Crimes against children have become rampant. We must do something to protect our kids and we can’t afford to wait any longer! We all want to believe we’re on the side of the angels... Issues of gun violence and control are emotional and have been dominated by a focus on the NRA and the second amendment. The pioneer spirit – protecting oneself, one’s kin and property – is at odds with the urban and suburban culture who rely on law enforcement to protect and shield them from crime. It’s understandable that many in our society are appalled by the gun culture and wish we could just get rid of them. People who make their living on the land – farmers and ranchers – don’t have the luxury of dialing 911 in an emergency and expecting a timely response. They must protect themselves. As for the criminal mind, we can’t really imagine this person saying, “I’d better get rid of this revolver, I’m standing in a gun-free zone!” We are a nation of laws but criminals don’t care about laws and don’t obey them. Crimes against children have become rampant. We need to address this problem with immediacy and diligence. We can do a much better job by creating a children’s task force. Too many crusaders for social change attach their agenda to a tragic event. They take every opportunity to advance their cause, marching down Main Street, banners unfurled, vowing to never-let-go until their mission is accomplished. If they are met with resistance, they get on the bullhorn of society, screaming obscenities and calling the opposition every nasty name in their vocabulary – idiot, racist, ignoramus, jerk, meathead! They throw temper tantrums and show their anger and seething indignation with a promise to continue the fight until they’ve won. Having their faces plastered all over the Internet is icing on the cake.
Never before in our history have our children been exposed to greater risk. We have pedophiles who prey on them, even in classrooms and churches. There are kidnappers watching them on playgrounds. There are twisted, menacing individuals who lay in wait to scoop them up and take them away as they walk to school or play in their own front yards, Sadly, we have drug pushers, pornographers and bullies who seek to take advantage of a defenseless child. Then too, there are youngsters who carry a secret burden, unable to confide in anyone about incest and abuse. According to statistics, most kidnapped children are abducted by a family member, friend or someone known to the family. Amber alerts have been successful in locating missing children but we need to do a lot more to protect our most cherished and vital resource. We can help eliminate wasted hours by implementing a children’s task force. A database network set up by the FBI, neighborhood watch groups, state, local and federal law enforcement would provide instantaneous access regarding information about possible suspects covering geographic areas.
The state of California spends so much money on other interests for the immigrant population which is necessary but our children should not be forgotten. They must be our top priority! Yes, amber alerts are excellent but we should be doing more
