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Re: The Who Mailing List Digest V10 #19



     Although I have been a member of this list for some time, I don't post too often.  With recent events as they are, I have wanted to write something, but I was unsure how to make my approach.  I work in human services as a job coach for special needs adults.  While I am not a therapist or full-fledged counselor, I often read about, and see first hand the effects of various forms of abuse.  The real tragedy is how much we fail the people who are hurt the most.  Whether it is being tied by red tape or absurd politics, it often leads to a disheartening end.  There are people in my family who unfortuantely count abuse as part of their personal history and experience.  It is painful for me to realize how powerless I am in healing their wounds.  These are scars that will last forever.       We often ask the question of how society plays a role in these situations.  As for the internet, it is far too easy for people to stumble across a site they had no intention of accessing.  It is also far too easy to be ensnared by the images we are bombarded with.  Wasn't it not too long ago that if someone typed a certain band or performers name that they ended up on a pornographic site?  A coworker of mine had this happen to her only a few days ago while looking up a work related topic.  I don't have the answers, but it is clear that they must be pursued.  Above all else, our children need to be protected.  But efforts must be shifted to tackle the real problems.  The real source is often hinted at, but not dealt with aggressively enough, partially because it is so dark and frightening.  Think about this as one small example: practically every weekend, we receive flyers in our papers advertising local department stores.  A casual glance through these flyers will reveal pictures of children modeling undergarments.  What kind of message is this sending?  Is it really that innocent?  Why is it suddenly acceptable here?  As for the companies with their suggestive advertisements, particualrly with children, they know exact!
ly what they are doing.  Real damage is being done, and no one takes responsibility for it.  The defense is that the people who are offended are too uptight.  There are so many aspects of our culture that need to be re-evaluated.  It is not until the pain of abuse reaches us personally that we start to believe it.  I encounter this all the time in my workplace.  As I read an individual's file, I encounter events that my mind can not readily accept.  On your worst day, in the midst of your worst nightmare, you can not believe that some of these things truely happen.  The sad reality is that they do, and they happen more often than our collective conscience can handle.      I have admired Pete Townshend for many different reasons since I was fourteen.  This has been a most distressing week for all of us who care about the man, his music, and his endeavor to rise above himself.  Whatever the truth of the matter is, I will accept it and continue with my life.  I know what I hope for.  I pray that the truth will bring relief and comfort.  We have been presented with many facts in recent days.  I am again reminded of a spoken line from Psychoderelict: "the facts don't always reveal the truth."
Mike in Massachusetts