Wednesday, July 25, 2007
A HEINOUS CRIME
Three of four members of a family who, by all accounts, did nothing but good with their lives are gone.
I had a passing acquaintance with Dr. Bill Petit through my association over the years with the American Diabetes Association.
I would never say I "know" him, but I am quite familiar with his good work. And I'm grateful that I can still refer to him in the present tense.
I cannot begin to fathom the depths of the grief he must feel.
This happened in a neighborhood where these things aren't supposed to happen. What you hear referred to as "a quiet community."
In plain English...an upscale, predominantly white neighborhood in a nice suburb.
I live in one of those, too. This story reverberates in every "quiet community."
These things, as you always hear, "aren't supposed to happen here."
But sometimes they do, and there is shock, and grief, and people ask "why?".
The television stations have "team coverage"; the networks pick up on the story; and it dominates the front pages of the newspapers.
But we don't ask "why" often enough when a tragic crime strikes a family in Hartford's North End, or New Haven's Hill section.
Maybe we (the largely white media) assume that violent crimes are supposed to happen there...not in our comfortable cocoons.
Yes, we cover these crimes, but often without the alarm that accompanies the beating of a doctor, and the murders of his wife and 2 daughters in a nice suburb.
I asked two people whom I have great respect for, (both of whom happen to be black) "What did you think when you saw the pictures of the suspects?" Both were greatly relieved...even thankful...the suspects are white.
And one told me that any black person who says otherwise would be lying.
This crime is not a racial issue, and I'm not trying to make it one of race or class.
But inequality (racial and socioeconomic) still exists at every turn, and the media, I believe, sometimes reflects that inequality, though without malice.
My generation was supposed to fix this, and we failed.
Net worth should not be the defining value of a person's worth.
For who they were, for all they did, Jennifer, Hayley and Michaela Petit had great worth as human beings, not for the neighborhood they lived in.
And we can only hope that Bill Petit can somehow, someday, overcome this unimaginable loss and continue his good work.
I don't know if I could.
Posted at 12:24 AM by Gerry
4 Comments:
This story has certainly rocked our state and, to some extent, the entire country. I live in Plainville and you can't think "Plainville" without thinking "Petit". They've done so much good for this small town and I've never met them. Their reputation speaks volumes - you respect the family even if you never met them. Their overall sense of responsibility to do good for their community is overwhelming. I cannot imagine Dr. Petit's relentless pain, nor do I want to try. All we can do is pray for him and the family he has left - pray for what, I don't know - it just seems as though that's the only thing we can do.
I am so sad. I am a Type 1 diabetic, and Dr. P is a good man. That something this horrific could happen to a wonderful family is so sad. I grieve. So much, Gerry.
I live in Plainville and when you think "Plainville" you think "Petit". They are an "old family name" in this small town and everyone know's them - even if they really don't. They have such a strong sense of responsibility to give back to their community and have passed it on to their children. Are they well to do? Probably, though you'd never know it. They are the most down to earth, civic minded family you will ever know. I've been checking some national blogs on this story and it sickens me to see the cynical remarks such as "why was Dr. Petit the only survivor - perhaps it's a case of murder for hire?" Some people were talking about "rumors of divorce". To them I say - you watch WAY too much Court TV. Some acts of violence are random - inexplainable and devastating but random. There is no way that Bill Petit - or any man for that matter - would allow their daughters to be raped and burned to death and their wife strangled for money - I refuse to believe that. If I believed that, all hope in mankind is gone. My best friend of over 35 years has diabetes and she has been going to Dr. Petit for many, many years. I can tell you that he's a throw back of doctors long gone - think Marcus Welby (I'm aging myself!). He cares - truly cares - about his patients. Personal notes, quick phone calls - not to mention an office staff that cares just as much as he does - he wouldn't have it any other way. The day of this tragedy - the office was packed with patients just coming to console each other and to be consoled. That's the kind of man he is. We can only hope to be half the person he is. Our sole contribution at this time is prayer - for what I'm not sure but it seems that we should all be doing something. Seems like the right thing to do at a time like this.
Melissa...
I think that's the dark side of the internet and blogs. Speculation...vicious rumors. They're not worth wasting time on.
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