February 16, 2012

There will be swearing...

I don't write posts from a place of anger very often. But man, I'm doubly angry right now!

Josh Powell. Things just went from bad to worse with this guy and I wish he was still alive so I could kill him!

I'm not sure how much national or world airtime this story has gotten. Unfortunately it is a HUGE local story.

On Sunday, February 5, this bastard killed himself and his two little boys by blowing up his house.


If that's not bad enough, he first told his son Charlie that he had a surprise for him and then took a hatchet to the two boys before setting the house fire that killed them all.

That last part, about the hatchet, makes me want to hurl.

Josh Powell had lost custody of his children in the aftermath of his wife's disappearance in Utah 2 years ago. What ultimately led to his losing custody was his father's interest in child porn, whom Josh and the boys were living with.

The boys' mother's parents had custody of them, but that day was a scheduled supervised visit. A social worker took the boys to see their father, who let them in and then slammed the door before the social worker could enter the house. The poor woman heard crying and was helpless as she witnessed the explosion and fire.

Before he set his plan in motion, Josh Powell left messages with family and friends expressing that he just couldn't do it anymore and couldn't live without his boys.

This is where I get real angry.

Why the f*ck does this mean you need to take those beautiful boys with you? What the f*ck gives you the right?

Nothing gives you the right. Murder is wrong and a crime. You can't handle the way you've f*cked up your life? Go ahead and be a coward and kill yourself. But you leave those babies alone!

You selfish, ego-maniacal sonofabitch! I hope you rot in Hell!

What he was really worried about was that his sons were starting to remember things about the night their mother went missing. They remembered that she was with them when they left for a camping trip, they made a stop, and then she was in the trunk. One of them drew a picture of it.

This is one of the most God-awful, family tragedies I've ever heard.

And then. AND THEN!

Fred Phelps, Jr., stupid-ass, hateful founder of the Westboro Baptist Church got the bright idea to picket Charlie and Braden Powell's memorial service in protest against the pending legalization of gay marriage here in Washington state.

What the what? What the eff does one have to do with the other? And what a terrible, awful, disgusting lapse in all things decent! The only thing that stopped the protest from going forward was an interview that was granted to the church founder in order to placate him, in exchange that his group would not show up at the service.

I have been so angry about all of this. I don't give a crap what you're going through, there is NEVER a reason to harm innocent children. There is also no reason to callously use their memory for your own agenda.

Fuck you, Josh Powell. And fuck you too, Fred Phelps, Jr.

 In closing, I would like to suggest that Child Protective Services have male social workers take children to supervised visits with their fathers. Perhaps if a man had been there he might have had enough strength to break the door down. I don't mean for that to sound sexist, but how many women do you know who could break a door down?


Adventures in Estrogen

2.) Just when you didn’t think things could get worse…how did they get worse?
(inspired 
by Confessions of a Semi Domesticated Mama)


32 comments:

  1. I have been reading about this terrible tragedy and feel sick to my stomach that those poor little boys were taken like that.

    My heartbreaks for that poor social worker who was trying deperately to get help but had to witness the horrific end of those beautiful boys lives. My heartbreaks from the family of their mother as they have lost so much and in such a horribily disturbing way.
    Jenn

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. My heart breaks, my stomach lurches, tears sting my eyes, my hands ball up into fists... I don't know if I've ever had such a strong reaction to a story lik this before. I'm finding it really hard to process.

      Delete
  2. This story OUTRAGED me too. My mom and I sat on the phone FOREVER angry at Josh Powell. When I heard the asshats were going to protest I was really raging. That radio host that granted the interview in order to keep them away is a hero in my book. Obviously they don't deserve an interview but if it kept them away then good. I feel so bad for the grandparents, I wish they could get some kind of closure and answers about their daughter.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, the lingering questions about Susan Powell are still haunting us too. And the guy whose still alive after all this? Piece of work he is!

      Delete
  3. I just read this story a few nights ago, and it's so upsetting. So many things are wrong here. Unfortunately, there are almost zero men interested in social work, but perhaps have a police officer accompany the social worker in cases like this? Or perhaps do like we do down here in Texas... the wife's daddy woulda taken care of the problem with a shotgun and a backhoe years ago. Hmph.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, a police officer is another good option. And your Texas style of handling it...ahem.

      Delete
  4. Sweet jeezuz. There aren't enough swear words in this post, actually. I'm thinking "fuck you you fucking motherfucker." Or something like that. Directed at both the "father" (biological) and "Father" (pastor). Both of them dirtying--filthifying the very idea of fatherhood.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I was nervous about what I did say cuz I just don't go off like this on my blog and I don't wanna scare anyone away. But yeah, what you said too!

      Delete
  5. Baaahhhhh, that's so terrible. I haven't heard about that here.. yet.
    Fucking heartbreaking.

    And thanks for linking up your vent. Sometimes, it must be done.

    ReplyDelete
  6. This whole thing is just awful! The newest thing... There is some huge fight about whether or not he should be burried with his boys. Are you kidding? Absofuckinglutely NOT! He lost that right when he killed their mother, put them through all of this shit, and then brutally hacked away at them before setting them on fire! Those poor sweet baby boys. UGH!

    ReplyDelete
  7. I was stunned to learn the family of Josh Powell was looking into nearby plots for his remains. WTF is his family thinking? Funds have been raised and Pierce County Crimestoppers stepped in and purchased the nearby plots but the idea is so abhorrent I can only think of four letter words to write. I agree wholeheartedly with your post.

    ReplyDelete
  8. What the what is right - I didn't understand what the protest was about, it didn't make any sense for them to even be interested in being there..love the brigade of motorcycles that would have shown up..that's like the only good part to this story.
    I didn't know about the picture the boy drew. It all makes so much sense now. It makes me sick to think that child and protective services was in front of the house at the time, such an injustice that those boys were even allowed visitation.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The biker brigade that would've shown up to block the protesters = awesome. You know, it's how our laws are written, I guess. CPS wants to keep kids with their bio parents; it's their first priority. And since nothing had been proven against Josh, they really didn't have a choice.

      Delete
  9. Well if you follow People.com on Facebook, you would've seen today's article about his family trying to have his body buried next to the boys' shared burial site. Thank God for a local Sergeant and his Sheriff for purchasing the plots directly on either side of the grave site.
    I have some choice words for Josh Powell's remaining family members. But right now, the middle finger sounds good, and I don't like being hateful.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, I've heard about the burial plots. That's good news. I know how you feel. I don't like feeling what I'm feeling either.

      Delete
  10. Yeah, I remember hearing a little about this story but I didn't know all the details. It is so sad. What a sicko. I hope the little boys didn't suffer. And the picketing? Honestly, what the hell is wrong with people?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I would really like to know what is wrong with people. If you figure it out, please share!

      Delete
  11. Hey Jen! So I've been reading about this and it makes me sick. This is an absolute tragedy for that poor family that had already been through so much because of the mom of those kids. What really is getting me is these radio people and the Westboro Cult, um I mean church. I can't imagine that these people are getting their message across to more than just the people that already believe this crazy stuff. I don't understand that these people don't get that they are spreading a message of total hate. Hate of homosexuals, hate of family, hate of people in general. Now I am conflicted about the involvement of the radio shows. Yes multiple. I think it is a double edged sword. Sure they took them off the streets of Seattle, shielding those poor people from this hate, but they literally gave them a platform were, at the very least, tens of thousands of people are going to hear their vile garbage. I'm so sad, mad and hurt by all these..

    Thanks for writing this Jen. I am going to write something happy now.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. One would hope the cult is only preaching to those who already agree with them. But I bet they do manage to sway some people, like those genuinely seeking spirituality and stumble upon these people and learn all the wrong things.

      Delete
  12. AMEN, woman. So glad you said everything you did because it is all true. Sick, sick people. I'm currently afraid of men being in public school positions (or private). Not that all men are pedophiles, but we have a huge problem in this country.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I know what you mean, and I hate that the bad ones give the good ones a bad name, cuz good men are awesome to have in schools, especially for all the kids who have deadbeat dads.

      Delete
  13. Hi Jennifer. I saw your tweet wondering if this post is "over the top." Take this with a grain of salt because I probably wouldn't know "over the top" if it smacked me in the face, but IMHO: aw HAYLE no. Is there any other way to address such vile actions?

    When I saw the picture of that man at the top of this post, I thought he looked familiar. Now I am absolutely sick to my stomach. I remember the news story about his wife going missing, but I hadn't yet heard any of these repulsive new developments. How in the Hell does this happen? Particularly in such a high profile case? Oh my God. Those poor sweet baby boys. You done good telling this story in such an angry and powerful way. I will hug my children closer tonight and thank God for my husband.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you very much! Yes, hug the babies and thank the good husbands!

      Delete
  14. Stories like this just break your heart, then some idiot(Phelps) comes along and makes it just that much worse. You really do have to wonder sometimes. This is definitely cuss worthy.
    It really is long past time for children's services to re examine the policy of trying so hard to keep the biological parents involved when they don't deserve it. There have been horror stories here in Canada as well. What does it take?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I have no idea what it takes, Paul. I mean, I would hate for kids to be ripped away from parents who messed up but then did everything they needed to do to get their kid back. But yeah, this kind of tragedy should be preventable somehow.

      Delete
  15. This whole story makes me sick and angry. What kind of parent does that to their children. And then to anit-gay marriage protest their funeral is just bullshit. And to top it all off, his family wanted him buried next to his sons! WTF!!!!!!!! Thank god that isn't happening AT ALL.
    The whole story makes me so sad, upset and angry all at once!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You know I'm right there with you! I just can't wrap my head around all of it, which is why I HAD to blog it out!

      Delete
  16. The entire story is very sad and those grandparents, well, parents first, he killed their daughter and then grandchildren, wow, what a loss for those two people and loved ones. There is no understanding him and that social worker will forever live with that nightmare. What a horrible tragedy.

    ReplyDelete