| Okay, I’m
going to have to be serious for a minute, so hang in there.
My
dad is pretty close to being perfect. He’s a coffee and
fine European chocolate connoisseur, a die-hard New Yorker, and
a courageous survivor of the Holocaust. If it hadn’t been
for my Grandpa Max and Uncle Sender, neither my father, his 13
year old elder sister Cecile, nor the rest of the Spiegelman family
would have ever escaped the nightmarish Nazi occupation of their
Belgium homeland. My Grandpa Max and Uncle Sender bought a used
delivery van in 1940 accessorized with a worn-out standard clutch
transmission and unbolted planks of wood in the back. It was our
family’s escape vehicle from the horrors going on in Europe
at the time. Uncle Sender, who knew only how to ride a bike and
had never driven a car, knew even less about how to drive a stick
shift, Shortly after getting behind the wheel, he crashed the
entire shuttle holding 10 relatives and all of their belongings
straight into a ditch on the outskirts of Antwerp. It wasn’t
a good omen, but miraculously they all managed to survive weeks
of his so-called “driving” and hiding behind haystacks
from Nazi soldiers.
On my mom’s side, there are also generations of relatives
who were scarred and shamed by human immorality. Here too, were
stories of heroes and heroines, but of a different origin and
sort. Here the torture wasn’t inflicted by some evil outside
force like Nazism, but rather, insidiously, from within the trusted
ranks of family. Here too, there were untold numbers of innocent
victims ravaged by the betrayal and vileness of domestic violence;
those who survived were not left unchanged.
I have heard the devastating accounts of two tragic childhoods
and I’ve witnessed my brave parents gallantly carrying on
with so much warmth in their hearts and hope in their spirit.
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The
Devil Made Me Do It
Read
my essay, “The Devil Made Me Do It”, which chronicles
my days in the maniacal movie industry, as I struggle to
keep a sliver of my soul amazingly intact and find the mission
of the “ACT Against Violence” program.
|
I’m
honored to be an outreach volunteer for an outstanding group of
organizations working to teach non-violence. The
American Psychological Association (APA) and the National
Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) have
joined together to inspire adults to become positive role models
for young children by teaching them constructive ways to resolve
conflicts, deal with frustration, handle anger and avoid violence.
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Decades
of research have shown that during early childhood children learn
basic interpersonal skills, problem solving, and self-control.
It’s a critical time to teach positive behavior and the
skills needed to deal with anger and get along with others. ACT
(Adults & Children Together) Against Violence is one of
the few violence prevention programs to focus on this important
time in a child’s life.
The
goal of the ACT violence prevention campaign is to raise awareness
about how the behavior of parents and other adults can influence
young children The campaign reminds adults that what they say
and do in the presence of young children, particularly in expressing
anger and aggressive behavior, can influence what children will
say and do in the future.
Teach
Peace.
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ACT (Adults and Children Together)
Against Violence
For more information, please visit:
www.actagainstviolence.com
or call ACT directly at: (202) 336-5817
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