Outraged

Right now I am having difficulty controlling my anger. I want to lash out and hit something inanimate, the feelings of rage are so strong. The post I was going to make on the government's new "ray gun" will have to wait.

Two recent incidents have gotten me to this state of mind. One is a bit graphic to detail; both are heart wrenching.

Locally, a 39-year-old man named Ebaristo Medina was arrested for sexually and physically abusing a 6-year-old girl. I'm pissed off enough over the abuse portion of it, but what else he did to her simply puts my mind over the edge. This walking abomination of human filth not only sexually abused the little girl , he urinated on her face and defecated in her mouth!

Let that sink in a minute and tell me if you aren't shaking in rage over it.

How could one human being do that to another? Especially a 6-year-old child? Kids that young put their entire trust in adults, and then to have a close, trusted adult do that to you? This poor little girl will have severe emotional issues for the rest of her life because one sub-human piece of sewer sludge wanted to get his jollies. Medina should be castrated, locked in the deepest, darkest, most rat infested hole ever dug and fed only shit and piss until he dies.

I'm sorry, but that is how I feel.

People who prey upon others are the lowest form of life on this planet. People who prey upon innocent, defenseless children are the lowest of those low. I truly do not have the words to describe my emotions over this; there are no words to adequately describe the rancid pus buckets of diseased minded scum that could so such things.

I had to take a break for a half hour before finishing this post because I think my chest might have exploded I was so angry. I'm not quite as mind bursting irate over the next bit of news, though I am shocked and pretty outraged over it.

Across the Bay from me, in St. Petersburg, a battle between the city and its homeless has been raging for several weeks. The city has been forcing the homeless to move from every location they set up a camp in which to have shelter and support from other homeless. Eventually, the Society of St. Vincent De Paul allowed many of St. Petersburg's homeless to set up a Tent City on some of the Society's property.

The homeless were using tents (much like the one shown) donated by the Society and other benefactors. They also were congregating for security and safety reasons, as well as for companionship. Recently two homeless were murdered; no suspects have been found and no possible motives given. Consequently, the other homeless of St. Petersburg feared they might be next.

The city, however, decided that it was unsanitary conditions, therefore against certain city ordinances, and were going to impose fines upon the Society if Tent city was not dismantled.

In slight defense of the city, vouchers were given to help Tent City residents get housing somewhere until they could pay for it on their own. This was mostly in motels. Transportation was offered to those who had friends or family they could stay with. More spaces were opened up at various shelters.

Now, it should be said that the vouchers were not accepted by most of the places the city said would take them. Those places that would accept the vouchers were quickly filled; mainly because they only accepted one or two vouchers. The transportation was only for nearby family; if you had someone a county or two over you might have gone to, tough luck. The spaces opened were in already crowded, and often dangerous, shelters and consisted of a simple mat on the floor. Too, these people also lost the scant privacy their tents afforded, and the sense of community and helping each other they were building in Tent City.

If the sanitation was an issue, why didn't the city offer to bring in port-a-potties and portable showers? The fire codes could have been gotten around with offering portable barbecues so they wouldn't have to secretly cook in the tents.

Did I mention St. Petersburg is in a big revitalization push? And that the elections for any governmental post of meaning occurred last November? These homeless people are simply a blight upon the city. A nuisance that keeps investors from bringing money into the city's coffers. A stain upon the bright, shining beacon of prosperity St. Pete wants to show to the world.

Of course, no official has actually stated such things. But you know that has to be the driving reason behind the harassment of the homeless. Do you honestly think this sort of thing would happen in an election year?

But, wait. Things get worse.

Much worse.

Those that could not (and, to be truthful, some that would not) get assistance moved their belongings and tents under an overpass a few blocks away from St. Vincent de Paul. And, again, the city came after them telling them to move, citing fire hazard due to people smoking or cooking in the tents.

The homeless stood firm. Where else was there for them to go?

And the police returned. This time with box cutters, scissors, and bolt cutters. These duly appointed law officers, the ones who swore to serve and to protect, attacked the makeshift Tent City. The police slashed and tore and cut and rent and broke and ripped and literally savaged the tent homes, the only homes, the only protection from the elements that these poor people had.

Often with people still inside the tents.


How can this happen? How can the government officials allow this? Because these people are poor? Why couldn't they just disassemble the tents nicely? Why destroy the tents? To make a point? To punish? Because it was cheaper than trying to actually find a solution to the problem? Did it salve some politicos morally bankrupt spirit to terrorize people who cannot fight back, who have no voice, who have nothing they can do but watch as their homes are savagely shredded?

The Mayor of St. Petersburg, Rick Baker, claims he had no prior knowledge of the planned raid. He claims the Chief of Police and a deputy mayor set it up.

Fine, let's go to their house and break windows, slash car tires, destroy furniture, throw their belongings to the curb. Because that is what they effectively did to the homeless.

I'm afraid if I were a police officer in St. Petersburg and was told to do what they did, i wouldn't have a job. There is no way I could have taken part in that "embarrassment", as the city leaders are calling the incident. An embarrassment. That's like calling Hiroshima an "oopsie".

This story is still on-going. I suspect the media has been asked to be a little more discreet about it since it "embarrassed" an entire city as I've not seen or heard too much more on the problem as headlines. Guess the media milked it enough, and we good Americans are no longer entertained about it.

I wish I could help. I could probably do more to help the homeless. Donations to Salvation Army are about all I can afford right now; and even those are meager, consisting of clothing, good bedding, old books and videos, and a small monthly cash gift (in the kid's name).

My anger is sapped, now. I feel more helpless than anger. Writing this down has been cathartic ... but it doesn't salve the wounds of the homeless, or of my own conscience.

I just cannot understand people like Medira and the officials who sent the police to shred those tents.

If this blog has gotten you outraged or upset, and you want to help, contact a local shelter for homeless or abused women and children and see what you can do to help.