"Sins of a Father"

I watched "Sins of a Father" yesterday on Anderson Cooper 360. It made me sick to my stomach, and I may have woken people up with my gasps and my Ohmigods. It wasn't a new concept for a story, the whole Catholic priest molesting young boys, but it was a story to which I never paid much attention. When I say that, I mean that the stories were never my focus, and I never paid close attention to them. I knew that it was out there and gross, etc. This was the first time I actually sat down and watched. The story was heart breaking, obviously. This is copied from the transcript of the show:

COOPER: Despite their defeat last year, victims of sexual abuse in Maryland are steadfast in their fight for what they say is justice.

Earlier this month, they shared their painstaking stories with the Senate Judiciary Committee in hopes they'll gain support for a bill that would allow a one-year window for childhood victims of sexual abuse, regardless of their age, to press civil charges against their abusers.

The Catholic Church was also represented, arguing against the bill.

We asked the archdiocese of Baltimore and asked them why. In a statement they said, and I quote, "The bill is fundamentally unfair to defendants to resurrect dead claims from 50 years ago and financially devastates the good work and faithful parishioners of today. This legislation does nothing to protect children, rather it encourages delays in reporting allegations of abuse leaving more children vulnerable."

Now I have expressed some feelings about this story. I want the readers of this blog to know that I find this thing absolutely disgusting and wrong, but on the other hand, I can't help but see the church's arguement against the bill. I'm not saying I agree or disagree, but I can see the point. I can also see the point of the bill. It's awful that it's even an issue.
Another thing that is horrible is what happened to the priest, or I should say what didn't happen to the priest. Let's just say, he's still a priest, and they haven't defrocked him yet. He didn't serve a full sentence in jail (18 months would have been his full sentence). This sentence is from the same court that gave a guy 3 years in jail for an overdue library book.

My music is blaring in my ears. I can hear nothing else as I stare out into the field; the sun and I face to face. I can't hear the cars passing by. I can't hear the wind or birds. I can only see and feel. I see the leaves swaying. I feel the wind on my bare hands, and my hair is gently blown across my face. My hair looks glossy in the sunlight; almost like spun chocolate. I squint at the sun while tilting my head to feel it's warmth on my cheeks. The hem of my pants, the tips of grass, and the wind all team up to tickle my foot.

The guitars, drums, and voices remind me that my heart is supposed to bleed, and honesty is a fable in love.

The music stops, and before the next song comes on, I hear a car drive by; I hear birds singing; I hear the wind whispering. Between each song I am placed back into reality.

And, although the sun and wind quell my realities, I am brought back to a place I desire to escape from.

Yes, the music has a sort of harsh reality about it, but it isn't a focal point. It's a weapon. Music--loud music--fights the true sounds of reality. It, reality, is on the backburner of my current world--the world of warmth and spun chocolate.

My hair gets caught on am eyelash. A small rainbow is glaring from this intersection.

And the song reminds me that so much can be said through silence.

Identically soft and strong, Potentially Nothing

I have a secret
It's deep and dark
very
and here I am, putting it down on paper
Immortalizing my secret
Creating the excitement of fear
Fear of being found out
Still excitement

It begins with 2, but quickly becomes one
The same, yet different
It, the secret, is the sort that ruins
Yet creates.
Ruins. Creates. Ruins.
Creates?

It's a plesure restricted by time and circumstance
Identically soft and strong, Potentially nothing
But only one.
10-22-06