At a recent counter-terrorism conference/seminar type thing (I sometimes get them confused), I was describing various terrorist acts, methodology and ideology. Although I find some of these topics interesting, often the other participants are as aware and knowledgeable of them as I am, making it just a little difficult to keep their attention. As I was describing a disturbing new tactic certain terrorists were using of employing younger and younger children in their efforts, including hiding explosives in baby carriages, one woman in the audience was becoming agitated. When I mentioned how many of these same terrorists where also determined to purposefully target women and children as part of their agenda, this woman stood up and blurted out, "How can they do this to babies?"
Yes. How indeed. I found myself asking the same question after reading the blog about Tori and Dean. How can anyone purposely harm an innocent child? The answer is that there is no answer. It is a fact that when wars erupt, anywhere in the world, women and children suffer the most and receive the least press. It is a fact that most criminals prefer to attack a woman because most criminals are men and women are perceived as being less able to protect themselves. It is a fact that pedophiles have the highest percentage of recidivism of any other type of criminal. Is there some magic pill or social program that can help keep someone from murdering society's most vulnerable? Can you as a writer ever come up with enough words to ever stay the hand of a violent, depraved individual? The parents that starved, tortured and ultimately killed Nixmary Brown say it wasn't their fault... 7 year old Nixmary Brown was a troublemaker they say. How many women and children have died as a result of being "troublemakers?"
When someone, anyone, kills an innocent simply because they can, as far as I'm concerned that killer has given up their right to being a part of humanity. That killer has proven him/herself to be a monster.
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