Clinton Lee Young
Loud and Clear, November 16, 2009
I know that I just wrote a blog. I wanted to take a little time to tell everyone about my hero.
My hero is a two year old baby girl. She, sadly is no longer with us. Her name is Riley Ann Sawyers. She was murdered by her mother and steph-father, both of which have received a life sentence. She was known to the world as baby Grace, before the authorities were properly able to identify her.
It is actually the reason that she was killed that caused me to have so much admiration and respect for her. Her step-father was mad at her for breaking some rule and she would not tell him ‘yes sir’ or ‘no sir’. No matter how many times he spanked her, hold her underwater, or whatever, she would not give in! No matter how much the punk ass dude tried to make her, she wouldn’t give him what he wanted. She would not call him sir.
I wrote about this case when it first happened. I actually wrote a poem that is included on my DVD set about her. The poem was read in part at an international meeting about youth violence in France a while back. No matter how hard it gets, baby Grace gives me inspiration to keep on truckin!
<em>(note: Sept. 8 2015 – DVD set is no longer available)</em>
Had her life not been so tragically cut short, with the spirit that she had, there is no telling what she could have accomplished in life. There is always some story in the newspaper about a child killed. The story of baby Grace is the one that stood out the most due to the circumstances of the case and the way that she died.
It is hard to explain. The story of course made me cry, but there is also an element of it that energizes me, that’s from the spirit of Riley. It’s hard to put into words. In a way I feel a connection with her. It’s that refusal to stop. It’s that warriors spirit.
No matter what is thrown at me, no matter how many people try to screw up and undermine my campaign and post BS lies about me, no matter how many lawyers say it can’t be done, judges rule against me or whatever. Laying it down isn’t an option. It’s the can’t stop, won’t stop until the casket drops. (I also wrote a poem about this as well.)
It’s why I use the phrase “Veni, Vidi, Vici” which means “I came, I saw, I conquered.” It’s why I had use of forces. No matter how much pepper spray of tear gas they used, I refused to submit! When a barrier pops up, the flame inside flares up to give that boost to go harder!
This little baby girl clearly had the warriors spirit ad more courage than hundreds of grown men that I have met! While her life was cut tragically short, her spirit lives on! Her life should encourage others to never give up. You See it, you want it, get it! No matter how painfull the journey, defeat hurts even worse.
Use the pain to fuel the fire inside of you! As the saying goes “I would rather die on my feet, than live on my knees.” There is a portion of a book that I really like. It goes “You do not drown simply by plunging into the water, you only drown if you stay beneath the surface.” So if times get tough, and you feel like giving up, think about baby Grace. It doesn’t matter even if it’s an educational goal, physical goal or whatever. Use the pain to fuel the fire.
Veni, Vidi, Vici
Clinton Lee Young #999447
Polunsky Unit
3872 F.M. 350 South
Livingston, TX 77351
USA
www.saveaninnocentlife.com