The Duty of a Father
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I just finished reading the graphic and horrifying story of the young eight year old Phoenix girl lured to a small shed by four boys aged 14, 13, 10 and 9 and then brutally raped by all four who took turns holding her down. It is difficult to describe the roller coaster of emotions I experienced while reading the story. I am the father of three beautiful young daughters that are more important to me then my own life. Were a similar event to happen to one of my girls, there is no limit to what I would desire to do exact justice. Go watch the movie Taken and you will get some drift of what my mental state would be. Vigilante justice may be condemned by the law, but despite the fact that I am a lawyer, it would not be the laws of man that would stay my hand. It is only because I ultimately answer to God that I would “try” to stand by as the legal system ran its course. However, even with that limitation, I am simply unable to make any promises. The truth is I would probably just obtain my revenge and seek forgiveness later.
Why would a law abiding Christian trial lawyer speak of retribution through violence you ask? I’ll tell you why. Daddies defend their daughters – at all costs - it’s just the way it is supposed to be. In fact I once asked my oldest daughter if she knew what my job was. She responded “Daddy, you are a lawyer”. I told her being a lawyer was my profession but not my job, that my real job was to protect her and her sisters, even at the risk of my own safety. I gave her a very visual example so that she would understand the depths of my duty to her and her sisters. I asked her to picture a big, mean, snarling, vicious dog coming toward her with fangs bared intent on biting and attacking her. I asked her if that would scare her and of course she responded that she would be very afraid. I let her know that I would be terrified too, but that even though my instinct would be to run away from the dog, if that vicious dog, filled with brutality and strength, was headed toward her, I would instead run at the dog and would position myself between her and the dog so that she could escape to safety. That is what Daddies do. Even at the risk of great personal danger, a father has the duty to defend his children. There is no risk to great and no excuses that allow for any other course of action. A father should never fail to protect his children – never. There are no allowances and no circumstances that permit such a failure.
Unfortunately the father of this poor little Phoenix girl has not assumed his mantle of responsibility. Instead, he has chosen to abandon his child. He is a failure of the highest magnitude. That evil exists and that little girls are preyed upon – even by other children – does not surprise me. But that a father, at the most vulnerable and terrifying moment of his young daughter’s life, will abandoned her instead of taking her in his arms and wiping away her tears with reassurance of his love, well that shocks me. That this father, if that is what he can be called, has turned his poor little baby over to the state telling a case worker “take her… I don’t want her” and then blaming her for being raped and for bringing shame to the family, that shocks me.
His young daughter physically and brutally raped by 4 predators last week and instead of wrapping arms of comfort around her and assuring her that it would be all right, he chose instead to mentally rape her. He stole from her trust, comfort, love and security. He should have stood as her protector but was unwilling or unable because he is a worthless and poor excuse of a man, without honor and lacking any redeeming qualities. I do not care that he is Liberian and do not care that his culture permits the brutalization of the weak and defenseless so long as they are female. A coward is a coward by any name in any region.
It would seem the four young predators chose their victim well. She was too young to fight back and had a coward for a father. I am saddened for this little girl. I am hopeful she recovers and am even more hopeful that someday she meets a real man with true honor and that he will protect her where others have failed.