Little Rowan Ford - Tragedy of a sick society

Read the story of Rowan Ford, a nine-year-old little girl taken from her home while sleeping, and feel your heart being torn out. Imagine the fear, pain and horror she must have endured as two grown men - one her step father- raped and ravaged her little body, using her up and then spitting her out as they disposed of her in a sink hole, just like someone's trash, in Southern Missouri. http://www.news-leader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071111/NEWS01/711110398/1007

These monsters are nothing more than barbarians who, having confessed to her murder, now recant their stories, making claim to their own innocence. And I am sickened.

Like so many others, I am haunted by the thoughts of horror this little girl was subjected to. The fear in her eyes, the pain in her little body as she pleaded with them to stop, to not hurt her. These two monsters told a tale of her pleas, of her pain, and yet they continued to abuse her. It was not enough that they inflicted themselves worse than wild animals upon her, but they found it necessary to also play the part of her executioner.

I want to know how many of Rowan's pleas, long before this day, went unanswered. How many times did she have to escape from the clutches of these animals before her final day? How could
her caretaker, the one who was to watch over and protect her, also be the end of her? Most of all, I want to know, how could a mother leave this child in such a person's care? Before you are
quick to defend her, be sure you take the time to investigate the many stories of how this precious child was subjected to living in unclean conditions, her own sisters, they say, having moved out of the home to escape the clutches of the monster that was called daddy.

So many have sent their condolences to Rowan's mother, and yet I cannot help but wonder the part this mother played in her own daughters' death. She brought Rowan into this world, but it
appears from all that is being said that she placed far greater value in the men in her life than the life of her own child. In my opinion, she is no less of an animal than these barbarians are.

As the two sit behind their jail cells, we wonder. Will justice be served, or will a society that places more importance on the rights of the accused coddle these useless members of our society who deserve a death far worse than the one they inflicted upon Rowan?

And what of her mother? Will she be held accountable for her actions, and inactions, that may have contributed to her own daughters death? Or will they coddle her, too, feeling sorry for her because of her loss.

We, as a society, need to put a stop to the abuse of our children. We need to do far more than to adorn ourselves with colored ribbons in remembrance. We need to say enough is enough, and we will NOT tolerate it anymore. We need to be willing to be more than observers in this tragedy and rise up, join together, and be a positive force for change. We need to remind ourselves that this could be OUR child and we are not far removed from it all.

Many say that it is not for us to play God and take the life of another for the crimes they have committed, that one bad act does not justify another. Where is the justice for our children?
Stricter laws may not be a deterant to crime but they would prevent these monsters from being being able to reenter society and inflicting themselves again on another.

My gentle heart is now not quite so gentle. These monsters have made it harden. These monsters - all who are involved - need to be brought to justice. They need to be removed from a society where their only contribution would be to further sicken it, only causing it further decay.

The "cancer" that ravages us needs to be stopped, to be cut out, to be removed. We need to stand up and demand all people WILL be held accountable for their actions causing harm to another human being. We need to do more than cry over our own breaking hearts, and when our tears are dry, to then forget and go on. For if we do nothing more, then we, too, are just as guilty for little Rowan being murdered and thrown into her sink hole grave.

Start by contacting your senators and congressmen. Let them know you will not tolerate a weak system of justice. Let them know we need better laws to hold these parents and caretakers responsible for our precious children. Rise up and demand change and help to make this precious child's life a victory in her passing.

Let us not let little Rowan die in vain.