|
Materials
used in
Ethical
Treatment for All Youth |
A
MOTHER'S POEM The world sees my son As a sex offender That's what Texas says he is He was all of 17 years old When he had sex with a teenage girl Like others his age and gender He was experimenting Looking for acceptance, experiencing adult like behavior Nothing more than he's seen on television and in the movies Completely consensual And now, he is labeled He is a predator He wouldn't make a good neighbor According to the registry He's too dangerous He cannot find work or housing But if he were allowed the truth Then you would see A perfect freckled face, framed by A red head You would see the little boy who once Gathered pillow, food and necessities to give To a homeless man at the park near our house Instead, they call him a pervert And tell him there is no cure For his deviant behavior They demand he write in fictitious fashion To satisfy his 'therapy' requirements It doesn't matter that what is written is a lie As long as he's saying he victimized It doesn't matter that there was NO VICTIM As long as others see him as a predator But if he were allowed the truth You would see my little boy Who still struggles to be a proud man You would see eyes that looked for a model When there was none to be found You would see big aspirations and great dreams With potential to change the world Yet no hope for a future They would have you count him worthless Not worthy of compassion Not afforded forgiveness He is to be stripped of all normality And confined to a world of rejection For his hideous crime of consensual teenage sex But if he were allowed the truth You would see the soft heart that longs for approval A brother who defends his sisters A son who loves his mother A nice young man looking for a mate No matter what they say, I do know the truth And that they cannot change With their labels and their registry And all this that is insane I know the hurt he feels And see his head hung down in shame And I often wonder what lesson he's being taught And what price he is paying For the justice we all seek And the safety of our children After all, isn't that what this is all about? By Tana Fillingame Submitted November 7, 2007 Read her son's story here.
|
