So, I snatched a Newsweek from work because I couldn't help but want to read the story about the recent kidnapping discovery. From what I understand, a young boy was kidnapped four years ago and recently discovered when another boy had come up missing and they followed their leads to the kidnapper.
What I'm not real clear on is this:
Why, when an abducted child who has obviously undergone an extreme amount of trauma is discovered, do they not give the kid a bit of breathing room before they throw him to the wolves of national media attention. Why the fuck was this kid on the Oprah show within the first two weeks of his recovery and WHY are they discussing, on national television, the possibility of his sexual abuse? He's a fucking teen-ager, for Christ's sake? Give the kid some time to heal.
So many parents whose children are abducted and never found start up foundations. There is the National Missing Children's Day, the Adam Walsh Act, Megan's Law and the Amber Alert. Why have no grown ups taken into consideration the potential psychological and emotional ramifications of exposing a child so publicly so directly following their trauma. I know everyone loves a happy ending and everyone loves sensationalism but why has no one started up some kind of act or foundation to draw attention to the dire need for these kids to have some privacy? Is it really necessary to ship them off to Chicago so Oprah can stay on top of her ratings? Does this kid really need to go into the check out line of his local grocery store and find his own face plastered on the covers of half the mags in the racks?
It breaks my heart.that these kids have no time to lick their wounds. That no one, on a public scale, is taking their dignity into consideration.
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I don't blame Oprah. I blame the parents. They were the ones who could have said no. No doubt after all the trouble they went creating a foundation to publicize missing kids they felt they had to, but still.... I remember someone once made a comment about parents who make "poster children" of their kids. It may be good for the cause but is it ever good for the kid involved?
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