9/15/21
Hi friends,
The update on numbers is 1143. More people sign, but honestly we can see that the pace is slowing down. I want to make some observations about this fact.
First of all, it is normal that sometime after two weeks almost any effort like this sees a drop off in rate of supporters joining. In the USA, news, even shocking news, has a two week shelf life unless new aspects keep unfolding, and to survive in the public interest beyond two or three weeks, it is almost certainly to be national news, something that may threaten or touch everyone, or to be about a celebrity turned criminal, something sensational that definitely casts no shadow on ourselves or our communities,
This being said, what we are speaking about here has no "breaking quality" as it has been expanding like a dangerous fungus, largely in the dark, behind the walls, for fifty years. For this reason it is difficult to get and to keep the media interested. After initial interview with survivors, and news about the Encompass Resolution report determining 50 years of sustain and at least 30 perpetrators hired by the school district, there are no fireworks, no flash and boom, little to capture the attention of what we all know is a pretty jaded public.
We are largely numbed, IMO, to what is going on in the world about us by constant attention to sensational matters, an earthquake in a country we never think about otherwise, a terrorist attack here or there, the downfall of a hero, the daily shootings in our cities, various news from various wars and conflicts. Over 600,000 of us have died since COVID reached the country an it is difficult to get anyone upset today regarding these numbers. It is though we absorb big bad news. Like a toxin we do not taste anymore in our water supply, we take it in, it is somewhat disturbing, but we do not worry about eradicating it, let alone organize to see that this is done.
Add to this the aspect that this news is news most people do not want to hear let alone to own up to, to face. Children being regularly abused in our best schools? Sexually abused by well known and often well liked teachers and staff? Popular, honored in some cases, administrators covering this up? This is not what people want to believe about THEIR community of course!
But believe it we must unless we are willing so see more children every year, subjected to sexual abuse by people we entrust their care and education to, by professionals who have close access to our students, these children. Believe it we must if we not want to see these victims growing up suffering for the rest of their lives, because no one cared about them, because no one wanted to know that these crimes were perpetrated against them. We must believe these things, ugly though they are because they were and are an offense against so many innocent children, against the school, and against the community and because if we do not believe them these crimes will continue and the children will be the expense.
I encourage each of you to review your contact lists and to send this petition to more people you know or are acquaintances with with a brief explanation perhaps for those who are not familiar with Kirkwood or the principal. The people who are signing do not have to be alumni, do not have to be from Kirkwood or to ever have lived there or from Missouri. The truth is, the more people we reach outside of the community the more likely they are to look into what is going on in their own schools. I am sure the each of us can find at least one or two more people who will sign. Some of us know clubs or circles or groups that may be interested and in this case an accompanying explanation of what is known is important. I am contacting ministers and religious leaders in Kirkwood asking them to act for the children. Social organizations could be helpful. All we need to do is to continue to share the truth. Thank each of you for doing this. We can not let the children down.