Accusation is Conviction Redux

Yesterday, Bill Cork blogged an article from the Washington Post, about the members of the Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests:

A support group for sexual abuse victims urged the nation's Roman Catholic bishops yesterday to stop priests from filing defamation lawsuits against people who accuse those priests of child molestation.

Calling such lawsuits "brutal," "un-Christian" and "vengeful," leaders of the 4,100-member Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests argued that priests should defend themselves by less intimidating methods.

In a letter to Bishop Wilton D. Gregory, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, the survivors network said the recent spate of lawsuits "directly contradicts what you and so many church leaders have repeatedly stressed: that you want victims to come forward and disclose their abuse." ....

Of course, neither the bishop's conference nor individual bishops can prevent priest(s) from taking legal action to defend themselves. Even a quick-draw, zero-tolerance policy leaves an unsuspecting cleric at the mercy (which may be no mercy at all) of anybody who may be nurturing hatred against him, for any reason or for no reason whatever that anybody else could determine. As Bill says:

Stand firm against SNAP, bishops. All accused must have the right to a vigorous defense. This is basic justice.

(See Accusation is Conviction.)

P.S. Today's Boston Globe has an article in a similar vein. Can anybody be surprised at this, when those who have been responsible for making the mess are also responsible for cleaning it up? (Thanks Gerard.)

Lane Core Jr. CIW P — Sun. 09/01/02 01:48:22 PM
Categorized as Classic.