deliver us from evil
This was not just a powerful documentary, it was too powerful.
I tried several times, but could not finish the film.
I stopped when I saw O'Grady strolling around Ireland. He was looking at paintings on the street with children standing next to him, their faces blocked out.
My blood was boiling and tears were streaming down my face and that image was frozen in my mind - the kids had no faces.
They were not human beings with faces and smiles and feelings, but just sexual objects to this and other perverted sick people.
It was probably a good thing that I wasn't on a discussion board or blog at the time, because I don't think I'd have anything new or useful to say.
I think that my anger and disgust was common to everyone else's. I don't think that the community conversation would have a productive result, aside from venting.
The risk of 2 way communication here is it could end up inciting violence by people who feel helpless to protect their children.
We won't get any closer to a solution, which I think requires the insight of professionals.
However, once there are concrete proposals to deal with this problem - for example,
legislation mandating longer sentencing or stricter reporting requirements that the public can influence by pressuring legislators, then it would be helpful to mobilize the public and open a dialogue to increase ideas on successfully passing the legislation.
For example, the website for a documentary, "Unrepentant," regarding a Church in Canada and its genocide and molestation of Native American children links to a petition to revoke the church's tax exempt status, making the conversation more meaningful: http://canadiangenocide.nativeweb.org/petition.html
The website for Unrepentant is here.
I think there are ethical obligations to protect the documentary's subjects - even a depraved pedophile that I think deserves the death penalty - because he is still a human being.
Also, I think that he may be helping society by giving his public confession. It lets people know of the severity of the problem and might help professionals understand the disease in order to find ways to protect society.
I think it'd be nice for the public to engage with the producers, but there is no legal right. However, the public can demand this by pressuring the producers and engaging with those who are open to dialogue.
From reviewing the comment section following a few SF Chronicle articles, I've concluded that the comment section is not a meaningful community, but rather a forum for haters.
Even if some commenters have thoughtful points that are made, the conversation always seems to degenerate into personal attacks and criticisms.
For example, see the comment section about "Unrepentant": http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/unrepentant-kevin-annett-canadas-genocide/
Sunday, October 10, 2010
I'm angry and inspired to do something -- now what?
Labels:
action,
Canada,
church,
Deliver Us From Evil,
molestation,
Native American
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The Jyono's family story truly exemplified the full circle of hurt of sexual abuse of minors. I too was bawling when Bob shared the searing hurt upon learning of his kid's plight which was only exacerbated by a passing comment he had made - I'll kill anyone that hurts you. I can't can't can't fathom that kind of guilt and hurt.
ReplyDeleteFWIW, this site aggregates public documents relating to Church abuses. http://www.bishop-accountability.org/