From: oneil@cwis.unomaha.edu (Sharon O'Neil)
Subject: Re: sinead o'connor
Organization: University of Nebraska at Omaha
Date: Wed, 7 Oct 1992 01:52:11 GMT

bdboyle@erenj.com (Bryan D. Boyle) writes:

>In article <CATHOLIC%92100608111294@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU> Jim McIntosh <JIM@AMERICAN.EDU> writes:
>>On Tue, 6 Oct 1992 05:50:51 GMT (Sharon O'Neil) said:
>>>I disagree.  I saw an interview with her from a few weeks back and it
>>>seems that her hatred of the Church is rooted in the child abuse that
>>>she experienced as a child.  I think what she needs is help and compassion
>>>and not to be called names.
>>
>>I agree. I got the sense from the Entertainment Tonight segment that she
>>suffered abuse as a child, and it was either directly related to the
>>church (ie, done by a priest or a nun) or condoned by the church. The
>>details were not spelled out, mercifully.

>So, i assume it is ok to perform antisocial acts if one can claim 
>they were abused as a child?  Calling the Catholic Church as represented
>by the Pope the "Enemy" and her other vitriolic pronouncements should be
>excused, right?  Calling a spade a spade is not name calling, it is an
>act of compassion-why should the rest of us have to suffer her insults
>and scorn-if she needs help then she should get it, but don't burden
>the rest of us with blame transference.

No one is saying that it is okay.  What we are saying is that it is wrong 
to call Sinead O'Connor a harlot for what she has done.  Remember that 
you must forgive your neighbor seventy times seven.  And obviously she
has a lot of hurt within her because of the abuse she has suffered.  Are
you going to help her any by condemning her?  And is it your place to
condemn her?  Have you no sin yourself?  If you do, then I suppose you 
can throw stones. 

>>
>>We now know that cases where priests abuse children are not isolated
>>events. We've also seen cases where a victim will turn to the bishop for
>>help and be rebuffed, either because of concerns of lawsuits or in a
>>desire to protect the priest. Surely it would not be difficult to project
>>that anger you would feel at the hierarchy up to the Bishop of Rome.

>Instead of this blatant (yeah, blatant, like Madonna...) attempt at
>shocking the civilized world, then why doesn't she, with all of her 
>money, seek the help she needs.  I suppose that the US did something to
>her as a child also, since she won't allow the national anthem to be
>played in her presence?  

Have you any idea what it is like to be a victim of abuse?  People don't
always believe you or try to help you, even people that are supposed to 
believe you and help you.  

Maybe she is in so much pain she doesn't realize that she needs help.

>>
>>If this is the source of her anger, she is a injured and hurting child.
>>Our response to her, acting out of her very real pain, should not be to
>>spit on her and call her a harlot (this is in fact the worse thing you
>>can do to a victim of child abuse -- imply that the abuse was their
>>fault), but rather turn to her in kindness. Ignore the blows to your
>>cheeks and to your dignity. Christ suffered much worse. Instead, feel her
>>pain and do what you can to help her relieve that pain.
>>

>Not implying that whatever aledged abuse she experienced as a child is
>her fault.  But, as an adult, with the wide range of services, books,
>therapists, shrinks, 12-step programs, etc., she certainly has the
>resources she needs to overcome whatever psychic pain she is
>experiencing.  With all of this, however, at some point, you have
>GROW UP and take personal responsibility for who YOU are.  The blame
>has to stop somewhere.  Yes, compassion, yes, sympathy, but the 
>responsibility for seeking help in overcoming this overwhealming urge
>to spew hatred and division because of what you perceive as the
>overburdening hierarchy and female-hating clergy has to take place.
>Otherwise, you can go on forever blaming something else.  Adult
>responsibility means that there is no excuse for what she did, none
>at all.  And the more we justify it, the more it will happen.  It is not
>uncompassionate to demand that people take this responsibility, is it?

So, who said you had to justify it?  I wasn't justifying her actions.  I
think what she did was stupid.  But I don't think that gives us any excuse
for calling her a harlot or condemning her.  Why not listen to her?  
Even if she has misdirected anger, she does have anger.  Can we listen 
and possibly channel that anger?

Sharon
oneil@cwis.unomaha.edu



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