Please Help

I don't normally watch Oprah, but today I tuned in for an episode about the horrific acts of violence and abuse against babies and children. I was appalled to say the least. I am a very naive person and I had NO idea that children as young as infants are being sexually abused in the United States and that these evil acts of abuse are being photographed, videotaped and shared on the internet. I just can't believe there are people out there who would do this. I was shocked at the vast number of individuals who have such material on their computers and how quickly it is shared. Apparently there are even "how-to" guides out there for how to molest children broken down into age groups. Is anyone else sick yet?

Thankfully, there are organizations and law enforcement agencies trying as hard as they can to track down these predators and bring them to justice. The problem is there are way too many cases and too little funding and man power to catch all of them. The agency may have a lead on a case but be unable to act on it quickly or at all. This means that while the case sits there, there are children being abused and exploited who desperately need a hero to come and rescue them.

Right now there is a bill getting ready to go before the U.S. Senate. Senate Bill 1738 PROTECT Our Children Act will:

• Authorize over $320 million over the next five years in desperately needed funding for law enforcement to investigate child exploitation.
• Mandate that child rescue be a top priority for law enforcement receiving federal funding.
• Allocate funds for high-tech computer software that can track down Internet predators (oprah.com)

Here is what I am begging you to:
#1 - PRAY for the thousands of children that are being abused right now. Pray that someone will be their protector. Pray that someone will save them from their horrifying situation. Pray that they will survive the night. Pray that their abuser will be caught and brought to justice. Pray that our justice system gives the harshest penalty available as even that cannot undo the wrong done to the innocent children. Pray that someone will speak up for them.
#2 - Contact your state senator immediately and let them know this is a bill that needs to become a law! For you Missourians I have listed our state senators and their contact information below.

Bond, Christopher S.- (R - MO)	Class III
274 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-5721
Web Form: bond.senate.gov/contact/contactme.cfm

McCaskill, Claire- (D - MO)	Class I
717 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-6154
Web Form: mccaskill.senate.gov/contact/

On the Oprah website there is a letter you can copy and paste to send or email to your senator if you're not sure how to express your feelings on the bill. The thinking is taken out of the picture....now there is NO excuse!

Having an eight week old daughter makes me ultra sensitive to this subject, but I believe that there is no excuse to let innocent babies and children go through these horrific acts of violence when there is something we can do. Please spread the word about this bill. I think it will be voted on at the end of September.

I'm so sick from the blurred images I saw today. Tiny babies are being targeted because they cannot vocalize the abuse they are going through. How can we let that happen? How can anyone be so evil?

I'd love to hear your thoughts about this.