The answer should be yes. Not "how can I get my loved one help?"

Category Archives: discrimination

Brown, Gray, Martin and others

Riot police blocking the way to the parliament building on Sunday nightWhat do each of these names have in common?
Brown.

Gray.

Martin.

Grant.

Not only was someone killed.  Rioters proceeded to destroy the very communities that they claimed they wanted to protect.  Why burn down a senior center that was under construction?  What did the seniors in the community do to deserve that?

How does destroying the property of a third person ensure that the victim will be remembered?  How does it bring justice?

It is a travesty.  All the way around, from the killing of the initial victim/perpetrator/drug user/killer to the attacks on law enforcement, the attacks on innocent people who are in no way affiliated with the violent act that caused people to decide to riot.

In Ferguson, reports indicate that agitators who didn’t even have ties to the community helped incite the violence.

What will Baltimore show?  In one example, looters broke through the roof of a liquor store.  What were they looking for?  Liquid courage?  How does robbing and looting further the cause of the disenfranchised?   Tuesday, as the citizens of Baltimore wake from the nightmare that has become their existence, schools will be closed.  CNN, reports that parts of West Baltimore look like a war zone.  The looters raided a CVS Pharmacy.  What role do businesses, schools, and children play in the death of the people listed at the beginning of this post?

It is a sad testament to our society that this has become acceptable response to things that people don’t like.  This 24 hour period of infamy for the stupid and cowardly acts of criminals.  Criminals are the people who use a protest as a means to plunder the resources of another.  Mob mentality at its finest.

Is it sad that these people all died?  Damn right it is.

But.

That sadness is not an invitation for the response that these people are undertaking.  This isn’t protesting.  This is destruction of property under the guise of the First Amendment of our Bill of Rights.

It shames me that these people, for the most part, will get away with what they are doing and have done.  Protest an injustice?  Fine, but how does the methods employed qualify as a protest?

I don’t think it does.

But then, I am just a hick from nowhere who has no idea….

In this world, I am trying to teach my son, who has severe mental health issues, right from wrong.  And even he understands that what is happening across our country is wrong.  The methods of protest are wrong.

Stand up for yourself, for your community.  Don’t let these people destroy it.

The Baltimore Sun quotes the mayor as saying “It’s idiotic to think that by destroying your city, you’re going to make life better,”

 

Our School District made the news!!! Updated

Update February 12, 2012

An update.  In chatting with news people, it was explained to me how the story is reported.  Since the report from the Sheriff Department reported it as an accident, the news people felt that there really wasn’t a lot else to report. I can see where they would say that.  And I agree with that.  Since it is an accident, there was no real reason to think that our district was being inaccurate in their portrayal of bullying in our district as being something that happens 3 or 4 times a year.

I appreciate the news person for helping me understand how they work.  I applaud them for their efforts at fair and accurate reporting.

Thank you:

Why Not Fathers

===============================================

February 10,2012

Our school district made the news.

http://www.kxnet.com/story/16909355/garrison-school-incident

So I wrote this response to the reporter.  I stripped out some info like names…

Good Evening Ms. Gustin,

I am the father of the child who was injured last week and I feel the
need to clarify a few things in regards to your piece on the news this
evening.

The child in question is not in junior high school, she is a sophmore
in high school.  She suffered a concussion and a contusion to the base
of her skull.  At the time of the incident we had no idea what
happened.  Given the history of bullying toward my daughter, we called
the Mclean County Sheriff Department and reported the incident.  As a
result, a report was filed, and an investigation was completed.

The school offered to let me view the video, but I declined, as I
wanted the investigation to be completed by a third party, and not
influenced by me.

My daughter suffers now from headaches, bright lights give her a head
ache, as do loud noises.

During the course of the investigation the school conducted I asked
for updates.  At first I was told that they had two witnesses, then I
was told that they had one witness.  Then I was told that they didn’t have
any witnesses.  I was also told that the video didn’t show anything
happening to my daughter.  The high school principal told me that the
video shows her sitting in the hallway.

The school tried to blame me for what happened to her, they said that
I wouldn’t let them investigate our daughter’s allegations against
students in December 2011.  In fact what I told the school is that
they couldn’t question my daughter without either my wife or I being
present.  We also heard that the district tried to insinuate in a
staff meeting that she hit herself in the back of the head to get
attention.

In the end, it was determined that there were two boys who were rough
housing in the hallway.  One pushed his buddy and he was pushed into
my daughter who then hit her on the locker.  The deputy talked to me
and asked if I was comfortable with calling it an accident.  After
considering what he told me, I agreed, with the caveat that the boys
in question apologize to my daughter.  Which my daughter has told me
occurred this week.

I like that the news was reported.  I just wanted to make sure that
you had all of the information about the incident.  All is not as rosy
as Mr Brannan would have you believe.  In this district there exists
an atmosphere of bullying.  Student on Student, Administration on
Student, Parent to Administration, and Administration to faculty and
staff.  I should also include that administration bullies some
parents.  Students are allowed to intimidate staff, and no
consequences are given.

We have friends who work for the school district who have been told
that maintaining friendships with me and my family is detrimental to
their careers.

This is North Dakota, not communist Russia at the height of the Cold War.

I welcome your questions.

Thank you

 

Last week I was asked if a reporter could contact me.  None ever did. I just think that the story needs to be reported accurately.

 

http://www.kxnet.com/story/16909355/garrison-school-inciden

Dad, I killed the car!

Another day done. For the most part, I would call this day a success.

My girls, who have both been licensed to drive for less than 6 months killed the car tonight. They thought that they were in trouble, because it wouldn’t start… They walked home, then we went and got it after mom got home. A simple jump start cured it. Probably a weak alternator belt isn’t allowing enough juice to be generated, coupled with someone not shutting the door all the way and an interior light blinking occasionally. No big deal. And even so, if they had wrecked it or something, a car can be replaced.

Lined up another IEP meeting for our oldest boy. Next week unless something shakes loose in the schedule this week. Tomorrow, our youngest son and I are going into the city for a psych consult. Hopefully he can get back on the med that they took him off, clorazil.

Overall, the few times that our youngest was misbehaving aren’t worth noting. There has to be a point where some of his beavior is just because he is the baby in the family and acting as a 10 year old boy. Life is good.

That reminds me, I need to follow-up with the people regarding Respite care for our youngest. That will help alleviate some stresses in our family.

This weekend I am in Bismarck for a class, and he will get to spend a couple of hours with his mentor, and then his Aunt.

Waiting on a call from Department of Public Instruction regarding the facilitated IEP request that we made.  More tomorrow. 🙂 Cheers!