I was just referred to this website via my myspace account.

I am so shocked and disgusted by this I don't even know where to start.

http://freeourkids.com/

This is horrible. I could only read a little of it because I was getting triggered by it. It just amazes and saddens me how the "system" lets kids down like this.

thats florida for you

Chances are, if its happening in Florida, it is happening everywhere to one degree or another. I felt it important to bring to this forum as a way to direct prayers and good thoughts for the unfortunates suffering this heinous plight.

The insanity of this incomprehensible truth is a testament that most of the actions we are seeing in favor of perps getting harsher sentences- is likely to be window dressing. But its better than nothing, though.

My prayers and thoughts go out to these people.

Much love,

-Philobat

A note of caution may be in order here, guys. This site looks like the work of a pressure group and it may be taking a very one-sided position on what's actually happening. Maybe I'm wrong here, but that was my first impression after spending a few minutes on the site.

Much love,
Larry

Hearing that kid talk so nonchalantly (casually) about the differrent forms of torture remindes me of me explaining dryly to the nurse where the bruses came from.

I don't know what to feel: angry?, furious?, sad?, hurt?,!

I guess I identified so much with that kid that it brought back the vaguly familiar feeling of not-feeling, becoming numb to the external and internal evironment.
But at least I'm allowing my body to respond without holding anything back, and if that means that I feel the intensly powerful feeling of emotional hurt and pain and loss and still holding it together then I think that is a sign of recovery or atleast a step in the right direction.

It definitely is Logan. You have a voice here and your feelings are respected.

The "state" (be it one of the 50 or the federal state) can't get ANYTHING right. Why in HELL would anyone expect them to get child care right?

The notes and video about the state (any state really) taking kids based upon ANY accusation is true. Its true in nearly every state I know of. Kids will be destroyed in the system while the investigation continues and is likley fkd-up and/or falsified.

THIS is the inevitable result of GOVERNMENT being used to "solve" social problems. These types of abuse cannot be stopped with "stopgap measures" or "oversight" or whatever term you want to use in the hope of making these people more accountable for their actions.

WHY THE HELL IS THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FUNDING THIS STATE AGENCY IN THE FIRST PLACE? There is NO mandate in the Constitution that authorizes this kind of expenditure.

The responsibility for the protection of children should be left to the PEOPLE and COMMUNITIES and the STATES. As it is described in the 10th Amendment. Oh well never mind, I give up.

Larry? It might seem one-sided but you've heard shadowkid describe his experiences in the "system" havn't you? He will tell you that he wasn't alone, and that there was plenty of misery to go around with his story.

Guys? What happened like 100 years ago IF kids were being abused by their parents? Did everyone know about it but just didn't talk about it? What did local people and communities do to abusive parents? Did they just leave them be until the kids were killed or severely injured? How did we deal with this issue before we resorted to the government and it's monstrous and unaccountable bureaucracy?

In most cases, it's a county agency, not a state one, which handles foster/adoptive children. And the federal government must certainly provide some money, because without them there's no way the state or county agencies could afford to operate practically, period.

The problem, however, indeed is accountability. The federal government willingly allocates funds to help abused children, but that's all it does; the fed leaves it to the state and county childrens' services agencies to organize and police themselves - and these local agencies fail miserably. Spectacularly, even.

No case, in my opinion, illustrates this better than a case which came to light right where I live a couple years ago. Two foster parents, the Gravelles, were allowed by their local county children's services agency to adopt 11 children, some with serious behavioral issues. They adopted so many because it just so happens that you get some money from the county when you adopt kids, and even more money if those kids are classified as "special needs". The Gravelles were overwhelmed (duh) and had too much difficulty devoting enough attention to each child, so they did things like have them sleep in small alarm-rigged cages at night, so they wouldn't wander around and wake their foster parents. A social worker was sent around at intervals, but did not report conditions in the house as abusive. In fact, it took a neighbor, who complained to the county sheriff's office about the smell emanating from the house, to make things happen. The good sheriff visited, and was absolutely appalled. The Gravelles were arrested, charged, convicted, and sentenced to a few years in prison. The social worker who visited but did nothing has had her license suspended for five years and was sentenced to probation. And of course, some serious rule changes were made at the county agency to prevent stuff like this from happening again. Yeah, right.

The local and county governments simply suck when it comes to dealing with abused kids. They suck. No two ways about it. They're either neglectful, as mentioned above, or abusive, as mentioned in the opening post. In point of fact, the only thing the various individual agencies have been able to do well is come up with a standardized child abduction alert system - but even this feat was in no small part the work of a national group, the NCMEC.

Very well said guys! I just get my ass in a pinch every time someone thinks I am running with fucking gossip. Just because a blogger source page is running and categorizing for easy access videos and opinions does not mean it lacks accuracy.

My experience of being thrown to the wolves (into the system) was nightmarish to say the least. Awareness and education is essential to effect any real changes. There wasn't shit when I was a kid- we were just pushed through the cracks and no one was the wiser.

And you're right Melliferal, there is no federal mandate and nor is it constitutionally appropriate for the government to intervene or become involved in this- yet they are- which raises a truly frightening question: Why are they- what's in it for them?

The only answer is providing children as sexual objects for whatever reason- if not could someone please provide a hypothesis?

I disagree that's the only answer.

It's easy: when local governments manage to screw things up so greviously, local constituents get frustrated. When all their local, county, and state avenues are used up, they'll call their congresspeople. And congresspeople will jump at the chance to propose federal oversight (or at least some federal funding) in the name of helping children, because "He/She cares about our children" will look good on a commercial during the next electoral campaign. That's really all there is to it.