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The Black Sheep
In the 2000 primaries the fact Bridget has a dark skin was both used by McCain as it was used against him. At the time McCain was campaigning with his then 8-year-old adopted Bengali daughter Bridget in South Carolina and was favoured to win, after he already had won the primaries in New Hampshire.
Karl Rove, strategist for the Bush campaign, countered the success of McCain, by instructing his operatives to circulate a poll, asking voters: "Would you be more or less likely to vote for John McCain...if you knew he had fathered an illegitimate black child?".[1]
The trick worked and Bush prevailed in South Carolina.
It is interesting why McCain didn't defend himself and his daughter more during the campaign. I'm afraid there is much more to this story than meets the eye.
The story of Bridget's adoption takes place in the aftermath of April 29th 1991 cyclone in Bangladesh. Both John McCain and his wife Cindy, spent time in the Gulf at the time. John McCain was there in March on a three-day tour after Desert Storm. Cindy McCain was in the area on behalf of American Voluntary Medical Team (AVMT), an organization she founded in 1988, which sent medical professionals to areas that need immediate medical relief.
On May 10, 1991, Operation Sea Angel began: a humanitarian assistance operation in Bangladesh. Cindy McCain spent a month in the country, during which she visited an orphanage in Dhaka, run by the both famous and infamous Mother Teresa. In that orphanage she saw two girls, Bridget, who was born with severe cleft palate and Leela, who had a heart defect. Cindy McCain decided she wanted to take these children to the US for surgery and started pulling strings to get the children out of the country. Despite reservations by the Bangladesh minister of health and human welfare, she managed to get the children out of the country.[2]
Then the story takes a strange turn. According to some sources[2][3] Cindy McCain returned to the US bringing the two girls, much to the surprise of her husband, while another article [4] states he learned about the girls prior to her arrival, when she called him from Bangkok Thailand before her return to the USA.
It is a weird story and though it never raised much suspicion, it doesn't make much sense to me, unless it is to cover up the fact John McCain used his political influence to circumvent normal procedures. What couple wouldn't discuss such an important decision without at least consulting one another? Was there no contact between the two, while Cindy McCain was in Bangladesh?
Apparently they didn't have much debate over Cindy McCain's spur of the moment action and in a perfectly orchestrated article the McCain's told their story about the adoption of Bridget to the Arizona Daily Star on December 25, 1991[4]. A child was born.
Eventually Bridget got adopted and so did Leela, who was passed one to of McCain's aides, Wes Gullett, and his wife, a story brought into the news by McCain "old time friend" Karl Rove.[5] Whether she is called Mickey as McCain says[3], or Nicky as Rove[5] claims is uncertain.
In 1994 news broke about Cindy McCain's addiction to Percocet and Vicodin. Worse, she had stolen pills from the American Voluntary Medical Team[6][7].
The McCain's made a successful attempt to paint a picture of Cindy as the victim of a life in politics, with a husband away all the time. They handpicked five journalist to whom they brought the tragic news of Cindy's addiction two years before, that had lasted four years.
Why the timing? Well, in the mean time a former worker for AVMT, Tom Gosinski, had accused Cindy McCain in a lawsuit of ordering him to conceal "improper acts" and "misrepresent facts in a judicial proceeding." He had tipped the DEA to check out Cindy's organization. He filed the lawsuit as a warning shot. His real allegation was that Cindy McCain had fired him because he "knew too much" about her drug use.[7]
About Cindy McCain, Tom Gosinski wrote in his diary: All of us that work for Cindy have been asked to put in extended hours at night and on the weekend and have not even received a thank you. Cindy is the most demanding and thankless person I have ever met.[6]
About the work for AVMT he wrote: Regardless of what happens with Cindy McCain, it is time for me to get out of AVMT. I have so little respect for Cindy and her objectives--she has made AVMT a media event--that even under the best of circumstances I do not think this organization merits existence.[6]
Gosinski also alleged that Cindy had asked him to lie to make it easier for her to adopt a baby from Bangladesh.
No-one in the media picked up on the fact that Cindy McCain was wacked on drugs, while adopting a child, something a regular home study should not approve of. According to her own story she quit using drugs in 1992 after having used them for four years, which places the adoption of Bridget, smack in the middle of her drug abuse period.
The McCain's successfully undermined the credibility of Gosinski and his lawsuit was dropped.
The press accepted the story and so did they accept the story of Cindy McCain as a devoted mother. In an interview she said she chose to be a stay-at-home mom because she felt the most important thing she could do in her life would be to be able to raise decent human beings in her home.''[8] In reality she was often far away from home, making AMVT trips. Between 1988 and 1995 she made 55 trips lasting two weeks or longer, which means she was away from home at least four month every year.[9]
Although not having seen much of their children, the McCain's are avid proponents of adoption. If her husband, John McCain, becomes president, Cindy McCain would make child adoption her cause as first lady.[8] John McCain believes Roe v. Wade is a flawed decision that must be overturned, and as president he will nominate judges who understand that courts should not be in the business of legislating from the bench. John McCain will seek ways to promote adoption as a first option for women struggling with a crisis pregnancy.[10]
[1] Dirty Tricks, South Carolina and John McCain, The Nation, January, 14, 2008
[2] Cindy McCain: Myth vs. Reality, Harpers Bazaar, July 2007
[3] Interview with John McCain, DadMag.com, April, 2006
[4] McCain baby started life knowing about only one kind of luck, Arizona Daily Star, December 25, 2001
[5] Getting to Know John McCain, The Wall Street Journal, April 30, 2008
[6] Opiate For the Mrs., Phoenix New Times, September 8, 1994
[7] Overcoming scandal, moving on, The Arizona Republic, March 1, 2007
[8] Adoption top issue for Mrs. McCain, Augusta Chronicle, February 17, 2000
[9] Cindy McCain's Tarnished Halo, TPM cafe, May 1, 2008
[10] Human Dignity and the Sanctity of Life, John McCain's website
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Comments
Like so many before her...
I get really sick when I read about the women who buy a child because their husband isn't around to show them the love and attention they want and crave.
Is spousal-loneliness, or a sense of "entitlement", ever a good enough reason to adopt?
good reason to adopt
Spousal-loneliness...
This is a horrible reason to adopt! I see your point and take it to heart. I was not lonely, but became lonely in the years to
come, and did have my children as the reason to live, for many years. NO child should be used for show or comfort; but
that does not mean they are not comforting. I believe it was sinful for me to adopt so many children.... it became sinful
when it became so easy to do.
Entitlement brings with it the consequences of its use or abuse.... Anyone able to have biological children should not be
considered as PAP's unless it is a family matter. And those who do not have the ability to procreate should give careful
consideration as to why God did not choose to allow them to have children by birth. In hind sight I know why.
One Step Up From Bottom,
Teddy
You said "and those who do
You said "and those who do not have the ability to procreate should give careful consideration as to why God did not choose to allow them to have children by birth".
I have a hard time with that, why would that same God then, allow people who are horrible parents or addicts or abusers to get pregnant so easily?
To me, the question has always been, why are people who are so horrible at being parents, able to be parents-no matter what way that happens?
I have spent many hours and nights wondering why my life took the path it did, was there a reason, did I make the right decisions? It feels right and I feel at peace, but I don't know if that is the answer or choices "God" wanted me to make-how do you ever know?
I definitely agree, loneliness is not a reason to adopt a child. I do agree with what you said though, that a child can be a comfort to you, but never should be used for show or as a posession.
Did you ever think...
maybe God wants to show those "God-awful people" life offers all sorts of second-chances. Maybe God wants the milk of human kindness to stop being so selfish, and look at how a helping-hand can benefit more than a single child, but an entire generation of poorly treated children. MAYBE God keeps doing that ("wrong pregnancies") because humans just haven't gotten the "treat others as you would want yourself to be treated" RIGHT, yet.
I believe one should not question the motives of God, but the motives from within.
Absolutely, I think we are
Absolutely, I think we are all presented with situations and difficulties so that we can learn from them and hopefully grow from them, isn't that a big part of what life is about?
Sometimes it is just hard for me to understand because of what I have seen and where I worked. The 20 yr old who was coming in to deliver her 8th child, every child born addicted ot crack, or the 32 yr old doting mother of 3 young children who died on my shift of breast cancer or the foster child burned by an iron because their foster parent couldn't control their anger? You are nurse, you have seen alot too, I am sure, Don't you agree it is hard sometimes to comprehend why?
Having Lost So Much
At this point in my life I no longer ask why. There has got to come a time when I just can no longer seek the answer, but
just accept it. In my time of anger and WHY, LORD!? I found more and more losses hitting me in the face; and until I
could stop myself from trying to change things, then and only then did I accept that I am not in control... God is. How
can I fight against God? I find it much easier to live when I don't try to convince or control God. Do I like any of this?
No, but some is starting to make sense to me. There was a reason why I did not have biological children: knowing me, I
would have abhorred his blood in them, him being a child molester; and he would have molested them, too.
And DON'T say, "oh, yes, it's okay for the adopted children to have been abused, but NOT my biological children!" I believe
there is more to it that would have happened. Please, don't think that. It's the BLOOD connection that would have pulled
me from my biological children.
One Step Up From Bottom,
Teddy
WHY?
"I have a hard time with that, why would that same God then, allow people who are horrible parents or addicts or abusers to get pregnant so easily?"
Are they born to be horrible parents and if so, isn't this just a part of the world since sin first came in? We are not meant
to be in another person's life exactly the same way forever. Our part in someone's life may end sooner than later. The
children of horrible parents, addicts, or abusers will go on in life to fulfill their own lives; whatever they suffered was for
a reason which may not be known for years. There is a reason for everything!
I've often wondered that myself... Why, is a big word when asked of God, Who says, "lean not on your own understanding,
but in ALL your ways acknowledge ME, and "I" will make your path straight." I think it is where blind faith comes into view. Faith is believing in things you don't see or understand, knowing that God is in control of the outcome; and He can also
make good out of any situation if He so wills.
It's not really the "why" He allows something, but the result of it happening. God always has a reason why; we don't always have the ability to understand, yet.
"It feels right and I feel at peace, but I don't know if that is the answer or choices "God" wanted me to make-how do you ever know?"
There is NO peace when something is not right. "did I make the right decisions?" God certainly allowed you to make those decisions! I only have peace with some of my decisions and the rest, I must let God show me what I can learn from them. I think it is both: peace as the answer, and what God wanted you to do. God knew what I was going to do... He allowed it and now I must search for the way to live with my choices, making a better difference, now.
One Step Up From Bottom,
Teddy
The Seven Deadly Sins
I'm a-religious and though i believe in something divine, i try to live as if each day is my last and there is no after-life, because living as if i've only got ONE SHOT makes me much more mindful and responsible for my actions.
anyway, i seem to recall there being seven deadly sins mortals are to avoid:
lust
gluttony
greed
sloth
wrath
envy
pride
how many of these describe the potential adoptive parent?
as much as i hate to admit it, everyone has monumental challenges in their lives - maybe ours are more horrific than most, but in relative terms, i can't take solace in that. being a debutante might be hell on earth - i'll never know.
my point being, ill-prepared baby factory or childless baby covet-er - they both have to face themselves in the mirror one day - why wait for judgement day?
the ill-prepared baby factory and the childless baby covet-er is equal in god's eyes. they both commit sins. do they both repent? what do they think of themselves? how humble are they? do they learn?
religious or not
whatever anyone's interpretation of god's plan is or not,
questioning god's judgement isn't going to accomplish anything
the one we should be questioning is ourselves - and we all have mud on our face
in my book, the desperate drug-taking irresponsible baby factory is on par with the child coveting baby-buying privileged exploiter.
it's all about grace to me
criticizing the actions of other challenged people without offering them solutions is the opposite of grace.
that's the opposite of evolution...that's the opposite of progressive...that's contributing to the world being an inhospitable, divided place.
we all have our own challenges, our own waking nightmares to deal with.
our task is to work on ourselves and evolve into better, more graceful beings
our challenges move us towards grace.
The unpardonable sin is not:
lust
gluttony
greed
sloth
wrath
envy
pride
how many of these describe the potential adoptive parent?
IMO, each of these sins can be found in most people, in some form. I've known them all....
Lust was from my youth, when I had young emotions and deep desires.
Gluttony is still with me as I tend to try and self-sooth through food.
Greed was rampant when my husband made a lot of money through overtime; he was my
enabler as he paid every bill but gave no emotional support.
Sloth is what I was caught up in for 10 months and got my children in foster care... I was
consumed in fear of exactly what happened: more loss
Wrath was my middle name for two full years! I was indignant over HOW someone could
just throw everything away and destroy so many people, and seemingly get by with
it for so long!
I envied every single family who presented themselves as normal and happy! From my early
childhood until now, it seems so wrong that my family was so dysfunctional. A little
bit of self-pity here....
Pride in the fact that I could do an adoption without an attorney; could home-school my kids and
teach them to sing at nursing homes and churches; that God had trusted me with seven children...
And pride was my downfall! My pride is as dung on the bottom of the world's shoe as they are
constantly trying to get it off without touching me! Sin/Pride.... satan really had a good laugh on me!
But not any more; I'm learning how to lay it on the line: truth only will set me free.
"my point being, ill-prepared baby factory or childless baby covet-er - : what do they think of themselves? how humble are they? do they learn?"
Isn't this what we all want here: to put each, face to face and MAKE them look at all of you through God's eyes? Take
away the money and the vote whores; take away the inability to feed their own children plus the stigma of unwed mothers, and what is left will be children treasured in their own families!
One Step Up From Bottom,
Teddy
[a more personal comment]
Your words reflect a courage and a sense of accountability I can respect and admire. Although many of your stories are difficult for me to read and swallow, you have taught me adoptive parents can be victims too... making the adoption aftermath that much sadder.
The worst part of it all is knowing this type of family abuse (post-placement) is a pain that could have been prevented, but for some ungodly reason, it wasn't.
Words only an adoptee can truly... (appreciate?)
It seems the McCain Clan is making their campaign trail, using their adoption story to gain votes. Call me "overly sensitive", but what was Cindi suggesting when she made the following comment?
The woman that can buy McCain anything
McCain has no shame. He is a paid for man and now the truth is out. Why didn't he know how many homes he owned? Why should he. Cindy McCain may have had a drug problems (and theft) but she is not stupid. She wanted McCain and was young and sexy and got him. That did not mean she was giving up her fortune. She did not even share it with her sisters. I know McCain is not getting any type of ownership. Now to assuage his need to be equal to her in some form of power Cindy is paying for him to be president.
Unfortunately, America does not need another puppet who exposes his card by surrounding his self with lobbyist and Rove-like strategist. That is so Bush. All the dirty tactics can not be sweep under the rug by Cindy's money. We Americans are bigger than her. We may not live the life that her and her husband live; but, we live the life that let us know 4 to 8 years of the same will not work.
I can not even think about enduring another puppet sitting in the white house. While he in his old age think it is about him, big business and neocons continue to control him, only allowing him to run rampant with his need for power leading us into more and more wars in effect turning us into a third country and stripping us of all our pride while his fat cat lobbyist and big business friends live the life of ill gain spoils in another country. After all what does America mean to them but money, not national pride. No let me stop, McCain can not be tolerated.
WARNING! Controversial stuff
Chamay0
I visited the buildings where Mr. McCain was held prisoner, in Hanoi, North Vietnam. IMO, anyone who went through that
hell for years and came out a sane individual would possess more sensitivity than when he went in... therefore, his
personal life aside, we are about to vote for him, or the other candidate who hasn't a clue about overseas politics, which
this country is enmeshed in a war with...
If you want to look at his wife, then look at the other wife also so there is a comparison and not just a one-sided view.
IMO, it is the WOMAN who is all mushy about adoption and not the husband; most of them go along with it for their
wives.
Yes, it is very unfortunate that words are being said that hurt others feelings. We all agree there are many victims in
the adoption game, on both sides of the picture. And yes, a lot of families think they are saving a child from prostitution.
My husband didn't know everything I was doing.
I almost lost my children because of a legally prescribed dosage of Effexor ER which was way too high for my system.
I joined a club just to meet my soon to be husband; and I was the pursuer.
My husband made a big salary and I was a stay at home mom who made no money.
Cindy's money is no different than any other person who contributes to a campaign. Even I used my husband's money for whatever I saw as being advantageous to our family; most people do.
All my doings are on a par with what Cindy McCain is being accused of, only on a much lesser level. Put into perspective
she is no different than most other women; she just happens to have more money.
We are already in a war... McCain knows war. Would we rather have charm or knowledge on our side? It takes more than
the U.S. to create war and maintain it. I rather like my freedom. We have been in wars for years. There will always be wars and rumors of war.
You stated, "after all what does America mean to them but money, not national pride." At least he (McCain) would have a plane with the American flag on it instead of his own symbol of self which sounds a lot like the anti-christ to me.
"I can be changed by what happens to me, I refuse to be reduced by it." M.A.
One Step Up From Bottom
Teddy
i do not vote on the cult of
i do not vote on the cult of personality or the lack thereof
i am voting for the balance of the supreme court
i am voting for the balance of the economy and the federal budget without selling children and families short
i am voting for the balance of class - the excessive gains for the very richest at the expense of our health care and retirement have got to stop
i want to find a way to undermine "free" trade, which exploits struggling nations AND creates conditions which create adoptions
i am voting for American small towns and farmers and against big corporations like WalMart and Monsanto.
both candidates leave a little to be desired on all these points GO FIGURE
anyone who runs for office is fundamentally wacked, in my opinion
but McCain's war talk sounds like file footage from a hundred years ago. i don't want ANOTHER war monger in the white house. it's proven to be an ineffective use of our tax dollars and we've lost our sons and daughters for it. NO MORE WAR. It is NOT the answer.
so it doesn't matter that I'd be proud to have an excellent orator instead of a mealy-sounding quavering voiced old man representing me, what matters is that I have to vote to get more balance back into America. I have to vote against the McCain camp and the war mongering GOP since there really is no alternative. The way I see it, the GOP had a good long stretch and they blew it.
HOORAY FOR HONESTY!
almost_human, I'm impressed with how you put your voice forward! You stated reasons and didn't once call people
names in a fit of anger! Thank you for your openness. There really is a lack of choice when, as you say, "both candidates leave a little to be desired on all these points GO FIGURE.
EDIT TO ADD: This was just brought to my attention about extending adoptions between Vietnam
and the U.S. : "Recently, 134 U.S. senators – including Barrack Obama, Hillary Clinton and John D. Rockefeller IV – and hundreds of adoption associations and 8,460 U.S. residents petitioned for the extension of the Convention on Adoption between Vietnam and the U.S., after the U.S. decided not to extend the convention when it expires September 1.
IMO, one candidate for president is no better than the other.
Sincerely,
Teddy
"I can be changed by what happens to me, I refuse to be reduced by it." M.A.
One Step Up From Bottom
Tedd
a not so minor difference
When it comes to adoption from foster care or international adoption, one candidate is not better than the other. Adoption has become the bipartisan ideal of being a saviour. In it's highly politicized arena, 59 out of 100 senators and 155 out of 435 representatives, collectively make up the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute, which is a fierce promotor of adoption, on the surface mostly devoted adoption from foster care, but due to perks, like trips to foreign countries much of their actual agenda relates to international adoption.
The republican and democrat candidates differ in opinion with regards to domestic adoption. According to the McCain campaign he wants to overturn Roe v Wade. The adoption as alternative reasoning, combined with current focus on abstinence only sex education and restriction on the availability of birth control, would put the US back into the baby scoop era. That would be the death knell for international adoption, because many more babies would become available on the local market, but it would be at the expense of American women and children.
I admire
I admire your soft spoken replies and appreciate them very much. From someone who has always stepped back and
waited for the crushing comments with my hands over my face and head..... this is so welcome.
"I can be changed by what happens to me, I refuse to be reduced by it." M.A.
One Step Up From Bottom
Teddy
It's not my place to tell
It's not my place to tell people what to do, what to say or what to think. I certainly have my own opinion and my own preferences and everything I say is probably tainted by those opinions and preferences.
As a European I was brougt up with a very different mentality towards social issues than is common place in the US. Although there is opposition to the idea the state has a responsibilty towards the people that are less well-off, most of the European countries have a strong publicly funded support networks and I believe it pays off.
Although the average European is not as rich as the average American, there is much less poverty. There are less billionaires, but also less homeless people. There are lower crime rates, less teen pregnancies, less high school drop outs. There is hardly any domestic adoption. There are much less abortions. One in a thousand people is in prison instead of one in a hundred. Good education is available to everyone and is independant of income or social class. Medical care cost less than half, and is available to everyone, while less people are addicted to prescription drugs.
All that relates to a social agenda that is popular in Europe and is not in the US. I think it boils down to the question if rich people should share their wealth with the less rich people or if poor people should be pushed to become rich. In all honesty I think the latter, which has become part of the Amercan Dream, is in fact a fallacy.
It is simply not true that hard work will make you rich.
The number of seats among the riches is limited. It's like the olympics that are taking place now. It doesn't matter if 100 or 1000 contest for the gold medal, there still is only one gold medal to be won. So out of 100 people doing their darnest to become rich, 99 will fail, not because they were lazy, but because they lacked the talent, because the were unfortunate, because someone else was more shrewd. The drive to success as the only way to survive eventually sets most people up to failure and rewards only a few.
With my background that has seen much good coming from a strong public sector, I am biased against right-winged conservative politics. I see no good coming from polics that favour the rich at the expense of the poor and the middle class.
I see no good coming from further expansion of the private sector. National governements usually don't become smaller after privatization and the overall cost usually only grows.
I see no good coming from people having to rely on charity. I much rather get money from the state when I really need it, than receive it from a church. The first I can accept as a right, the second will make me feel obligated to join that church out of gratitude. If i would want to join a church I'd do it out of religious motivation and nothing else.
I see no good coming from supporting big corporations that in the end only look at their worth on the stock market at the expense of environment, dire wages and easy lay-offs.
Some may feel it is not fair when some hard working people have to share with some less hard working people and thus put there is unfairness, like there is unfairness when some hard working poor people make one thousandth of the money the CEO of their company makes. I think in the end the question shouldn't be about what is fair, but about what works. Harsh law and order politics don't work, though they are almost required to get votes. Harsh social politics don't work. War on drugs don't work. A ban on abortion doesn't work. Low or no minimum wages don't work. UNLESS... You profit from other people's misery, then it is a perfect system, that never solves its problems and keeps the money to treat the symptoms flowing.
Back to the adoption issues. Here is a video where John McCain is confronted about corruption in adoption and responds by praising adoption as the best solution to protect the right of the unborn.
Facts are easier to handle
Well, I for one am sitting here embarrassed over how that young woman was treated...
I think her parental rights were terminated and she/they took it up to the Supreme Court and lost.
That child should have been placed with family until she and the child's father had time to get
their act together and provide a home for Noah. My gut hurts just watching/listening to this video.
This is much easier to take into consideration than harsh words in anger. Thank you very much.
"I can be changed by what happens to me, I refuse to be reduced by it." M.A.
One Step Up From Bottom
Teddy
thank you Niels couldn't
thank you Niels
couldn't have said it better.
the american dream is held up to enslave us.
only by caring for each other can we truly be elevated.
btw,
if any of you have followed Noah's story, his dad only had a 15 day window to claim his child!
that just reeks of adoption industry intervention in state government to me...
what the video was about
And here is a news coverage on NBC Action News:
A very different reaction
Michelle's reaction to Ibanika - much more cordial and also actually acknowledging the root problems.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sVTlUYGS91Q
from Daily Bastardette:
http://www.bastardette.blogspot.com/
Now, while I agree with Bastardette that Obama (like McCain) is pandering to the Evangelicals by agreeing this new scoop is a good idea, I think his insertion of what I highlighted in blue indicates he's a man of reason and not just ideological fervor.
Sooooo, if you're voting based on adoption politics, Obama is clearly the lesser of two evils.
Seriously...
In the game of politics, you don't think BOTH candidates are going to make sure their running-mates offer an opinion other than "the president's"?
Common sense dictates if one candidate proclaims "I am pro-choice", his running mate will most likely be "pro-life", or "anti-abortion". It makes for good debate and adds to public confusion.
As far as my 2-cents goes... I make no decisions until it's me, my ballot, and my opinion on who will fail me, and my children, least.
I take it for granted...
that the world will fail me and my children! I have to vote because I am one to bitch about the president. I'm listening to
what everyone has to say; even though I have some thoughts of my own; and I think you are right about making the
decision when the ballot is in hand. So many things can happen between now and November. I like Joe Biden and
hope to hear more about him. I would have liked Hillary Clinton better, though.
I listen more to sound logic and facts than I do to fly-by postings.
Thanks to all here who have added thought to this discussion.
"I can be changed by what happens to me, I refuse to be reduced by it." M.A.
One Step Up From Bottom
Teddy