my daughter

UPDATE - My daughter has since killed off the websites that had her cartoons, so I blogged some of her cartoons here and here, with narrative.

my daughter used to have some public blogs, and was listed under my "blog family" in the right column over there (-->).

she is a wonderful combination of artist and intellectual (although she tries so hard to hide the latter, with a bit too much success at times). she plays the guitar and draws wonderfully. best of all, her drawings convey something beyond mere talent in producing a recognizable image or scene. i see stories within her. i see the depth of her still-undeveloped 16 year-old soul. such people are frequently isolated in society; they rarely go unnoticed.

so beyond her friendships, the current masters of society have stepped in. her last school found her drawings on her website. colorful drawings including giving a cat a bath (well, in a washing machine) and of holding a girl scout at gunpoint because she didn't have the right kind of cookies. i know her mind, her soul - i knew fully that there was nothing within her malicious. but weak-kneed society raised up against her.

i was asked about her drawings and writings. in direct response to the guy saying that if it was his kid he would quash it without delay, i said i would rather parent the deviance i see rather than that which is hidden from me. he and the rest of the posse disagreed and dismissed her from school effective immediately at 7:30 on a sunday evening.

i was reminded of some eminem lyrics: When a dude's gettin bullied and shoots up his school / And they blame it on Marilyn (on Marilyn).. and the heroin / Where were the parents at? And look where it's at / Middle America, now it's a tragedy / Now it's so sad to see, an upper class ci-ty / Havin this happenin (this happenin).. / Then attack Eminem cause I rap this way (rap this way)..

the ones taking issue with my daughter hadn't a clue (although i did) what their own kids were doing. manage the deviance you see ...

she asked me if she was in trouble. i told her never to compromise.

so she changed blogs and started writing again. she used some socially charged words and got in trouble again. this time i agree that she stepped over a line. but i also know in my heart that no deviance was intended. it was blowing off steam. still, sitting in the school administrator's office with the police present was interesting. i don't fault the school in the least. i think that in today's climate, they had to do precisely what they did. i also think the administrator handled the matter - as a person - in exactly the correct manner. my daughter got her wake-up call, regardless of her outward indifference.

so i fear the inhibiting effect on her. she is an incredible personality. the fine balance between guiding and staying out of her way, i guess, is the ultimate parenting question. some parents mold and shape their kids into their own image. i find that to be the height of arrogance and repulsive. the other extreme is likewise challenged.

individuality is under fire in society. we need to change wal-mart jobs for muslems because pig is sold? i don't think so. jewish people seem to accommodate just fine. dj's are fired for fulfilling the written contracts they entered. references to God are removed because of an insultingly narrow interpretation of our constitution. plain vanilla is a great ice-cream flavor, but not a great personality.

the work continues.