Lavender Mafia
Owsego Palladium Times
Syracuse NY June 13
Former FBI agent, now private investigator Joe O'Brien
wrote on the front page of the Oswego Palladium Times (Syracuse, NY
Diocese) on June 13, 20...
the Catholic Church's cover-ups of sexual abuse
crimes is no different than tactics used by organized crime. "We're
talking about wire fraud, extortion, bribery, intimidation,
harassment, RICO lawsuits, and criminal charges." Someone recently
wrote that "one is enough", when referring to the percentage of
abusive priests. I cannot believe that many church officials still
use numbers" to minimize these crimes.
One IS too many, but guess what? Experts at the
First National Clergy Abuse Conference held last May in NY City give
a much HIGHER percentage. The numbers would be of epidemic
proportions. We are only counting those who have "settled" lawsuits(
on record) or those who fall within the statute of limitations and
filed criminal charges (rare - takes most victims YEARS- if at all
to come forward) Do you have any idea how many committed suicide,
taking this to their grave? How many had their life or a family
member's life threatened? How many told their Mothers and were
slapped, disbelieved, or shunned for saying such a "filthy thing."
How many doubted their sexuality and were too ashamed to ever admit
what happened? How many were paid off "under the table" to keep
silent? How many "good priests who knew" were shipped off as
punishment for trying to help victims? How many parishioners stood
and applauded for an abusive priest in the courtroom when a victim -
still a child inside, but now a grown man on the stand, had his case
thrown out for "lack of evidence?" ( How many of these priests gave
their victims evidence of their abuse to keep as a souvenir?)
The Lavender Mafia had each isolated victim believing
"they were the only one." I know there are THOUSANDS and this does
not include the families, loved ones, and friends of the victims.
They are all affected. Terrorism within our own Country.
