The disappearance of Patricia Ann Miles
I am writing this as a way to immortalize a little girl who is probably dead. I do not know Patricia Ann Miles. I have never had the pleasure of meeting this beautiful 7-year old girl. I can tell by her picture (http://www.asp.state.ar.us/mnaa.html) that she must be a spunky, vibrant child with a zest for life. She looks to be well cared for and interviews with her parents convey their warmth and love for Patricia. Patricia was last seen riding her bike by a local grocery store. Why would someone hurt this beautiful child?
If past cases are indicators of future outcomes, then Patricia will likely be found a few miles away, brutally raped and murdered. It's my understanding that a family friend has been arrested in this case, but her little body has not been found.
This story breaks my heart. In 2000, I lost my little boy, David. Some would say he was not a little boy. Some would even say he was not even a child, but a lump of my wife's tissue to be cut out like a cancer. David was born prematurely and was too young to survive outside my wife's womb. But he WAS a little boy! He lived for about 10 minutes and I had the priveledge to hold his hand while he still breathed. And while I can empathize with the Miles's, pain, I don't know what it is like to lose a child after loving her for seven years.
What I DO know is that I can't imagine the kind of evil done to thousands of children across this country. Nor, can I imagine what could prompt a person to perpetrate such evil. I have a theory, though. Children have little value in this society. At the most benign end of the spectrum, corporate America sees them as a market to be tapped or as a means to part parents from their money. One need only look at the transition from Captain Kangaroo to Spongebob Squarepants to see the obvious truth in this. At it's most malevolent, this callous disregard for children is best evidenced in the abortion debate. As I said before, my boy was not viable, yet he was clearly a human being.
But there are rabid abortion defenders who would say to me that David's death is not a tragedy, because he wasn't really a person, the way they are people. These people even go so far as to say it's okay to kill a baby in the process of being born, just so long as some part of that baby is still inside the mother. The logical argument then becomes, "Just when does a baby gain legal protection as a person in his/her own right?" The law varies from state to state, but for the most part, you are only really protected by law if you are separate from your mother and breathing. However, as can be seen in the fight against racism, what's legal doesn't always dictate what's practiced in society. I contend that our disregard for the sanctity of life, from conception, feeds into our society's contempt for children. This contempt can be seen in almost every case where a child dies and an adult is charged with that child's killing. A simple comparison of cases where someone is convicted of negligent homicide, manslaughter, even murder shows far shorter sentences if the victim is a child.
Advocates for abortion say they are protecting the life of the mother, and in some cases this is true. In all too many cases, the only life being protected is the mother's social life. Some would take that point and then argue that means that all abortion should be banned. This is a simplistic view. There are some cases in which an abortion is needed to prevent the mother from dying. Sometimes some must die so that others can live. But aside from that dire choice, how can anyone defend such a barbaric act?
Though I am pro-life, I do not intend this article to be a rant. My Intention is to call your attention to the plight of one little girl. I want you to go to the website and look at her picture, and if you see her, please call police. I also want her image to stay with you and I want you think about the way you interact with children. Finally, I want you to remember what you read here if you ever have the chance to sit on the jury of an accused child molester or child murderer. Remember Patricia Ann Miles when you arrive at your verdict, and if guilty, when you decide on a sentence. You have only you to answer to. Make the right call. Thank you.