Political Quotes

“Today, four people were charged with a violent crime after a Facebook showed 30 minutes of horror. The criminal charges barely scratch the surface in describing the terror experienced by an 18-year-old boy who suffers from mental disabilities. He was forced for 5 hours to cower in a corner scared, stunned, and powerless by people he thought were his friends. His mouth was duct taped shut. His hands and feet were tied. They cut his clothes, his hair, and scalp with a knife. He was burned, punched, and beaten. He was humiliated and berated. This was not just bullying, this was violent, perverse torture perpetrated by heartless young adults. His psychological trauma will haunt him for years. He is not alone because children with disabilities are four times more likely to be assaulted than the general population. We enacted major mental health reforms just a few weeks ago. Unfortunately, we cannot litigate compassion, mandate morality, nor legislate common decency for perpetrators who have no sense of shame. But today, as a Nation, we should all be ashamed and recommit to teach our children there is never any excuse to harm a disabled person. Never. I pray for the victim and his family. ____________________”