Unthinkable act

In an age, when community leaders and activists are holding community forums to discuss how to address hate crimes in our community, it is unthinkable that right here in our backyard a family is teaching two toddlers how to fight.

A video was posted on YouTube of two toddlers being urged by family members to fight and use obscenities while they fight. The disturbing video was shot in front of Hometown Elementary School in Hometown, WV.

Details of the whole incident are sketchy and confusing, as there are different family connections involved. The Charleston Gazette article attempts to explain the distorted family tree, but I have to admit I got lost reading it. The parents are divorced. Aunts are involved. There seems to be multiple family members who were aware of this horrible incident and yet didn't feel the need to alert the authorities. No, it was a local TV station (WSAZ) that informed the sheriff's office about the video. The video doesn't appear to be on YouTube anymore. You can watch an interview with the family members on WSAZ.com

What's even more disturbing is the mother of one of the children had been arrested in December 2007 for leaving her child in the car while she shopped -- in 37-degree weather. Apparently, DHHR did not feel that the mother needed to have her child taken away from her and now 8 months later, this disturbing incident appears on YouTube. Like it's a laughing matter. Like the parents aren't responsible for reaching the children to live in a world with peace, dignity, justice and freedom.

Around my office and at our daughters' pre-school, we often refer to the saying, "hands are for helping not for hurting."

I certainly hope that the Putname County Sheriff's Office and DHHR take all measures to ensure the safety of these children. These children need to be loved and taught that fighting and violence are not acceptable ways to cope with issues -- and certainly isn't entertainment!