"I am a great advocate for women defending themselves against men. On Wednesday past a young woman I know told me Javon was messing with her. He'd choked her and slapped her. They were horsing around. They grew up together, and had been a part of the Unique Learning Center most of their lives. As college students they were supervising a new generation of children in the same Center. So they were friends.
But Denisia wanted me to intervene because her childhood memories of me see me protecting little girls from the boy's. In front of the other children working at their tables in the church I simply said, "Kick him in the nuts." The children were shocked. They could not believe I'd say such a thing. The schools and the churches don't condone violence, but they surely have little skill in defending children at the deepest levels of existence, or empowering children to protect themselves, or have the desire to ignite children's genius.
Children are magnificent facilitators. They know how to step away from anger into forgiveness and play. All they need is the understanding and the teachings of adults who understand and embody these things. In the meantime while the average person fumbles along playing word games with the realities of violence in a violent culture women keep learning how to not defend themselves with apologies, excuses, and explanations. It is astounding these facts; isn't it?" - Gregory E. Woods, Keeper of Stories
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