woman given probation after beating son
I have no reason to post this other than I need to rant.
A woman I know, though not in any kind of social way, beat her son so badly the 11 year old boy went to the local community center, that works with the police, to report his mom. She not only beat him with a belt for not folding his clothes properly, she left for an hour then came back and beat him some more with her hands.
The child had 27 welts and bruises on his body when he walked into the center the next day. He said his mother had beat him before but never that badly.
How brave a child must be to walk in, all alone, and report being abused my his mother, his only caretaker. How desperate he must have been knowing he may end up in foster care.
After pleading guilty to assault, she was sentenced to probation as well as anger management classes and alcohol/drug evaluation.
One would hope to see regret, some semblance of understanding as to what she did. At least some words of love for her son.
Instead, her Facebook profile shows nothing like that.
There are multiple posts about racism, about being a strong black woman, about standing up for what is right.
She posts "To the family members that are ashamed of me..it's cool. .I'm used to u being lame..ijs..and to the fam that supports me..love you bunches!!"
It has a gofundme link for people to help her pay for her legal fees and household expenses while she is out of a job. Not a word about "family," "son," "child. "
She posts, in response to a Facebook challenge, three things that are important to her every day. She says "this will be easy. " I think to myself, here's where she will talk about the love for her son. But she says, "1. Friends that stepped up for me in my dire need. 2. I am grateful for the little things we take for granted each day. Freedom of speech and action. We can do whatever we want. 3. I am grateful for my family that stood by and continue to stand by me. Love you. It's amazing how controversy pulls u together and makes u realize whats important. "
The only mention of her son is when posting to find a cookout for her and her son to be invited. In that thread she tells someone she never lost her son, which is not true.
I don't begrudge someone trying to get help when down. I don't believe for a minute she should be on Facebook baring her soul and begging forgiveness. But it isn't like she didn't mention anything about it. To plead guilty to assault, to ask for monetary help publicly and repeatedly, to admonish family and friends for not supporting her, to preach about being a strong person, to speak your mind and do the right thing, with absolutely NOTHING about this poor child she beat so badly, angers me to no end.
My fear is that the beating that was so bad as to cause a child to seek help from strangers, from authorities, will continue. And maybe the next time he will not be able to seek help because it will be too late.
= new reply since forum marked as read
There is much more public awareness than there was 50, 40, or even 30 years ago. We have indeed come a long way, haven't we? 
The sad truth is, too many good people out there, even now, simply have a hard time accepting the reality that, yes, there are a few people who do abuse their children, and that some other families are also dysfunctional in other ways.
I feel that the tides of change are ever eternally turning towards the side of progress, but it will take time. We still have things to do. Let us remain ever vigilant.
