So Disturbing I Hardly Have Words

Fox News has a story on their website today that just makes me sick and outraged and terrified and furious and speechless. Here is the story (it's a little long, but it needs to be read by every parent and decent human being out there).

SEATTLE — A Web site created by a pedophile is a virtual "how-to" manual, complete with the best places in western Washington state to see little girls, and tips on how to avoid getting caught by the police.

The site, titled "Seattle-Tacoma-Everett Girl Love," has been around for a few years. The police know all about it, yet they say they can't shut it down because the site is legal.

"As disturbing and offensive as we find this, there's no evidence of a crime, or even suspicion of illegal activity," said Rebecca Hover of the Snohomish County Sheriff's Department.

The man who runs it, 45-year-old Jack McClellan, has never been convicted of a sex crime, which means he can attend any family-friendly events where children are present, and take all the pictures he wants for his Web site. He also lives close to a school bus stop.

McClellan says his purpose is to promote association, friendship and legal, consensual hugging and cuddling between men and pre-pubescent girls. He admitted to FOX News that his "age of attraction" is between 3 and 11 years old.

"I guess the main thing is I just think they're cute, a lot cuter than women. I admit there is kind of an erotic arousal there," McClellan said.

"It makes me happy simply. Like I said, I think girls are cute, beautiful, just children in general make me happy ... being around lots of them. ... I'm doing what anyone else would do with a hobby. If someone's into birds they're taking pictures of birds. I'm convinced that none of these images are illegal."

McClellan wants to bring pedophiles out of the closet and give them a way to get some relief, by going out and being around little girls. He suggests a number of places, such as plays at elementary schools, parks, swimming pools and libraries.

"I really think a lot of this pedophilia hysteria is overblown. I think there are a lot of people like me. They have the attraction but they're not going to do anything physical because of the laws. It just makes me happy to attend these events."

McClellan said that for pedophiles, just being around children is almost like a "legal high" that makes them happy.

But "I can understand the fear," he added. "I hope that what I'm doing is setting myself up as an example that it is possible to have these attractions and not be out of control."

But he said while it's OK to look, it's not OK to touch, given the many state laws in place to protect children against that.

"I know it sounds kind of crazy, but there's kind of a code of ethics that these pedophiles have developed and what it is ... the contact has to be completely consensual, no coercion, if you're going to do it," McClellan said.

Parents are understandably outraged. FOX News spoke to the mother of an 8-year-old girl whose picture appeared on the Web site. The picture was taken at a dance recital.

"I needed to get those pictures off of there. I didn't want the pedophile community having any visibility to my daughter or her friends or any of the children that were on that site," said parent Ann Cialoa. "Whether it's a physical threat, a perceived threat, whatever threat it is. It's our jobs as parents to protect our kids from threats, and he is a threat, and people like him are a threat."

Some legal experts have said the best course of action for parents who see their kids' pictures on sites like these, is to get a temporary restraining order against McClellan and demand that his Web site be taken down.

"You have one in your face and you can't do anything about it because there's not a law to protect them from that," Cialoa said. "It's scary, and the fact that we're going to wait around for him to violate before we do something."

Neighbors of McClellan's say there's a man who rides his bike around town at night and peeps into others' windows. They believe that may be McClellan.

"You'll notice that every single person in this neighborhood has very large attack dogs," said neighbor Melissa Henry.

The Web site was taken down by the Internet service provider after FOX News called the company about it this week. The company is investigating whether any material on the site is illegal.

At least one area school has sent McClellan a letter saying if he comes onto school property or attends their functions, they will consider it trespassing and will have him arrested.

Police and prosecutors are watching him closely to see if he crosses the line. A handful of state legislators are looking at drafting a new law to deal with such Web sites. But until they do, McClellan is free to continue pushing pedophilia.

There is something horribly wrong with this being legal and with the police and parents having their hands tied to do anything to help keep innocent children safe from such terrible people as this. I really don't even know what else to say...

Who Will Lead Us?

It seems like just yesterday that the mid-term elections were being held, yet already, the field is thick with candidates vying for their spot in the 2008 Presidential campaign. I haven't been around for all that many elections, but I am fairly certain that the campaigning has rarely started so early and with such vigor. It seems as though a war is being waged for the hearts and minds of the American public and only one side will come out ahead. Whichever side wins will weild more power than ever before and yet at the same time be held responsible for whatever happens in an increasingly dangerous world.

To say that the job opening is huge is an understatement. I certainly don't want it, nor do many other well-qualified people and who can blame them? It is an often thankless job that ages a person prematurely, places the weight of the free world on his shoulders and expects him to never make a mistake in judgement, both professionally and personally. To say that this job is for the weak of heart, weak of character, weak of stomach and weak of mind is also an understatement. Very few candidates meet the standards and even the ones who will make it to or through the primaries will not be perfect. The task is daunting and choosing the right candidate to vie for the Presidency is of the utmost importance. So who will lead us?

Thus far, as a Christian conservative Republican, the choices are underwhelming. So far, there are several contenders, yet none have really ignited the interest of the conservative Republican base.

John McCain is too cozy with the press and the liberal left on important issues to be a good staunch conservative candidate. Many true conservatives have a great deal of discomfort with McCain and with good reason. He cannot be trusted to represent the Republican base.

Rudy Giuliani is a proven leader. He led New York city to a lower crime rate and then, on the single most catastrophic day in American history, Giuliani led amidst the chaos of the terrorist attacks on September 11th. He is brave, well-spoken, likeable, well-known and firm on his stances, yet many Christian conservatives struggle with his much more liberal domestic policies on abortion and same-sex marriage. He would certainly be a strong voice in the war on terror, which is hugely important, but to many (myself included) the war on traditional Christian family values is equally important.

Next in line is Massachusetts governor and former 2002 Winter Olympic CEO Mitt Romney. Romney first made news when he eliminated a $379 million dollar operating deficit and successfully organized the Salt Lake City winter olympic games mere months after the terror attacks of 9/11. Clearly, he seems to be yet another strong leader, and it would seem, he also has a strong financial sense. However, his Mormon religion might be a stumbling block to some and he is still somewhat unknown, at least compared to the powerhouse names McCain and Giuliani.

California Representative Duncan Hunter has also announced his bid for the presidency. Hunter has an excellent voting record that Christian conservatives can (and should) cheer, but he is relatively unknown, associated with some scandal and largely considered a long-shot.

So far, no one really sparks a huge interest among those currently in the running for President. However, a small sizzle seems to be starting among the base surrounding former Tennessee Senator Fred Thompson. Although he has not yet announced a bid for the presidency, many speculate that he will and if he does, he may be the candidate to watch.

I have to admit, I know little about Thompson, but I have heard bits and pieces of interviews and most of an interview yesterday with Laura Ingraham, and thus far, I am impressed. Thompson seems to know where he stands on the issues, he can communicate his ideas effectively and he seems to interested in serving his country rather than simply power-hungry. It could be interesting.

In the meantime, I plan on keeping an eye on the race and all the candidates, both Republican and Democrat. America's future is too important to turn a blind eye and a deaf ear on all that is transpiring around us.

The Many Moods (and faces) of Miss Em

Why are you interupting me from watching Clifford, mom?

Emily "worting" on her "beasel".

Uh-oh...what did I do?

Em, showing off her new spring haircut. She was very brave!

Emily, showing off her "bob" from the back.

What a Week it Was

Last week was one of "those" weeks. The best thing I can say for it is that it is finally over.

It began last Sunday with a trip to the pediatrician to find out that Emily had pneumonia. So, we got the prescribed antibiotics and hoped for the best. Since Miss Em was boycotting taking any kind of medicine (a new twist for us), upon the advice of the Dr., we tried to mix the first double dose of medicine into her applesauce. It didn't even begin to work, so right off the bat, we had wasted a dose of medicine. So we forced the antibiotics in her for the next couple days, but then ran out. So two phone calls to the Doctors' office and two phonecalls to the pharmacy, plus one more trip there, and $20 extra dollars later, we had enough medicine to last the final two days. Thankfully, other than a persistent cough and hoarseness, Emily is doing much better.

Then on Wednesday, I finally broke out of the "sick house" to go to a late-night worship band practice at our church. This church happens to be 30 minutes away, but I didn't mind the drive...I was free for a while! Around 9:30 or so that evening, practice ended and I walked back out in the dark parking lot and climbed into my van, put the key in the ignition, turned it and....nothing. No lights, no radio, no sound whatsoever from the ignition. I quickly walked back up to the church where I discovered that all the doors were locked from the outside. I pounded on the doors and prayed that the few remaining band members would hear. Thankfully, they did and I explained my car troubles. So the consensus was that we should try to jump the battery. And we did...and nothing happened. So, the worship leader and his wife offered to drive me home because of course by now, it was after 10:00pm and I had the van with the carseat, meaning Andrew couldn't come get me since he was home with Emily. So I moved the stroller and carseat into their car and got home about 10:30 or so.

Now of course, this isn't such a big deal really, except that we had spent Tuesday and Wednesday trying to figure out if we could swing a pretty substantial paycut that would result if we accepted a new job position with a private firm here in town. It was going to be uncomfortably tight, but before church, Andrew and I had pretty much decided we were going to give it a shot. An unexpected car repair was not a welcome thing.
So Thursday rolls around. Andrew went in to work to resign and I called the tow truck and dealt with the car repair issues. Around noon, I talked with Andrew and long story short, we turned 180 degrees on the job situation due to some new information. (really the details are boring, but we really believe God was answering prayer here, just in an unusual way). I then spent the rest of the afternoon switching cars with Andrew, taking him back to work, waiting for the tow truck, consoling a very upset Emily (who missed her nap), meeting the tow truck and driving back home. Fun stuff.

Friday was filled with haggling over car repairs (none of which, of course, were covered under the extended warranty). Nearly $600 later...we all felt like we had been through the ringer. But Saturday was coming...a day for something nice and relaxing.

Andrew watched Emily on Saturday while I got out of the house for a while. I went to the mall to do a little therapeutic shopping and pampering. I needed to do something about the highlights in my hair, so I took care of that while I was there. I told the lady that I wanted something very subtle, I wanted to get rid of the out-grown highlights and I wanted something a little richer and warmer...but very subtle. I'm a natural dark blonde, by the way.

At this point, I think I'll let the pictures do the talking. (I hate almost all pictures of myself, by the way, so this is humbling, but I think it must be done to prove a point.) So here goes:

Before:

After:

The beautician swears this is a shade of blonde, and while the pictures don't really do it justice, this is NOT any shade of blonde anyone, male or female, has ever seen. So now I'm living life as a rather dark brunette. I'm not sure if I'll keep it or not....

Spring is in the Air

I'm airing out the house. All the windows are open, it's currently 70 degrees, sunny with a gentle breeze and it couldn't be more pleasant. I've missed the sun and the warmth and the grass. And I have but two requests: Germs...be gone! and MORE SPRING!!!

The last two days have been better for Emily. I think the antibiotics are definitely helping, even though I have to physically hold her down while trying to aim the syringe into her mouth and try to prevent Miss Em from spitting it back out, or choking, in the process. Fun, fun, fun...but I'm glad it's working.

She's getting more fiesty and stubborn, so she's on the mend. Now we just have to get rid of this wicked cough!

In other news, Miss Emily, who will be 2 and a half on Thursday, had her first graduation of sorts. She has been working with a developmental therapist since she was around 20 months old. Today, nearly 10 months later, we said goodbye to Miss Sarah, our very favorite therapist.

Sarah called me a couple weeks ago and told me that she thought Emily had learned all that she needed to know to be age appropriate (and above) with her fine motor skills and so therapy would no longer be needed. While we are sad to see Miss Sarah go, we are thrilled with the progress Emily has made and how hard she worked to get to this level. She is still working with a speech therapist, and probably will be for some time to come, but she's making great strides here too, so I thought I'd brag on her just a bit.

Hey, I can't help it. I'm her mom!

Sick

This will be a quick post, but I wanted to explain my absence.

My little angel has pneumonia. She is miserable and I am so ready to have her little spunky self back, chasing herself around the house, jumping and spinning and playing and dancing again. I miss Emily. It's been a week now...enough sickness.

So, that's the scoop. If you pray...pray that the antibiotics and cough meds work quickly and effectively.

Thanks for understanding my absence.

Sexual Agenda in Schools Angers Parents

Freshman orientation isn't what it used to be.

When I was in school, I don't even remember any type of freshman orientation, but if we did have it, it would have revolved around who the teachers were, what kind of supplies and schedules we could expect and what new rules we might have to follow. Stuff like that...normal stuff...helpful, basic rules for highschool survival. The one sure thing that it did not include was a presentation from the "Straight and Gay Alliance". I'm pretty certain I would have remembered that.

Ahhh how times have changed.

Deerfield High School in Illinois, has recently come under fire from parents who are angry about the mandatory freshman orientation which includes, among other things, a presentation from a school club, the Straight and Gay alliance, that touches on topics such as bullying homosexuals and being a good friend to homosexual students. The discussions include talks from self-professed homosexual students.

Parents are understandably upset about the class, and some have opted to pull their students out of any discussions on homosexuality, but they are unhappy with the whole premise of the class. One parent, Lora Sue Hauser, who heads the North Shore Student Advocacy group, wants to put a stop to the discussions. She says, "...sexuality issues are better addressed by parents and trained counselors...the panel is one of several ways that Deerfield High and other schools treat homosexuality as morally acceptable without presenting the viewpoints of those who disagree."

The Chicago Tribune reports that "many parents are upset over the homosexuality discussion, saying it denounces religions that believe homosexual relations to be wrong or immoral."

This is a disturbing story, in part because it's one I'm hearing more and more often. Schools and the media and tv and movies are all intent on pushing their secular and often sexual agenda at all costs and to increasingly younger, more impressionable audiences. The information is often inaccurate and based on secular beliefs rather than actual facts, all of which point to the dangers and health risks involved in promiscuous and homosexual behaviors. No wonder there are many parents, myself being one of them, who are concerned that our children are being inundated on every front with dangerous and potentially harmful information, all in the name of tolerance.

Hanging in Here

Well, I suppose I should try to post something in the month of March, huh? The problem is...I just don't have much to say, or at least nothing that anyone else would really care about. Then again, that's never stopped me before.

I haven't been posting much because the "A" key on our laptop keyboard was broken off making it quite difficult to type. (Why does this never happen to the "Page up" key? So far, we have broken the "o" and "a" keys on two different keyboards. Now the third one is installed and hopefully this one will last.

I had considered trying to post something yesterday, but alas...the best laid plans always fall through. Emily woke up coughing and then by noon was puking. Thankfully she really hadn't had anything to eat since dinner the night before so while she still felt miserable most of the day, she didn't have a lot in her tummy to get out. However, she still has a fever (in fact, it's higher today) and I know she still doesn't feel great. So far, she says her tummy feels better today and that all the "ickies" are gone, but that doesn't necessarily mean we're out of the woods yet. She's currently napping, but if she wakes up with the same (or higher) fever, then a trip to the doctor's office might be necessary. I really hope not though. Em hasn't really had any fevers of note before, so this is new territory for me.

So anyhow, that's the scoop here. Nothing any fun going on, but it could be worse. Yesterday was worse...so hopefully we're headed in the right direction at least. Bear with me...I'll be back when I can!