegedly abused drugs.  He was diagnosed as being Autistic, as a young child.   Joshua was allegedly abused as a child and he had learning disabilities.   He struggled in school and had allegedly developed a relationship with a military recruiter.  Joshua got himself into trouble allegedly for stealing and having a weapon; and, he was sent away to a treatment facility for counseling. 

           In the meantime, Joshua’s grandmother had custody of him and allegedly told the Marine recruiter to take Joshua’s name off of the call list as he was “not Marine material”.   It would have been easy enough to check that out by following up with the school administrators.  Those words should have been the end of any active pursuit of Joshua, as a person to be considered as a Marine recruit.

        For a recruiter to continue to persue an individual like Joshua; it should be considered a crime.  Many special needs people would love to be in the military; however, the nature of the job requires quick thinking, reliable decision making every time, the ability to use good judgement, and, to exhibit character traits that would be of an elevated level compared to the average individual.   Some individuals able-bodied or not, no matter how how they try, are not going to be able to perform at those levels and meet those responsibilities.  It is important that those in the military be able to do so because lives depend on it!

            For many people with multiple special needs…being able to make fast, quality decisions regarding the safety and well-being of themselves, as well as others, is difficult; even under normal circumstances, but if you add into the mix, the stress and chaos of a war situation, it could be a dangerous combination.  It is heartbreaking to have someone want to serve who just may not be qualified to do so because of a physical, emotional, or developmental disability.   But encouraging that same individual to go ahead and sign up should be criminal…it is not in the best interest of that individual, the military personel who work alongside of them, or the families who love and support them, to the best of their abilities.

         It is being alleged that when Joshua got out of the facility and entered the group home; he had re-established a relationship  with the recruiter.  If it is true that the grandmother had spoken to those at the recruiting station and told them of the problems with Joshua…that should have been the end of any attempts to recruit him.   If that recruiter had the knowledge of the problems that Joshua struggled with; he should not have allowed Joshua to sign up. 

            Joshua’s grandmother had the courts approval to be his legal conservator.  Basically, meaning that he was not able to sign most legal documents because he wasn’t able to completely understand the legal consequences in doing so.   He had a low IQ, he was diagnosed as Autistic, bi-polar, asthmatic, he had learning disabilities and he had also been treated in an in-patient environment.  For all of those reasons and more…he should never have been a candidate for service in the Marine Corps. 

         Once he got to boot camp, he found himself in over his head.  He got in trouble for stealing food, for disrespecting authority, and, he was not following orders.  He told those in positions of authority that he didn’t want to be a Marine and told them of his history.  They agreed he shouldn’t be there after talking to his grandmother; but, instead of sending him home he was allowed to graduate boot camp.  Months later, he was found to have pornographic photos on his cell phone…disciplined and instructed to not do it again.   He failed and again was found to be in possession…this time with child pornography.    What he did is wrong definately, does he understand that?  That is the question…does he know what he did is wrong; and, is he capable of understanding that his actions have legal consequences?

           He was arrested and is being held on a variety of charges that he probably does not understand and is incapable of avoiding committing over and over again in the same military environment that he should never have been allowed to enter in the first place.   For heaven’s sake, this is an individual that was living in a supervised setting because of issues relating to the impulsive behaviors associated with his disabilities that didn’t allow him to live independently.  How in the world is he expected to fulfill his commitment to the military?  What will happen to Joshua and others like him?  What kind of legal discipline will he be forced to accept?  Will he be dismissed from service and returned to a supervised group home setting or will he be in the prison system?  

          While some disabilities allow individuals to perform many tasks related to military life…there is no guarantee that those are the only situations in which they will be needed to perform in.  We have to be very careful about making decisions regarding allowing those with disabilities into the military.  Their very lives could depend on it. 

           Recruiters are expected to persuade prospects to sign on the dotted line and become a member of our military service.  However, people with documented low IQ’s, learning disabilities or medical or emotional issues that would prevent them from performing their duties in a safe and timely manner should not be “encouraged to join up”.  This feels a little like it is taking advantage of someone’s lack of understanding.  It is an unfair advantage to have knowledge that they could be put into situations that are not within their capabilities of handling appropriately; and, still encourage them to join the service.

          We are in a time of war, men and women are needed to serve.  However, it is wrong to recruit people who are at a disadvantage intellectually, physically or emotionally.  This issue is going to become more of a problem because of some changes being made to the educational requirements across our nation.  Many special education students are caught between a rock and a hard place with the raising of educational requirements to graduate.  Many of them will no longer be allowed to get a diploma…they will be getting a certificate of completion instead.  Some of them will have to go to high school for 5-6 years, as the additional requirements are phased in.  This is already resulting in many students either dropping out of high school or choosing to get a GED.   Many more will try to seek a position with the military because of the lack of jobs available for special needs persons.  Just because someone is disabled or has special needs doesn’t mean that they are not patriotic; it doesn’t mean that they don’t want the respect that being in the military can give them.  Many would love an opportunity to be a hero for their country by serving.  This makes them vulnerable to outside influences when it comes to signing up.

         It is important that the Marine Corps does what is right in this situation for Joshua and others like him.   He was out of his element here; and, it should have been stopped by those in a position to do so before he ever signed on the dotted line and spent one day in boot camp.   Many eyes will be watching.  Parents, agencies, friends and educators…please be aware that your special needs students are vulnerable to the desire to serve their country.  It is admirable, but they are also vulnerable to recruiters who need to put people into the service and are more than willing to talk to your students in a way that makes them even more determined to serve; whether they are fully capable of doing the job safely, or not.

       What are your thoughts on these issues?

         I just can’t seem to get into the mind set of paying  a large amount of money, per person mind you (I have a big family) only to be crowded, charged more than I can afford for food and drinks, and jostled around by those hustling to and fro from one entertaining event or ride to another.   Some of these places also have waterparks attached to them. 

            Safety is a big issue…not only physical safety…but, a personal awareness of those who are around your family members.  Remember, you don’t know each of the other people surrounding you…you don’t have a clue who has a criminal background or boundary issues.  Keeping an eye on those who are vulnerable such as the elderly, young children or teens who are vulnerable to manipulation by persuasive or charismatic people is important.  Just because this is an entertainment/amusement park doesn’t mean you can relax your normal responsibility towards physical, emotional or sexual safety.  It can be a bit stressful. 

           Oh, there are some events that I force myself to go to for the kids, spend more money than is wise to spend…only to hear whinning because they ONLY got to ride the rides X amount of times.  I am forced to listen to more whinning as they see this shinny thing, or smell this wonderful treat (that is terribly unhealthy) that they are not allowed to have.   Other people’s children are running around and screaming and pushing and crying; trying to manipulate to get what they want.   Those who run the games and the rides are sometimes unsavory looking characters that  I wouldn’t let near my family, at any other time.   Other workers are just normal everyday people looking to earn a living…sometimes, looks don’t reveal the intention behind the smile and the polite demeanor.   You can’t judge a book by it’s cover…so you have to follow your instincts.  If you are uncomfortable …move on and teach your children to do the same.

            I feel that I need to keep my eye on each and every member of the family so that no one becomes seperated in the crowd…that just is not safe.  After all, people with ulterior motives hang out at these events too.  I don’t want my family to be affected by someone with evil intent on their hearts and minds.  Too many children (and adults) are assaulted, faced with violence, become a victim of a crime, or come up missing when they are in environments that have loose boundaries and where people tend to blend into the crowd becoming anonymous.   The old saying applies well here, it is better to be safe than sorry.  No one wants to be that person on the evening news…who has had a child taken, become the victim of a crime, or who has been injured because the amusement ride has broken down due to poor maintence and caused injury, to those who were on it at the time.

          I admit, that it is a time of frustration in the family.  Children want to go, do, and spend.    They are not aware of all of the dangers; they only see an opportunity to go have fun.   It is up to you as a parent to think of these things and try to prevent those things that you can prevent.   Kids want total freedom to just wander around with some of their friends…but, my husband and I do not feel that in today’s world that is a safe option.  So we compromise (alot)…no one is truly Happy…but, we all try to find a middle ground where we each get a little of what we want.  I spend more than I want and less than they want, we go do more than I wish and less than they do, they get to choose their rides within the financial guidelines we set at the beginning…and, I stand near the ride praying the whole time that this ride that has my child in it’s grips is safe and the operator knows what he/she is doing; all in all, it seems to work in a masochistic kind of way.   So, it is mid July…here we go again!

          Today, Bernie Madoff the so called-mastermind of the biggest Ponzi scheme perpetuated on the world of financial investing was sentenced to 150 years behind bars for his crimes.  He actually stood before the judge and said that he was NOT asking for forgiveness; nor, was he going to be offering any excuses for his behavior.  He tried to communicate how he is shamed, and that he must live with the pain and the suffering that he has caused.   Those sentiments do not jive well with the allegations that approximately $15 million dollars of company money was allegedly transferred into his wife’s personal account when it became clear that this scheme was about to come to an end.   Good Lord…is Bernie Madoff delusional? 

           Bernie…at least Robin Hood GAVE to the poor…he didn’t steal from them!  In the stories of Robin Hood, he is forced to steal from the rich to survive and he shares his gains with those less fortunate.  He becomes a champion of those who are suffering.  In this scam, Bernie has probably gone as far away from being a champion, of the oppressed, as you can get…rich or poor, his victims do not hold him in high regard.

        Alot of the media coverage has focussed on celebrity victims and high profile people who lost fortunes with the Madoff scam.  However, the truth of the matter is…there were many average people who invested their retirement funds with him and his company.  The thing is…no one deserves to have their money stolen from them when they put their trust in a company and it’s employees to invest for them.  It isn’t about how much money people can afford to lose…investing is sometimes a gamble; however, that is dependent on the market…not on the companies who are expected to conduct themselves honestly in their financial dealings.  Is there no agency, organization, or government branch that is supposed to oversee these types of transactions; deal with complaints, and look for patterns of improper behaviors.

         A person who is ashamed of their behavior does not say something like, I am not asking for your forgiveness or offering any excuses.  When you injure another person…there needs to be words expressed that explain the circumstances… there needs to be offered, true repetence.  That is obviously not going to happen here.   Bernie Madoff stole from those, both rich and poor.   He took from his friends, his acquaintances, his clients and from complete strangers.  Bernie Madoff…let’s remember, even Robin Hood GAVE to the poor!  No one, rich or poor, deserves what this Ponzi scheme has done to them.

         For each person scammed, there is a horror story.  There is a future that was stolen.  There is a trust that will never be extended confidently again to another individual.  There are folks who have suffered terrible financial losses, personal losses, health ills, and the list goes on. 

           I think that the judge hit the nail on the head when he said, that Madoff’s crimes were “extra-ordinarily evil”.    I think that there is no better description of what took place.  There are so many questions still standing…where is the rest of the money?  Did his wife know what he did?  She worked in his same office and had financial information, since she worked on the books.   Did his sons have any involvement in the scheme?  Are there any other relatives or employees involved in the cover up that took place, for all of those years?  

          In court, it appears that a message was trying to be conveyed.  Ruth Madoff said this in a statement that was released by her attorney; I am embarassed and ashamed.  Like everyone else, I feel betrayed and confused.  The man who committed this fraud is not the man that I have known all of these years.  

           To me that sounds like a defensive move…one that is trying to say that he “wasn’t himself” or that she is trying to distance herself away from the crimes…even though she has not YET been accused of doing anything illegal.    Whether she is involved in the crime herself or not…loving the man or not; how can she continue to live in a multi-million dollar home that she shared w/her husband that was more than like paid for with the money from the lives of the very people who have lost their investments through her husband’s schemes.   Wouldn’t the guilt alone eat most people up?

         Some people say that she should get to keep some of the money since there isn’t any evidence proven so far of her involvement.   Money that was stolen from innocent people is sitting there in the bank account of the Madoffs silently mocking the words of sympathy and understanding, for the losses of all of those innocent people.    Isn’t it possible to set up a foundation which could attempt to some sort of restitution for those who have lost their life savings and could prove their investments with their company?  That would go a long way towards healing the ill will that many victims of the scheme feel towards the Madoffs.   

          Mrs. Madoff  has said that  by keeping silent all of these months…that her silence has come across as being uncaring or insensitive.   Fair or not, many have held hard feelings towards her and the rest of her family while they themselves are suffering devastating effects from their losses…Bernie’s family continues to live in environments that many would consider well off.  Surely their lives are going through changes as well…but, ill will is going to be hard for many to overcome, as they struggle to meet their most basic needs while some of the Madoff family members do not have the same concerns.

         There are rumors swirling about more arrests to come, at the end of the investigation…those however, are mere rumors.  The truth of the matter is, this is not over yet!  There is more to the story behind these events…hopefully, those responsible will be held accountable so that this can never happen again, to innocent people.   Do you know someone who was affected by this Ponzi scheme?  How has it impacted their lives?