"it was suggested we keep silent"

     On Netflix now you can watch a film titled, Spotlight, made in 2015.

     I remember reading about it, and thinking I really wanted to see it.

     Watched it last night:  very well done.  Just -- interesting.  It's about reporters for the Boston Globe tracking down information to write an article about Catholic priests sexually abusing children in the 1960s and '70s, and Cardinal Law knew about it and somehow got the records sealed.



     They kept "shuffling" these problem priests around to different parishes.  (SO not the answer! - what's the matter with these people, are they crazy??!!)



     I remember, though not the specific time -- it was in the 1980s or '90s when I first became aware of this issue -- I think I saw a program on TV about it -- the thoughts and feelings of -- What - ??

     I just couldn't believe it.
     And by that, I don't mean I didn't Believe it -- I have a tendency to believe victims -- survivors, as they say.  I mean -- I believed them, but I could hardly believe -- it.

     It was so weird, to me, so off-base from anything you would ever imagine.  

I would never expect priests to engage in sexual activities with children in their churches, for the same reason I would never expect a teacher to bomb the school, or a bank president to be doing a hula dance in the middle of the bank  lobby -- just seems -- unlikely.


The first ones I heard about were Father Porter, and Father Geoghan.


     I'm still weirded out -- still don't know if I've got my mind all the way around it.  It was sssooooo transgressive, on sssooooo many levels...


abuse of power

the corruptibility of institutions

the idea that abusers seek out positions of power and trust

the complex and mundane reasons why communities will keep this kind of stuff secret 

the denial -- there are things people didn't want to know

etc.


     Spotlight is a very good movie.  It reminded me a lot of All The President's Men -- the journalistic detective work....

-30-