It's been well-publicized by the media: Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus, and Michelle Knight—kidnapped 10 years ago—are free. Amanda and Gina are home today (with Michelle expected to be released from the hospital tomorrow after recovering from back surgery)... today also being the day that one of their alleged kidnappers—Ariel Castro, one of three brothers accused—is being charged with four counts of a kidnapping and three counts of rape. I'm thrilled they are home. As a father, not only can I identify with their parents and driven to tears imaging anything, but I'm sickened in thinking that that this could have been any daughter of anyone... any wife... any girlfriend... any mother. And why? Because we are living with monsters.
These women were kidnapped, raped, impregnated (and experienced multiple miscarriages), psychologically abused and tortured... all while they were bound and chained in the basement of a home no further than five miles from where they were first abducted a decade ago. The accused: three brothers - Ariel Castro (52), Pedro Castro (54), and Onil Castro (50). These ultimate horrors of human beings are somehow capable of atrocities known only to the psychotic.
Fucking cowards.
Insult to injury: Millions of dollars will now go into a criminal trial because these fucking animals have "rights"... and millions more will go into the appeals process if they get the death penalty... as these monsters live comfortably with cable TV and three meals a-day. RIGHTS? These pieces of human refuse are to be afforded RIGHTS? No... NO rights. No rights, no mercy, and no quarter to be given. Prison is too rich a reward for these monsters. And... so is death.
To those who want to tell me that forgiveness is the path of enlightenment: I would agree. I have been actively traveling that path for the whole of my life. I have learned to forgive... but there are things that are unforgivable. Take property. Take money. Lie. Cheat. Steal. Misguide. Misappropriate. Yes... I know... forgive... and I can (and have). But when you steal someone's LIFE... someone's SOUL... you are committing the ultimate betrayal: You are betraying humanity while stealing someone else's. Fuck that. There is no forgiveness for these discards of the Universe.
To those who want to tell me that justice will prevail: Justice is dead, assassinated and ascended by the American Legal System — a business of trafficking prisoners in exchange for Federal and State Grants. JUSTICE would look much different in this case... filled with rage... filled with vengeance... filled with hatred. And if this were MY daughter... filled with things I cannot type, as they would be used against me in a court of law[less]. I'm an educated guy who strives for evolution and sophistication... but mess with my kids and I will show you a very different version of me — primal.
To those who would tell me that this is God's Will and that He has a plan: Stop it. "God's Will" is what people say when they try to pacify a child... or explain the unexplainable... or mollify their own pain. If THIS is God's Plan... then His plan SUCKS, and He's an absentee landlord who needs to get His monsters under control.
To those who would tell me that getting even doesn't work... that "An eye for an eye" leave the whole world blind: This isn't about getting even... this is about what's RIGHT... what's JUST. I'm not saying that "An eye for an eye" works in this case... I'm just saying that I would need to learn braille.
There is an old Asian parable about what happens to murderers. In ancient Japan (I think... could have been China... don't be offended if I got it wrong... whatever... I'm too pissed/sickened). The person accused of murder is locked away for one year, while the victim's family is given that time to mourn. At the end of the year the murderer and the victims's family are brought to a river. While the family is observing from the shoreline, the murderer is rowed out to a deep section of water, chained with locked weights, and thrown overboard to drown. The victim's family is then presented with the only key to the locks, and it is solely their choice if the murderer lives beyond that moment. I used to pride myself in thinking that I would have gotten through some level of forgiveness during that time. That the pressure/emotional fallout of watching a human die at MY hand would be too much to bear. After reading the very brief accounting of what these women were forced to deal with... for years and years and years and the hands of monsters... I'm not so sure. I'm thinking: Not only would I watch, but I would charge admission and sell refreshments.
Perhaps I need time to calm down........
Please hug your kids tonight. Keep them from the monsters... there are still plenty out there whom have yet to be identified.
Updated 5/8/13 @ 6:56pm PT: In a news conference, police said Pedro Castro and Onil Castro had nothing to do with the abductions and rapes, although they both have outstanding warrants for separate misdemeanor cases and will go before a judge on those matters Thursday. My thoughts: 10 years... they were brothers... they had NO IDEA??? Not buyin' it. I reserve the right to see the truth come out.