THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, March 25, 1995 TAG: 9503240012
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A10 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Opinion
SOURCE: By LAURA BUCKIUS and BETTY WADE COYLE
LENGTH: Medium: 63 lines
Angel Valentine, a newborn infant found dead on a conveyor belt in our local garbage sorting plant, was buried March 22. We ask ourselves how could such a tragedy happen? Who would let a defenseless infant die? What mother would do such a thing? Where was the father? What was his part in this sordid affair?
And what part did we play in the murder of Angel Valentine?
Our society is guilty of child abuse and neglect every day.
Currently, the U.S. Congress, beginning with the House of Representatives, is proceeding to dismantle nearly every program that protects the health, safety and welfare of our country's children. The idea is to take most federal welfare programs and reduce the amount spent on them and send the money in block grants to the states. Such an approach guarantees that fewer dollars will reach the needy, that programming will be of variable quality and type and that states and localities will be burdened with increased costs.
This is not to argue that our system of protecting children and families does not need to change. It does. Traditionally, such changes are made gradually and tested to determine outcomes and consequences. To propose drastic changes in the accessibility of Aid to Families with Dependent Children and at the same time reduce or eliminate housing, food, child care, adoption, foster care and child-protection subsidies is to throw every child born into poverty in America (and some born to inadequate upper- and middle-class families) into the trash heap of our society.
Now is the time to hold our federal legislators accountable for their actions before our innocent children (who do not vote and cannot lobby for themselves) are irreparably harmed.
Our country must develop a comprehensive, logical plan for supporting the children and families of our future.
If, as a country, we take the moralistic stance that birth control should be only for the married and that abortion is murder, then our society must also accept responsibility for the children who are born unwanted or to parents who cannot or will not parent.
If single mothers will be expected to work, then child care must be available.
If our schools are not preparing children to work and be good citizens, we should develop better education programs.
If our children are not being raised to the standards that we have set, then we have a responsibility to participate in their upbringing.
Infants and children should not be punished for the transgressions of their parents, and if parents do not assume responsibility for the health, care and safety of their own children, we must provide alternatives.
If parents fail to provide their children with adequate food, clothing, shelter, medical care and supervision, the parents can be charged with criminal neglect. What then do we call it when we as a society let our children go unfed, unclothed, unhoused, sick and abandoned?
April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month. Let's use this as a time to recommit our country to the welfare of our children. MEMO: Ms. Buckius is president and Ms. Coyle is executive director of Hampton
Roads Committee for Prevention of Child Abuse. by CNB