ME:  Lulu, did the Princess tell you we are going on vacation next month?

LULU:  No, she doesn’t tell me anything.  Where are you going?

This is a blatant exaggeration born of teenage angst.  When not physically attached at the hip these two BFF talk no fewer than 10 hours per week, not including text and instant messaging.

ME:  We are going Niagara Falls.  

LULU:  Cool, never been there, I never get to go anywhere.

Please note that Lulu, just last month, returned from a week long vacation at the beach with The Princess.  This was her attempt to procure an invitation to the family vacation.  As much as I love Lulu, my idea of vacation, rest and relaxtion does not include 22 road trip hours with two teenage girls.  Primarily because drinking and driving is illegal.

ME:  Since Niagara Falls is in another country and The Princess does not have a passport,  we will drop her off at the US border each day and pick her up every night after our adventures are over. 

Because, well, I just like to mess with my daughter and when her BFF is around, messing with both their heads is twice as much fun.

LULU:  When did going to Florida require a passport?  

ME:  What?  Passports are not required to go to Florida.

LULU:  I didn’t think so.  I knew Florida was in the southern US.

ME:  Yes, Florida is south from here, but.

As you can see, I was interuppted mid-sentence.  This is SOP should you dare to converse with a teenage girl.

LULU:  Well then, she shouldn’t need a passport to go there.

ME:  Um, Lulu you lost me at Florida.

I was not quick enough on the response draw because The Princess broke one of her 2 connections to the outside world (internet/cell phone) to explain her BFF’s error in vacation spot placement on the world map.

THE PRINCESS:  What?  Lulu, have you been sniffing the Sharpie too long?  Everybody knows that Niagara Falls is not in the South, it is in the northern hemisphere of North America.

LULU:  Well, exactly where is it then if you know so much?

At this point The King & I were observing the scene with parental admiration, since The Princess was about to give Lulu a much needed geography lesson.  Scoff if you will, but when you are a parent your chest will swell with pride when your child is about to display their educational prowess.

Make that your head, because pride does go before the fall…

THE PRINCESS:  Lulu, really.  It is in Mexico, dummy.

This America, are your public education tax dollars at work.  The BFF Tag Team are honors students enrolled in the AP and college bound pathways at our local high school.

The Princess would like it noted for the record that all of the family talking at the same time confused her and she was clearly talking about our last vacation which included a cruise to Mexico.  Lulu would like it noted for the record that at no time did she inhale fumes from her writing instrument.

I would like it noted for the record that, The Princess, is the only member of our family that has ever been to Niagara Falls.  Two years ago.  In fact, she did cross the Canadian border.  Two years ago.  To tour Niagara Falls.  I’m just saying. 

Perhaps Niagara Falls has been moved to South America by the United Nations.  Although I do not recall any international summits addressing the issue.  I could be wrong.  Depends on who you ask.  Because as stated before, I am intellectually challenged, tragically unhip and basically dumber than a rock. 

I don’t have any answers; only questions and anger.  What was your first thought after hearing about these crimes?

Shock?  The accused are children (14-18 years old).

Overwhelmed?  At the sheer sadistic nature of the attack.

Rage?  Images of the cruel torture of the accused as payment for their crimes.

Pick one, I had them all.

In our country, the accused are entitled to trial by jury, legal representation and if found guilty, punishment to fit the crime in accordance with the laws of that jurisdiction.  The particularly heinous nature of this unspeakable violence will most likely shatter any current concept of justice you possess.  Intellectually, I know that justice should not be fueled by emotion, but based on reason.  The mother, the woman and the human being in me wants retribution.  The pure evil and perverse method in which these offenses were carried out leaves me struggling with my own belief system.

The ages of the offenders seems irrelevant when you consider the atrocities committed, but it is not, it merely makes these events more poignant in our history.  The first suspect arrested was 14 years old, in 7th grade.  Seventh Grade!  Middle School!  Plus 9 other teenagers.  This thrill violence or mob mentality is reminiscent of a Clockwork Orange scenario or Richard Ramirez, The Night Stalker.  These perpetrators were teenagers.  Children engaging in sociopathic behavior,  apparently without an ounce of empathy for their victims.  I have a teenager who is still developing the ability to understand the magnitude of consequences for her actions.  That night in Florida we had serial killers in the making.

What justice will there be for this mother and child subjected to inhumane cruelty and barbaric offenses?  How will the American justice system rehabilitate offenders (child offenders) capable of such sociopathic acts?  I cannot fathom the psychological trauma and recovery process that this family will endure.  It is heartbreaking, we have become our own worst nightmare.

The finger pointing parades will come, as they have before.  We all need someone to blame, a cause for these horrifics acts, someone to hold responsible.  There will be much speculation on what prompted this attack; mental illness, evil, environment, personal choice, abuse, genetics, racial bias, immigration issues, welfare/public housing concerns, socioeconomic factors, education obstacles, lack of parenting, the cost of the War on Iraq and probably the actions of the victims themselves on that terrible night.  I can hear them in my own head already.

We have become a society of voyeurs and bystanders.  Lengthy analysis by the media, recycling the details of the crimes adnausem robs the victims of their dignity.  Today I watched a deeply disturbing interview with the victim posted on a Florida TV website which graphically detailed the depravity of this attack.  I intentionally did not include the link and I question the rationale of airing a minute by minute account of the attacks (directly from the victim herself) when 7 suspects remain at large.  In my opinion, the media coverage bears continued culpability for their sensationalism of the crimes and efforts to report every single reprehensible violation of these victims.  The reporter’s primary goal during the interview appears to be exploit this mother; providing himself an exclusive interview, with leading politically correct questions and no emotional affect.  The headlines “Woman Forced To Have Sex With Her Son” are evidence of  journalistic manipulation, because ”Sexual Assault Of Mother And Child” would not have sold as many papers or increased internet traffic.  Surely, I am guilty as well, for reading this news and ranting on my blog regarding this very subject.

How did we arrive here?  I am ashamed of myself for becoming so cyncial, jaded and desensitized to violence. Our social culture today has created an environment where heinous crimes are commonplace.  We all shake our heads and make grimaced expressions at the TV or computer screen when we hear that no one offered these victims assistance.  How could no one hear these attacks?  In fact, one resident of this neighborhood stated: “So a lady was raped.  Big deal.  There’s too much other crime happening here.”  Patriciea Matlock said with disgust.  To you Patriciea Matlock, I ask, are you an actual member of the human race?  Three hours of gang rape, torture and forced participation in sexual assault of a family member is not considered getting off easy in the crime victim arena.  To you Patriciea Matlock, I am sorry for your lot in life, your housing situation, lack of opportunity, education or whatever turned you into a body without a soul.  To you Patriciea Matlock, I pray the other 7 suspects, still at large, do not stop by your apartment for an up close and personal rendition of the true meaning of violent crime and torture.  Lastly, to you Patriciea Matlock, had I been the reporter on the day you provided that idiotic response –  I would have knocked your ignorant ass into next week and had you looking both ways for Sunday.

My last statement is proof that I clearly need a place to direct my rage.  Can we observe the violence in ourselves and become the change we want to see in this world?  Perhaps it is easier to roll over and accept things as they are  – that way, we abdicate any responsibility for mankind.  As I said in the beginning of this post, I have only questions and anger.  There appear to be no solutions at hand or answers to any questions.  What we need is a call to action, so here is mine:

Honor the survivor instinct of this mother and her son.  Help facilitate this family’s triumph over this tragedy.  I challenge you to donate to The Dunbar Village Victim’s Assistance Fund.  Do it because it is the right thing to do.  Do it because it is a strike against the pervasive evil in our world.  Do it to apologize for our collective lack of humanity.  Do it to compensate for the Patriciea Matlocks of this world.