Tears of the Silenced: A True Crime and an American Tragedy; Severe Child Abuse and Leaving the Amish

The world is a dangerous place to live; not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don't do anything about it. - Albert Einstein

No matter how bad home is, it is still home, and home is something that will always be a part of you, something that helps define your life.

My job as a fellow human being is to help the helpless whenever I can.

As a child I felt myself to be alone, and I am still, because I know things and must hint at things which others apparently know nothing of, and for the most part do not want to know.” ― C.G. Jung, Memories, Dreams, Reflections

People speak sometimes about the ‘bestial’ cruelty of man, but that is terribly unjust and offensive to beasts, no animal could ever be so cruel as a man, so artfully, so artistically cruel.” ― Fyodor Dostoyevsky

Courage isn't having the strength to go on - it is going on when you don't have strength.” ― Napoleon

There are moments when even to the sober eye of reason, the world of our sad humanity may assume the semblance of Hell.” ― Edgar Allan Poe

The most terrible poverty is loneliness, and the feeling of being unloved.

If you have a dream, don’t just sit there. Gather courage to believe that you can succeed and leave no stone unturned to make it a reality.” ― Roopleen

There comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor political, nor popular, but he must take it because conscience tells him it is right.” ―

In keeping silent about evil, in burying it so deep within us that no sign of it appears on the surface, we are implanting it, and it will rise up a thousand fold in the future. When we neither punish nor reproach evildoers, we are not simply protecting their trivial old age, we are thereby ripping the foundations of justice from beneath new generations.

Each time a person stands for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, they send a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring, those ripples build a current which can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance.” ― Robert F. Kennedy

No man has the right to dictate what other men should perceive, create or produce, but all should be encouraged to reveal themselves, their perceptions and emotions, and to build confidence in the creative spirit.” ― Ansel Adams

Never rebel for the sake of rebelling, but always rebel for the sake of truth.” ― Criss Jami

The moment we begin to fear the opinions of others and hesitate to tell the truth that is in us, and from motives of policy are silent when we should speak, the divine floods of light and life no longer flow into our souls.” ― Elizabeth Cady Stanton

that they won’t let anyone dictate to them. After all, in the end you are the person accountable for how your life turns out, not anyone else. Do not ever let anyone make you feel you are less than worthy, for every man, woman and child should have the same rights in this world. We were all born into the world the same way, and will all depart from it, one no better than the other.

have made the mistake of telling them I was Amish; they just stared at me and began exclaiming how exciting my

To be given dominion over another is a hard thing; to wrest dominion over another is a wrong thing; to give dominion of yourself to another is a wicked thing.” —Toni Morrison, A Mercy

Indifference is more truly the opposite of love than hate is, for we can both love and hate the same person at the same time, but we cannot both love and be indifferent to the same person at the same time.” ― Peter Kreeft, Prayer for Beginners

but above all, I wish for you to have the strength to stand up against the tyrants around you, those who are merely individuals bent on achieving their own desires without a thought for their fellow man.

Honoring all ways we survived our childhood abuse is healing. We were amazing and courageous.” —Jeanne McElvaney, Spirit Unbroken: Abby’s Story

I do not understand why it is so hard for people to believe that the Amish are capable of horrible crimes. As I told the police, the Amish don’t allow autopsies. There is no coroner, no police to investigate suspicious deaths or injuries. Most

You never fail until you stop trying.

Courage isn’t having the strength to go on - it is going on when you don’t have strength.” —Napoleon

Some things you must always be unable to bear. Some things you must never stop refusing to bear. Injustice and outrage and dishonor and shame. No matter how young you are or how old you have got. Not for kudos and not for cash: your picture in the paper nor money in the back either. Just refuse to bear them.” ― William Faulkner, Intruder in the Dust I

Trying is not failure…failing to try is.” I

You may be the only person left who believes in you, but it's enough. It takes just one star to pierce a universe of darkness. Never give up.” ― Richelle E. Goodrich, Smile Anyway: Quotes, Verse, & Grumblings for Every Day of the Year ON

The world is a dangerous place to live; not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don't do anything about it.