Updated April 10, 2008 URL is http://our.tentativetimes.net/opine/paulmail.html

Mail about Paul McLaughlin

child abuse survivor and activist

• CONTENTS:
• Letters to the editor about Paul, and email
• The link to the first page of Paul's site here on Opine
• Links to Paul pages on other servers
• Links out

I found Paul and Liz McLaughlin while researching child abuse on the Internet. We corresponded, and here is the story that Paul asked me to put in Opine magazine. Paul wrote this himself, and I do not edit Paul, as he prefers to speak in his own words. This may be one of the most important stories you will ever read. Any email I receive I will forward to Paul, so why not write to him directly at: Liz & Paul McLaughlin scan@efn.org

Another way to help spread the word is with letters to the editor. Here is a letter from a teen, and a response from Paul.

Register-Guard Newspaper
Eugene, Oregon
Letters to Editor
News too depressing
Feb-6-1992

You'd think, out of all the stuff being talked about in this world and
city, there might be something good going on. Well, maybe there is, but
we sure never hear about it.

I'm a 14-year old and am starting to read the paper. All I read about
are how people were killed somewhere or how some murderer escaped from
prison. I realize people need to know what's going on, but for a person
my age it's depressing. With all the pressures of being a teen-ager
going to school, I personally don't need to get up in the morning and
read about how a "killer performed lobotomies" on his victims.

Some of the stuff The Register-Guard prints in their paper is a real
downer. After looking through four different days of papers, I found not
one uplifting story that made me feel good. Somewhere out there, there
must be something good going on. Why can't they find it?

Diana P-------, age 14
Eugene, Oregon
----------------------
Register-Guard Newspaper
Eugene, Oregon
Letters to Editor
Help Others Learn
Feb-16-1992

In response to Diana Painter, the 14-year-old whose letter, "News too
depressing," appeared Feb. 6: I said the same thing at that age. Not
only read about bad things but also experienced them in real life. I,
along with my twin sister, was abused for 20 years in a dysfunctional
family.

Things are printed in newspapers to help others to learn about our
society. In 1977 I wrote 2 booklets on prevention of child abuse because
I read about it in many newspapers and had experienced it in real life.
I helped many people with my true story. What I read in the newspapers
made me help the homeless people, children on drugs and many children
who are being hurt by adults. I visit many children in hospitals and
also visit alcoholics. I can't recall how many people I've helped, and
it's rewarding. It costs me nothing to help others-it's free.

What Painter reads in the newspaper should make her very thankful that
she has a good life and good parents. What she reads in the newspaper
might give her the opportunity to help others in life when she becomes
an adult. In fact, she will some day do better than I have done to help
people in life.

The Bible is about people who had many problems like the ones you read
about in today's newspapers. It tells of one man who came to help
people. Painter can find in the Bible the uplifting story she seeks.

Paul McLaughlin
Stop Child Abuse
Eugene, Oregon

More letters to Paul

January 27, 1997

Dear Paul

Thank you for writing and keeping me up-to-date on your Mint Green
Ribbon Campaign. I congratulate you for building awareness of child
abuse through your ribbon campaign. It certainly seems to me that you
are on the right track-spreading the word of your campaign in person and
through the internet. In your efforts to get people to wear the ribbon,
you and Holli Marshall are helping more people become aware of the
tradgedy of child abuse. As we have found with other social ills,
awarness is the first step to solving a problem.

You may be interested to know that I am currently researching ways to
improve parenting skills in Oregon. This may be one way to help children
grow up in safer and kinder homes.

I encourage you to continue with your efforts to raise individual
awareness of the issues of child abuse. Please keep me informed on your
progress.

Sincerely,
Cynthis Wooten, email wooten.rep@state.or.us
Oregon State Representative
District 41
State Capitol,
Salem, Oregon 97310

October 3, 1997
Dear Paul McLaughlin

I was searching the internet one day and I found your story. It realy
caught my eye. I sat and read the whole thing through. When I finished I
had some tears in my eyes. I could not imagine anybody going through
what you went through. After reading your story I decided to do some
more research on child abuse. I work with young children and could not
imagine anybody having to live through such abuse. I love children. They
brighten my day and every time I have a conversation with them I realize
that they are going to be people someday.

My name is Kellie O'Shea and I am a college student at the University of
Northern Colorado. I am a sophmore this year. I work as a pre-school
teacher, I mainly focus with three year old children. I am currently in
an english college research paper course. We are required to write a ten
to twelve page paper on something that caught our attention. When I was
looking on the internet I found your story. Then I started to think
about the children I work with. I could not imagine any of them being
physically abused. I also don't know what to look for when detecting
child abuse. So I decided to do my college research paper on physical
child abuse. I want to learn more about what happens to the children and
the people that are giving the abuse.

The college research paper that I am writing needs to contain one
personal interview. I thought about it and I felt awkward about asking
people personal questions. I don't know how comfortable people are when
it comes time to talk about what happened to them. So I thought about
interviewing somebody who is willing to tell their story. I read your
story and you seen to be willing to tell about your experience. If it is
okay with you, I would like to send you some questions that would be
helpful to my paper. Would you please write me back to let me know if
this would be alright with you. Thank you for taking your story public.
There are many children who are currently or have been abused and are
scared to talk. Maybe your story will inspire some people to come
forward.

Thank You Again,

Kellie O'Shea Lawrenson 11F
Greeley, Colorado 80631

Sept. 20, 1996
Dear Mr. Mclaughlin

Greetings from the beautiful Cape Town, South Africa!

I had read through your web site with the greatest of interest. We do,
unfortunately, have a lamentable record of child abuse and molestation
in our country, and - as the editor of UUNET Internet Africa's Newsline,
I feel strongly about the need to communicate the stories, the pain, the
shame.

I put your site as a Special Feature on our Newline page, you can see it
at:
http://www.iafrica.com:80/iafrica/newsletter/news.htm#top

UUNET Internet Africa is Africa's largest ISP, with the client base of
over 30000 users.

I commend you on your courage and zest and wish you all the best in your
future projects.

Regards
Rudy-Nadler-Nir, email rudyn@iafrica.com
rudyn@iafrica.com

May 25, 1997
Hi Paul!

Book Report for School Work.
Child abuse: The Suffering of the Innocent

Well that was my term paper that I returned in on Thursday. It was
difficult to write learning all that happens to the young children. I am
very happy that I got the chance to interview you. I hope all is well
with you and your wife Liz. Congradualtions on your magazine job. Please
send me a copy of the article, it would be interesting to see and read.
Well i have to wrap it up now. Please tell me what you think about the
paper.

There may be some minor mistakes!!!


Kara C. O'neill
karaol@juno.com

April 22, 1996

Dear Paul,

It is nice to be back at university, and to see my friends again.
We have a new spanish girl live in our house. It will be a little
strange for a while as I am used to it being 4 of us in the house.

Because I haven't been living in Stoke for a vry long, I am not sure
where to go to get informatiom on child abuse, but if I see anything in
this area then I will send it to you.

It sounds as if you have a very busy time ahead of you. I hope that all
goes well, and you manage to educate people.
Will you still e mail, even if you are also using snail mail?

Natalie Hamlin,

My address is:
Natalie Hamlin,
House 16, Room E,
Stusent Accommodation,
Staffordshire University,
Leek Road,
Stoke-On-Trent.
England

lw51anjh@cr47c.staffs.ac.uk

May 4, 1998

Dear Mr. McLaughlin

My name is -------------------------. I'm nineteen years old, a senior at -------
High School, and I too, am a survivor\victim of abuse of all forms.

I just happened to stumble upon your touching story on the internet. My
story is similar to yours but not wuite as severe. I was mainly
physically and verbally abused by my father and some by my mother until
I was seventeen and a half. Reasons being that I was an unplanned birth,
my father didn't want me, and he was jealous of me.

I have trouble trusting people and making friends, especialy with the
opposite sex. I have not been quite as open with my story as you have
with yours. Only a few people know about my situation.

I want to forgive my father and form a relationship but each time that
happens that bond is broken. I fear it is too late for us. We barely
speak to each other, even though we live under the same roof.

My questions to you are how do I go about forgiving my father? Should I
forgive him? And how I do tighten that family bond that seems to be
falling apart so fast?

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,

H---------------------

June 30, 1998

Paul,

I watched you what you've been doing here in Eugene and Springfield
area.

I too have a website (still new and rough) and am working mostly on
life/safety issues regarding---against drugs. I plan to link to your
site.

I am interested that if you know of children who have died due to drug
use, please contact their loved ones and have them send me a 1-page
story of what happened, a picture of them before they died and one as an
infant or child.

Feel free to call me. John English (542) 746-4774.

Sincerely,

John E. English, email wy1rur@earthlink.net
For Our Children's Children
focc.org
P.O. Box 7873
Eugene, Oregon 97401

10-13-1997

Thank you Paul for the years you stood on the corner in front of City
Hall in Eugene. I passed you many times and smilred when I went by. I
was not abused. But I have worked with many people who were. I praised
your presence and miss it. I hope that your fight continues well. My
mother is a chairman of the Board of the Battered Person's Advocacy in
Roeburg, Oregon and I live in Eugene.

I hope that your birthday brings you happiness with loved ones and peace
in your heart that your message 'Help Stop Child Abuse' was heard and
listen to.

Thank you for putting yourself out to be a face for a cause... a kind
but saddened face, making a world a differance.

Susan Elise Ratzlaff, email sueratz@sprynet.com
Eugene, Oregon
sueratz@sprynet.com

Inspiration story/music in a magazine about Paul

Three short newspaper articles about Paul

Tommy (Paul's brother) kills himself


Long story about Paul in 'The Register-Guard' tells of the reason of the abuse.

Liz and Paul McLaughlin
Stop Child Abuse
298 Hunington
Eugene, Oregon 97405

Links Out

Here is the Opine magazine index
Here is the page with all Our Tentative Times magazines on it.

This page is put on line by Sandra Weinhardt, email secop@parlorcity.com
Any email I receive will be forwarded to Paul, so write to him directly at: Liz & Paul McLaughlin scan@efn.org