You Don't Abuse children? Sez Who?

"Every time I say something

they find hard to hear,

they chalk it up to my anger,

and never to their own fear."

Ani DiFranco

Can't help wondering... what you're wondering about?

It's easy enough for anyone so inclined to dismiss anything I say about child abuse to my anger. However, being easy doesn't make it an accurate assessment. Some of what I say is no doubt rooted in anger. Most of what I say is rooted in formal education and informal, ongoing research across disciplines. All of what I say is rooted in determination to invest my time, energy, talents in seeking some relief for those who suffer from abuse today, and who will suffer even more tomorrow.
Yes, I am angry.
Yes, I am angry about child abuse.
Yes, I am angry about all abuse.
Make no mistake about any of that!
I am angry about the abuse inflicted on me, about the abuse I inflicted on others, and about the continuing abuse inflicted every day by millions of us on millions of children and adults worldwide.
I am angry about abuse by caretakers, parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, siblings, peers, neighbors, strangers, school personnel, teachers, priests, ministers, hair-dressers, tailors, religious leaders, scout and youth leaders, doctors, dentists, social workers, psychiatrists, psychologists, politicians, scientists, police officers, bus drivers, clerks, jerks and those who work at Municipal Water Works. Even if not listed here, there are no exceptions to the list of those who abuse children. That list includes everyone.
Yes, that includes me.
Yes, that includes you.
Yes, I said you and me.
Make no mistake about that either!
From the worst of the raping/murdering pedophiles to the near-perfect among us, from the God-denying to the God-fearing, from the under-educated to the over-educated, from those who devote themselves to protecting children to those who don't give a damn and don't mind saying so, from those who contribute nothing of personal resources, to those who contribute all, from the poorest to the richest among us, there are no exceptions to my contention. We all abuse children to one degree or another.
Whether by omission or commission, whether at the lowest end of a continuum of abuse or the highest, whether aware or not aware, whether intentionally or not, whether willing or able to acknowledge your participation, you are no exception.
Easy to dismiss everything I say, easy to blame it on my anger, easy to attribute it to anything you like? Easy to attack me personally? Yes! But challenge me before you dismiss this charge that we all abuse others, to one degree or another, that we abuse even the least and most vulnerable among us, the children of the world.
First provide your definition of abuse. Without that we have no basis for discussion.
Then tell me who you are, what you do, why you are an exception to my claim that you inflict some kind of abuse on children. Tell me where you live and I'll show you facts and figures, research, and stories you won't want to know. Tell me when there was a time when children experienced less abuse than children do now, and I'll show you facts and figures, research and stories that you will find hard to accept. Show and tell me anything from any discipline, any field of research, any source, even uninformed, ill-founded and unsupported opinion, that you think proves me wrong.
Prove me wrong! I'll admit it!
Prove me wrong! I'll celebrate!
Prove me wrong! I'll learn from you and do everything possible to teach others how to live without abusing others, or at least how to inflict less abuse tomorrow than they do today...

A Child is Waiting,
Take care...be aware,
Nancy Lee

Child abuse is the root of all evil…
the love of money and power come later.