Tag: March For The Children

Ending Child Abuse–It’s time to Go Viral!

Eve MooreOct 5, 2019:  the very first national March for the human right of every child to grow up in a world free from abuse!!   The civil rights movement of our day.  It will be historic.  Be a part of it.  A big part of it.

Can’t come to Salt Lake City?  Every person on the planet with a computer can be a huge part of this epic march.  Past movements like women’s suffrage, civil rights and LGBT equality did not have the empowering social media platforms of our day.  Each and every one of you has a tectonic task for your fingertips…making the march go viral.

Oct 5th’s event will be live streamed from the Protect Every Child facebook page.  Here’s what to do during the broadcast:

  1. View the livestream.  The complete schedule of the march is listed below.
  2. Comment.  Lot’s of comments.  You can comment as many times as you want.  There will be interviews with marchers all along the way.
  3. Share on your FB timeline and on whatever other pages you can.
  4. Like…Like….Like.
  5. Tell your friends, family and neighbors about the march.  See if they will also help raise visibility to this horrendous epidemic on our kids.

Doing this from your remote location will magnify many fold the awareness and visibility of what is happening on the ground in Salt Lake City.

This is truly a national march.  People are converging on Utah from 27 states in the union.  It’s also a global rally with representative from 9 different countries.

All we need now is virality.  YOU can make that happen.  March with your fingertips while others march with their feet.  It’s time to save generations upon generations of our children.

Our goal, and that of our 18 member coalition, is to end child abuse.  Some people say that our dream is impossible.  A couple of days ago, I had a chat with Matthew Sandusky.  He said that his goal was also to end child abuse and  that sometimes he hears the same critique.  He responds with this quote from Nelson Mandela, “It always seems impossible until it’s done!”

Schedule for the March to End Child Abuse, Oct 5, 2019

  • 8:00 am:  Gathering begins at Salt Lake City/County Bldg, 451 S. State St.
  • 8:30 am:  Rally begins with MC (Local radio personality) along with music by Eric Herman and survivor remarks.
  • 9:00 am:  Keynote speeches.
  • 9:30 am:  March to the Utah State Capitol (1.1 miles).  A van will be available for those not able to walk the route.  If you would like to take advantage of this service, please message Protect Every Child on Facebook to receive further instructions.
  • 10:00-11:15 am:  Marchers arrive at Capitol.
  • 10:30-11:15 am:  Live music will greet marchers at the Capitol
  • 11:15 am:  Keynote speeches resume
  • 12:00 noon:  Rally ends.

Notes:

  1. Parking. We’re asking attendees to scope that out themselves.
  2. For those who can’t walk 1.1 miles, you can come to the rally at the beginning and then drive or Uber to the capitol, use the van, or simply meet the group at the capitol.
  3. Times may vary depending on attendance. We don’t know exactly how long it takes for thousands of people to walk from point to point.
  4. Restrooms will be located at both starting and ending venues.
  5. Water will be available at the capitol. Please bring your own water container.
Registration is not required. However it allows us to gauge attendance expectations and to communicate useful information.

Please register HERE.

This is going to be an amazing & epic event. Bring your family, friends & neighbors. There is no greater cause.

Powerhouse Panel of Keynotes

Powerhouse Lineup

I am excited to announce the keynote speakers for the March to End Child Abuse on Oct 5th.

We will have the honor of marching with Jan Broberg, Tanya Brown and Matthew Sandusky.  In turn, they will have the honor of marching with thousands of you.

The members of our powerhouse panel are nationally recognized child advocates.  They are pursuing the very same goal as Protect Every Child:  A world free from child abuse.

Don’t miss this historic moment in history.  The very first national march to stand up for the human right of every child to grow up safe from abuse.   As of this moment 1,048 have registered, coming from 27 states and 9 countries.  This truly is a ‘national’ event that will be epic in the annals of protecting our children.   Please register HERE.

Matthew Sandusky

Watch Matthew’s worldwide TV exclusive on Oprah Prime.

Matthew Sandusky  was a victim of childhood sexual abuse from the age of 8 to 17 at the hands of his adopted father, Jerry Sandusky.  Matthew has turned his traumatic personal experience into a mechanism to prevent childhood sexual abuse and help other survivors heal.

Matthew raises awareness around child sexual abuse in local communities, supports the life-saving work of children’s advocacy and sexual assault treatment centers, and advocates for legislative changes.  Matthew also works with researchers, clinicians, the media, politicians, social workers and child protection professionals to raise awareness and improve the quality and availability of services to survivors nationwide.

In addition to his advocacy work, Matthew is committed to empowering and educating children to use their voices and help protect them against abuse.  He is working with other advocates to implement an in-school curriculum to empower children to use their voices as a first line of defense, along with parents and teachers.

Jan Broberg

Earlier this year, Jan Broberg became known as the subject of a movie chronicling her horrific kidnapping at the age of 12, and again at 14, by a trusted family friend.  The documentary film Abducted in Plain Sight was released by Netfix and is still available for viewing.  It recounts a jaw dropping tale of manipulation, brainwashing, kidnapping and child sex abuse.  All at the hands of a man who successfully groomed young Jan, her parents and the entire church community for his malevolent purposes.

Her triumph over those early, unspeakable events was instrumental in her speaking out to “end the abuse of every child on the planet. ”  She views this cause as a primary driving force in her life going forward.

Jan is an actress, singer and dancer who has appeared in more than two dozen feature films, numerous television series, and countless stage productions.

Tanya Brown

Tanya Brown is no stranger to adversity or trauma.  Her family name was seared into the national consciousness at the time of the O.J. Simpson trial for the murder of Tanya’s sister, Nicole Brown Simpson.  With the loss of Nicole, she has faced overwhelming life challenges but used these obstacles to ultimately improve the quality of her life.  Tanya became a domestic violence advocate, doing speaking engagements and training that would inform people about the horror of abuse at home.

Ten years after the loss of her sister, Tanya suffered a mental breakdown; and as a result, she has made a personal commitment to speak on the issues of how to overcome adversity and promote HEALTHY mental health for overall well-being.

 

High on a Mountain Top–Two Weeks to Go

 

Cindy Wells Hayes-TimpGreetings my FRIENDS!

Many adult survivors of child sexual abuse have written to Protect Every Child (PEC) expressing gratitude for all that you are doing through your activism, to help change the world.  You are lifting up the rocks and shining a bright light upon the darkness of child sexual abuse.

On their behalf, and on behalf of today and tomorrow’s children…THANK YOU!!!

A week ago we announced the Fall Color Tour of Protect Every Child banners, posters and signs. With the march now being only 14 days away, I would like that day to dawn BRIGHTLY.  I know it will.  The October 5th Children’s March will be triumphant in part because it was preceded by 9 months of climbing mountains, hills and driveways to save children.

A week ago, we requested that supporters invite a friend to unfurl a banner. Whether or not you go to your mountain together, on the same date, or separately, your participation and publication of your efforts will continue to help raise public awareness.

A week ago we expanded the definition of a mountain to include any institution that had the power to harm or to help a child, the power to hurt or to heal a child. The difference, of course, lies in the human element. What safety policies does the institution have, and are the people who run that institution following the policies?  The first place to start, of course, is with having proper institutional child safety policies for people to follow within every organization that deals directly with children. 

Months ago, Protect Every Child was perceived by some as a Utah movement.  Perhaps even a Texan movement because of where I am from.  Some perceived PEC as being a Mormon movement, because it was born out of the Protect LDS Children movement. The truth is that Protect Every Child is an ecumenical movement whose influence is felt across the country and around the world.

Protect Every Child is now a SIXTEEN-member coalition working to change things for our most vulnerable.  Our coalition partners are actively engaged in prevention, training, recovery, research, justice and legislation surrounding the issues of child abuse.  They all support the mission of PEC and the historic March to End Child Abuse.

So far in America, our banner has flown in the states of Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Maryland, Montana, New Mexico, Oregon, Texas, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, West Virginia, Wyoming , and Washington D.C. 

Across the world, our banner has been raised in the continents of Africa, Europe and North America. In Africa, our banner has been raised atop Mount Kilimanjaro.  In Europe, our banner has been raised in England, Norway, Scotland and Switzerland.  In the continent of North America, our banner has been raised in Belize, Mexico, Canada and the United States. 

The Spirit of Determination to Protect the Children is awakening around the world! On the same day that Protect Every Child will be marching in Salt Lake City, the Catholics will be staging a protest at the Vatican and ex-Jehovah’s Witnesses will be marching in multiple locations on multiple continents.

During the next two weeks, I would like to challenge PEC supporters to fly their banners and publish our message far and wide.  Let’s plant A Banner In Every U.S. State and A Banner On Every Continent and Fly it Among As Many People Of Different Faiths As Possible. We want the world to understand that child abuse has no boundaries, and that it’s rampant spread must be ended. That is our Mission Impossible. That is the Impossible Dream we dream.

Thank you for helping us spread the word through your participation in the Fall Color Tour to Protect Every Child.  We are excited with the momentum that is building as the date for The Children’s March draws ever nearer.  None of this could be possible without your help.  Like each of the beautiful autumn leaves on every tree, like each tree in every forest, our united one-by-one efforts are making a Mighty Unity of One Voice, roaring out to Protect The Children. We need each of you. We love and appreciate all of you. We thank every one of you.

Fly those banners high!  See you October 5th in Salt Lake City.

Resources

Video to share explaining Why We March

Register for the march HERE.

Supporting Organizations

Sign the Petition

P.S.  If we’ve missed your banner unfurling, let us know, and we’d be thrilled to add your story to our website.

 

Three More Weeks to Unfurl Banners

Ana Leyendo-3In preparation for The Children’s March which will occur in Salt Lake City, Utah on October 5, 2019, Protect Every Child would like to share an update on the Climb A Mountain Save A Child portion of our activism for this year.

Many of our supporters have already participated in this effort. They have done a fantastic job raising public awareness of the epidemic of child abuse. It is our hope that through this awareness, more and more people will join us in calling for protection measures to be put in place in all child-serving institutions. These wonderful people have created or purchased flags, planned climbs, scaled obstacles and unfurled their banners. I wish to personally thank every one of them for the caring and courage they each so freely gave to our cause.

I don’t want the world to forget what they have done. At protecteverychild.com we now have a growing series of posts connected to the page called Banners Unfurled. Any interested persons can go there to see the pictures and read the messages that our intrepid supporters have submitted to me and to PEC. With the march being only 24 days away, I would like that day to dawn BRIGHTLY because it has been preceded by the colors of a three-week Fall Color Tour of our Protect Every Child banners.

Therefore:

I would like to invite anyone who hasn’t yet climbed a mountain to save a child to make the attempt now. You can make your own flags, or buy them from Protect Every Child. Your banner can be as simple as a hand-lettered posterboard, or a picture drawn by a child with our slogan on it . We’ll take it! We know that many of you would like to do more, but that distance, health, finances or the timing have simply made it too busy to climb this summer. Many have told me these issues are also preventing them from being able to join in our projected 5,000 member Children’s March on October 5th. We honor your good hearts. We thank you for your belief and encouragement.

So that you may feel at one with us, when we march in Salt Lake, we invite as many of you as possible, across this nation and across the world, to let your local and online participation over the next three weeks be your contribution to the children and to this cause on their behalf.

Second, I want to stress that for a child, mountains come in many forms. I encourage supporters to continue to hike their hills and scale their mountains. However, I would also like to invite you to choose to take your stand in front of any child-serving institution in your community.  For a child who is vulnerable, endangered or being abused, their mountain may very well be an institution. On the other hand, their way over and out of their mountains may be the help that they find because of a child-serving institution. So stand in front of those homes, those churches, those schools and day care centers, those public libraries and public recreation centers, those runaway and homeless youth services. Stand in front of those places which society roars out, “This institution should be a safe place for kids!” If the place you are thinking of serves children, it qualifies.

Third, I invite PEC supporters to take pictures and video at that chosen place and then share it. Email it. Post it on your social networks and in social media. Hashtag #ProtectEveryChild. Hashtag #FallColorTour. You can even share your story with us, to whatever degree you feel comfortable, by emailing it to liberty-sam@msn.com . With your written permission, my small team of volunteers and I will help everyone know how beautifully and well you have joined in on the cause to Protect Every Child.

Fourth, I invite past, present and future Climber-Unfurlers to INVITE A FRIEND to participate in the Climb A Mountain And Save A Child campaign during this three-week Fall Color Tour leading up to The Children’s March. Plan your event and take them with you. If they live too far away plan a date to climb together or simply invite to tell them about the cause of protecting children. We want to spread the word. Despite being eight months into our effort and less than a month away from the March, there are still too many people who don’t know about Protect Every Child.

May those practices and policies which have caused too many children’s hearts to fall… be ended. May the colors of autumn, combined with the hopeful colors of our banners, remind the children that things can and will change. As sure as autumn follows summer, a harvest of hope will come. With every color of the rainbow, that hope will look forth on that October morning, fair as the moon, clear as the sun and terrible as an army with banners. It will rise, 5,000 people strong, through the streets of Salt Lake City… and shine.

You can register for the march HERE.

 

11 Peaks in 11 Days: Utah Climbing Itinerary

IMG_2268Unfurling Banners to STOP CHILD ABUSE!!!

July 24 – Aug 3, 2019

Over the course of 11 days, 11 peaks and trails will be hiked to raise awareness that our children need protection, especially in religious institutions where so many of our precious little ones have been abused.

Tyler Slack has meticulously lined up the itinerary below.  I thank my friend for the hours of thought and toil required to put this all together.  He plans to join me on many if not all of the hikes.

There is a wide variety of climbs.  From easy to strenuous.  Around the Salt Lake Valley, up to Ogden and down to Utah Valley.  Some start before sunrise.  Some last past sunset.    Pick a peak and join us.

Day 1, Wed July 24:  Mt Timpanogos

Meet-up time:  4:00 am

Meet-up Location:  Timpooneke trailhead, 40.4313, -111.639

Estimated Time:  8-12 hrs (Likely shorter depending on snow pack)

Length: 14.3 miles (4,389 ft. elevation gain) 

Difficulty:  Strenuous

Facebook Event

Trail Information

Notes:   Climb from 7,360 ft to 11,749 feet for a total of 4,389 feet elevation gain. Allowing many extra hours to complete due to anticipated congestion due to the holiday. Possible $6 fee if starting later in the day.  The actual length of the hike may be impacted by snow pack blocking the trail.  For safety reasons, we won’t be going beyond that point.

Day 2, Thu July 25:  Mount Baldy from top of Snowbird Tram (Hidden Peak)

Meet-up time:  11:00 am

Meet-up Location:  9385 Snowbird Center Dr, Sandy, UT 84092

Estimated Time:  2 hrs (4 hrs including tram ride)

Length:  2 miles (240 ft. elevation gain)

Difficulty:  Easy

Facebook Event

Trail Information  

Notes:  $18 Tram Ticket (if purchased in advance) 

Day 3, Fri July 26:  Donut Falls

Meet-up time:  11:00 am

Meet-up Location:  Donut Falls Trailhead (40°38’22.6″N 111°39’04.4″W)

Estimated Time:  2 hrs

Length:  3 miles (531 ft. elevation gain)

Difficulty:  Easy

Facebook Event

Trail Information  

Notes:  Depending on how busy it is, parking at the trailhead may not be possible, in which case it’s an extra .5 mile hike from overflow parking near the canyon road.

Day 4, Sat July 27:  Ben Lomond Peak

Meet-up time:  7:00 am

Meet-up Location:  Pioneer Trail, Ogden, UT  (41°19’13.8″N 111°53’55.7″W)

Estimated Time:  7-9 hrs

Length:  14.9 miles (3,618 ft. elevation gain)

Difficulty:  Strenuous

Facebook Event

Trail Information 

Day 5, Sun  July 28:  Sunset Hike, Ensign Peak

Meet-up time:  8:00 pm

Meet-up Location:  166 Ensign Vista Dr, Salt Lake City, UT

Estimated Time:  1.5 hrs

Length:  .8 miles (374 ft. elevation gain)

Difficulty:  Easy

Facebook Event

Trail Information  

Day 6, Mon July 29:  Night hike, Big Beacon Mt. Wire Trail

Meet-up time:  9:00 pm

Meet-up Location:  Bonneville Shoreline Trail, Salt Lake City, UT (40°45’46.6″N 111°49’23.1″W)

Estimated Time:  3 hrs

Length:  4.7 miles (2,184 ft elevation gain)

Difficulty:  Moderate

Facebook Event

Trail Information  

Notes:  Bring flashlights

Day 7, Tue July 30:  Sugarloaf Peak (Including Cecret Lake)

Meet-up time:  11:00 am

Meet-up Location:  9530 S Campground Rd, Alta, UT 

Estimated Time:  3 hrs

Length:  5 miles (1,801 ft. elevation gain)

Difficulty:  Moderate

Facebook Event

Trail Information  

Notes:  Possible $6 fee to park at trailhead.  Possible shuttle to avoid fee.

Day 8, Wed July 31:  Battle Creek Falls

Meet-up time:  10:00 am

Meet-up Location:  Bonneville Shoreline Trail, Pleasant Grove, UT (40°21’46.5″N 111°42’02.8″W)

Estimated Time:  2 hrs

Length:  1.2 miles (400 ft. elevation gain)

Difficulty:  Easy

Facebook Event

Trail Information  

Note:  We are only going to the waterfall which is 1.2 miles round trip.

Day 9, Thu Aug 1:  Grandeur Peak

Meet-up time:  11:00 am

Meet-up Location:  Church For trailhead, 5861 Mill Creek Canyon Rd, Salt Lake City, UT

Estimated Time:  4.5 hrs

Length:  6.5 miles (2,647 ft. elevation gain)

Difficulty:  Strenuous

Facebook Event

Trail Information  

Notes:  $3 fee for Millcreek Canyon.

Day 10, Fri Aug 2:  Temple Quarry

Meet-up time:  10:00 am

Meet-up Location:  Little Cottonwood Creek Trail, Little Cottonwood Rd, Sandy, UT

Estimated Time:  2 hrs

Length:  2 miles (300 ft. elevation gain)

Difficulty:  Easy

Facebook Event

Day 11, Sat Aug 3:  Hidden Falls

Meet-up time:  11:00 am

Meet-up Location:  S-Curve in Big Cottonwood Canyon

Estimated Time:  1 hrs

Length:  .6miles (42 ft. elevation gain)

Difficulty: Easy

Facebook Event

Trail Information  

IMG_2153

Temple Side Chats

Starting on July 25, each evening after the hikes, I’ll be stationed across from Temple Square.  With microphone in hand and Facebook Live rolling, our chat will be broadcast around the world.  One hour long, it will start at 7pm MDT.

Who are invited?  Why everyone of course!

  • I hope to see friends and make many new acquaintances.
  • Parents, grandparents and any one interested in protecting every child.
  • Victims and survivors of childhood trauma are particularly welcome.  We mourn for what happened to you.  We cheer for your healing and progress.  We love and support you.  We are standing up to protect today’s children from the indignities that your suffered.

Will there be an empty chair this year?  Yes!  During the hunger strike the chair remained empty for the entire 23 days.  This year I hope it will be occupied every single night.

Who is the empty chair for?  Representatives of any institution that has implemented strong child protection protocols….especially churches.  I invite a pastors, bishops, leaders or members of a congregation to share with the world how they Protect Every Child in their organization.

News Conference

In the midst of the hiking schedule, a new conference will be held.  Please, please come.

  • Date:  Sunday July 28
  • Time:  10:30 am
  • Place:  50 West Club & Cafe
  • Address:  50 West Broadway, SLC

March to End Child Abuse

Remember, the huge upcoming event:  March for the children on October 5, 2019 in Salt Lake City.  Be a part of this historic happening.  Help us leave a lasting imprint on the lives of children who will never experience the horrors of abuse.  We need **5,000** people to show up.  Please come and bring every single person you can muster.

Register HERE.

 

 

Grass Roots Changes in the Mormon Church

IMG_2656

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, aka the Mormon Church, still has a policy in place that requires congregational leaders to regularly take children behind closed doors and ask questions of a sexual nature.  There is no requirement to notify parents when these “worthiness” interviews take place.  The meetings are usually one-on-one unless the child “desires” that another adult be in the room.

Except for the vague instruction that they should not be “unnecessarily probing,” there is no limit to what untrained Mormon leaders can ask a child.  As a result, many bishops continue to ask totally inappropriate, shaming and harmful questions like those found HERE.

The Mormon Church MUST change their irresponsible and outdated policies that have harmed so many children.

Fortunately, there is anecdotal evidence that thoughtful parents and local Mormon leaders are stepping up to protect children on their own.  Here are 3 recent examples.

#1:  Stake president instructs, no one-on-one, no sexual questions!!!

Message receive this morning, July 13, 2019:

Sam, just thought I would drop you a line.  I have followed you for a while and have appreciated your efforts and thought you would enjoy hearing some positive news.

I was recently put into a bishopric in a Utah ward.  During my interviews with the stake presidency, I was determined to tell them that I would not do one-on-one child interviews and would not ask sexual questions.  If that were to be an issue, I could not accept the calling. 

To my great surprise, I was told by the stake presidency without any prompting from me that while I would be doing interviews with children, under no circumstances was I to ever interview a child without a parent present and I am not to ask questions of any sexual nature.

While I don’t know if that same advice was extended to the new bishop I was relieved to hear that from local leadership.  While it is a small step, it made me feel like if enough local leaders feel this way the church will change regardless of the brethren…common consent will eventually win!

#2:  Bishop eliminates one-on-one interviews

A message received yesterday:

Hi Sam, 

I have a family member who is the executive secretary to his bishop.  In their ward there has to be a chaperone for interviews with all minors and all women. Basically their bishopric has decided that if a minor or any female meets with any member of the bishopric, one of the other members of the bishopric or the executive secretary has to also be in attendance as a “chaperone” as they put it.

I know this isn’t being done everywhere and that it may not be the policy at a stake level.  Either way I know I’m happy to see it’s being done in that ward and a good step.

#3:  Bishop asks all parents to be in interviews

Recently the Mormon church sent out a survey soliciting opinions about a “proposed change” to the age for “worthiness” interviews.  Following is one of the public comments on 2KUTV’s FB page.

My brother in law is a bishop.  Every interview with a minor, he invites the parents/guardian to join them. Sometimes they refuse and other times they join. He says he interviews the same.

Good for the bishop.  There is no policy to ask parents to be present in the interviews.  He has chosen a path of protection for both the child and himself.  I can only hope that this bishop has also ditched the sexual questions.  To ask them in front of parents would be doubly shaming for the child.

Help Us Stop Child Abuse

*Protect Every Child (PEC) is no longer a lonely voice.   A COALITION of 7 organizations have rallies to our cause.  If you are part of an association who is working to protect children or support survivors, please let me know if you would like to be added to the coalition.  PEC applauds and supports the good works that all these organizations are doing to stamp out child abuse.

*Climb a mountain and save a child.  Climb a mountain, a hill or a driveway.  Unfurl a banner, take a picture share it everywhere you can.

*On October 5, 2019, bring your banners to Salt Lake City and March for the Children.  Please register in advance.  This will be an historic event.  The first major march aimed at halting child sex abuse.  Be one of the 5,000 participants shouldering our sacred responsibility to protect every child.

Protect Children Quote

Banners on Kilimanjaro

 

On June 5, 2019, 4 men reached the summit of Kilimanjaro with a common purpose:  Call for universal protections for every child against overt and covert sexual abuse.  This supremely important message was consecrated with a prayer, the text of which is shown below.

This was the hardest physical thing that I’ve ever done.  For six straight days, we hiked long hours to reach the launching point of the final ascent.  It began at midnight and took 8 1/2 hours of non-stop, seemingly vertical plodding to reach Uhuru Peak.  We dubbed it the death march.

The climb was difficult.  My sore legs will completely recover.  But the children who are sexually abused will live with the consequences for decades.  Please join me in doing what is in our power to stop the horrors.

Prayer for Children—Written by Gina Colvin

(Read at the 19,341 ft. summit of Kilimanjaro)

Mother, Father God, upon whose majestic ancestor mountain we stand, we bring before you our concerns for the children of this world and the unduly dangerous roads that many will innocently cross today.  

We ask a blessing of care over them.

We call to mind their bodies and the terrible vulnerability of our young people;

May governments, institutions, communities and families guard these tender children’s bodies well.  May their bodies be furnished with every good and lovely grace of protection and care, so that they might grow straight and strong, unencumbered by the traces of evil left upon them by the hand of avarice or neglect.

We bear in mind the spirits and souls of our children:

May all of those in positions of guardianship and care, nurture with great gentleness the Divinity and sparkle of God within, that is each child’s birthright.

We ask a blessing upon the minds of our precious youth;

May their teachers and guides be well formed and wholesome  in their own thoughts and ideas, so that all children are protected from ignorance, impoverished intellects and tyrannical ideologies that put them out of step with their true identities and belonging.

We ask a blessing on the hearts of our little ones; 

May our children be made free to feel joy, and compassion, wonder and peace at all of your creation.   May they encounter their inevitable suffering with clear minds so that they are well positioned to transform their suffering into wisdom.

And finally, we ask a blessing upon the children and adults who have been harmed by abuse, war, neglect and poverty.

Bless their broken hearts and bodies to find kindness, generosity and healing.   

And may they find deep assurances from the Source of all Compassion that they are, each of them, the Beloved.

In the name of the Creator, Pain Bearer and Breath of Life.

Amen

How can you help?

Sign the new Petition:

Climb a mountain, hilltop or driveway.  Unfurl and banner and share it.

Come to the March for the Children on October 5, 2019 in Salt Lake City.  This is the big one.  If we have 5,000 marchers, the national media will be all over it.  Institutions will be warned.  Huge awareness will be raised.  Children will be protected.  Past victims will take solace.

 

Great Grass Roots News

March Don't Make me grow up

Today, I received 3 encouraging reports.

  1. Several active families in Tucson are working in their stake to implement petition style interviews.
  2. Several active families in Scotland are working on the same thing.  They have promised to return & report.
  3. Then, the following letter.  Amazing letter.  Sent by a father of 3 daughters to his good bishop.  He attended the march and was disappointed that not one word was uttered at general conference about protecting our children.

Hello [Bishop],

You may have heard about the rally that was held last Friday in support of asking the Church to update its policies regarding Bishops interviewing children one on one and to also stop asking children sexually explicit questions. A petition was also presented to the Church leaders with over 56,000 signatures requesting these changes be made. I want you to know that I signed the petition and I participated in the rally as well. I want you to understand that this is in no way an indication that I do not trust you as a person. I think you are a good man and I’m glad you’re the Bishop of the ward. 

That being said, I think that it would better serve our children if the church worldwide updated its policy to require two adults in the room when children are being interviewed. This would be similar to the scouting program, where two deep leadership is a requirement at all times. Both for the safety of the child and for the protection of the adult from possible false accusations.

I realize that the church last week updated its policy to allow the child to request another adult be present in interviews if they wish, but I don’t think this goes far enough. This places the burden of protection on the child, who may not even know that it’s an option for another adult to be present. Considering my support for this cause, I felt I would be lacking if I didn’t communicate with you concerning my wishes for my children.

I am respectfully requesting the following with regard to my children:

  • My wife or I will be present in all interviews, whether with you or one of your counselors. Even if an interview is to be brief, one of us must be present. This includes formal interviews (such as at birthdays) or informal (such as a quick pulling in from the hall for a class presidency re-arrangement).
  • If in the event one of my children requests that someone other than me or my wife be present, we will allow them to choose who should be present (such as a counselor, or YW president or advisor, etc.)
  • Explicit questions about moral worthiness will not be asked to my children. The very nature of determining “worthiness” insinuates that a child may be unworthy. My children are good kids and I know that God loves them. Even if they do make mistakes, as we all do in life, I do not want them to ever feel that they are unworthy before God. They are always worthy of his love, no matter what. My wife and I, as parents, can help them with the repentance process and to accompany them to visit with you if that is needed. I am requesting that you do not ask explicit questions about masturbation, sexual orientation, or any other intimate sexual activity. These are items that My wife and I will discuss with our children in our home, as their parents. I do not think it is appropriate for a young girl to be in a room alone with a man, any man, and be asked these types of questions.
  • Children are not under covenant to obey the Law of Chastity. That is a temple covenant. We will discuss chastity in our home with our children. What it means, and how it relates to them. However, I do not want them being asked by an adult man if they are sexually pure. I believe that this type of questioning could possibly play a role in a child at some future point being groomed by other adults (whose intentions are evil) if the child feels that it’s OK to discuss sexual topics with an adult man. Now, maybe you never would ask these explicit questions. But there are plenty of Bishops out there who do. And it is damaging. It is damaging to a child’s sense of worth, and it could be damaging to their sexual development that could cause relationship and mental health issues both in the present and later in life. It is damaging that a child may develop a sense that they are not worthy of God’s love, as was the case for me during my teenage years.

If you would like to discuss this further or have any questions, I’m happy to have a conversation with you. However, as the father of my daughters, I respectfully request that you consider and adhere to my requests above. Thank you.

“My bishop replied that he would respect my wishes. Now, if more people would do this, we could force change! And bishops may make this their own policy even if they are not mandated by SLC.”

Good Point

My friend has a good point.  20,000 people have now signed the Protect-the-Children petition.  What would happen if only 1,000 of us sent a letter to our bishop?  We CAN make this change in the trenches before SLC eventually decides to do the right thing.

If you send a letter or talk directly to your bishop, please share it on the Success Stories page.  Today, we have 12.  Tomorrow there will be hundreds…as we each take individual action.

What Can You Do Now?

Help bolster our army of thundering lions.  Our petition currently has 20,138 signatures.   My next goal is 30,000.

If you haven’t already, Sign the Petition.

If you can, Share the Petition….again.

Every week that goes by, children continue to be egregiously harmed behind bishop’s closed doors in Mormon churches all around the world.

IT’S.TIME.TO.PULVERIZE.THIS.POLICY.

Links

Sign the Petition

 

 

Something New to Evoke Tears

March 30 MarchTonight I cried anew.  Pretty hard.  This time, it’s not because of the stories.

What an amazing rally!!!  Great local and national publicity.  Awareness is starting to gallop.  The advocacy team performed beyond my wildest expectations.  I’m not crying about the march.  I’m relishing in its afterglow.

Here’s what happened:

We Just got back from a family outing.  I turned on my computer.  Checked email.  One popped up from Paypal.  I was stunned…$15,175 in new donations.  One for $75.  One for $100!  One for $5,000!!  One for $10,000!!!  That made me cry.

Fund raising is uncomfortable for me.  This is the first time I’ve ever done it.  I would prefer to pay every damn bill out of my own pocket.  However, I realize that my friends want to be involved more deeply in our cause.  And…we can achieve our goal faster.

Prior to today, many $100 contributions had come in.  A few at $1,000.  A couple at $2,000.  One at $3,000.

Until now, I had hesitated mentioning the larger numbers, not wanting to diminish the importance of $5 donations.  $5 is huge.  I don’t care what amount you have donated, you are putting your money where your heart is.  Do not apologize that you wish you could have donated more.  Nope.  If you think I have any integrity, then you had better believe me…$5 is gigantic.

As I was greeted with $15,175 tonight, I cried.  I cried at the new confirmation that our cause is not grinding to a halt.  Instead, we are gaining momentum in every possible way.  Even the financial piece.

WE.ARE.GOING.TO.WIN.THIS.WAR!!!!

FYI

Expenses:

Approx.  $126,000.

All the costs for the march are not in yet.  There may be a couple more thousand when all is said and done.  You can find a prior breakdown HERE

Donations:

$66,344.54

Including $614.71 cash donated at the march.

I am NOT posting this to request additional money.  This is my spirit of transparency that eases my fundraising discomfort.

I’m blown away at how much has come in.  Obviously, people care deeply about protecting our children,

THANK YOU for your contributions and for you understanding.