Insight

Do You Really Get To Choose?

Ever wonder about your freedom of choice?



Only four banks? How long before that industry loses all true competition? While it's true that bureaucracies tend to expand, it's disturbing to see individual choices, along with individuals, disappear. As one of billions of carbon copies, will you really be needed by whoever owns the entity that swallows up most of the resources and choices?

Private Message

Why did you kill him, Laura? Was he failing to plea properly, for your convenience? Did he insist upon a jury trial? Did you scare him into believing that his loved ones no longer cared about him? Did you tell him that he would never see his friends or his family again? How could you do a thing like that? He had only committed a misdemeanor, and had not even had the chance to put on a defense. Why did you kill him, Laura?

Did you suspend all medical treatment and physician's orders until he confessed to something he didn't do? Is the taking of another's life seriously better, in your world, than allowing a man to have his day in court? You're darn tootin' the whole thing is a tragedy for his family: just not so much for you! Was the cause of death even truthfully determined? It doesn't matter though; he was healthy, and you know you killed him.

When you ask for "privacy", a lot of us are able to see that request for what it truly is: code for a demand  for silence from the community about your misconduct. The only way to sidestep a thorough investigation, complete with reports of what you told him and how you threatened him is to push for privacy. Secrecy is always your best friend, Laura. You always want to hide your best work, but if you do something, you should have no problem standing behind what you do. Marshall County Kansas should be enraged with you because of this young man's death, Laura. If all of us, even your supporters, were given the choice between you and this young man, we would all have chosen him. His smile was beautiful, and will never be seen again because you killed him.

Abbie Hoffman Moment

 

Excuse Me, Tom Schroeder; Lies?

Well, well, well! I was in the library in Frankfort, Kansas, the other day, when the guidance counselor/cross country coach of the local public school noticed me in the window and decided to come inside. If he had business of his own in the library, he did not take care of it. All of his attention was focused on yours truly. He was NOT part of any conversation in which I was engaged, or in which I intended to engage; nonetheless, he pointed his finger my direction and announced that I am a "liar". Then he further announced that I should stop "spreading lies". The he informed me, in complete contradiction to information received directly from the superintendent of USD 380, (Frankfort and Centralia schools) that there "is no such thing as open enrollment in Kansas"! That is simply not true, as many Marshall County parents will attest. Valley Heights students transfer regularly to Marysville High. The superintendent of USD 380, which includes Frankfort, stated many times to me that I can transfer my daughter to a different local high school as long as I provide transportation. And Tom Schroeder can read the policy for himself on this website. I rather suspect that he already knows, though, and was simply trying to intimidate me and encourage others to question my knowledge of the facts and my integrity. He is also very upset at the information I have furnished for the public concerning the day he abandoned my fourteen year old daughter four miles south of town, and left her alongside the highway. (she was officially missing for several hours, and he never notified me, her father, or law enforcement) His harassment of me, which was nothing short of abuse, is typical of abusers. The fact that he is currently blaming me and spreading misinformation to the effect that I somehow magnetized his form into the library in order to force him to raise his voice at me and call me names, and to otherwise publicly demoralize me, is a typical first response of that type of criminal, upon being identified by victims. And yes, stalking someone in order to verbally abuse is a crime in Kansas, as is child endangerment, and Tom Schroeder has done both. He wishes to silence me because I will not stop talking about Frankfort School, his employment there, and the danger he presents to children. Calling me a liar will not change the events Tom Schroeder is attempting to cover up and sweep away.

After allowing Tom to rant for a couple of minutes, I told him, when he stopped to catch his breath, that I was "sorry he felt that way". Unfortunately, I also, very casually, called him a "turd", but I'm sure Tom knows that the shoe fits. He stormed out of the library, attending to no other business than the important task of raging at me. At this point, my lawyer is already aware of the situation, and a couple of witnesses have already given accounts. If necessary, video footage can probably also be obtained. The problem, Frankfort, with constantly harassing someone, to the point of forcing your victim to hire legal counsel, is that your victim walks away from the situation having made the acquaintance of legal counsel. Another problem with constant harassment of someone such as myself by someone in possession of a measure or perceived authority within an insular and under socialized locale is that people like me really don't have a reason to assist people with perceived authority, but no real claim to respect, in the ongoing effort to enhance and maintain the veneer. I truly don't care who happens to be important in Marshall County's insane little cliques of racist, church-going folk, and I probably never will. When one of you openly abuses me in public, I will not shrink away, acting as if I deserve your abuse. I will remember who I am, and demand respect. If you happen to call me ugly names if front of children who attend the school where you teach or administrate, I will let you know, in no uncertain terms, that you are a turd, right in front of those children. Guess what happens after that? The children will realize that they have options other than granting you undeserved respect. It works the same way for adults: you use local law enforcement to batter me because I will not "learn how to play by the 'rules'".......quote belongs to local sheriff.......and testify falsely in court against someone to help gain a wrongful conviction against another person, I end up vindicated in the end, the wrongly accused defendant is acquitted, the county attorney is handed her posterior parts on a platter, and everyone watching suddenly realizes that there is no reason to be afraid of the county prosecutor in Marshall County, Kansas, after all. Had I been left alone, not so many people would know that the Marshall County's prosecutor is a big windbag with no litigation skills. Or, Frankfort, there is your threat of arrest by this very same prosecutor because I did not choose to send my children to your local public school, removing enrollment dollars for five children from your coffers. That gesture was to scare me into submission, and to actually attempt a public arrest, so as send a message to other parents about using any other school. Once again, I am not afraid of you. And the school I chose is actually an extension of the district in Lawrence, Kansas, and is a public school.........sending my children there is free. They even lent us two computers! There is also no charge for textbooks. You didn't want any other malcontents among the parents to know that, did you? Well now they do! Without your letter of threat, the challenge would not have seemed like such a big deal.

You see, Tom Schroeder and Frankfort, I don't have any investment in covering up anyone's lack of competence. You have been nothing but hostile to me ever since I moved here, and quite a few people have given me some reliable testimony as to your excuses for this, which happen to include my choices and my circumstances, and which are protected by my constitutional rights. I also don't have any reason to respect most of you, or to feel endeared to most of you. Now that some of you are willing to step on my rights, and not all of you have even met me or know anything about me, how do you expect me to respond? Do I actually have a reason, that you can think of, to care what any of you think? Had you guys just fired the teacher who criminally restrained and recklessly endangered my daughter by dumping her along a Kansas highway and forgetting about her, that day, all afternoon and part of the evening, I would have had much more respect for your community. As it stands at this point, I have no intention of shutting up about it. Tom Schroeder and the rest of the faculty at Frankfort School in Marshall County, Kansas, should stop spreading lies.
 

Private Message

To a young lady whose extended-former-step-family has been grim and intimidating..... if you are legit, I think I know where you are coming from. No; it certainly isn't easy to be a good person surrounded by bad people, or people who want to cover for (I think the technical term is "enable") bad people. It's a terrible, frightening, heartbreaking, and lonely position. Not many people understand, either, because of the middle class, materialistic koolaide that so many people have been drinking for so many generations. This notion that you "owe" your siblings, cousins, or other relations the "loyalty" of looking the other way when they commit minor crimes is what I'm talking about.  Then, you "owe" them the loyalty of allowing them to get away with more serious crimes, too. Then, you suddenly grow up and realize that people other than the perpetrators have been hurt. Next, you even realize that children have been compromised, hurt, or killed by these people who want you to keep the family secrets.

You wake up one morning, realizing that your life cannot operate the same way as the lives of the dysfunctional members of your immediate and extended family members. You wish you didn't have to see them anymore, and you don't want them to hug or touch you. The fact that you share a surname in common with some of them is an embarrassment to you. You cringe whenever you see a policeman near your door, because you wonder about whom you are going to get supeanoed to witness in court against this time. You are beyond tired of it. And speaking of witnessing in court, everyone from your parents to the person who's in trouble this time is practically threatening you.....you had better keep your mouth shut......

Suppose, this time, it involves murder or human trafficking? Yes; it's possible for a dysfunctional family to be deluded enough to demand that everyone sweep those crimes under the carpet, as well. But do they really care about you? Do they care if you can never get a security clearence for a job you have always wanted, because you are covering for them? Do they care if no one nice will ever want to date you, because you are involved with them? Do they care if you end up going to jail for contempt of court, because you were loyal to them, and not to your conscience? Do they care if your children, or your childrens' safety, is compromised, because of their dangerous lifestyles and associations? Do they even give a rip about the healthy relationships and pursuits that you may wish to enjoy, over the course of your life, that will not happen, but for your involvement with them? In my experience, and sadly, I have had some; the answer is "no". They don't care.

I first noticed your online presence last week. I was skeptical, thinking you might be another troll, throwing in your two cents. I looked at your comments, and at the situation you discussed with a friend of mine, and decided that you may very well be for real. If that's the case, you have some serious choices to make, not only for a very young crime victim and a young adult bystander, but for yourself. I just want to encourage you not to let a bully scare you. If you discreetly do the right thing, and talk to the right people, and the situation at hand gets resolved, many people will be very grateful to you. No; things will never be the same between you and certain individuals close to this case, but then.....are things terribly positive and enjoyable for you as they sit? It's an awful choice to have to make, and I don't envy you, but I will support you and help you in any way I can if you need it after you have made the productive, positive choices I know you would love to make. No; things will never be the same, yet that is part of a great blessing that you can one day appreciate. And yes, life will go on. I promise.