Saturday, June 9, 2012

True Strength

"Nothing is so strong as gentleness, nothing so gentle as true strength." Saint Francis de Sales

Life is full of everyday, ordinary people who do the right thing. Case in point. Californian Oscar Lopez who stopped his neighbor from beating his young stepson, but not before capturing it all on video. Brilliant! As a result, Anthony Sanchez was charged with felony child abuse. And a little boy knows that there is at least one person in the world who will stick up for him.

Where was the child's mother? Her husband was beating her son. Where was the child's biological father? Why, after being let out on bail, was Sanchez allowed to go on a planned family vacation to Alabama? Why are we living in the 21st century and people still think the way to teach a child is by beating him?

Life is full of everyday, ordinary fathers who do the right thing. Dads. Biological dads, stepdads, foster dads, adoptive dads, father figures who would never hurt a child. Dads who don't think they need to toughen little boys up by beating them while they play ball with them, as Sanchez apparently was doing.  Dads who use their strength to lead and not intimidate. Dads who step in when a child is in danger. Dads like Oscar Lopez.

Lopez could have turned away, deciding it was none of his business. He didn't. A week from tomorrow we will celebrate Father's Day here in America. I hope Oscar Lopez has a happy one.

Susan

Update: Sanchez's attorney now reports that Sanchez did not accompany his wife, stepson and a child he and the wife have together to Alabama.



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