So, Shane asked me to go to Police Academy Camp and I said yes even though my heart hurt over it. I want Shane to be able to make decisions for himself about what he wants in life even if I disagree. So today I took him and they let the parents stay and watch if they want. What I witnessed horrified and deeply upset me. Police officers were getting in children's faces and screaming at them either to run in place harder or just because they were swaying while standing. Many children wept while this happened. I witnessed kids having to build up defense mechanisms right before my eyes in order to survive. I watched parents smiling and even laughing as police officers yelled in their children's faces. It's so easy to convince ourselves that being treated like that is acceptable but it's not. The first moment I had I walked up to Shane to see if he was alright. A police officer had just yelled in his face because his posture wasn't what the man thought it should be. Trust me it took everything in me not to tell the police officer to go fu$& himself. When I got up to Shane I saw that he was upset. I said "I think we should go" and he silently nodded yes. My heart was breaking. So many of us have been taught that this kind of behavior is acceptable. Many of us have been raised in homes that were either physically or emotionally abusive and told ourselves that it was okay because we had to. But I am here to say it is not okay to be treated like this. It's beautiful to be sensitive and it's beautiful to speak out when something is hurting you. That is strength, that is compassion.