AR - Rep. Harris rehomed his adopted daughter to man who sexually abused her

[Margo/Mom]

Apparently the pre-school is still open. Are they still getting tax dollars?

Gotta stop.

 

[LibraStarr]

Elizabeth Vargas’ six-month investigation includes an exclusive interview with the former Arkansas Department of Human Services caseworker who shares surprising details on the story, plus interviews with the Harris family, the former foster parents of the two girls, and an interview with the babysitter.

Elizabeth Vargas’ report airs on “20/20,” on FRIDAY, OCTOBER 23 (9-10 p.m.) on ABC.

http://www.nwahomepage.com/news/justin-harris-adoption-story-on-2020-friday

 

[angelainwi]

bumping so people do not forget to watch 20/20

 

[Trident]

WOW. I just finished watching the 20/20 show. I have never been so disgusted in my life. They are no representatives of GOD, nor should this "father" be a representative of anyone, ever again - IMO.

What I saw on that show, and I realize it is not the whole story, was nothing more than the devil's workshop at work. I'm sick to my stomach.

My opinion only

 

[Margo/Mom]

WOW. I just finished watching the 20/20 show. I have never been so disgusted in my life. They are no representatives of GOD, nor should this "father" be a representative of anyone, ever again - IMO.

What I saw on that show, and I realize it is not the whole story, was nothing more than the devil's workshop at work. I'm sick to my stomach.

My opinion only

I am watching right now. All the same creepiness. However, when the story first broke, there was some observation about the curious look of the Rep., extraordinarily large chest, or small head. I thought perhaps he went about with a bullet proof vest on.

However, now that I am hearing him speak, I would, if circumstances were different, assume him to be a trans person. His voice falls in a typical female range. Now, I know that the Harrises are Southern Baptists and not likely to be accepting of any LGBTQ persons/conditions. However, that doesn't mean that it never happens. And sometimes buried secrets can do a lot of damage.

 

[RLynne]

I'm watching it now (thanks to this thread for the tip!), and I had forgotten just how angry this case made me. All I can think of is 'hubris.'

Harrises: We want to adopt, because God!
DHS: This is a bad idea. You're really not equipped to deal with these kids.
Harrises: You're attacking us, because God!
DHS: Um, no, really, these are really, really damaged kids, and yes you have childhood development degrees and run a daycare, but these kids are going to be *really* challenging!
Harrises: [throw weight around] We want these kids!!
Judge: Fine.
Harrises: [six months later] We don't want this one. But we'll take the other two.
Harrises: [six more months later] We don't want these two, either.
Harrises: [six months later] DHS failed us! We didn't do anything wrong! Our early childhood education degrees didn't prepare us for *this*, and even though DHS told us that, they were only telling us that because they were against us because God! We had to protect our *real* children!
***
I would still dislike them, but if they would just admit, "We really thought we were doing the right thing, and we were warned that we weren't prepared, and it turned out that DHS was right, and instead of admitting that and dealing with our mistake we STUPIDLY placed these kids with an inappropriate family, and we are SO sorry, and we really hope that this is a learning experience for other parents who want to adopt troubled kids, and hey, maybe the state should put more money into training/funding therapeutic foster homes (and heck, maybe DHS should just be better funded overall so earlier interventions happen so fewer kids get so damaged they develop RAD), and we're really, really sorry," I would respect them. A lot. But they're still playing the 'we're victims of politics' card. Ugh.

Sorry. Venting.

 

[cuffem]

I am watching right now. All the same creepiness. However, when the story first broke, there was some observation about the curious look of the Rep., extraordinarily large chest, or small head. I thought perhaps he went about with a bullet proof vest on.

However, now that I am hearing him speak, I would, if circumstances were different, assume him to be a trans person. His voice falls in a typical female range. Now, I know that the Harrises are Southern Baptists and not likely to be accepting of any LGBTQ persons/conditions. However, that doesn't mean that it never happens. And sometimes buried secrets can do a lot of damage.

I am sorry but this is a stretch and a bit offensive.You are going to judge him by his body size and speech?The family all has the same body shape and I assume it is genetic or environment(diet/exercise).Besides it has nothing to do with the situation.Also it would not make him a pedo if he was LGBT.I get a feeling that is what you are trying to say between the lines.

 

[Margo/Mom]

I am sorry but this is a stretch and a bit offensive.You are going to judge him by his body size and speech?The family all has the same body shape and I assume it is genetic or environment(diet/exercise).Besides it has nothing to do with the situation.Also it would not make him a pedo if he was LGBT.I get a feeling that is what you are trying to say between the lines.

My thinking between the lines was not that he was a pedo--but rather a religiously mangled specimen of humanity. People's secrets make them sick--and this family looks pretty sick to me.

 

[Sonya610]

My thinking between the lines was not that he was a pedo--but rather a religiously mangled specimen of humanity. People's secrets make them sick--and this family looks pretty sick to me.

After watching the show I do believe their religious beliefs played a large part in all of this.

Overall they just aren't too bright IMO. Years ago I did a lot of animal rescue and a friend in the rescue network had two foster kids. She had gotten them at a young age and had them for a few years, they had a LOT of deep seated problems that were never going to just go away.

The little girl showed signs of RAD and as she got older (8-9 years) it became pretty scary. Scary as in talking about setting the house on fire and listening to her foster mom burn to death, or one day asking what would happen if she took a knife and stabbed the parrots (the foster mom didn't react to that statement but promptly locked up all of the knives in the house).

The little girl had been with them since about the age of 2 or 3 and wasn't exposed to violent behavior or entertainment that would give her ideas regarding arson etc... She was a very cute kid, very outgoing etc...and very disturbed under the surface. Eventually they returned her to DHS when she was about 9 and verbalizing a variety of really twisted threats.

I think for many people they just can't imagine it until they SEE it.

 

[Margo/Mom]

After watching the show I do believe their religious beliefs played a large part in all of this.

Overall they just aren't too bright IMO. Years ago I did a lot of animal rescue and a friend in the rescue network had two foster kids. She had gotten them at a young age and had them for a few years, they had a LOT of deep seated problems that were never going to just go away.

The little girl showed signs of RAD and as she got older (8-9 years) it became pretty scary. Scary as in talking about setting the house on fire and listening to her foster mom burn to death, or one day asking what would happen if she took a knife and stabbed the parrots (the foster mom didn't react to that statement but promptly locked up all of the knives in the house).

The little girl had been with them since about the age of 2 or 3 and wasn't exposed to violent behavior or entertainment that would give her ideas regarding arson etc... She was a very cute kid, very outgoing etc...and very disturbed under the surface. Eventually they returned her to DHS when she was about 9 and verbalizing a variety of really twisted threats.

I think for many people they just can't imagine it until they SEE it.

I have also been around families with the full range of foster/adopt experiences. Saddest when a kid who's been hurt cannot be maintained in their "forever home." In no way should "rehoming" be allowed in the absence of significant involvement, support and services from enlightened authorities.

Truly sad is that the Quiverfull Movement has played a role in naive adoptions with some really disastrous outcomes.

 

[TTF14]

Watching 20/20 now and came here specifically to see if Rep. Harris was born a woman. I'd be very surprised to learn he wasn't.

And no, I don't think that means he's a pedophile. Just morbid curiosity on my part.

I know someone who "rehomed" an adopted child for RAD. Very sad .

 

[Nova]

Watching 20/20 now and came here specifically to see if Rep. Harris was born a woman. I'd be very surprised to learn he wasn't.

And no, I don't think that means he's a pedophile. Just morbid curiosity on my part.

I know someone who "rehomed" an adopted child for RAD. Very sad .

Between being an elected official and the attention brought by the adoptions and "rehomings" that would be a very difficult secret to keep. And the Representative and his wife refer to their sons as their "biological" children; if the boys were adopted, surely Elizabeth Vargas or some journalist would have figured it out by now.

Some men just have high voices.

 

[Margo/Mom]

Between being an elected official and the attention brought by the adoptions and "rehomings" that would be a very difficult secret to keep. And the Representative and his wife refer to their sons as their "biological" children; if the boys were adopted, surely Elizabeth Vargas or some journalist would have figured it out by now.

Some men just have high voices.

There are lots of ways that women can have children without a biological contribution from their husband.

There are also a lot of gender possibilities that could account for the Rep's appearance and sound. Recall that Caitlyn Jenner had at least one extended foray into hormone treatment--without his wife's knowledge--while being seen regularly on a reality TV show. So, born a bio man and toying with transition could be one explanation, as could be born a bio woman living as a man. That covers the simplest possibilities. There are also a myriad of intersex possibilities--with choices having been made by parents following an old school of thought with regard to "fixing" things surgically and never saying anything about the differences so that s/he never notices and can grow up "normal."

I just know that right-wing religious radicalism and gender anomalies are a particularly toxic mix--and it would appear that the Rep's family is one seriously messed-up place. I wonder even about whether the bio children should remain there sans some major interventions. Mommy and Daddy brought in three little girls, spiritually abused them and then moved them out. I just bet they're not talking about all that.

 

[TTF14]

There are lots of ways that women can have children without a biological contribution from their husband.

There are also a lot of gender possibilities that could account for the Rep's appearance and sound. Recall that Caitlyn Jenner had at least one extended foray into hormone treatment--without his wife's knowledge--while being seen regularly on a reality TV show. So, born a bio man and toying with transition could be one explanation, as could be born a bio woman living as a man. That covers the simplest possibilities. There are also a myriad of intersex possibilities--with choices having been made by parents following an old school of thought with regard to "fixing" things surgically and never saying anything about the differences so that s/he never notices and can grow up "normal."

I just know that right-wing religious radicalism and gender anomalies are a particularly toxic mix--and it would appear that the Rep's family is one seriously messed-up place. I wonder even about whether the bio children should remain there sans some major interventions. Mommy and Daddy brought in three little girls, spiritually abused them and then moved them out. I just bet they're not talking about all that.

Mrs. Harris could have given birth to her biological children with the aid of donor sperm.

 

[Nova]

Where do ya'll think choirs get their tenors?

A hint: it isn't from sex-reassignment surgeries or injections of estrogen.

We're just chatting and I don't mind a little or even a lot of speculation, but we seem to have left the road entirely here.

 

[Sonya610]

Where do ya'll think choirs get their tenors?

A hint: it isn't from sex-reassignment surgeries or injections of estrogen.

We're just chatting and I don't mind a little or even a lot of speculation, but we seem to have left the road entirely here.

I agree. There is no way Harris is TS or anything of the sort.

Common sense says if he wasn't a biological male but he was trying to "pass" as one he would learn to lower his voice! Sheesh there are plenty of videos with F2M transexuals and NONE of them sound as high pitched and squeeky as he does!

The annoying voice is further proof that he is a cisgender male.