From: bdboyle@erenj.com (Bryan D. Boyle)
Subject: Re: sinead o'connor
Organization: Exxon Research and Engineering Co., NJ
Date: Tue, 6 Oct 1992 13:19:49 GMT

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.

>
>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?  

>
>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?




Comments: Gated by NETNEWS@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU