Sartell Newsleader • www.thenewsleaders.com
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Friday, Dec. 13, 2013
Opinion Our View
List of ‘likely’ abusers a step in right direction
Even though we knew it was imminent, the release of a list about priests and monks who had “likely” sexually abused children is still a shocker. It’s one thing to hear nameless statistics about clergy abuse, but it’s quite another to see this list of names, actual men who used their positions of authority to prey upon trusting boys or girls. For many years, reports of clergy abuse were hidden in the shadows of parishes, and abusers were often transferred to other parishes or sent for psychological counseling out East, with some of them returning to parishes throughout the nation, where they continued their patterns of sexual and physical abuse. Here in central Minnesota, which has always been predominantly Catholic, this never-ending news of clergy abuse is sad news, indeed. Think of all of the good, kind and loving clergy who would never so much as consider harming a child, and then think how those good people who “wear the collar” have been tainted somewhat through guilt-by-association and clouds of suspicion in the minds of parishioners and the public at large. It’s an example of rotten apples spoiling the barrel. This clergy abuse, so often hushed up and unreported to the public, has gone on for many decades and most probably longer than that. In the “old” days, children most often did not report such abuse for fear of embarrassment or fear of not being believed. And, in fact, many times parents and others did not believe those children, thinking mistakenly no clergyman would ever stoop to such a sin, such a crime. The Catholic Church, based in Vatican City in Rome, is one of the oldest religious institutions in world history, nearly 2,000 years old. However, even many of its popes lived in denial, refusing to acknowledge child abuse was a problem worldwide within the shadowy recesses of the churches. In recent years, progress has been made. More cases have been reported, and many offenders have had to face the consequences of their crimes against children. More Catholic leaders, including the new Pope Francis, have vowed to deal strictly and immediately with reports of child abuse. Printing lists of those who “likely” abused is a step in the right direction. But it’s not enough. Policies must be implemented and then enforced to assure every report of child abuse at the hands of clergy will be reported and dealt with through civilian law agencies, not just within the church in a hush-hush manner. As one of the world’s great institutions, the Catholic Church must purge and cleanse itself, to renew its vows to protect its parishioners, including – of course – its children. Adopting a zero-tolerance policy toward abuse would renew the Catholic Church and give it and all involved with it a renewal of spiritual unity and strength.
Fairness and ethics
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Goodbye, Mandela: ‘When will we ever learn?’ Why does it take this slow world so long to learn the lessons taught by visionaries like Mahatma Ghandi, Martin Luther King Jr. and Nelson Mandela? That lesson, briefly, is this: That violence begets violence and leads to misery; that peace when given a chance can have happy results for all. You would think after all the wars, border conflicts, nationalist eruptions and savage killings in the past century, people everywhere would shout, “Enough!” But butchery continues. There is a grisly list of conflicts, post World War II, whose very names conjure up unimaginable horrors: China, Korea, Vietnam, Cambodia, Chile, Nigeria, Algeria, Uganda, Ethiopia, Bosnia-Serbia-Croatia, terrorist attacks, Darfur . . . well, there is virtually no end to this grim litany of slaughter. South Africa could easily have turned into a major bloodbath. Apartheid, an evil form of segregation, had brought about vicious behavior from the white police goons who enforced that system of oppression. Apartheid, like many oppressive forms of governance in Africa, was a direct result of the years of colonial dictatorships imposed by European powers on that vast continent. What is so amazing – even to the point of “miraculous” – is that three of the greatest leaders of all time emerged to save the day: Ghandi in British-dominated India, King in the Jim Crow racist American South and Mandela in South Africa. What they all had in common was a passionate, fearless commitment to non-violence in their finest hours. All three were indeed visionaries, and yet they were not starry-eyed dreamers. On the contrary, they were rigorously practical, dealing with ev-
Dennis Dalman Editor er-changing social and political realities on a day-to-day basis. They didn’t willy-nilly wish peace into existence; they made it happen through negotiations based on sheer strength of character – namely, their courage, integrity and compassion. Mandela said, “Your freedom and mine cannot be separated.” He also said something about hatred being like someone drinking poison while hoping it will kill the enemy. What Ghandi, King and Mandela all had in common, most of all, was their deep understanding of how forms of oppression and violence harm both the victims and the perpetrators. They knew it’s the victims who suffer most directly, most hideously. But they also understood freedom can also “free” the perpetrators from their own system-imposed behaviors. People who commit violence against their fellow human beings turn into crippled, twisted, self-loathing people. There are exceptions, such as the lineup of notorious sociopathic monsters in history, who never feel any guilt or shame. However, in general, people understand on some level it’s not normal or acceptable to treat others with contempt and the use of violence just to maintain an imposed “system.” How in the world could Mandela become such a serene and forgiving man after spending 27 cruel years in prison? He was also painfully aware of how many of his people had been
persecuted, tortured and killed by the apartheid powers that be. How could he not have longed for the bloodiest of vengeance should he ever be freed from prison? But he didn’t. Instead, he somehow channeled those years of suffering into a force for good, knowing revenge would just cause more suffering and death for everyone involved in an eruptive conflict, most of all among the victims of apartheid. Mandela often said the success of democracy in South Africa was the result of many people and many forces. That is true. World pressure on the apartheid regime had a salutary shaming effect on those in power. Two of the reasons for that shaming effect were the visions and realities brought into the world by those two other great pioneers for peace: Ghandi and King, and long before them, great American author-philosopher Henry David Thoreau – he of “Walden’s Pond” who advocated non-violence as a force for social and political change. Thoreau was a direct influence on Ghandi, King and Mandela. One of the classic folk songs from the 1960s is “Where Have All the Flower Gone?” It’s so famous even now most people are aware of its haunting refrain. The singer asks where have all the flowers gone, girls gone, soldiers gone, graveyards gone? To which, after every question, is another persistent question: “Oh, when will they ever learn? Oh, when will they ever learn?” As the great Nelson Mandela is laid to rest after 95 heroic years in this weary world, we should be actively seeking an answer to that urgent question, “Oh, when will we ever learn?”
My Christmas wish list: peace, tolerance, love
From my earliest memories, Christmas has always been my favorite holiday. As a child I remember Christmas was first and foremost a religious holiday. Secondly, it was about the Christmas tree and the presents. Then, of course, the food. How I have always loved the feasts that accompany this time of the year. As a child I always made up a Christmas wish list. As I grew older I never lost my appreciation for the magic of Christmas. I love the music. I love the decorations, the lights, the feelings in the air. There has always seemed to be a special attitude where people care more about each other. Then I became a father. I got to experience the joy of my little children coming down the hall looking with awe and wonder at the lighted Christmas tree and the presents all around. Anyone who has ever doubted the existence of Santa Claus need only look into the faces of the little ones on Christmas Day. Even Scrooge would melt at the sight. We would ask our children to prepare a Christmas wish list also. Now I am a grandfather and it’s as if a circle has been completed. It’s easy to become a child again. Today I
Ron Scarbro Guest Writer look into the future my grandchildren will have. I look at the world they will inherit. I look at what we are leaving them. I wonder if they and their children will ever get to experience the simple Christmases I’ve enjoyed. Frankly, I am worried. So I have decided to put together another Christmas wish list. Number one on that list is simply world peace. I realize there are many different peoples in our world. There are many different religions. There are rich countries and there are poor countries. So, with all the diversity that exists, how can we all “just get along?” Probably the first thing that must occur is tolerance. Everybody isn’t going to be a Christian. Everybody is not going to be a Muslim. Everybody is not going to be an atheist. That doesn’t mean we must destroy anyone and everyone with whom we disagree. More people have been killed
in the name of religion than anything I know. Most border disputes have as their origin religious differences. And so I wish for peace through tolerance. Perhaps if we all were more tolerant, the happy greeting of “Merry Christmas” would not be so offensive to some. Perhaps it would be received as it’s offered, just a happy greeting at Christmas time. Sadly, some cannot see the forest for the Christmas trees. Maybe what we all need is a good dose of tolerance. Next then on my Christmas wish list is love. Imagine how this world would look if there was more love for each other. What better time of the year than Christmas to extend that love. In order to be loved, however, one must be able to love. And so, at the risk of offending a tiny minority of the “habitually offended,” my final wish is this. Out of love for my fellow man and tolerance for our differences, may you and yours have peace through love. May you be tolerant and enjoy the blessing of that tolerance. And may you all have a very Merry Christmas and a healthy, happy and prosperous New Year.
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