LETTERS: PUT WHAT HAPPENED IN REAL-LIFE PERSPECTIVE

To the editor:

Until the story appeared two weeks ago in this paper about the horrible thing done to the Venable boy, my husband and I were in complete ignorance about the whole ordeal. In this case, ignorance is truly bliss. How I wish this whole thing had never happened for so many reasons. I cannot tell you how much my heart goes out to this innocent young man who has had his life turned upside down and exposed to the world. We pray every night for him and all involved.

What I don't understand and will never agree with is why anyone would want to place any of the blame on someone who had nothing to do with this. I hear blame being thrown at the city of Jackson, the Jackson schools, the football team and the school administration. People, this is just plain wrong, almost as wrong as the crime itself. Let me tell you why.

The Jackson school system is composed of thousands of people: students, teachers, bus drivers, administrators, parents, coaches, custodians and so forth. These are some of the finest people I've ever met in my life, and I mean that with all my heart. You want to blame the coaches? The coach I know from Jackson goes way beyond the call of duty to help these kids not just through high school, but has been instrumental in helping these kids get college educations too. Several young men have been the beneficiaries of this man's dedication, sacrifice and high standards.

How about we blame the Jackson teachers who, I would bet, are as horrified about what happened as any of us? I'll tell that to my son's tutor who comes over after school to help him have just a little better life. I've seen her schedule, and I don't know how she does it. If you could see how she brightens his day, you wouldn't dare demand she take on the blame for what this handful of sad, misguided people did.

Don't you see that when you blame the school and town you're accusing innocent people of having some kind of knowledge and involvement in this evil thing? How dare you. My child is in a wheelchair and hasn't set foot in school this year, yet he is a student in the Jackson school system. See how ludicrous this is? Don't those of you who think this way realize that the students of the school and the residents of the city have been hurt by this?

We are blessed with four sons. Three are healthy and lead normal lives, growing tall, playing high school sports and running around town like most teen-agers. As I mentioned, our youngest son, Philip, is 13 and has the terminal kind of muscular dystrophy. Living with something like this every day changes you in many ways. The most valuable way -- indeed, it is priceless -- is you learn how precious time is. You are ever conscious of how wonderful it is to see a high school football game or watch and athlete run in practice. You know what a tragedy it is when people hurt each other and what a waste anger and bitterness are. We would give anything -- anything -- for this boy to be able to go out and run around the yard with a friend. Or to see him ride his bicycle again. Or chase a puppy. I think we can all get the message in here.

Please pray for those involved in this situation, especially the Venables. And please pray for our son. He never complains. If you knew what a sweet gift he truly is, if you could spend just five minutes with him, you would be a better person because of it.

SANDRA RESSEL

Cape Girardeau