blue ribbon campaign
Most Grandmothers are Warriors. One grandma in particular started a movement that is not only growing stronger but is becoming more widely recognized throughout the United States. In 1989 “To make people wonder”, Bonnie Finney took a stand, by tying a blue ribbon on the antenna of her minivan in remembrance of her late grandson Michael Wayne "Bubba" Dickenson who was murdered at the hands of his mother’s boyfriend. Although she tried to intervene Bonnie Finney’s grandson and his siblings lived in an abusive home environment. The mother’s boyfriend murdered 3-year-old Bubba. Let’s take a breath and for a minute just think about this. Michael was a three-year-old baby! Eventually Michael’s small body was found at the bottom of a canal bound, bruised, and beaten, in a toolbox that had been weighted down.
Bonnie Finney's simple act of tying a blue ribbon on her car was her way of telling everyone how devastating child abuse is, that it is horrible and a social epidemic. She was alerting her community that she was thinking about all the bruises she had seen on her grandchildren, and this is why she tied the blue ribbon on her van; so she would never forget their battered, bruised bodies and so no one else would either. She used the color blue as a symbol, a reminder to fight for children, and to protect them.
In April you will see people wearing blue ribbons or pins in observance of NATIONAL CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION MONTH. The significance of the blue ribbon has become a nationally recognized symbol for child abuse prevention. I along with many others wish this observance would be held every minute of every day of every month of every year. The spirit of Bonnie Finney’s blue ribbon has grown, and it continues to inspire more people to help prevent child abuse everywhere.
Bonnie Finney's simple act of remembrance has inspired the nationwide campaign designating the month of April each year as NATIONAL CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION MONTH. Please show your support by wearing a blue ribbon or child abuse awareness pin. We don’t have to wait until April to start wearing ours, we can start our campaign against child abuse today.