felix hominum

congrats to the curate

Congrats to Q & M on the birth of Samuel Isaac.

The men of the parish are planning a "man-shower";  details to follow.

UPDATE:  8 pounds, 5 ounces. 

BabyFirstTV begins broadcasting in Canada

A TV channel aimed at babies and children under three years old has begun broadcasting in Canada.

BabyFirstTV's first broadcast was Wednesday via Bell ExpressVu Digital TV and Rogers PersonalTV.

The CRTC has approved the channel as a digital subscription service, but Bell and Rogers are offering free access for a limited time this summer...

A 2003 study by the Kaiser Family Foundation, a U.S.-based independent health think-tank, found 68 per cent of American children under age two watch TV or videos daily.

"Our mission is to provide parents with the best content for their babies in the most convenient manner and means, and to give all babies a positive head start in life," said Sharon Rechter, executive vice president at BabyFirstTV, in a news release.

from the CBC

Wanting to make sure that JP would not miss out on anything, I quickly checked out the BabyFirstTV program guide.  I will have to get a Baby Sofa for him to lay on; as well as a six pack of Baby Bud for him to suck back while he begins that life long habit of channel surfing.  Maybe a bag of Baby Doritos just for good measure.

Over a year ago I noted that Baby TV was up and running, but at that time it was not available in Canada.

 

there's a penguin on the shelf

don't ask;  happy father's day

Okay, you asked for it...

Is there a connection between these photos?

bad parenting tip #87

"Daddy, I feel sick;  I threw up on my pillow"

"Just flip it over.  Besides, the other side of the pillow is nice and cool."

gratuitous baby pictures

It has become somewhat of a tradition in the felix household.  When you turn one, you get to feed yourself.  For your birthday meal.  And we always have a bit of a special treat:  chocolate pudding.  Justin was in fine form, and his three older siblings cheered him on...

sizing up the project...followed by victory

local response to the anglican church

A member of a local congregation voices his concerns over the ongoing difficulties within the Anglican Church...

Of particular concern was the downplaying of gender differences as a fundamental aspect of the structure of creation.  "A bottle is not an acceptable substitute", the parishioner was quoted as saying.  He has applied for membership on the Primate's Theological Commission, stating his concern over what he describes as the rise of "lactophobia" in the church.

Film at 11, diaper change to follow.

UPDATE:  As this story unfolds, we will continue to bring you top notch reporting on it's impact around the globe:

a]  in related news;  "Presiding Bishop Schori Talks About Tiny But Noisy Exceptions"

lost the books...

I was going to do a bit of follow up on the whole Carthage burning burning thing, but that will have to wait.  When it comes, it will also include some thoughts on Dawn Eden's book "The Thrill of the Chaste", which I finished a day or two ago.  The two dovetail nicely, perhaps intentionally so on Eden's part.

But in the midst of all this there was an event at the kindergarden last evening.  It was a sort of Dads (or special friend) & kids evening, which involved getting together with other dads and our kindergarden aged children & sitting around making crafts, singing songs, and building some sort of bird feeder thingies.  You can tell the novice dads because they brought hammers, and no needle nosed pliers.  We experienced dads brought needle nosed pliers, in order to hold the nails at a safe distance while a kindergardener wails away at the nail with all her might.  The experienced dads can use their fingers today.  The inexperienced dads have no bone structure left in their digits.

In anticipation of the evening, as SJ & I loaded our backpack for the stuff we would need, we emptied mine of things we would not need for the evening.  Things like books. 

"I put your books away, daddy."

"Thanks, SJ.  Do you remember where you put them?"

"No.  Don't you remember where I put them?"

why, when I was your age...

The soft underbelly of the Canadian winter childhood.

teach us to pray

And your father, who sees in secret,
will reward you...

no matter how busy you are

there is always time for snow angels...

you call that a Santa? I'll show you a Santa

now here's a visit from St. Nick:

I mean, sure some guy who thinks he is Santa Claus makes the rounds these days, pretending like he can just steal the mantle from old St Nicholas.

But this guy is the real deal.  SJ enjoys a visit from Bishop Nicholas.

sculpted nativity

One of the great things about tossing out our TV many years ago is that it gives us a bit of extra time to do some other things with the kids.  This year we did a home sculpture project of nativity scenes with the kids.  Pick up some clay at a craft or art supply store, and just have fun.  Then give them away.

Of course, we have nothing on the collection of the World's Worst Nativity Sets.  Or maybe we do.

Advent: the illusion of breathing exercises

One of the advantages of being the father of 4 kids is that you soon realize that all the various preparatory things you do in anticipation of childbirth are essentially illusions designed to give the false impression that you have some measure of control over the event.

I dutifully went to the prenatal classes before the birth of of first child.  Matronly advice was given to me:  I took notes on what my role was to be, how I could help, what sorts of things I needed to do.  Everything from placement of the pillows to the rhythm of breathing was discussed and practiced.  As if to convince me that when the time came, I would be able to control, manipulate or steer the course of events.

It was not so.

One of the great lessons for the father in the delivery room is that when the time comes, the truth is that he is a participant in that event only by invitation.  And even then, armed with my notes, my reading list, my practiced breathing exercises - I realized that I had no hope of controlling the event.  At best I suppose I thought I had a "part to play" (which indeed I did, and was reminded of the same).  But as to the event itself, my hope of control or manipulation of the sequence of events was quickly dashed.  Eventually I was allowed to hold the baby.

So it is with Advent.  While it is a time of (joyful) expectation, it is also a time for me to remember that the Nativity is momentous event, one over which I would like to exercise some measure of control.  I would like to hold the baby:  that bit I can manage.  But before that, lost in the "Hallmark-ness" of the season, is the absolute recognition that the birth of the Christ comes about without my help and beyond my control. My practices and exercises and reading (religious, liturgical, prayerful) are even at best, but poor preparation for the fullness of the One who was, and is, and is to come, who renders my attempts to manage Him useless.

I'm not a saint, just a parent

A few folks have emailed this article to me.  I pass it along to you.  The author writes for the Times, and is a fellow father of a child who lives with Down Syndrome.

By the way, I hope you are not too squeamish. This piece is not going to pull any punches. If you find the idea of love uncomfortable or sentimental or best-not-talked-about or existing only in the midst of a passionate love affair, then you will find problems with what I am writing. I am writing of love not as a matter of grand passions, or as high-falutin’ idealism, or as religion. I am writing about love as the stuff that makes the processes of human life happen: the love that moves the sun and other stars, which is also the love that makes the toast and other snacks. Love is the most humdrum thing in life, the only thing that matters, the thing that is forever beyond the reach of human imagination.

So no, I couldn’t imagine what it was like to live with a child who had Down’s syndrome. I could imagine only the dramatic bits: the difficulties, the people in public places turning away in shock and distaste, the awfulness of a child who couldn’t say his own name.

I could speculate on the horrors of living with a child who could not do a thousand things. I could create a dramatic picture of life with a monster. But I could not imagine what it was like to live with Eddie. You know, from day to day.

That doesn’t make Eddie unique. I couldn’t imagine what it would be like exchanging a childless life for life with Joe. I don’t think anybody can do that sort of thing: it’s not what the human imagination does. You imagine bits that make you proud and bits that make you fearful. You can imagine reading him the Narnia stories, reading his glowing school reports, watching him score the winning goal and hearing the applause after his solo at the school concert. But you lack the machinery for imagining the routine of living with a child who grows up with you.

The fact is that nothing to do with love seems so terribly difficult when you get down to it. Nothing seems an impossible demand on your time, your resources, your patience, your temper, your abilities: not because you connect with your inner saintliness but because you just find yourself getting on with it: muddling through. Most non-parents imagine that they could never change a nappy. Then parenthood happens and they do it. It was the same thing when it came to living with Eddie. It’s just parenthood: everyone who has done it knows it.

So Eddie was born, and I have spent the subsequent five years living with him. Not living with Down’s syndrome: what a ridiculous idea. Living with Eddie.

read it all here

Sarah Joy's "show & tell" for kindergarden this am was "what makes me special?".  She picked her favorite CD to bring along to the class, and said  "I can sing, I can dance, and I can pray"

Bishop Schori, Catholics & the stewardship of joy

A short time ago there was an interview published in the NYT with the new Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church.  A number of Catholic and other commentators caught this little section: 

How many members of the Episcopal Church are there in this country?

About 2.2 million. It used to be larger percentagewise, but Episcopalians tend to be better-educated and tend to reproduce at lower rates than some other denominations. Roman Catholics and Mormons both have theological reasons for producing lots of children.

Episcopalians aren’t interested in replenishing their ranks by having children?

No. It’s probably the opposite. We encourage people to pay attention to the stewardship of the earth and not use more than their portion.

Now you might understand why a variety of Catholics have responded critically to this.  In the wake of this particular interview, the PB's office has yet to clarify these remarks, even though a number of folks have drawn attention to this.

So what exactly is being said here?  Well, I suppose it could be argued that the first statement is generally correct in one facet - that there are theological reasons for having lots of children.  I say having, rather than "producing", because producing is a term from industry, which makes products, and children are not "products".  Second, that first statement has the uncomfortable link between education level and the size of one's family. That is a hornet's nest waiting to be poked.  You may ask two things:  is it true that there is such a connnection?  And then you may ask:  is it good?  Sometimes the true and the good do not overlap...

It is really that second statement which I want to look at.  Is the PB saying that having less children trumps having more because of the virtue of "the stewardship of the earth" and not using "more than their portion"?  Well, as the father of 4 children, and hoping to adopt one more (there is still one more seat in the mini van) I must disagree.  Children - people - are about the stewardship of lives, the stewardship of joy, the stewardship of that which is made in the image of God.  I want to expand on this, but I must phone home and say hello to them, and remind myself of the blessing that I have.

The newest member of the Chaplain's Stewardship Committee offers his response:

Since I only have 4 weeks left before the end of term, let me offer a bit of free advice for those of you about to graduate and set off on your careers and life.  Parenting is a vocation.  I believe it is true that not everyone is called to that vocation.  But for those of you who are called to that vocation, know that it is a godly one.  It is not irresponsible to have children, even, dare I say, what we might today consider "many" children.  You don't need a whole pile of "stuff" for that to happen.  An acquaintance of mine once commented that they couldn't have any more kids because their house was not big enough.  I replied (he who owns 980 square feet of domesticity) two words:  bunk beds.  Seriously, what kids need is more love, not more stuff.  It is an illusion of our consumer society that we need a certain level of affluence to have a certain size of family.

Having kids certainly teaches you about stewardship of the earth.  No scrap goes wasted - you end up eating everyone's leftovers.  Want to learn about sharing resources?  Put 4 kids in one room with one set of toys... also useful for teaching conflict management.

Having children is but one way in which we imitate God our Creator.  We choose joy.  We choose life.

related posts:  Dame Julian, Jesus and procreation  the joy of sex

a prayer is a difficult thing

let us grow old together
you and I
as winter comes to me
for you a summer's eve

no longer remembering
both of us, we may look
and just forget until He
who holds the fullness
remembers both and gives
new life

you remember me
and I you, as you
were meant to be

(I believe in the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come)

Just playin' around with words for a moment.

The connection between Down syndrome and Alzheimer's disease is complex. Studies of the brains of people with Down syndrome reveal that, by the age of 40, almost all develop the brain changes characteristic of Alzheimer's disease... info

I'll be about 75 when SJ is 40. God willing.

I've been asked to write a prayer for parents facing difficult prenatal diagnosis.  It is a difficult thing.  It is difficult to write such a prayer;  it is difficult to hear such news;  it is difficult to pray at such a time.

When the prayer is written, I'll post it.

Matthew 6.26:

Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?

annointing them with oil...

Emily and Sarah Joy helped me tidy up a few things today. Emily came across a small container of oil used for anointing and prayers for the sick.  After I explained to her what it was, she asked me if it worked.

I looked over at Sarah Joy for a minute before answering.

"Yes, it does, because He does..."

nothing wakes you up in the morning like a cup of hot...

pee.

from a toddler.

who decided to take off his nightime diaper and crawl into your bed at 5 am, and just let it go

note to self:  some species eat their young

considering active euthanasia of disabled newborns

Should severely disabled newborn babies be kept alive at any cost or be “mercifully” freed from their life of suffering? The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists considers "the ethics of prolonging life in fetuses and the newborn" should be debated.

The college has submitted evidence to the Nuffield Council of Bioethics, proposing an open discussion about the ethics of euthanasia for the most severely damaged of newborn babies. The option to end the suffering of a severely disabled newborn baby - who might have been aborted if the parents had known earlier the extent of its disabilities and potential suffering - should be discussed.

The Nuffield Council on Bioethics is investigating the implications of advances which enable babies to be born little more than halfway through pregnancy and kept alive. Very premature babies run a higher risk of brain damage and disability. Most die at 22 weeks (98%), though by 26 weeks 80% survive. Babies born before 25 weeks are not given medical treatment in the Netherlands and euthanasia is permitted in certain conditions. Recent studies show the rate of preterm babies is increasing.

The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists wants a discussion over whether "deliberate intervention" to cause death should be legalized, as a merciful ending of the babies’ suffering. The college said it was not necessarily in favor of the move, but felt it should be debated.

read the rest

In related news, the next L'arche prayer evening takes place on the 3rd Monday of November.

 

a christian response to hallowe'en

As a Christian parent, I feel I must protect my children from the consequences of hallowe'en.

The consequences of hallowe'en appear to be large amounts of candy.

Let me think about that...

...mmmmm

sol cafe oct 29

Faith and Hope and Chocolate

On Sunday, October 29, 5ish at Cafe Dabar, the sol cafe will be welcoming a guest chef to our "food for thought" kitchen. Lois is a Child Life Specialist at the Stollery Childrens' Hospital here in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. She will be sharing a little of what she has learned about Faith and Hope working with kids with cancer...

If you want to know how the chocolate fits in, you'll just have to drop by.

on baptism

While Shawn has been busy with a heavy duty discussion about baptism, I thought I would recall my two cents' worth for a moment:

Everyone is asleep.  I go to the kids' room and I pick up Adam, who is sleeping soundly.   As I've done dozens of times, with all of our kids, I carefully lift him up and get a few things ready.   

And in the middle of the night,
while he is blissfully unaware,
I change him. 
I set him back in his bed,
and look forward to his waking in the morning.

Our Father picks us up, (we oft unawares)
changes us (in the middle of our night)
and looks forward to our waking in the morning.

the eyes have it

JP out for a stroll

2006 Buddy Walk

The Edmonton Down Syndrome Society (EDSS) is having its 2nd annual Buddy Walk on November 5, 2006 at Hawrelak Park

Every participant helps promote the importance of understanding, acceptance and awareness of people with Down syndrome. Pledges collected will fund the Down Syndrome Medical Clinic at the new Edmonton Clinic. This clinic will provide dedicated services to people with Down syndrome of all ages.

Walk information:
·         9:30 am: Check-in/Late Registration
·         11:00 am: Walk Begins (2.5km), Followed by Lunch and Prizes

Registration Information:
·         $10 per person (Pre-register, before October 16, 2006)
·         $20 per person (Late registration, after October 16, 2006)                                     
·         Kids 12 and under are free

All registrants (including kids under 12) will get a, Buddy Walk Scarf, refreshments and lunch. The Buddy Walk Scarf will match your Buddy Walk Toque from last year, so be sure to wear your toque!
Please click below for a pdf copy of the registration form, pledge sheet and information brochure.

If you have any questions, or wish to volunteer for the walk please e-mail [email protected] or call our Buddy Walk Hotline at 271-WALK (9255).

more info and forms at EDSS

the grasping reflex

Many new parents are familiar with the grasping reflex - that newborn response to grab onto things like fingers, small objects and the tip of your goatee.

Grasping is innate - we are born with it.

During SJ's early years, one of the goals of her physical development was learning how to let go of things.  For most of us, we take this physical stage of development for granted - we know how to grasp, and then we learn how and when to let go.  In SJ's case it was different.  She knew how to grasp, but she had to spend effort and time in learning how to let go, and she needed help to do it.

Sometimes it is about the stuff we have - we naturally grasp for "things" which we think will make our lives better.  Jesus calls us to let go.  Sometimes it is attitudes, lifestyles or habits.  We naturally grasp, and Jesus calls us to let go.  We grab and hold on, and need help to let go of those things.

We spent hours and hours teaching SJ how to let go.  It's amazing how stubborn our grip on things can be, or is it  their grip on us?

Parables come in different forms.  Some are stories, some are people.

Mere Comments on the new genetic screening

Russell D. Moore at Mere Comments has a post on some discussion in the NY Times of the ethical implications of the new technology of preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD), a process where through in vitro fertilization (IVF) parents are able "to detect a predisposition to cancers that may or may not develop later in life, and are often treatable if they do."  Read the piece and the comments.

For some, this raises questions about the ethical trajectory of technologies.  For others, there are no such ethcial concerns.  My suspicion is that one's approach to this topic depends on one's prior world view, but that's another story, on which I've had my say.

How do we learn to about unconditional love when we engineer the one we are to love, in order to meet conditions we see as optimal?

the joy of sex

                                                               

dude, what's up with the Mr Spock eyebrow thing?
Justin Patrick c. 4 months
ya know, it worked out okay, this procreation thing.  It makes people.

death & pinot grigio

Prelude

“I wish I had your faith”, he said at one point.

You see, his young daughter had recently died.  So we sat for almost half a day, sipping pinot grigio on the patio of the café and talking about, not death, but life.

Early on in my seminary days a professor said something to me which has stayed with me almost daily.  “People need faithfulness, not cleverness”.  In my mind I struggled against cleverness, praying.  All the while we talked, and the universe shrunk down in size to the length and height and breadth of one particular person.

Interlude

St. Augustine recalls in his Confessions his many tears over the death of a friend.  Augustine was at that point in time the follower of a religion which did not hold that a person, as that particular person, would be “resurrected”.  His friend was gone, as a person, forever.  Sometimes, despite our best efforts, it really does come down to one question.  The pain of answering no to that question is too great to bear, or at least to bear alone.

"So why do you believe?"

I wonder if the ministry of Jesus with wine and food was not always feasting.  You get these images and pictures of Jesus laughing and living as he drinks wine at Cana, as he sits at table with the sinners and publicans.  I wonder if sometimes the conversation turned, as it did the last time he drank wine on this earth, to other things.

Postlude

Truly I tell you,
I will never again drink of the fruit of the vine
until that day
when I drink it new
in the kingdom of God.

Mark 14:25

proof of inherent gender difference

Daddy:  "What are you guys doing under the tree?"

Sarah:  "I'm listening for the birds."

Adam:  "I'm waiting for animals to come so I can hit them with a stick."

the public tragedy of genetic testing & abortion

 In the cities of ancient Greece a public performance of pathos would be staged.  The public tragedy on the stage would somehow cleanse the members of the polis by their participation in the great dramas of human tragedy.  The hubris, the shame, and the cruelty of the fates and gods are held up for public consumption, and the city breathes easy once again.  As if the public performance of tragedy atones for the crime, and restores the citizens to commonweal.  The Sheepcat alerted me to a recent performance, which he also addressed on his blog.  Not everything that needs to be said will be said here and now, but I must begin...

We have returned to our roots.  A story in the Globe and Mail (might be offline in a week or so) recounts the decision of “C. Smyth” and her husband to have an abortion 19 weeks into their pregnancy.  It is a rather sad tale on many levels.  C tells us that she and her husband of 7 years 

“could be perfect parents. We're professionals, with university degrees, own our own house, it's even paid off (we're financially careful yuppies). We're also fit -- we do Ironman events, marathons, play golf, travel and help support my parents.”

So what is wrong with the scene?  It happens that “our 19-week-old miracle is turning out to be tragically flawed.  A dreaded extra chromosome -- a triple X -- has robbed us of a healthy baby.”

“I cry myself to sleep."

Yes, and the agonizing choice you made has also spared you further tears. 

"My husband researches triple X on the computer. We have to decide quickly because it's already 19 weeks into the pregnancy. We don't feel capable of raising a severely disabled child. It would be different if we didn't have a choice, but we do.”

Righteous anger is an easily obtained commodity these days.  Shrill prophets against injustice are a dime a dozen, so forgive me if I play one for a moment.  You did a few minutes of googling and on the basis of that decide what kind of child this will be? Go ahead, everyone, look for yourselves.  Try hitting triple x syndrome on your favorite search engine and see what comes up.  I’m sorry to say this, but I don’t buy it.  To co-opt a phrase from another campaign - this is the 21st Century.  Catch up with the science, the education, the "progress".  University educated?  Professionals?  Urbane and sophisticated?

And then comes the question, which is really a statement: “Isn't it more cruel to bring a child burdened with so many disadvantages into the world?”

Cruel to whom?  To the child? Or to a lifestyle of Ironman events, marathons, travel and golf?   What is it that prevents you from parenting?  You have no strength, no character, no ability to push through the wall?  You have no resources? (“financially careful yuppies”)

I am sorry to say that I don’t trust you.  I suspect that someday the C Smyths will look at my child and ask a similar question:  “isn’t it more cruel to sustain a child burdened with so many disadvantages in the world?”  I know some of you will say it is an unreasonable stretch, but the link is there:  abortion of the flawed and euthanasia of the flawed.  There are no real grounds for making a distinction if you hold that there is truth in C’s “question.”

“We had already decided if it was a Down syndrome baby (one in 30 chance for a mother over 40) we wouldn't continue. I thought even my church-going mother (who goes door-to-door collecting money for those who are anti-abortion, and their pro-life campaign) could forgive that.”

C, let me reassure you of something, that God is always ready to forgive, even when people (including “church going” ones) aren’t.  And I suppose there are few "pro-lifers" out there who know this kind of decision from the inside.  But to forgive is different than to rationalize or accept and say “that’s okay”, and then sweep under the rug. 

“But what about this situation; it's not quite Down syndrome, but it's close.”

To what can I compare this generation?  Why do the prophets rise in selective anger?  I’ll wait for the letters to the editor (although the editor selects which ones will “represent” an alternative view).   But again, why do the prophets rise in selective anger?  I suppose at heart we all have our causes.  Some would (and all should) rise in anger had that sentence read:

“We had already decided if it was a black baby we wouldn't continue.  We knew from genetic testing that our child might be mulatto.  It’s not quite black, but it’s close.”

“We had already decided if it was a gay-gene baby we wouldn't continue.  We knew from genetic testing that our child might not have a high heterosexual drive.  It’s not quite gay, but it’s close.”

I hear you.

“We don't feel capable of raising a severely disabled child”, one that is “tragically flawed”.

And while this might sound harsh, to tell you the truth, I agree.   Who is?  I'm not.  Sometimes the C Smyths of the world are too much into their lifestyle;  they had already imagined their “treasured only child”, their “little athlete”.  In the whole list of qualities for parenthood, they neglected to mention love.

There is so much public tragedy here – this couple had to make a decision, one “too sensitive to share with family or friends”,  yet they are able to bring it to an international stage in a major newspaper.

What are the tragedies here?  That any parent is faced with the brokenness of creation.  It hurts.  I know.  That at such a critical time, they could turn to no one else.  They are alone in this.  And of course, there is the requisite self reproach from and to the Church – why didn’t we connect with these people at some point in their lives?  But if there was ever a case for “lifestyle abortion”, I think C has laid it out before us.

“I hate the sanctimonious people who have made this more difficult than it has to be.  No one begrudges couples thwarting God's plan by spending tens of thousands of dollars on fertility drugs, in vitro treatments, donor eggs, sperm, and surrogate mothers -- they get sympathy. But if you don't want to keep a seriously flawed baby, you bundle your pain in guilt and shame.”

No, it’s not the “sanctimonious” people who have made it more difficult.  It is the people, the people, with genetic disabilities and “tragic flaws” who have made it more difficult.  Sanctimonious persons like myself are only the messengers.  It is their cry of humanity which has made it more difficult for you.  You see, Ms Smyth, they want an answer to the “question” which you posed.   

Unlike other oppressed minorities, they have few self-advocates.  They do not stage demonstrations or run for parliament.  They do not organize media campaigns or engineer public vocabulary.  They do not file human rights complaints or challenge court cases.

And so sometimes the simple but unavoidable diagnosis is left for others to pronounce. 

You do not want me,
because you are selfish,
and you are willing to maintain that selfishness
at my expense.

And that, my friends, is a terminal diagnosis.

When I think of the future for my child and her peers, it is not the rapist, the abuser, or the paedophile whom I fear.  It is the C Smyths of this world, who with their genuine personal tragedy, their understandable choice, deny the humanity of another and openly declare: you are not one of us.   

In the spirit of the tragedies of old, somehow sharing the drama with the polis in a national newspaper eases the pain, atones for the crime, and appeases the gods. 

And of course, the offender is banished from the city.

Photo:

the tragically flawed, cruelly suffering under the burdens of disadvantage