 |
| Looks like you won't need a coat after all |
Catholics for Choice has now joined the discussion on the UN sexual abuse inquiry. Their agenda is to remove the Vatican from the UN. They have never demanded that a state run school system answer questions concerning a much higher rate of sexual abuse than found in the Catholic Church.
Like every blogger let me begin with my disclaimer.
I have no problem with officials from the Vatican being called to testify to a UN panel, or to explain what policies the Vatican plans to implement to try and prevent, or report the sexual abuse of minors in Catholic institutions to law enforcement authorities.
There is no doubt that terrible crimes were committed by some priests and some of the laity in Catholic institutions. Those who committed the crimes should be punished, as well as those that are found to have obstructed justice in the investigation of those crimes.
I have no problem with the New York Times, the Associated Press, Reuters, or any other news organization reporting the story about the hearing, or inquiry concerning the Vatican and the UN on this matter.
Now that I have stated what I do not see as problems let me move on to the problems I do see.
The media needs to name all the organizations interested in the inquiry.
"Human rights organizations and groups representing victims of clerical abuse welcomed the hearing as the first occasion the Vatican has had to publicly defend its record". - NYT
Only two organizations are named; SNAP and The Center for Constitutional Rights. I prefer to know who all the players are on any issue. Organizations may have other motives in mind when they are criticizing the Vatican's response on the sexual abuse issue.
I do think that there is more than enough room for the representatives of other organizations and states to sit on the same side of the table as the Vatican.
I think the Swiss and French officials that have refused to extradite Roman Polanski to Los Angeles for the drugging, rape, and sodomy conviction of a 13 year old girl should take a turn at the table. I believe it will be a cold day in hell before that happens.
There is probably more room at the table. The UN should ask that the US Department of Education pull up a chair, as well as every Superintendent of Public Education for all 50 states to take their place at the table. In the US public school system a child is more than 100 times more likely to be molested by a teacher or school employee than they would be by a priest. Do I think they will be called to the table? I believe that will be a cold day in hell before that happens.
I won't be taking my coat out of the closet anytime soon.
http://www.ncregister.com/daily-news/thousands-defend-holy-sees-u.n.-status-against-attacks/
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/17/world/europe/un-sex-abuse-panel-questions-vatican-officials.html?_r=0
http://ccrjustice.org/about-us/staff-board/pamela-spees
http://www.catholicleague.org/snap-exposed-unmasking-the-survivors-network-of-those-abused-by-priests/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_Polanski_sexual_abuse_case
http://www.themediareport.com/fast-facts/
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/10/21/AR2007102100144_5.html
http://www.catholicleague.org/sex-abuse-scandal-rocks-public-schools/
