>^..^<
Thom, the other day I LOVED your story about the sweat lodge and your "faux pas' that was turned into a positive and also a learned way to make things right.

I have been watching this Siegelman thing since its beginning. Over at Kos his daughter posted updates every once in awhile. I am not surprised with the ilk of people Siegelman has had to contend with. You see them every day in places like your workplace, local club and even in your family. They are the spiders, the ones whose main concern is not about the group, but only about themselves. This is why we really need to heal this nation and start thinking outside the box so that Governor Siegelman nor anyone else never again has to face this crap.

I am one who believes that "punishment" is not always the solution. Recently as the family member of a crime that was committed, where I have had to work very hard to even get the Powers That Be to even SEE the crime, I had to do some major soul searching as to my motive for this. As a person who believes Love is truly the answer, I did not want to be vindictive, and I was struggling with not wanting to act out that feeling, when I was so angry and hurt at what had happened. Yet I was compelled to seek prosecution and justice and could not figure out why. It was around elder abuse and the fact that this society really does not give a crap about elders, particularly middle income elders. The Prosecutor as much as admitted to me this particular class of people are sitting ducks and at the mercy of their loved ones ~ who to my sorrow may not act so loving ...

After much internal wrestling I realized what I was looking for. It was my society's recognition that what was done caused pain and agony not only for the loved one who suffered as the victim but for all of us who loved that victim. I wanted the person who committed the crime to face the rest of society's disapproval about what they had done. I wanted them to be shown the hurt they had caused. I want to hear a heartfelt "I am so sorry, what can I do to fix this?" So I could then say, "I forgive you. Now go out there and teach others not to do that ..." Most of all I wanted this to never happen to another senior again, I wish there to be a message to other potential abusers that there were consequences if they were full of avarice for their relative's money, so at the very least let him/her live in dignity until they pass! That is all.

How can we as a society protect the Don Siegelmans of the world big and small? his case makes my heart ache because I wish there was a way to stop people who do such things to other people. Not only do I hurt for Governor Siegelman and his family, I have a deep pity, if that is the word, for the people who do such things as they are small inside, their souls are ugly and most of the time everyone hates them, even their own children and kin for who they are.

How can we stop what happens to people like Govermor Siegelman and also make crimes committed become a learning situation instead of just punishment? That is what I really want to know ...

Cat In Seattle