Sorry

22/05/2009
Sorry.Its such a useful word. Helps you get out of trouble, helps put things behind you. You don't need to pay for your mistakes. All you need to show is remorse.
The most horrific crimes in recent times, the inhumane abuse and murder of a 17 month old toddler, Baby Peter. Not at the hands of some unknown child killer, no it was at the hands of the mother who gave birth to him and her band of boy friends. The mother who should have been caring for him kicked him, hit him, brokes his bones and ultimately killed him. Yesterday she said she was 'Sorry' for the abuse !!! Sorry ? Is that all she could say ? An innocent defenceless baby bullied for perverse pleasure and she says Sorry ??? Thankfully she and the two perpeterators were sentenced to life and I hope in this case it means LIFE. Infact a life of abuse and suffering would be just.
Yesterday was also the turn of the Archbishop of Catholic church to aplogise for the abuse suffered by children in Ireland at the hands of its members. He said that the members who face up to their sins show courage. This incident should not overshadow the good work done by the members. I have to disagree. Firstly they didn't voluntarily face up to their actions, they were forced into it and secondly only a coward would abuse children who are in their care. Again a sorry as a balm over painful wounds. Sorry for scaring you for life, sorry for betraying your trust. No amount of good work can undo the harm done by these abuses. This is not a sin where you can be absolved by confession. People need to pay for it by being jailed. Put them on the sex offenders list.
That is what power does to some people. It corrupts them, it twists them and turns them into monsters and children are the most vulnerable of victims. They are helpless and powerless. They can't fight back as adults can. People don't realise that a generation of uncared unloved children lead to a generation of violent uncaring adults. Its not just a parents responsibility, but the responsibility of the entire community to care for its children. Keep these disgusting people off the streets. Take the case of James Bulger , a tiny toddler who was tortured and killed by two 10 year old boys who happened to bump into him in the supermarket. It was the most horrific case of child abuse for both for the victim and the killers, since the killers were in a way victims. They were victims of neglect and abuse at home. The killers (Jon Venables and Robert Thompson) were jailed but what about the parents who neglected them in the first place. This does not absolve the children of the crime, but weren't the killers parents equally to blame in this case ? Its a reflection of the society we have become, selfish, hateful and violent.
I worry about bringing up my kid in this horrid world