LJ Idol Friends and Rivals - week 6: I can't even

[i_love_freddie]

I am going to admit it... I am often ashamed to be part of the human race. In the last few years, every time I have gone on to Facebook, or glanced at the front page of a newspaper, or been forced to listen to the radio for a few minutes, I come away not knowing whether I want to punch someone or find the nearest brick wall and repeatedly smash my head against it in despair.

But it doesn't stop there. If only...

A very nasty, very spiteful person called the police and made false allegations about my sister and brother-in-law abusing their child. Apparently they were 'living in squalor' and starving him. The claims were apparently so serious that a specialised police child protection unit were sent out to investigate. Know what they found? Nothing. The house was a bit of a mess but there was food in the fridge and no evidence of abuse. So off they went... but that wasn't the end of it.

No. Despite no evidence of abuse, Social Services decide that they have to open an investigation. So round they come; harassing two young parents who are trying their best, poking their noses in with their bloody questionnaires and their patronising attitude, telling them that what they are doing isn't good enough.

Oh, and here's the really awesome part. The first social worker decides that my nephew could be at risk. Why? Because a couple of floor tiles in the living room were missing, and because there were no sheets on the bed – they were being washed. Apparently this somehow constitutes neglect. I wish I was making this shit up.

Also while the assessment was ongoing, my mother – who has one autistic child, another with severe anxiety and agoraphobia, and one who is a minor – was trying to support my depressed and suicidal sister, and was practically on the verge of a breakdown from the stress. Did Social Services give a fuck about that? Of course not. She had a very enlightening conversation with another social worker which basically went like this:

Mother: So once they have been assessed, will you be providing them with any help or support?
SW: Oh no, we don't have the funding for anything like that.
Mother: …

I honestly don't know what angers me more about this whole situation. I can't decide if it is:
1) That people can make spiteful, untrue and dangerous allegations and hide behind anonymity while they wreck the lives of others.
2) That an organisation set up to supposedly protect children and 'help' families seems to be made up at least 80% of patronising morons who would not know reality if it hit them in the face with a shovel.
3) That said patronising morons don't care how much suffering they cause.
4) While they are wasting their time getting all worked up over a bed with no fucking bedsheets on it, there are other kids out there being beaten, starved, even killed because Social Services aren't doing their job properly.

I have no words. That these people – these morons – have control over people's lives fills me with sheer horror.

Comments

[prog-schlock.livejournal.com]

Ugh. The person who called in the complaint should be ashamed of themselves. There's a lot of monsters in the world, but it takes a special kind of monster to try and create a situation where a child might be taken from a home for no reason. Once the call is made, they'll look for a reason to discipline the parents because that's easier than admitting that maybe the caller was just using them to harass people.

Its like a saying you hear a lot here in the US - "Don't call the police unless you're all right with somebody getting shot."

So awful.

I have a bunch of "the world sucks" songs in my head, but I'll share the most positive one:

[majesticarky.livejournal.com]

I like how your posts always make me watch music videos to these beloved hits that I've never seen before! Though not really sure what's going on with this one. Why does that kid keep holding up what looks like a photo of an ancestor? Probably need to wiki it or something. Most music videos make little sense to me. That's just the norm lol. REM is one of my favorites. I especially like Stand and Losing my religion... oh and Orange Crush. Too many good ones!

I always liked this song because it reminds me so much of Billy Joel's We Didn't Start the Fire without sounding so 80s.

[prog-schlock.livejournal.com]

I hadn't watched this one in years either, but my general sense is that his "world" as represented by his ruined house, has been destroyed and he's sort of both sad (remembering old relatives) and is just acting like a kid by playing in the rubble. Who knows though? :D

[i-love-freddie.livejournal.com]

I know. You want to hear the worst thing?

The person who made the call was my nephew's grandmother.

[prog-schlock.livejournal.com]

OH MY GOD WHAT THE HELL.

What was she thinking? Is she a monster or just a confused person?

[i-love-freddie.livejournal.com]

Mentally ill alcoholic. She's not allowed to see her grandson because 1) she's abusive to my sister, and 2) she is always drunk. So she frequently does stuff like this for 'revenge'.