The Things I Hate

[the_13th_muse]

I hate with a burning fiery passion people that abuse others, be it children or animals or the elderly or even eachother. It's wrong, it's wrong to hurt someone else through neglect or malice or anger for no other reason than the fact that you're stronger than them...so you can. I think most people would agree with me on this. Yet I take this hate

Comments

[cheerfulwalrus]

That was a very powerful post. I'm so sorry to hear about your friend - there are no words. It's good that you're using the experience to show others that they should speak up instead of beating yourself up over it, though.

[naamah_darling]

Oh my god, that's horrible, and so sad.

What you're saying is so incredibly important. But all I can do is sit here and think that sometimes the lessons we learn are just not worth the cost.

I feel for that girl. And I feel for you, too. I wish these things didn't happen. I hope I'm never in a position to have to prevent it. And I hope I'm strong enough to do it if I am.

[falconer]

Although I agree with you that it's wrong to stand by and do nothing when you see abuse happening, I don't agree that you can consider yourself a murderer for the situation you were in. You were a child yourself at the time. You shouldn't hold yourself so responsible. I'm sure there were at least half a dozen adults who fell down on the job, as well, when it was far more their responsibility than yours. Certainly, I can understand feeling guilty about it, but you shouldn't let all the evil of the world poison you like that. Your friend's parents, her parents' friends, so so many people should have done the right thing.

[ehartsay]

I agree. Especially when YOU don't have anyone that you trust enough to tell them something like this like close trusted family members, at that age how were you supposed to KNOW what to do.
I wouldn't have known what to do on my own - I would have probably wound up telling my mom.
As a young teenager I would not have known what to do on my own about something like that, I would not have the knowledge, understanding or strength that I do now.
In many circumstances kids feel that they are responsible for those around them and feel as though they hve failed as a person if they do not react as an adult would and fix things, but the truth remains that as a child without all the support network to allow you to pass things off to someone trusted you just can't have the mental powers or strength of an adult.

[datalore]

I am so sorry that you went through that.

In no way was it your fault. Who would you have told? I bet that any adult you would have told would have done nothing and assumed your friend was telling stories to get attention. Even if they had confronted her parents, I'm sure they would have denied everything. Your friend may even have denied everything because she wouldn't want to get treated even worse.

You were a child and couldn't possibly know that her father would go that far. It wasn't your fault. What was her mother doing during this time? She was the adult in the situation.

I'm glad that you are protecting other people now, but please protect yourself first of all, and let the guilt go. It wasn't your fault.

*hugs*

[latifah27]

It wasn't your fault... you were young and probably scared that nobody would believe you. It happens to a lot of people. It's really hard to report something like that because you think you'll just make it worse. It's a horrible dillema to be in.

[latifah27]

No it wasn't. She was a child, she didn't know better. Anyways, yer so cute tryin' to get a rise out of someone like that. Go fuck yerself up the ear!