Happy Halloween, everyone! This is also called Samhain, and on the Pagan calendar, it is the end of the year. This is the third harvest, at which time,our ancestors' tradition held that all agricultural harvesting should be complete. Some Pagan traditions celebrate this day on October 31; others celebrate it on the first full moon of Scorpio. This day is set aside as a day to honor deceased Ancestors. It is a bit like Memorial Day, and gifts of flowers, whiskey, chocolate, food, and tobacco were often left at graves, as gifts for the Dead. Gourds and turnips were carved into scary candle holders called "jack-o-lanterns" to scare away any malevolent spirits, and the custom of dressing up in costumes, as fairies or spirits, was seen as a means of protection, as well.
Halloween is also reminiscent of the Greek legend of Hades and his capture of Persephone, the daughter of Demeter, Goddess of agriculture, plants, and harvest. When Persephone disappeared, Demeter let the earth become barren. When Zeus intervened, and determined that Persephone should be in the Underworld with her new consort for six months, then with Demeter for six months, the seasons as we know them began, so the story goes. This is how Persephone became Queen of the Dead, and when she rushes out of the Underworld in the Spring, life begins anew.
The name of the pig in the video above is Ben Fields. He is not only a pig, but a football coach at Spring Valley High School, in South Carolina. The child in the video incurred his wrath because he was called on her for refusal to hand over her cell phone to the teacher. The teacher called the principal, who also asked for the cell phone, and she refused to give it to him, as well. And when she refused to leave the room, the cops were called. Could this have possibly been handled any other way?
First of all, why didn't the school call the girl's parents, rather than the police? Why didn't the teacher just wait until after class to talk to the principal about enforcing the rule against cell phones? When the police were called, why didn't the officer wait for backup when the girl refused to get out of her seat, so that she could be apprehended from her crime of sitting still without any violence? And while cell phones are not allowed in many schools, is it a policy infraction or a crime to take a cell phone to school? Does a rogue cell phone on the person of a student really require the expertise of Godzilla? After all, not all schools manage these problems the same way. In Marshall County Kansas, cell phones are allowed in public schools. Even when certain students take guns to school during hunting season, it is often permitted, and the complaints of concerned parents are ignored by law enforcement. Guns, in this case; not cell phones.
Speaking of cell phones, another child in the classroom at Spring Valley High School also had a cell phone, but had not been instructed to turn it over to the teacher, as had the child in the video. As a result, Officer Ben Fields found himself on candid camera. Fields should really have behaved when he saw that camera getting footage of his actions.
Do you remember that female high school student you paid, several years ago, to help you sweep a misdeed under the rug? She clearly saw something that could have cost someone's career, and rightfully so. Well. there's something you overlooked. It is against the law, everywhere in the United States, to "buy" anyone's silence in criminal matters. Not only is that called "witness intimidation" and "obstruction of justice", but it is also known as "bribery".
You bought this person's silence when she was very young, and had no real understanding of her legal rights. You did a rather good job of brainwashing her, and frightening her. But you did not realize that she has a conscience: if any harm comes to someone else, as a result of her refusal to testify, she will never forgive herself. And for that, there is no such thing as enough hush money. By the way, she was also too young to legally be bound to any contract you coerced her to sign. Did you really think that she would never realize that?
A couple of days ago,the FBI searched a home in Hyattsville, Maryland for the second time, in connection to the Sheila and Katherine Lyon, who disappeared in Maryland in 1975. The home that was searched was a home where Lloyd Lee Welch, a suspect in the case, once lived. Testimony and evidence for the Lyon sisters has pointed investigators to Virginia during the past couple of years. Lloyd Lee Welch is now behind bars in Virginia, awaiting trial for the murders of both Katherine and Sheila. His aunt, Patricia Jean Welch, is on the docket in Bedford County, Virginia for a trial in January, 2016 because she lied to the grand jury about evidence in this case.
"Those who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones!!! If you think you and your family are perfect then maybe you shouldn't even be worried about other peoples business. You do not know all the facts nor do you have the right to judge anyone. Innocent until proven guilty!!! I wonder if others judge you the same as you judge others..."
Above is a comment that was sent to this site yesterday, concerning this post, describing Miranda Cain, the teenage madam in Marysville, Kansas who was arrested for pimping an eighth grader from her school to a stranger. Yes, you read that correctly. There are problems in many schools across the nation, but this one is a bit unusual.....and we should all probably be thankful for that! But on the other hand, that makes the small community of Marysville famous for presenting serious danger to children.
The person who wrote that comment was not thinking about the child whose life may, very well, have been ruined by this whole mess. The comment only defends Miranda Cain, and does not consider the safety of any of the other children. No one is important to this person except Citizen Cain. Nothing else, from the well being of others, particularly children, to the quality of the community matters to the writer of the comment. This is all too common in Marshall County, Kansas.
Citizen Cain was a Marysville High School student who had been recognized for "distinguished service" (the term takes on a new meaning in Cain's case) by the administration of Marysville High School. She was one of the students who was touted as a "good example" for others to follow. This is disturbing. Contrary to the opinion of the writer of the comment, it is extremely important that everyone in Marshall County be aware of Citizen Cain and her pastimes. The administration of Marysville High School told other children to follow the example of a person who is now in jail, awaiting trial for sex trafficking. Parents were led to believe that their children were safe around Cain. Now, at least one child's life has been ruined, and that's only the child about whom we happen to know. It would come as no surprise to hear about more. Since Marysville High School has administrators and a school board who reward such behavior handsomely and assist students who are involved in crime in gaining scholarships and grants for college, while normal children get neglected; it is abundantly clear that without public conversation about this issue, administration at the schools in Marshall County Kansas will continue to sweep student crime under the proverbial rug and lie to parents forever, if they can get away with it. Yes, it is important to talk about this. It is also important to stress that human trafficking and child abuse are wrong. It appears that school boards in Kansas do not understand this. It also appears that school boards in Kansas do not understand that prostitution is against the laws in most places.
Inasmuch as "innocent until proven guilty" goes, the Marysville Advocate described the evidence in the case against Miranda Cain in rather explicit detail, and it looks as if the case is strong. If Citizen Cain is averse to pleading guilty, she will probably invoke her right to a jury trial. As for "living in glass houses", the comment assumes that a parent must somehow be perfect before protecting his children from human traffickers and other icky influences. This is error. Whether perfect or not, every parent has a responsibility to protect his children from students like Miranda Cain and school administrators who tell children to follow Miranda Cain's example! Sometimes, these decisions are not popular in places where immoral behavior IS popular, but this is one of the reasons why children should always be taught to question authority and never to blindly follow a crowd.
One more thing; when a student who has the carte blanche approval of school administration is apprehended while trafficking another student for sex, it is everyone's business. Hopefully, the writer of this comment will come to understand that every parent in Kansas, or who merely passes through Kansas with children in tow, needs to know about Miranda Cain. It is the business of everyone, now that it is public information. When a county of less than 10,000 people has a problem with human trafficking, awareness becomes the business of everyone. If Citizen Cain's position as part of the problem, rather than part of the solution hurts someone's widdle feelins', too bad! Shouldn't Miranda Cain's victim(s) matter just as much as Miranda Cain matters?
Colton Barrera has now been missing for seven years. There was talk at one point about involving the FBI, but no investigation was ever done by them. There have been tips called in over the years to the sheriff in Russell County, Kansas, concerning a possible murder and possible whereabouts, but it appears that the sheriff and all of his men have chosen to ignore any information that is offered, all the while refusing to ask the FBI for help. I have updated the petition I wrote a few months ago. Please sign it and share it; the link is here: Petition Requesting An Update To Colton Barrera's Case.
"I was right there and he went for the gun. I had no choice," is the lie told by Tim Loehmann after shooting twelve year old Tamir Rice in November, 2014.
Why do police officers in America lie? Since most investigations of police officers are done by individuals and organizations that are pro police and racist, why was Tim Loehmann even motivated to make false statements? For instance, reporting that Rice had the gun in his hands, when the video clearly shows he did not. Also, Loehmann stated that Rice was sitting at the table at the recreation center in a group of people, while the video very clearly shows that Rice was alone. Let us also not forget that Loehmann wrote that he told Rice three times to put his hands in the air, when the video shows that he did not say a word to Rice, but shot him instantly.
This is why policemen are often referred to as pigs. I hope Tamir Rice's community can find a way to get justice.
Now for some less depressing news, reminding us that there is a bright side, and that life is not always one long sigh: after a Supreme Court ruling over two years ago stating that the statue of the ten commandments at the Oklahoma state building needed to be removed, the eyesore was finally taken away from public property on Monday. It was "re-homed" at the Oklahoma Counsel of Public Affairs, which is an organization that advertises Republican candidates for various offices and lobbies for policies that favor theocracy, christian theocracy, and threaten the constitutional rights of everyone. At least the statue is on private property.
No one should think that a demand was made by the people to remove the ten commandments. All that was desired by non-christian citizens, such as The Satanic Temple, was equal space for icons and symbols that favored The Satanic Temple, alongside the ten commandments. It was the Supreme Court that told Oklahoma to remove the eyesore from its front lawn. Thomas Jefferson would agree. No religion should cram government space with icons. Neither should a religion attempt to rule any segment of America's population. It would have been a lot of fun to attend the unveiling of the statue of Baphomet on the lawn of the Oklahoma state building, however. But all is not lost; a letter was sent earlier this week by The Satanic Temple to the state of Arkansas, concerning a similar eyesore at the state capital building in Hope.
Above is a picture of a toy similar to the toy over which Dean Dalinghaus, principal of Frankfort High School in Frankfort, Kansas, once attempted to expel an autistic fourth grader. We suspect that Dalinghaus simply has it in for children with disabilities.
Below is a gun, similar to the one an adult senior at the same school took to school one day. That student is not autistic. He did not get expelled, and was allowed back inside the building. He was even allowed to graduate, seven weeks later, with his class.
Mischell Miller, what was your phone call really all about? You have never met me, or to my knowledge, any of my children. You are brand new at your post as superintendent at Vermilion Schools, USD 380, and it is quite clear to me that while you have met your employees, you do not know them very well. I spoke out about an incident that took place on March 3 of this year, in which a gun was taken to school by an eighteen year old senior, named Casey Farrant. Young Mr. Farrant was already on probation for a drunk driving incident that seriously injured four people, including himself. He was also out on bond for another crime. Yet he continued to be embraced by the school administration, no matter how much of a danger he posed to the other children, and to the staff. So why, when he took a weapon into the building, was he not expelled, according to the Gun Free School Zones Act?
A newer version of that law, first enacted in 1990, gives a state school board, which we don't really have here in Kansas, (unified school districts make that impossible) the authority to override the severity and not expel a student. But was Casey Farrant the student who would deserve such mercy and favor? Not only was he an adult at the time; he had a criminal record, to boot! Drugs were also found in his car. Was this the time for Principal Dean Dalinghaus to establish that guns are okay in Frankfort High School, and that there are no actual consequences when a student who isn't supposed to possess a gun in the first place decides to bring one to school and make threats? Keep in mind, Dean Dalingahus once tried to expel a disabled student because he was a VICTIM of several Frankfort bullies. Go ahead, Mischell, read it. You can shake it up and sprinkle it out any way you please; your principal will still be wrong. Very wrong. And don't even start with pretending you know how he would react, and that his actions must certainly have been correct, because he is a building administrator: I already spoke with witnesses and with the victim, as did my daughter. We know what happened, and we informed Deanie-Boy of the law. Why did we have to? Why didn't he obey the law in the first place and discipline the students who were actually in the wrong? Only Jesus knows! But feel free to call me. I can give you more information about the incident, and let you know what the victim's healthcare provider and what his ad litem had to say about it. That's the day I truly started to hate Dean Dalinghaus and his trashy little school. No kidding.
I mentioned the practice of speaking with witnesses and victims. Yes, that is helpful, when "conducting an investigation" (did you really do that, about the Casey Farrant thing?) or just finding out what happened in a school where all the employees prevaricate and sweep unlawful behaviors under the rug. You mentioned to me that you "investigated" the problems encountered by Frankfort High School, prior to taking your new position as superintendent. Then you expressed surprise that three students were arrested there during the school year of 2014-2015, not just one. I agree, in a school that only has about one hundred and fifty students from kindergarten to twelfth grade, Deanie-boy really should have been in better control of all of them. But then, the student with the loaded gun was actually in charge, wasn't he? If that isn't disturbing enough, you should be unhappily surprised about not having been told the whole story by those you supervise. I am not surprised at all, but as I stated earlier, you apparently don't know them very well. I do have a question for you at this juncture, though; how does one conduct an "investigation", especially a thorough one, without talking to any of the witnesses? The answer is simple: you don't. You didn't really investigate anything. And that should bother you a lot more than it bothers me. After all, you are the one in daily contact with people who allow guns taken into their places of employment by people who have been convicted of crimes and are out on bond, awaiting trial for even more crime. The fact that the guns are most likely obtained from parents who also do not care about the safety of anyone for whom you are responsible should bother you, too.
My guess, after your call, was that your contact was somehow all about damage control. I do not believe you have any concerns about my preferences, my past experience with life, or my children. I am not altogether sure that you care about federal law, either. I also don't think you have the guts to stand up to the adult bullies in this berg and let them know you make your own decisions about what you do with your time, and with whom you spend it. I do not see that you are individuated that much, as a person. In my experience, those who are usually listen, rather than defend what they do not understand. And you are defending a tragedy waiting to happen. Isn't it ironic that a tragedy involving a shooting happened at a school in Roseburg, Oregon the very day after you called? "Oh....that won't happen here," you might say. Well guess what; Casey Farrant actually did take the gun to school here in Frankfort! Rather than allowing Dean Dalinghaus and Company to put the safety of all of our children and our Second Amendment rights at risk, why not simply insist upon compliance with federal law about all things that go on in both of your schools?
