Congresswoman’s Daughter Was Victimized; Not Considered in Hacker's Actions

Congresswoman’s Daughter Was Victimized; Not Considered in Hacker's Actions

Normally I try not to blog about things that I feel personally about unless it is pertinent, like issues regarding education and educators within the U. S Virgin Islands and since it is summer I thought I would give myself a much needed break from the dual work that I have chosen to engage in to actually take the time to smell the roses (so to speak) but instead I cannot stop thinking about this ordeal about our delegate to congress and how her private family moments where hacked. I am also too sure that most of the reason why myself, along with others, cannot seem to ignore or let this atrocity die is because every major news outlet in the territory feels the need to update and rewrite articles already published to continually feed the masses. Well here is my major concern that I am sure no one else cares about (or at least seemingly) how do you all think that the child feels?

U. S Virgin Islands Delegate to Congress Stacey Plaskett and her husband

The child that became a political pawn because she was having fun with her parents, something that many children within our territory do not have the comfort of and many of whom will never have those same luxuries; how do you think their child feels. How would you as a child feel after being used in your most vulnerable moments, exploited at such a young age, or do we think that because she is young she will get over it and may not fully understand the implications made? That is possible, but highly implausible as she is completely aware of her surrounding and developmentally progressing appropriately. So I ask again, why do we as a society, as a community, as Pulitzer prize winning newspapers, and editors in chief continually fan this fire and feed it? The negativity that looms over because of this cloud is a little heart wrenching to me because this could have been worse for all concerned including the child had it been deemed that the video was inappropriate and that she needed to be removed from her home, this too could be misconstrued by children as the school year is set to begin soon and we all know how children can be. This is my plea to everyone that has since obtained this video or any of the pictures leaked, delete them and denounce the nonsense that is taking over in our communities. This is not the first straw, I have heard many stories countless other women victimized in the same manner some were as young as teens and if we do not denounce it now it will continually grow. Let’s not wait until this come in the form of a suicide of a teen or young adult that couldn’t bear the pressure from sinister jokes; let us as a community not sit by and watch children become victims for their parent’s cause if we do can you truly say that you and your children will be safe in the next wave of attacks?

The views expressed within the blog are solely those of Ms. Child Advocate and does not reflect on any of her affiliations. For more on the U.S Virgin Islands youths read PTA, Parent Committee, & Volunteering: Get Involved , Too Much Violence: USVI Shootings Near Preschools, USVI Shootings Near Preschool's 2, and Respect Goes Both Ways: Teacher and Student 

What About The Children We Failed

 What About The Children We Failed

       As someone who as has always taken a keen eye to learning and education I must say that we have made many strides within the last decade alone, but we cannot forget those who where victims of the ignorance of those we elected as leaders. There are many different programs and initiatives aimed at helping our children to learn; The No Child Left Behind Act, Common Core State Standards, and the Race to the Top, are mostly known and publicized and while they all have their different purposes they were still put into place for the betterment of our children which is our future. But what has been bothering me dearly is not no one is thinking about those children who fell through the cracks; the students 'pushed out' of schools by educators who weren't willing to do what was necessary ( which could vary from talking to calling in parents or involving social services for the betterment of the family). They instead opted for the easy way out which was to either watch our students self destruct or give them a little push by showing them how little you actually care about their educations, well beings, and futures. On the mainland the 'school to prison pipeline' has raised questions and concerns all over the nation and has sparked nation wide controversies detailing the insignificant/ petty infractions that are being used to incarcerate our youths and keep our race and our children on the stagnant level and path of destruction that they've witnessed and come to know so well.

       Students shouldn't be allowed to make a rash decision and have that hinder their lives forever. School fights, while not encouraged, aren't uncommon so why should a fight in school lead to an arrest for assault? Why aren't there any school policies that dictate what should happen when such an incident takes place, and why would the police become involved in a matter that should be settled by those who have students best interest at heart, instead of those whose sole goal within their careers are to make arrests and incarcerate? Why are so many of our youths spending their precious lives wasting away on corners, in gutters, and back ally ways drinking, smoking, abusing drugs, and everything else nonconstructive? Because its the place we have left them to be. Its because we as society didn't demand that a program be set in place to detour these youths, teach them the right way, and give them the tools necessary to teach another. What we did demand was lower crime rates instead of more public schools and books for those already in place. We didn't demand a new education commissioner when our high school drop out rates where the highest and students tested the lowest, we demanded retroactive pay and tax returns ( of which many people are still waiting for). And in a time when education should be on the forefront seeing as to how our economy is steadily declining and our best hopes are through tourism and rum to some how magically make our ever rising deficit go away our elected officials, to be specific the Government House and The Legislature are too busy 'picking up and dropping words' at each other via press releases and comments made through the media as if the public doesn't know who it has to blame; THE PUBLIC.

      The public is to blame because we are the ones who has given every single one of those elected officials, all whom hold decision making authority or influence, the power that they harness and put to no good use. If we, the people of this territory whose lives and the lives of our children are those at stake, don't begin to let our voices be heard then we will never be able to relish celebrating the accomplishment of one of our fellow virgin islanders without having to resent the actions of another who could have done better, but was never afforded the opportunity because of his address or an infraction in high school that made him a criminal. Where are the programs to get these children off the streets and to keep them out of jail? What about the children that we as a community have already failed? Do we leave them out on the streets to declare 'another one bites the dust' when we hear of another shooting where a young man was left lifeless or a young lady? Do we sit back and watch as they abuse substances then become menaces in society? Do we shun them and talk about how they once where? Because none of these things are creating solutions within a society that is seemingly embellishing in these problems.  

Children's Corner; Short Stories

The Negro Mother

Children, I come back today
To tell you a story of the long dark way
That I had to climb, that I had to know
In order that the race might live and grow.
Look at my face -- dark as the night --
Yet shining like the sun with love's true light.
I am the dark girl who crossed the red sea
Carrying in my body the seed of the free.
I am the woman who worked in the field
Bringing the cotton and the corn to yield.
I am the one who labored as a slave,
Beaten and mistreated for the work that I gave --
Children sold away from me, I'm husband sold, too.
No safety , no love, no respect was I due.

Three hundred years in the deepest South:
But God put a song and a prayer in my mouth .
God put a dream like steel in my soul.
Now, through my children, I'm reaching the goal.

Now, through my children, young and free,
I realized the blessing deed to me.
I couldn't read then. I couldn't write.
I had nothing, back there in the night.
Sometimes, the valley was filled with tears,
But I kept trudging on through the lonely years.
Sometimes, the road was hot with the sun,
But I had to keep on till my work was done:
I had to keep on! No stopping for me --
I was the seed of the coming Free.
I nourished the dream that nothing could smother
Deep in my breast -- the Negro mother.
I had only hope then , but now through you,
Dark ones of today, my dreams must come true:
All you dark children in the world out there,
Remember my sweat, my pain, my despair.
Remember my years, heavy with sorrow --
And make of those years a torch for tomorrow.
Make of my pass a road to the light
Out of the darkness, the ignorance, the night.
Lift high my banner out of the dust.
Stand like free men supporting my trust.
Believe in the right, let none push you back.
Remember the whip and the slaver's track.
Remember how the strong in struggle and strife
Still bar you the way, and deny you life --
But march ever forward, breaking down bars.
Look ever upward at the sun and the stars.
Oh, my dark children, may my dreams and my prayers
Impel you forever up the great stairs --
For I will be with you till no white brother
Dares keep down the children of the Negro Mother.

BY
Langston Hughes

Children's Corner; Poetry

EMANCIPATION


No rack can torture me,
My soul's at liberty
Behind this mortal bone
There knits a bolder one

You cannot prick with saw,
Nor rend with scymitar.
Two bodies therefore be;
Bind one, and one will flee.

The eagle of his nest
No easier divest
And gain the sky,
Than mayest thou,

Except thyself may be
Thine enemy;
Captivity is consciousness,
So's liberty.

BY
Emily Dickinson

Children's Corner; Poetry

Democracy

Democracy will not come
Today, this year
Nor ever
Through compromise and fear.

I have as much right
As the other fellow has
To stand
On my two feet
And own the land.

I tire so of hearing people say,
Let things take their course.
Tomorrow is another day.
I do not need my freedom when I'm dead.
I cannot live on tomorrow's bread.

Freedom
Is a strong seed
Planted
In a great need.

I live here, too.
I want freedom
Just as you.

Langston Hughes