I really liked the points you made, jp. In thinking about Carl yesterday, I had wondered if this was a penitential act of some sort-an atonement for the death of his baby brother. Do you remember when the boy said to him, "Why didn't you do something (to save the baby) I would have done something!" Well-he decided this time to do something. It crossed my mind that there was a savior/sacrificial element but I rejected that--too I dunno-dramatic.
As for the mom, you have a point about the death threat. But again, there are two available options to a woman. To live in the constant fear-and he could have still hurt either her or the boy at any time-regardless of her compliance because an abuser's rationalizations are not logical--or to become proactive. Get a restraining order, go to a shelter, buy a damn Uzi. But (in my mind)once she crossed the line of allowing him to abuse her child, she became guilty. The damage done to him, the things he was seeing day after day, well-sometimes I think fear has to be confronted directly, regardless of the consequences.
And that's what made her passive.
Would a jury be less likely to convict a woman who killed in her child's defense than her own?
Incidentally, I have no idea what I would do. Except that I do think I would kill someone who hurt my child. Of course, I've been tempted to beat up baseball coaches who weren't fair, so what else would you expect. |
