Love and Disdain in the Western States

What an odd week - one that started with love, admiration, and glory in Idaho, and that ended with disdain, confusion, and despair in Las Vegas. The true purpose of my travels was to attend/present at the annual conference of the American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children, which was being held in Las Vegas this year. I took a brief detour and visited a childhood friend and neighbor, Heather, and her family, in Idaho. It has been my sincere pleasure to reconnect with Heather through the wonders of Facebook. It was such a delight to visit Heather and her family. I study child maltreatment and other forms of family violence, so it is very important to remind myself of all of the healthy parent-child relationships that exist in the world. There's no better place for me to start than with Heather and her family. Her children are happy, healthy, thriving, and are supported through life's challenges by their parents, larger family, and community. It's a beautiful thing to watch. Let's face it, studying family violence can take it's toll. But, I'm lucky to admire several families and even luckier that they allow me into the heart of their homes, where I find replenishment and come away renewed in my faith in humanity. Thank you, Heather, Steve, Camden, and Griffin, for allowing me into your home, where I find more pleasure and reassurance than you could ever know. Not only did they allow me into their home, they allowed me to just "be" with them. We went to the grocery store, state capitol building, swimming lessons, and their community library, where Heather hosts story time.
What happy boys!
The boys at the Idaho State Capitol Building
Heather, facilitating story time
After this, I moved onto Las Vegas. I always said that I would never visit Las Vegas... because I always thought that I would be out of my element, and indeed I was! I eventually had to monitor myself to stop complaining about the city, but here are a few of my concerns. As a social scientist and someone who is concerned with social problems, it seems as though Las Vegas is set up to prey on the weaknesses of the human spirit. Las Vegas is in the middle of a desert, but there are water fountains, incredible power and water demands, and a booming population -- all of which is not sustainable. This troubles me deeply. There is tremendous natural beauty in the Las Vegas valley and that fact seems lost on the city. I'm not sure why I ever thought that Las Vegas was inexpensive. I stayed in Caesar's Palace, where I paid $15 for a bottle of water and a yogurt parfait. To use the gym cost $25 a day. I understand the need to make a profit, but I don't support robbing customers, which is what it felt like every time I needed some food. To make matters worse, I don't like crowds. I had no idea what I was getting myself into! Caesar's Palace is home to several shopping malls, two casinos, twenty or so restaurants, and no sunlight. I got lost inside a casino one night and could not find my way out...probably not a mistake. Finally, I was attending a conference that focused on child maltreatment, which is highly correlated with the types of social problems that are booming in Las Vegas. I was disturbed by the fact that a child maltreatment society would choose to support the very industry which is related to their cause. I wished that some portion of our conference registration would have gone to the local child maltreatment prevention agencies.

 Okay, I will stop complaining about Las Vegas now. It's clear that I was really out of my element and perhaps greatly distressed by my own choice to attend and present at this conference, even if the sessions were thought-provoking and important.
Caesar's Palace map. Very complicated!
Is the natural beauty of Las Vegas lost on the city?
What I enjoyed most in Las Vegas.
What I enjoyed second most in Las Vegas...a $6 cup of chocolate gelato!
Me, at the penny machine. The only time I have ever been in a casino. Maybe my last?

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