Thursday, July 31, 2014

LEGALLY BRIEF
Kerry Hyatt Blomquist
 
It's a felony to kick a cat, a misdemeanor to kick a woman

Case Law Update: It is a felony to torture or mutilate a vertebrate animal, but domestic battery remains a misdemeanor in Indiana. See the following case and pass it on---if this bothers you, email ICADV and let's lobby for change.

In Larry D. Knox v. State of Indiana, 02A03-1312-CR-491, this month the Indiana Court of Appeals affirmed an Allen County man's conviction of Class D felony for torturing or mutilating a vertebrate animal.
     After a cat got into his house, Larry Knox tried to get it out by opening the front door and kicking the cat so hard it knocked out the cat's front tooth. The cat then ran into the bedroom, where he chased it and kicked it a couple more times. Then Knox called animal control.
      Knox told the animal control officer that he didn't like cats and was not threatened it. He even joked how far the tooth had flown from the cat. A veterinarian who examined the cat said it would take a lot of force to knock out the tooth and the cat must have been sitting or crouched down when the incident occurred. Based on the cat's behavior, the veterinarian and animal control officer concluded she was not feral.
      Knox argued that he kicked the cat only after it "came straight at me," but he was found guilty and sentenced to one year in the Department of Correction.
      It's been well established that a person engages in conduct intentionally if, when he engages in the conduct, it is his conscious objective to do so. And engaging in conduct "knowingly" occurs when the person is aware of a high probability that he is engaging in the conduct.
      The evidence most favorable to the judgment shows that Knox knowingly or intentionally mutilated the cat. The judges declined to reweigh the evidence, noting they are in no position to challenge the fact-finder's assessment of Knox's credibility on appeal.

Saturday, July 26, 2014

This type of treatment of women will continue until all women and men stand up and no longer accept this behavior.




View the new cast here.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=6fc_AnLaBew

Friday, July 11, 2014

Stand up…


We have been struggling for years to bring an end to domestic violence, hate violence, intolerance and injustices of all kinds. With the latest addition of the shooting of 2 IMPD officers in less than a year the time is here and now to not just say “NO MORE” but to live with the actions that demonstrate that belief.  No More is the voice for victim of domestic violence and sexual assault which grew from Mariska Hargitay’s Joyful Heart foundation. http://www.nomore.org

Not only do we need to step up for the end of domestic violence, but for all violence.  We have a moral obligation to be the conscience of our society.  Now is the time we begin to build a stronger society which not only speaks out about the violence, but to do whatever it takes to end the violence.  We spend far too much time looking at and fueling the fires of difference.  Retaliation has to stop in order to heal the wounds and scars of the past.  I must be the one to step up and be the change I want to see in the world (Gandhi).  We post all these quotes on our Face Book, Pinterest, Twitter and other social media, yet how many of us are truly living those quotes to the best of our ability in our daily lives?

We go to church on Sunday, and walk past the hungry child in the street on Monday.  We stand in the mists of tragedy screaming to the mountain tops how wrong this is, yet become silent as we walk away until another tragedy happens.  We react to violence with more violence and fear of those things yet to come grows. I stand in the middle and say, “what can I do I am only one person”?  One person can begin the change. When one person steps up others will follow. It begins with me.  I cannot tell my children to respect themselves and others without demonstrating what respect looks like. Our children and others may hear the words and even think “that’s a good advice”, without the actions to demonstrate the truth, these are only hollow words spoken into a vacuum of countless other words.


Let this current tragic death be the beginning of something positive. Take the pledge today and begin saving lives now.    http://www.wthr.com/category/285357/blue-pledge


Tuesday, July 1, 2014

Marriage and Sexual Orientation

I have been reading the postings of pro and cons for same sex marriage. What a sad commentary of our world today. While “we” (heterosexual white people) believe we have made such major strides in our lives, and we know better than others how they should live their lives, there are so many statistics to prove otherwise.  In the United States there is a divorce every 13 seconds.  That’s 6,646 divorces a day and 46,523 divorces a week. (The majority of these divorces are heterosexual white people as at the time of this statistical data collection for the most part same gender marriages were not recognized). 

Looking at our history might give a little insight: let’s see the idea of anything other than heterosexual relationship just doesn't make sense, really?  It was a only 148 years ago the color of my skin decided my worth and rights.  Women were looked at as the property of their husbands until about 1960 when the feminist movement finally got a foothold and women began to raise their voices so their voices could be heard, a short 53 years ago, when white heterosexual males knew better than any female what was best for women. Yet in 2013 we still need shelters for those who need to escape their own homes in order to be safe.
Have we learned nothing from all the oppression that humanity has placed on humanity all because it was my misfortune to have been born, female, a person of color or have a different sexual orientation?  The definition of humanity is: The human race; human beings collectively; the fact or condition of being human.  I don’t see anything in that definition that says unless your sexual preference is anything other than heterosexual.

Following the link below you will find all types of statistics about Domestic Violence in our nation, another example of how well we (heterosexual white couples) are doing it right.  I see real life examples everyday of these statistics as I work for a batterer’s intervention program.  I hear horrifying stories of lives that are torn apart from the violence in their homes. Yet “we” (heterosexual white couples) have the audacity to stand up and tell others we know better than they know about whom they are and who they should or should not love.

This link gives the statistics of domestic violence for America Domestic Violence Fatalities and Homicides / Children Fatalities / Fatality Review  http://www.ncdsv.org/publications_domhomicide.html

I pray for the day when we truly see each other as equal people with feelings, dreams and hopes, rather than pointing our finger to say what is wrong in another.  I need first to look in the mirror and take a personal inventory of my own life.  Today as yesterday and the day before that, I choose to live by the true meaning of the “Golden Rule” to the very best of my ability.  For me, that means accepting others the way they are.  At the end of the day I know I can rest well having done so.