I love Dr. Drew. He is so balanced, so professional, so darn normal after watching Jane Velez-Mitchell and the always-over-the-top Nancy Grace. Watching Nancy Grace is a guilty pleasure. Watching Dr. Drew is interesting and informative without the hype or hyperventilation. I started watching Celebrity Rehab a couple of years ago, and while there was a certain amount of sensationalism generated by the celebrities - remember, this was on MTV - I developed a certain amount of respect for Dr. Drew Pinsky.
In the waning days of the Casey Anthony-thon, while Nancy Grace evoked visions of Satan with her pronouncement "the Devil is dancing tonight", and we all watched to see if her whirling dervish-self would self-ignite from her righteous indignation, Dr. Drew was already steering his show into other waters. Warren Jeffs (talk about the Devil!) was on trial in Texas, accused of what is in my mind the worst crime imaginable, sexual misconduct with not one, but two minor children. Adding insult to injury, this wretched, evil man did so under cover of religion. God's will and all that jazz.
What I love about Dr. Drew is his willingness to express his horror over a story without becoming the story. When he states that the thought of certain events upset him, or turn his stomach, we understand completely. He is speaking for us because as parents, we all feel as he does. We will never understand how Casey Anthony, assuming she is telling the truth, could party like it's 1999 while her child's flesh rotted off her bones in a nearby swamp. We will surely never understand how a 55 year old man could force sexual intercourse upon a 12 year old child while the "sister-wives" held the child down.
Even after the verdict was in, Dr. Drew did not abandon the story, and for several days he worked the air waves, asking the questions, trying to understand how these holy-roller pedophiles could continue to ply their evil trade without the slightest attempt of intervention by law enforcement. It amazed me that so many people accept the explanation that in certain parts of certain states, the FLDS controls law enforcement and the local government to the extent that this cult can get away with the most heinous behavior.
Say what? Since when did Utah, Arizona, Texas, South Dakota, and British Columbia become the North American anarchist wilds?
I have done a little reading on the 2008 "raid" on the compound in Texas and the 1953 Short Creek, Arizona raid. The good news from the 2008 action is that a number of the elder males were charged, convicted, and imprisoned for sexual assault charges. The bad news is that Texas CPS took a big hit from the public outcry over the mass removal of the compound's almost 500 children. The Texas Supreme Court did not support the agency's actions, and accused the original judge of abusing her discretion in keeping the children out of their parent's custody.
I am going to guess that this would have played better if CPS had not tried to remove all of the children at one time, but I think the appellate courts got it wrong. I am not sure what the law is in Texas regarding prospective abuse and neglect of children, but it is likely similar to what we have in Florida. Those children are clearly at risk of terrible abuse and neglect, if the tapes and testimony presented at Warren Jeffs' recent trial are any indication of what is going on in the FDLS compounds.
Oy! I just had a vision of the CPS workers asking to staff all of those cases with their agency attorneys, and then deciding that the legal department should file nonshelter petitions. Several hundred nonshelter petitions. That would at least keep CPS in the picture, as the children would have to be seen at least once a month, and the court would have to review the children's status and well being every six months.
That's not just a massive undertaking, or a guarantee of job security for the folks at CPS - that's insanity. But there has to be a way to protect those children, if only on a much smaller scale. Maybe the Royal Canadian Mounted Police will have better luck.
Speaking of luck:
May the One who blessed our ancestors
Patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob,
Matriarchs Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel, and Leah
bless and heal the one who is ill
May the Holy Blessed One
overflow with compassion upon her,
to restore her,
to heal her,
to strengthen her,
to enliven her.
The One will send her, speedily,
a complete healing
healing of the soul and healing of the body
along with all the ill,
among the people of Israel and all humankind,
soon,
speedily,
without delay,
and let us all say: Amen!
A Misheberach for two close friends, two of the strongest women I know, both living with cancer.
Say what? Since when did Utah, Arizona, Texas, South Dakota, and British Columbia become the North American anarchist wilds?
I have done a little reading on the 2008 "raid" on the compound in Texas and the 1953 Short Creek, Arizona raid. The good news from the 2008 action is that a number of the elder males were charged, convicted, and imprisoned for sexual assault charges. The bad news is that Texas CPS took a big hit from the public outcry over the mass removal of the compound's almost 500 children. The Texas Supreme Court did not support the agency's actions, and accused the original judge of abusing her discretion in keeping the children out of their parent's custody.
I am going to guess that this would have played better if CPS had not tried to remove all of the children at one time, but I think the appellate courts got it wrong. I am not sure what the law is in Texas regarding prospective abuse and neglect of children, but it is likely similar to what we have in Florida. Those children are clearly at risk of terrible abuse and neglect, if the tapes and testimony presented at Warren Jeffs' recent trial are any indication of what is going on in the FDLS compounds.
Oy! I just had a vision of the CPS workers asking to staff all of those cases with their agency attorneys, and then deciding that the legal department should file nonshelter petitions. Several hundred nonshelter petitions. That would at least keep CPS in the picture, as the children would have to be seen at least once a month, and the court would have to review the children's status and well being every six months.
That's not just a massive undertaking, or a guarantee of job security for the folks at CPS - that's insanity. But there has to be a way to protect those children, if only on a much smaller scale. Maybe the Royal Canadian Mounted Police will have better luck.
Speaking of luck:
May the One who blessed our ancestors
Patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob,
Matriarchs Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel, and Leah
bless and heal the one who is ill
May the Holy Blessed One
overflow with compassion upon her,
to restore her,
to heal her,
to strengthen her,
to enliven her.
The One will send her, speedily,
a complete healing
healing of the soul and healing of the body
along with all the ill,
among the people of Israel and all humankind,
soon,
speedily,
without delay,
and let us all say: Amen!
A Misheberach for two close friends, two of the strongest women I know, both living with cancer.
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