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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Home News Latest Stories Mt. Ashland Ski Area set to open Saturday Mail Tribune 100 Deputies, volunteers rescue Talent family trapped by flooding Sharing black culture Defendant: Near-death experience a wake-up call Crime, Courts and Emergency Services Deputies, volunteers rescue Talent family trapped by flooding Defendant: Near-death experience a wake-up call Tree crushes car, part of woman's house in Ashland Forensic evidence leads to arrest of Golden Wok robbery suspect Power out to 1,400 Pacific Power customers Politics and Elections Kent Bush: Fraud kept alive by the left and right Walden sets town halls on Friday Amid rising scrutiny, governor says fiancee won't have role in administration Ashland aims for diversity, but numbers show shortfall Kent Bush: The keys to decoding the State of the Union address Education Sharing black culture SOU board names officers, committees SOU students targeted in Drive Less campaign Parent files discrimination complaint against Ashland schools Some gains, some losses Environment GMO opponents can join Jackson County in defending ban Jackson County won't set up wolf kill compensation program Commercial users can get rid of pesticide waste for free Jackson County looks at compensation for wolf kills Commissioners won't object to BLM road closures State News Letter says Kitzhaber official fired after Hayes criticism Attorney general says Kitzhaber's ethics allegations 'troubling' Willamette football player pleads not guilty to manslaughter 'In God We Trust' leads to Klamath County debate Bill calls for relocation of Washington state wolves Nation - World Obituaries Scott E. 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Four companies will be pitching their plan to you Agriculture 1-800-Flowers dumps Harry & David execs Nine companies pitch investment opportunities in Medford Darigold to shutter Medford plant, putting 29 out of work Opinion Latest Other Views: Overhaul the national firefighting budget Letters to the Editor, Feb. 6 Matthew T. Mangino: Searching for alternatives to solitary confinement Our View: Waiting is best approach to wolf damage Guest Opinion: How long will we look the other way? Editorials Other Views: Overhaul the national firefighting budget Our View: Waiting is best approach to wolf damage Our View: Our growing disagreement with science Our View: A gesture, but one worth making Our View: No reason to hurry pot-tax vote Letters to the Editor Letters to the Editor, Feb. 6 Letters to the Editor, Feb. 5 Letters to the Editor, Feb. 4 Letters to the Editor, Feb. 3 Letters to the Editor, Feb. 2 Guest Opinions Guest Opinion: How long will we look the other way? Guest Opinion: Health professionals don't always act that way Help wanted: The Medford School District needs you Guest Opinion: Market forces work against LNG project's success Guest Opinion: More reasons to oppose gas pipeline Lifestyle Latest stories Restaurant Inspections Joanna McQuillan Weeks: Warm up your winter with Hearty Vegetable Barley Soup Looking Up: Venus, Mars passing each other Fishing Report: Friday, Feb. 6 Get Out: Friday, Feb. 6 Food Restaurant Inspections Joanna McQuillan Weeks: Warm up your winter with Hearty Vegetable Barley Soup Community blog: Cupcakes can be good for sweetheart's heart Cupcake love affair Fish stew is a winter delight Home and Garden Landscape lighting for beauty, safety and value Dear Monty: First time home buyer seeks differences in housing lifestyles Home Help: 3 upgrades sure to turn kitchen time into quality time Dear Monty: Is a home ‘trade-in’ a good idea? Buying a home? 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Live Music in Local Clubs Community Events Ashland's First Friday Art Walk showcases new exhibits by regional artists Jacksonville celebrates Chinese New Year Comedian Susan Westenhoefer pulls no punches Paula Poundstone performs at the Craterian Len Dickson's 'Fall Harvest' to grace Belle Fiore wine label Dining Stylish shareables are the feature at Brickroom Sandwiches and burgers are hits at The Rogue Chef The Vine offers a taste of Italy Cheeseburgers on the cheap Valley View — It's all in the family Tempo Videos Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » Obituaries Blogs TV Listings Movie Listings Oregon Outdoors Oregon Healthy Living Magazines & Special Sections NEWS NOW Mt. Ashland Ski Area set to open Saturday ... Get Up & Go: Saturday, Feb. 7 ... Deputies, volunteers rescue Talent family trapped by flooding ... Mt. Ashland Ski Area set to open Saturday ... Get Up & Go: Saturday, Feb. 7 ... Deputies, volunteers rescue Talent family trapped by flooding ... GUEST OPINION Guest Opinion: How long will we look the other way? Comment By Danielle Ellison MailTribune.com By Danielle Ellison Posted Feb. 6, 2015 @ 12:01 am By Danielle Ellison Posted Feb. 6, 2015 @ 12:01 am » Social News How do we value the life of a child? How do you put a price on Christmas morning, the first day of school, snow angels in the winter, cannonballs in the summer, and high school graduation? I ask because my son was nearly robbed of these memorable childhood moments. On Sept. 22, 2014, my life changed forever. Horrible abuse had been taking place in my absence, and on that fateful day in September a bright light was shed on a dark issue. My 3-month-old son was a victim of child abuse, more specifically shaken baby syndrome. His future is unclear, and each day I awake wondering if today is the day that will unveil permanent damage, left behind by the brain injury inflicted by his abuser. Many other children have not been as fortunate as my son; children left devastated, fighting fearlessly to overcome, to heal, to live. When they do live, they are often left blind, deaf, unable to walk or attached to feeding tubes. Many are left plagued with seizures, impaired motor skills, impaired speech and cognitive disabilities. While these children are suffering, trying to find the silver lining of this dark cloud, the ones responsible are minimally punished. All too often, the ones who are shattering our youth are serving minimum sentences for inflicting maximum pain, and frequently permanent damage. These are atrocious crimes, committed against the most defenseless victims. Any bail amount is intolerable. After searching the inmate list of the Jackson County Jail, and comparing bail amounts of different cases, I was left confused and disappointed. How is it that a person can nearly kill an innocent, defenseless infant and his bail be set at an amount that is three times lower than that of a person being charged with a robbery where no one was injured? What kind of message does that send? To me, it sends a message that says material objects as a whole are more valuable than the life and future of a child. No amount of money will erase cerebral palsy. It will never give the sight of the sun setting to that child left blind, or the sound of the rain falling to that child left deaf. Our children are our most valuable blessings. When are we going to start protecting them? These crimes are crippling our youth. Yet, the culprits responsible often are walking away with a slap on the wrist. A few years ago, a 5-week-old baby girl was severely abused at the hands of her own father. She was violently shaken on numerous occasions. She was left severely brain damaged, and her development halted, leaving her 5 weeks old forever. She fought like a warrior for nine years, and then, 10 days short of her 10th birthday, she passed. Her abuser was found incompetent to stand trial because he had a low IQ. This man held down a job, drove a car and lived a normal adult life. Justice was never served for this innocent child. In another instance, nearly two years ago a 2-month-old boy’s life was changed forever. This infant, at the most defenseless time in his life, was strangled, shaken and beaten. These attacks caused severe brain bleeding and 25 fractured bones all over his body. Now nearing his second birthday, this child should be learning his ABCs, potty training and jumping on his mommy’s bed. Instead he is plagued with seizures, and developmental delays. He is unable to sit up on his own, and has been diagnosed with epilepsy and cerebral palsy. A young life was devastated before it began to flourish, and somehow, some way, three years seemed an appropriate sentence for his abuser. I cannot ignore that. Both of these examples are of local children, and they only scratch the surface. There are many more. Our children deserve the right to experience the simple joys in life, not just its sorrows. I am a single mother of two boys and understand that there are moments in parenting where you feel like crossing that line out of frustration, but you just can’t do it. My question is, when are the consequences of these actions going to be substantial enough to force caregivers to walk away in those moments of frustration? When are we going to say “no more?” These are not cases of two adults fighting, or vengeance being sought. This is innocence in its purest form, being destroyed. Danielle Ellison lives in Medford.   By Danielle Ellison MailTribune.com By Danielle Ellison Posted Feb. 6, 2015 @ 12:01 am » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. 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