For hope, not hate. Hate crime victim works to save perpetrator from death row. A Letter from a Prosecutor to a Young Woman | Roger Canaff. Dear Elizabeth: I don’t see what more you could have done. As you well know, reporting sexual assault is a remarkably difficult act. It is deeply emotional, terrifying for many reasons, unpredictable and often thankless. You may not have known while you were alive that the great majority of sexual violence is simply never reported to authorities.
I can only imagine how difficult it was for you in particular, Lizzy. But I’m sure it also made it infinitely more difficult to come forward and report what happened on the night of August 31. Still, you faced down your fears and took action. That’s why I’m trying to understand why Notre Dame, the world-class, excellent institution where you were attacked, has reacted the way it has.
Finally, and most disturbingly, I don’t know why the man you reported against has played an entire season of football. The sad fact is there’s an ocean of ignorance out there regarding what happened to you, Lizzy. I believe in a loving God, Lizzy. Still, I’m sorry. The fight goes on. If you follow me on twitter you already know that I’ve been battling off one of the most severe bouts of depression I’ve ever had.
Yesterday it started to pass, and for the first time in weeks I cried with relief instead of with hopelessness. Depression can be crippling, and deadly. I’m lucky that it’s a rare thing for me, and that I have a support system to lean on. I’m lucky that I’ve learned that depression lies to you, and that you should never listen to it, in spite of how persuasive it is at the time. When cancer sufferers fight, recover, and go into remission we laud their bravery. When depression sufferers fight, recover and go into remission we seldom even know, simply because so many suffer in the dark…ashamed to admit something they see as a personal weakness…afraid that people will worry, and more afraid that they won’t.
When you come out of the grips of a depression there is an incredible relief, but not one you feel allowed to celebrate. Regardless, today I feel proud. Coming out. In Memoriam: Richard Azar « Fat Girl, Reading. “The best part of Kentucky Fried Chicken is the mashed potatoes and gravy. And the best part of the mashed potatoes and gravy is, of course, the spork.” I explain this to Richard, my boss at the library, with great relish. He peers at me through his dirty glasses with a look I know all too well. “A spork? What’s a spork?” I sigh with impatience. Yup, there’s the look, no mistaking it now. It’s the quintessential Richard challenge: prove it. And I, a 17 year old library student worker, love nothing more than to try to prove it.
I dig through dictionaries, encyclopedias, cookbooks, and reference volumes until my eyes cross. But a week passes and I can’t turn up a single use of the word spork. “I can’t find it,” I concede to Richard. Smirking, he holds out a dictionary of flatware. “But – but -” I try to protest. “Remember this part, youngling,” Richard says, “just because everyone says something doesn’t make it so. Simply put: I wouldn’t be a librarian today without Richard.
Beat Cancer With Love Wedding. Katie Kirkpatrick Godwin, center, rests for a few moments during her wedding party at Boulder Point Golf Club and Banquet Center in Oxford, MI, on Saturday January 15, 2005. Katie was exhausted. Her face looked as white as her gown. Five days later, Katie died. She did not let sickness stop her from living, take away the hope or faith that made her believe she had a future. She had a lovely wedding and she had love and she gave love and love doesn' t die. NPPA Marketplace: Insure Your Equipment You go where the action is….so should your insurance! Join the NPPA NPPA members receive a wide range of benefits, from educational opportunities to mentoring, exclusive discounts, insurance options, business tips, and much more. Heroes. About a year and a half ago I was researching a story about Fred Phelps’ Westboro Baptist Church (most famous for being the Christians hateful bigots that carry signs that read “God hates fags.”)
Digging a little deeper into the story, I discovered that Phelps & Co. believe their God has a lot of hate to spread around, so they also protest military funerals with signs like “God loves dead Marines” and “God loves IEDs.” I could think of nothing more hurtful than a family seeing signs like those as they buried their son or daughter. As I described what I’d learned to an acquaintance, she suggested I look into a group called the Patriot Guard Riders. She knows I ride a motorcycle, and thought this might be a group for me. To be honest, I was a little worried about what I might find when I clicked on that link. Recent history has seen the word “patriot” hijacked by those who would use it to exclude, even vilify fellow Americans. The term “hero” means different things to different people.
Don't Divorce Us. Dogs Welcoming Home Soldiers. Quinn on Same-Sex Marriage Vote. Isabelle. I haven't posted in a couple days because I'm too sad to be funny. My pet rat, Isabelle, passed away last night after a heartbreaking struggle with a brain tumor and multiple strokes. She had been completely unable to move all day and I was holding her to my chest to comfort her. I started to cry and my poor little paralyzed rat used her last bit of strength to reach out her paw and grasp my hand. It was the last time she was able to move on her own. I know that many won't understand my heavy grief over losing a rat. Isabelle had a wonderful life full of love, good food and playtime. Rest in peace, my little monster-face. If you are opposed to sappy pet memorials, I advise you skip this next part. This is Isabelle: Thank you for reading. Update: Thank you all for your wonderful comments.
Ruby, your comment really touched me. I just wanted you to know that I'm thinking about you, and I understand. Clara's Hamster. Note: this story doesn’t have a happy ending… Last December, my sister-in-law talked to us about buying a hamster and cage for our nine-year-old daughter Clara. I was a little hesitant, but we said yes. It was the right choice. Come Christmas, we went to my in-laws’ place and swapped gifts. When it was Clara’s turn, we brought her back to the bedroom so she could see the little teddy bear hamster in his new cage. Her reaction was pure, wide-eyed, hands-over-the-mouth joy. She took better care of that little guy than I ever did with my pets as a kid. And then he figured out how to open his cage. He was found and returned several times. Two weeks ago, the night before my wife and I left for Vegas, we were all in the family room. One of the cats had strolled past with Sammy in his mouth. I jumped up and ran to the back of the room. I spotted the cat downstairs, sans hamster.
I didn’t find Sammy downstairs. We thought everything was going to be okay. I’ve had lots of pets. She was crushed. The Only Bad Thing About Dogs.