Have
you ever been prone to watch "True Crime"? If not, maybe you might be
familiar with shows like "Law and Order" or even "CSI." Sometimes these
shows, are even based on true stories, although the names, places and
dates may be changed to protect the innocent.
Now I want you to reflect, and recall if you've ever heard stories on the News of Missing Children, or even Adults.
For my next thought, I'd like you to again remember TV shows, or
documentaries and even "breaking news" (you know when the news
interrupts your regular scheduled programming; when they break in to
tell you something important)-usually critical, or something local. On
an occasion-even National appalling news.
These things stick
into your mind, but for how long? If its people you don't know, you
remember it maybe a day or two? If it's a National Catastrophe, maybe
you remember for a Month. And when its people you don't know, and people
that don't "matter" to you, how long do you remember those appalling
details of their untimely death? Or of their capture, when they were
kidnapped from their own home? What about the picture on the news of the
missing persons? You don't know them, so how long will you remember
their info?
Now I want you to picture with me, missing children,
kidnapped, abductions, news of missing people, later found.......dead.
Picture victims of crimes. Worse then you've ever seen on TV, because
they really have to be a little more discreet on TV. Details of the
crime are always left out, in hopes of drawing out the real criminals.
Are you picturing these things? They aren't pretty are they?
Now, these are little things compared to the fact that-if you really
think about it-there are obviously just so many people always missing.
People that never get recovered, let alone-made "known" that they are
even missing! I mean, if you think about it- if an adult went missing in
Germany, here we are in the USA, what are the chances that "we" in the
USA will ever hear tell of it?
I mean seriously think about this. The
coverage is the same in the United States. Someone, adult or children
comes up missing in California, people in Maine
aren't going to hear much about it, unless, and I repeat unless the
missing person has "acquaintances" in Maine. Amber alerts are National,
but just how many people physically "see" them? There are honestly a lot
of people who do not watch TV lately, because of all of the crime and
"crap" on it! Some people can't always afford it! I can personally
vouch, that my family and I went without TV last year for seven whole
months because of lack of income!
And I want to know why we just
can't put more amber alerts on TV, and even some of the "missing" on a
commercial here and there, every now and then. I mean, why not? We
advertise all kinds of stuff, why not advertise something worthy? And
don't tell me that the sponsors don't want to pay for it, and that the
"missing" people's families can't afford it, it should be a tax write
off, a donation! If more "missing" were seen, "more" people might get
recovered!
For some of us-do you remember the "Missing Children"
Milk cartons? Just because we no longer use milk cartons, doesn't mean
we no longer want to see and KNOW these people are missing. And remember
the flyer's that used to come in the mail with all the rest of the
spam? The one with the age progression photos? Where are they now? I
haven't seen those in ages either! And trust me, I looked!
Just because
some people said it didn't work, doesn't mean it didn't, because if ONE
person looked, that is ONE more then NONE! I say, keep the
advertisements for the missing coming, no matter who complains! The word
needs to get out! People matter, whether they are Children or adults,
they matter!
Now don't get me wrong, I know that there are
missing people that really don't want to be found. But what's sadder
there, is that government funding is put into finding these people that
"don't" want found! When these people should have the nerve to speak up,
and fix the problem. Announce to the people looking for them, "I'm not
missing, I just don't want found-I don't want to be with you anymore!
Move on!" No one says that you have to "say" where you're at! Everyone
understands getting fed up with abuse, or a relationship! What we don't
understand, is why you insist on wasting the governments money! Get with
the program, if you're "not" lost, stop "pretending" and let the
"people" and the "government" use the money on the "real" missing!
But on the same token, there are people who are in hiding by the
government-yet people continue to look for "them" as well. No one can
say anything, because the government is after a bigger fish. With this
scenario, the government should put their "phony" missing person on a
"w-a-y" back burner. Or make it vanish, somehow-quietly. Funding and
time should not be wasted on this either.
And let's not forget
about the people with Alzheimer's and amnesia. As these people roam our
little planet lost-usually pretending to be homeless-there are people at
home missing these people. Home, worried, and missing their loved ones.
And if you have ever watched "Cold Case" I remember seeing an episode
where a woman who was missing for well over twenty five years was found.
She had amnesia. She was hit by a car under a bridge. Twenty five years
later, she was found and brought to her family, a family she didn't
know, or remember.
What about people in boating accidents,
drowning accidents, who haven't been recovered because the Sea has
claimed their body and soul. Sunken ships in battle? Pirate ships? Even
the Titanic. All those lost people.
Then we have the murder
victims who have been killed and left to die alone in "the woods" or
"put into the ground" or even left to die in the trunk of a car in a
junk yard where no one will ever discover your crime. So many options,
so many places to hide a dead body on this little planet of ours! Lost,
missing bodies of people who are loved, but missing!
And of
course, we can't forget the people who kidnap for the money, and later
realize they aren't going to get away with it. Or what happens when the
Officer "accidentally" shoots the suspect before he or she can tell us
where the victim is? A victim twice over?
And naturally we can't
forget the famous runaways. These people come in all shapes, sizes, and
ages. Minors running away from child abuse, orphanages, sexual abuse,
and sometimes-for no reason at all. Regardless, they feel the street is a
better and safer place for them. And sometimes it is, but not always.
Sometimes these people have to run in the spur of a moment, no time to
think. When they should go to a Shelter, or ask someone for help. But in
some cases, time is of the essence. And in most cases, these are some
people who also become listed as missing. Sometimes it is a friend who
speaks out, missing you, but it might have been the bad person you were
running from who found you. And this is how you can end up dead.
Sometimes....it just seems like there just is no right or wrong turn...
And let us not forget the most forgotten people, the homeless. To so
many, they seem small and unimportant. But they are people too. They
matter, and yes they have family. Some haven't chosen to be living in
boxes, or behind buildings, or in shelters. These are ordinary people
just like me and you, who once worked for a living, and had a nice home,
and tried to make ends meet, and fell on hard times. So many of us,
snub them, thinking we are better than them. But truly, we are all the
same on the inside. And when a homeless person comes up missing, another
homeless person has to say something, and no one cares to listen. And
somewhere back home, someone is ashamed of this family member, this
homeless person-so who's to know when they come up missing after all?
How many homeless people are homeless and listed as missing? I suggest
keeping tabs on homeless friends or family-if you know any of them. In
other words, check in on them every day or so! Yes, they too-matter!
So I ask you, how many people are missing who "shouldn't be?" How many
people are missing and dead and we've not just found them yet? How many
homeless people are we ashamed to know and claim? How many homeless
people are listed as missing because they are in fact-homeless! And how
many people have been missing for a while- and didn't even "know" they
were missing-because of their amnesia or Alzheimer's-or who knows what
else. How many people know their missing and just don't want found? And
how many dead bodies are "swimming with the fishes?" and even "buried
six feet under." And people here, are worried about them.
Personally, I think we need to get the "know" out more. People just don't "know" enough.
So to help, as best as I can, I have researched, and found these
sites, that can help you in finding missing people and children. And
some of these sites, can help in multiple ways! Please, check them out!
Even if you don't think you "know" anyone. Look, anyway.
Let's Bring Them Home:
http://www.lbth.org/ncma/inde.php
their mission statement: A national missing Adults program providing
services and coordination between various government agencies, law
enforcement, media, and the families of the endangered missing adults,
as well as safety education for all ages.
NamUs National Missing and Unidentified Persons System
http://www.namus.gov/
their mission statement: The National Missing and Unidentified Persons
System (NamUs) is a clearinghouse for missing persons and unidentified
decedent records. NamUs is a free online system that can be searched by
medical examiners, coroners, law enforcement officials and the general
public to solve these cases.
America's Most Wanted-Missing Persons Search
www.amw.com/missing_persons/search.cfm their mission statement: to bring criminals to justice and to reunite families and friends. Also 1-800-CRIME-TV.
America's Most Wanted-Missing Children's Search
www.amw.com/missing_children
their mission statement: to bring criminals to justice and to reunite
families and friends. Also find AMBER ALERTS on this site, as well as
sexual predator lists! 1-800-CRIME-TV.
National Center for Missing and Exploited Children
http://www.missingkids.com/missingkids/servlet/PublicHomeServlet?LanguageCountry=en_US
their mission statement: You can search by state, make donations, get
tips, resources, amber alerts, and so much more! They have a global
network and work with everyone, and list missing on their site as well.
1-800-THE-LOST or 1-800-843-5678.
USA.Gov
http://www.missingkids.com/missingkids/servlet/PublicHomeServlet?LanguageCountry=en_US
their mission statement: Find Amber alerts (by state), the National
Center for Missing and Exploited Children, sex offender registry, tips
for families and friends, and so much more! 1-800-FED-INFO or
1-800-333-4636.
Missing Children.com
www.missingchildren.com
their mission statement: The online resource for anyone needing useful;
information, facts, and tips regarding the safety of Children.
Persons Missing
www.personsmissing.org their mission statement: helping people find
missing persons since 1996.
Missing Children on Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Missing-Children/320131244133?v=wall
Like this page to follow along. People post missing children and review those who are posted.
As you can well enough see, there are resources online. And you can
also search by YOUR STATE! Entering in your own state information will
bring up local information, which you may find more resourceful. Always
remember to involve the Police, and to keep them informed, this way
there are "less" mistakes.
Before I close, I would like to once
again, plea with you the reader, and even you the public, and anyone
else-whose attention that I might be able to get: to allow us, the
public more "know!" We need more visibility on our missing Children and
people. We waste our time and efforts on commercials with lizards,
commercials for cosmetics, and sexual enhancement products, then why not
advertise our missing? We need more on sight communication, more
thought provoking words, and more pictures of these little children,
those lost people-missing from our lives. We need to bring them home.
And together, we can. Come on people, let's make a difference! Bring
them home where they belong, show them to us, more often, let us see
them, let us remember their photo when we walk down the streets and see a
stranger. Let us put two and two together, and make them four again!
~ ~ ~
Let it be known that the links are also my resources. I did in fact,
research each site thoroughly to see what all they had to offer.
Other then that, the idea to advertise- is my opinion, and my opinion
only. No one can take claim for my thoughts or my words, they are my
own.
~ ~ ~ ~
