To end the idea that anything that is accomplished regarding those who have done damage to others within our society, can be done without the presence of dignity, grace and loving kindness. How is it that the richest nation in the world has the highest rate of incarceration of its citizens? Could it be that everything we think we understand about recovery and reclamation of lives is applied almost nowhere within the prison system in the United States? How is it we think we can punish people into wellness? Why is it that we continue to confuse who people are with their behavior? Examples: Prisons, Job Corps.
Are you willing to take this message to the Departments of Corrections in your state or your country?
Nick Groth led me to vast amounts of information. The most important piece he gave me was about why he had been able to get through to these men at Somers. I assumed it was his training, degrees, and his scholarship. Nick assured me they were not it. Continue Reading →
The kind of violence that happened at Virginia Tech is completely understandable. Why is it so difficult for us as a society to accept that violence comes from violence? What needs to happen so that people understand that each second is either a positive contribution to a person’s development or a detriment to it? Is it that we are afraid that we have some responsibility in the matter? Examples: Schools, Job Corps, Prisons
Are you willing to let everyone you know that you know what causes violence?
Before we begin to explore what each of us can do in order to eliminate the violence in our society, we must come to a basic agreement about the causes of that violence. Unfortunately, my research into the root causes of violence in our society was dramatically escalated twenty-five years ago when one of my children was raped at the age of eight. We needed a quart of milk and a can of Comet. This was a middle class suburb of Akron, Ohio on a bright sunny afternoon. The grocery store was across a large field, easy walking without crossing any streets. I could see no reason not to let her go. Continue Reading →
