MonaLisa: No R-E-S-P-E-C-T

[Whimsy]

Quote

Monalisa, a 49-year-old mother of an incarcerated daughter who started a national support and advocacy group for parents of jailed children.

Nothing makes me more frustrated than when someone says they don't respect an entire group of people.   Her daughter committed a violent crime and was rightfully incarcerated.  For her to hate everyone in law because of what her daughter did.... I don't get it.

[Chaos Theory]

On August 19, 2016 at 8:25 AM, GenL said:

Nothing makes me more frustrated than when someone says they don't respect an entire group of people.   Her daughter committed a violent crime and was rightfully incarcerated.  For her to hate everyone in law because of what her daughter did.... I don't get it.

I kinda do.  I don't agree with her but I understand her.  She is angry and has no idea where to put the anger.  She can't put the anger on her daughter so she put it on the police who arrested her and that kind of anger grows over time.  I do give her some credit for acknowledging it and trying to do something about it instead of just stewing in it like a lot of people would.

[LAgator77]

On 8/19/2016 at 5:25 AM, GenL said:

Nothing makes me more frustrated than when someone says they don't respect an entire group of people.   Her daughter committed a violent crime and was rightfully incarcerated.  For her to hate everyone in law because of what her daughter did.... I don't get it.

Just replace LE with gay, black, Muslim, etc. and her statements would be a national outrage. Of course, it's "cool" to hate cops now, so no big deal. 

If her daughter was severely addicted to drugs at age 18, she has only one person to be angry at, herself, because she failed as a parent.   

[Neurochick]

11 minutes ago, LAgator77 said:

If her daughter was severely addicted to drugs at age 18, she has only one person to be angry at, herself, because she failed as a parent.   

I used to agree with this statement, but I have seen too many people who are raised right, just go off.  They meet someone, they decided to be friends with people, and BOOM, their life changed forever.  You can do everything right as a parent, but a child might decide to listen to their friends or boyfriend/girlfriend, rather than you.  Once, I met a woman who had a Masters degree, a good job, an apartment, etc.  She was in her thirties and met a man who she liked; he asked her to smoke crack, she did and that's all she wrote.  Within six months she lost it all.  

So it's not always the parents fault.

In MonaLisa's case though, she really needs to do some soul searching.  When Quintin told her that he was LE, her attitude toward him changed LIKE THAT.  Scary.

 

Quote

Just replace LE with gay, black, Muslim, etc. and her statements would be a national outrage. Of course, it's "cool" to hate cops now, so no big deal. 

I don't get what the point of this comment was.

Edited August 20, 2016 by Neurochick

[nlkm9]

I have to say, I too have seen many many truly good and kind people raise kids who were "bad". Its too easy to blame the parents, although certainly they are a huge influence. But her attitude that she hates police because her daughter is being punished for a crime is unsettling. It should be interesting how she does, although she has such a deep base of bitterness, I think her feelings will get even more negative.

[Radicalred]

That bullshit story about her daughter being an honor student -- give me a break.  Her daughter is a drug addict who was committing violent crimes with loaded weapons to feed her habit.  She was no babe in the woods.  Maybe if Monalisa wasn't walking around with a chip on her shoulder, blaming everyone except the person responsible, her daughter would have learned to take ownership for her own screw ups.

[kassa]

For a mandatory 10 yrs I'm assuming there was a gun involved and some degree of violence above and beyond that, or priors or something. Not first offense honor roll student in wrong place at wrong time. But I'm sure we'll learn more.

I was kind of Iffy on Quintin until the sheriff was asking Monalisa about some comment she made and he just rolled his eyes and said she doesn't like cops. Like honeybadger, Quintin don't give a shit.

[ShaNaeNae]

Yeah her comment of, "she was doing what she had to do to feed that addiction".  So many wrongs with that statement Monalisa.  Of course she's like a caged animal.  Jail isn't a freedom filled resort.  She did a crime, now she's paying the time.  It could be worse, she could be dead. 

[woodscommaelle]

I know it's still early and my opinion can change, but as of right now, this lady seems like she probably sucks the fun out of everything.  She's a Fun Sucker. 

[Whimsy]

There are more descriptive bios on aetv.com.  I posted the full link in the media page, but thought I'd post Monalisa's here. 

Quote

Monalisa’s daughter is serving a ten-year mandatory prison sentence. The guilt and shame Monalisa felt after her daughter’s arrest was paralyzing. She never imagined she’d be a prison mom and jail life seemed like another world to her. Not a day goes by where she doesn’t pray to switch places with her child.

In 2014, Monalisa started Parents With Incarcerated Children, a national support and advocacy group for parents, in hopes to build a community of families that could connect on this emotional issue. After spending time behind bars, living in her daughter’s shoes, this brave mom wants to be able to relate to her daughter as she finishes out her sentence. She also hopes her experience can be a source of support for other parents in similar situations.

The Sheriff believes Monalisa can provide an important perspective as a mother of an incarcerated child and as an advocate for sentence reform, specifically mandatory minimums.

This bio makes her sound more reasonable than she comes off in person...

[kassa]

I hope the group does some good in this world.  Certainly there's plenty of room for improvement.  I don't think any of us think that any of these people who haven't even yet been convicted of anything should be forced to live in these conditions just because they can't afford bail (and those who are refused bail for dangerousness reasons should be kept separate).

I just don't see Monalisa as particularly supportive or desirous of wanting to move anything forward so much as rage against the machine.  So far, anyway.  But she's been pretty damn consistent, inside AND outside.  Even the inmates think she's off.

[LoveLeigh]

I can't stand her. She has a real problem with authority figures. She is very confrontational and her attitude had to rub off on her daughter. She is the type that always gives teachers a hard time. 

[Toaster Strudel]

Monalisa has got to have been a huge codependent and enabler.  Her daughter committed a violent crime, and she is making nothing but excuses for her and painting her as an innocent victim "honor student."  I bet her daughter's addiction lasted months, if not years, before a judge locked her up - and that there is a long gap of time between "honor student" and "armed robber."  There must be a history, like forced rehab that ultimately failed, regular drug tests, probation, etc.

I have watched every single episode of Intervention, I am pretty sure I have never seen a enabler/copendent/parent blame law enforcement before. "She did what she had to do" - so I guess they should have put her back on the streets?

Monalisa overly identifies with her daughter, and looks like she is empathetic.  However I find that she is callously lackadaisical regarding the trauma that her daughter inflicted on her victims.  It's totally not registering with her.

She's totally nuts.

[GoGamecox]

Monalisa mentioned she was having some personal problems when her daughter started to abuse drugs (marriage was failing, divorce was happening, etc.). I wonder if he blaming the cops and COs for her daughter's issues is her way of avoiding feeling guilty and having to process what the pain/disappointment of how her daughter's life turned out?

[FairyDusted]

The funny moment with her was her exit. The CO yelled " Monalisa Wison!  Bed and belongings!" like a game show host. 

[DocOFtheDead]

She may have the potential to do good with her support group, but that won't happen if she puts forth the same attitude that it wasn't her daughters fault.  All she would be doing is teaching other parents to feel the same way and continue to pass the buck.