A Letter from a Mother to the Most Powerful Father on Earth

Mrs. Jill Welch

3602 Crescent Drive

Pearland, Texas  77584

jilliannwelch@gmail.com

281.658.9515

November 1, 2014

President Barack Obama

The White House

1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW

Washington, D.C.   20500

RE:      Boko Haram / Nigerian Kidnapping

President Obama,

I write to you today, not as Republican or a Democrat, not as a voter or a non-voter, not as a citizen of the United States, not as a member of a particular religion – but as a mother.

For six months, I have followed the horrendous accounting of the Nigerian girls who were kidnapped by members of Boko Haram.  This morning, I awoke to the newest report that Abubaker Shekau has announced that “the issue of the girls is long forgotten because I have long ago married them off”.  He also is reported as saying “If you knew the state your daughters are in today, it might lead some of you…to die from grief.” 

How can you – WE – as members of the human race and citizens of the most powerful country on the planet allow this to happen?  Mr. President, you, and those before you, have sent our armed forces into many countries to provide protection, support, and defense to those who are not in a position to help themselves.  Our government has aided other governments with U.S. military might to take down and destroy some of the most evil, unjust, uncivilized, inhumane individuals and organizations known to exist.  Why can’t we do the same for these poor girls??

I have a teenage daughter.  You have two.  Can you try to imagine if it were your daughters?  Being repeatedly raped, defiled, tortured, passed around from one sadistic man to another, killed?  I have imagined it; put my daughter’s image into that atrocity.  It leaves me physically ill, emotionally depleted, heartbroken and ANGRY. 

I have read the updates on the White House’s Boko Haram Fact Sheet (last updated 10/14/14).  The State Departments “efforts” are weak and useless.  The United States has passed the buck on one of the most horrific human rights violations in history.

The time is long past, Mr. President, for you to take action.  You have very little time left in your presidency; make that time count.  I call on you to immediately and expeditiously locate and

recover the young Nigerian girls taken from their boarding school and return them home to their families.  I care not about retribution or punishment for their abductors, though I would hope that they, too, would receive justice.  At this point, I believe the girls’ families would be gratified with the return of their daughters, regardless of what happens to the criminals who have viciously abused them.

I have never gotten on a political soapbox, though I hold strong opinions about many political issues.  I do vote, and never a straight ticket.  I vote with my conscience and with as much research as I can do before I head to the polls.  Today, however, Mr. Obama, I am choosing to step out of my comfort zone and address my Texas state senator, congressman and representative – as well as you, the most powerful father on earth.

This happened on your watch.  I don’t know about anyone else, but I expect you to make it right.  By any means necessary.

Respectfully,

Jill Welch

Pearland, Texas

CC:     The Honorable John Kerry                             Ambassador James F. Entwistle

            U.S. Secretary of State                                   U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria

            U.S. Department of State                               Embassy of the United States of America

Senator Larry Taylor                                       Congressman Pete Olson

            The Senate of Texas                                        US House of Representatives                        

            District 11                                                       22 District of Texas