domestic violence

Dispatch called earlier so I was expecting them. It was after midnight when they knocked on the door. The seven of them, standing there with nothing except a small suitcase between them. The youngest, leaning into mom, clearly just awakened from his sleep in the patrol car. The oldest boys were bickering and the little girl was barefooted. They were dirty and tired and scared but I could see relief in mom’s face. This was at least a break for her, a chance to breathe and make a plan. I brought them in, offered them food, drinks, and helped mom get her children all tucked into bed before I started the paperwork that would tell me how we ended up together on this hot, hot night in July. The officer left, promising to keep a watchful eye.

I wrote yesterday about two progressive Domestic Violence laws ratified by the General Assembly this week. Many of you were touched by the issue as a whole. I was trying to shine at least a dim light on the people who help women get out of destructive abusive or violent relationships.

In recent weeks, others here at blueNC have written eloquently about the outlandish and discriminatory 'Defense of Marriage' laws and constitutional ammendments currently being pushed by mindless dogmatic radicals like Called2Action and Fred Smith.

Those are two issues, mildly related, but independent enough that one couldn't overlap the other.

Right?

Wrong.

The NC General Assembly presented two bills to the Governor's office yesterday, 03 April 2007. They are important for everyone, though unlike other Legislative actions, one wishes that the special interest group these laws serve were much smaller than it is.