Friday, October 10, 2008

Stop Supporting Child Molesters

This will be a long post. It is possible that you will be offended or upset by one or two things that I write here if you are a victim or the parent of a victim. It is not my intent to offend. Sources will be listed and linked at the end of the posting, and referenced by number parenthetically within the posting.

I’m sick and tired of hearing about people who refuse to do anything about these pervert child molesters, especially when they are professionals in a position to make a real difference. Some of them are ardent supporters of the molesters, and some of them are genuinely struggling with the notion that a person that they “know” could possibly be guilty of these crimes. There is an article in the New York Post that says that a study indicates that :
“Three-quarters of Americans have at some point in their lives thought they knew of a child being abused - but only 12 percent of them actually decided to report it to authorities” (1)
It goes on to state that in New York City, only ten percent of the complaints investigated came from the general public, meaning that most of the 12% that ARE reported came from sources that are REQUIRED by law to report allegations of child abuse. It is frustrating to me that some of these mandatory reporters seem so jaded by the “good” that these alleged molesters have done that they question and even refute their own better judgment in order to temper their disbelief.

Rather than speak out against these alleged molesters, or simply remain silent, these professionals in the field use several techniques to try to convince us and themselves that there is nothing untoward going on with the professionals that they hold in such high esteem, even though they are accused of molestation. They deny, they hide behind moral righteousness, and in some cases, they actively support the alleged perpetrators with prejudice, while at the same time claiming that the victims have no right to make such prejudiced claims against these people. Oddly enough, In many cases, the very statements that they make in support of the accused seem to belie their real feelings.

They deny to themselves and others the possibility that the perpetrators have done any wrong. In discussing Dr. Mel Levine (accused of child molestation) Dr. Lawrence Diller, M.D.; Behavioral-Developmental Pediatrician says that he doesn’t
“… know what to make of the charges of such a respected individual. I tend not to believe any of it…”(3)
and in discussion of the same Mel Levine, Dr. Mary Johnson; Pediatrician, says that she has
“…a hard time believing that Dr. Levine would be so stupid or brazen as to have done the things he is accused of. Given his reputation in the medical community, I simply cannot wrap my head around it.” (4)

These denials often become the source for the argument that even though they might have committed crimes, these perpetrators should be treated with kid gloves. I’ll go into this more in a bit.

To me one of the most maddening things about these professionals is that they try to hide the crimes of these alleged molesters under the blanket of moral superiority; invariably these professionals seem to think that “innocent until proven guilty” is somehow an inalienable right in this country, and that it applies across the board, in daily life as well as in the courts. Briefly: “Innocent until Proven Guilty” is not set in stone, it is NOT in the constitution of the United States, and it generally applies to CRIMINAL jury admonitions. Indeed, even an acquittal in a criminal trial does NOT equate to a declaration of innocence.

Update 10/13/2008: Dr. Johnson takes issue with my legal arguement here. Fine. Neither of us are constitutional lawyers. To clarify: my discussion here involves the real interactions between people, and not the criminal letter of the law. I think I was already clear about that below, but let's keep it on track.

“Innocent until proven guilty” should in no way be forced upon the thinking that we do in our daily lives when we make grown-up decisions about what kinds of people we should interact with. It REALLY IS OK for a parent to avoid people who “feel” suspicious or weird, or who have been accused of crimes. It’s important to understand that just because a professional in the field is implying that you’re somehow a bad person because you’re using common sense, doesn’t mean that you should follow their advice, in fact, in such a case, they are JUST PLAIN WRONG. Almost all of professionals who talk about Levine in their blogs mention this alleged “right”:

Dr. Diller says:
“In the public realm of child sexual abuse claims unfortunately, it's the one arena where you're "guilty, until proven innocent." (3)
Liz Ditz says:
“I don't know the extent or the robustness of the evidence in the prosecution's complaint, or the extent or robustness of the evidence for acquittal. Therefore, I will assume his innocence. “(6)
Karen Janowski, an Assistive & Educational Technology Consultant, says:
“In America, people are innocent about (sic) proven guilty.”(7)
Finally, Dr. Johnson says:
“Until Dr. Levine is proven otherwise - in a court of law - where people like your friend can be properly vetted, he gets the benefit of the doubt. A life and career are at stake.(4)
This is a good point Dr. Johnson! And so are the lives of the victims at stake, and it is fair game for parents and victims to warn others about these dangerous criminals, so that more lives are not destroyed, especially while the wheels of justice grind slowly behind the scenes. Granted: there are certainly cases when people are falsely accused, and for that we have civil courts; meanwhile, he does NOT get the benefit of the doubt, MANY lives are at stake.

Worse than the doubters and those hiding from the reality that their colleague may indeed be a molester, are those who actively SUPPORT these alleged perpetrators. Etta Bryant M.D. has been a vocal supporter of William H. Ayres M.D.:
“As a colleague for over 30 years, I know his superb clinical work with disturbed and troubled adolescents. He has been a relentless advocate for excellence in all psychiatric services for children and youth, nationwide. He holds himself to those highest standards.” (2)
I don’t know what is more astounding, the support that Etta gives, or the support that the wives of these accused perverts give to their husbands, even after the details of their disgusting behaviors come forth, often from multiple multiples of victims. Dr. Colleen Halloran M.D.; pediatrician has publicly supported her husband Bernie Ward, convicted on charges related to the possession and distribution of child pornography. Solveig Ayres has apparently spoken out on blogs about the innocence of her husband William H. Ayres as well.

These supporters, perhaps in the process of trying to mitigate some of the feelings of betrayal, seem to assume that the “contributions” that they have made somehow delete any bad that they may have done. They say things like:
“I don't know what to make of the charges of such a respected individual.” (3)
And:
“I find it impossible to overlook his valuable contributions and often bring him up in professional conversations, albeit with reservations, considering the accusations against him. “ (7)
In a glaring example of allowing a “good behavior” credit, a commenter on Dr. Diller’s blog (3) who purports to be a medical professional says:
“I hope to God we haven't got another shadow personality in the case of Dr. Levine- he did enough good- in my mind- to deserve a considered- aggressive and fair review.”
Each and every one of these professionals are so emotionally tied-up in using the "great ideas" and "research" that these accused professionals have provided that they feel that they have to balance good vs. evil, so that they can feel OK about their own work. If the "good" that was produced by these people does NOT outweigh the evil that they've done, then they have to feel guilty about using the spoiled fruit of the “research” that the accused have provided. They refuse to accept that the "good" that they see was most likely been done to cultivate more victims, and to make it easier for them to explain away their actions if and when they were caught molesting. “People” like Mel Levine and William Ayres, who are accused of molesting should not get a bye simply because in addition to the colossal damage to many they have potentially done, they also did some things that may be of benefit to shrinks, and pediatricians in their "treatment" methodologies.

When these professionals become desperate to divert attention from the fact that their heroes may be bad people, they begin blaming: they blame society, they blame the press, and perhaps worst of all, these professionals often submit the victims and their families to further degradation by placing the blame squarely on them.

Rather than blame her husband Bernie Ward, convicted of trading in child pornography (including graphic photos of adults having sex with infants, he also had lengthy online chat discussions with a "professional mistress" detailing -- in what turned out (allegedly) to just be Bernie's fantasy -- molesting his own children and their friends.) Dr. Halloran (again: Bernie's pediatrician wife and mother of the children he had fantasies about molesting) blamed: not Bernie, but society, for the troubles their family is having:
"The justice department sure hasn't got any of the real terrorists out there, they got us into a war that was based on a lie, they can't control the economy, they can't control gas prices, but oh boy, they got that really dangerous criminal Bernie Ward off the street and have destroyed his family. I thank you all very much." (5)
Etta Bryant blames the press for the troubles her friend William H. Ayres is having:
“I AM APPALLED at the harsh and damaging tone of your front-page article (Wednesday, April 26) regarding one of this county's most prominent physicians and citizens, Dr. William Ayres.” (2)
“I deeply regret that a more balanced account of this tragic story was not presented in your article.” (2)
And worst of all: Blame the victims! Apparently Dr. Johnson thinks that the victims got themselves molested so that later in life they could SUE, SUE, SUE!
“[…] in the 1980's, Pediatricians were not quite so aware of "scum-sucking pieces of excrement" who might sue them 20 years later.” (4)
“Forgive me if I do question twenty-year old memories of children now grown who may see an ea$y target - and may be motivated by $omething other than "justice." (4)
When the heat got turned up on Dr. Johnson’s blog, and people started to call out the flaws in her thinking, she locked the thread. Yet another personal aside to Dr. Johnson: NO amount of money is going to make this shit any easier to deal with; and we know this because there are plenty of people who REALLY did go through this stuff, and sued and won settlements, and are still miserable.

UPDATE 10/13/2008: In comments to this posting, Dr. Johnson has stated that she was referring to lawyers, not victims, when she used the phrase "scum-sucking pieces of excrement." She does, indeed refer to a victim's lawyer in this way a paragraph or so before the section that I am quoting. In the paragraph that I am quoting, it reads to me very much like she is referring to Levine's patients, but I'm willing to extend the benefit of the doubt, and accept that she was talking about a victim's lawyer here. This does not however change my position or arguement, as Dr. Johnson herself argues that the proper place for this is in the courts: why then, when a victim gets legal help, should they be verbally abused by a third party, albeit second-hand through the vehicle of their legal representation?


UPDATE 03/08/2011: I'm rescinding my already tenuous "benefit of the doubt" extension. Dr. Johnson is continuously berating victims for pursuing the only legal recourse left to them due to statute of limitations laws on criminal charges. She is clearly bereft of any compassion for victims of this kind of crime, and has no understanding of the psychology involved.

Dr. Diller apparently thinks that the victims and their families are too stupid to tell the difference between a hernia examination and masturbation (which is one of the things that both of the doctors that he refers to are accused of doing):
“So I don't get this private physical examination routine but I still know how troubled children and families can misinterpret even the most benign actions (remember McMaster! (sic)).” (3)
It seems that in our little cache of blogging professional educators, pediatricians, and head shrinkers, we never once seem to stop and think that maybe these alleged perpetrators are profiling victims, finding those people who will be least likely to report, or be believed if they do report: They pick kids who are troublemakers, because they won’t be believed, and kids who are continuously bullied, because they know that the victims CAN be bullied, and that their parents are ineffective in dealing with it. And then our little group of intelligent professionals seem to think that after the victims became adults, and worked through enough of their feelings of guilt at having not done something to stop these molesters from molesting countless other kids, to actually report, even though it’s way too late, that THEY are the problem, not the molesters. The molester is assumed to be simply the victim of false memories and litigious charlatans. I have bad news: the memories were not repressed, they were simply not acted upon due to years of pent up guilt from not having done something sooner.

Before this turns into a complete indictment against all of the professionals quoted here, I think it’s important for me say that I think that for the most part, these people are simply doing as they state: They’re struggling with the fact that their mentors may not be as shiny as they thought. Dr. Diller, in the midst of saying that he doesn’t believe the charges against Levine, begins to express some doubt in his own conviction:
“I don’t know what to make of the charges of such a respected individual. I tend not to believe any of it but I am bothered by the one report (if confirmed) that he did physical examinations of prepubescent children without the presence of a parent or another professional.” (3)
Dr. Diller then spends nearly the whole paragraph (the longest paragraph in his posting - check the link to read it yourself) giving a narrative about the trouble he went to to verify that Levine’s "examinations" were probably suspect.

Dr. Johnson, despite her vitriol against many anonymous posters speaking out against Levine on her blog, concedes the following, in a seeming about face:
“There was one more observation I wanted to make. The initial story talked about Dr. Levine's clean public file at the Medical Board. But (playing devil's advocate) a clean public file doesn't mean a whole lot. Complaints can be made and dismissed without the Board taking public action.”(4)
So what IS going on here? Why do I only see postings that are supportive or at least apologist about these child molesters? Why are pediatricians and shrinks balking in the face of what should be common sense in these cases? The answers I can come up with seem to range from “unacceptable” to “dangerous.” At least three of the people quoted here seem to have confirmed credentials as professionals in these fields. They are therefore “mandatory reporters” and must report child abuse when it is either suspected or directly reported to them. The fact that they are bold enough to express doubt in a public forum would seem to indicate to me that they are not likely to report problems as required in all cases, and especially in the cases in which someone “respected” is involved. I can’t imagine what fascination it is that caused these people to post in public to begin with. There are only a few conclusions that a reasonable person can draw, and none of them are particularly flattering: These professionals are so jaded by their heroes that they actually think that being a “pillar of community” is a viable defense against molestation, or they have been using these same practices (but not molesting) as espoused by their heroes, and they now feel so guilty about having been duped by a molester, that they feel the need to defend them so that THEY don’t look like a criminal. The last possible reason I can think of is that they too are molesters, and they are covering for a fellow molester. To be clear, I don’t THINK that that’s the case with these bloggers. But their clear lack of compassion convinces me that if I hear of ANY children that I know of going to ANY of these professionals, I’m going to be vocal about the risks involved.

In any case, it’s very distressful to me to keep seeing everyone turn away from the victims, and especially distressful to see that mandatory reporters are so easily biased. I truly hope that these folks are able to do the right thing in their jobs, and that if they receive molestation reports about a respected colleague, that they are able to see past their bias and do what they need to do to help the victims.

Where are all of the professionals making postings AGAINST this kind of behavior? Is there so much stigma associated with speaking against abuse within the profession that you’re just keeping your mouth shut, or is it more professional to not say anything, and the people who ARE speaking out in support of these perverts are just clueless?

The most troubling thing of all is that AFTER the victim’s complaint finally gets through all of this professional bias, the crimes still have to get reported to county social agencies, where there is apparently another similar bias at work… See the depressing list in the post below this one for the nauseating detail...

Everyone seems to hope that the problem will just go away without their direct involvement.

To parents: Know your pediatricians / (and God forbid... Shrinks) well, research them and quiz them! If they appear to waver on this issue, avoid them like the plague. You need someone who will back you, and help you be strong, not ridicule you and/or abuse your child – it IS OK to be discriminating.

To medical professionals and social agencies: Stop ignoring the problem and whitewashing it. YOU of all people know that anyone can be guilty of these types of crimes: temper your bias with reason.

Please.




Links:

(1) (New York Post) Kid-Abuse Poll Shock
http://www.nypost.com/seven/09262008/news/nationalnews/kid_abuse_poll_shock_130771.htm

(2) (Oakland Tribune) Letter: “In defense of Dr. Ayres” Etta Bryant, M.D.
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4176/is_20060503/ai_n16345579

(3) (BLOG:Psychology Today Blogs) Lawrence Diller, M.D., Behavioral-Developmental Pediatrics ;
http://blogs.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-last-normal-child/200808/there-are-no-heroes

(4) (BLOG: Dr J’s HouseCalls) Dr. Mary Johnson, Pediatrician
http://drjshousecalls.blogspot.com/2008/04/on-dr-melvin-levine.html

(5) (ABC Channel 7 News) “Ward sentenced to 7 years for child porn”
http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news/iteam&id=6356752
(6) (BLOG: I speak of Dreams) “Mel Levine Accused of Sexual Abuse” Liz Ditz
http://lizditz.typepad.com/i_speak_of_dreams/2008/04/mel-levine-accu.html

(7) (BLOG: EdTech Solutions: Teaching Every Student) Karen Janowski (Assistive & Educational Technology Consultant)
http://teachingeverystudent.blogspot.com/2008/08/mel-levine-dilemma.html
TAGS: Dr. William Hamilton Ayres Solveig Ayres Solveig Troxel pedophile child molester arrested charges president American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry AACAP San Mateo County Children and Families First Commission child psychiatrist psychologist Judge Marta Diaz Peninsula Psychiatric Associates Ronnie Sue Leith Etta Bryant Piero Cerruti Howard Hoffman Joanna Perry Jeffrey Weiner Hugh Ridlehuber Mike Callagy Melissa McKowan Rick Decker

12 comments:

  1. The one difference between Levine and Ayres is that at least Levine volunteered to surrender his medical license when he found out the North Carolina Board was investigating him.

    The arrogant Dr. Ayres refused to surrender his license before he was arrested, even when the California Medical Board told him they had received allegations of abuse.
    But we all know that Dr. Ayres doesn't care about anyone or anything other than himself and his sociopathic addiction to young boys.

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  2. I would like to thank "Somerville" for the tip on this post inviting a response (the tip was left on an unrelated post at my blog).

    You could've just send an e-mail.

    This whole thing feels like a set-up for a roast (someone apparently expects me hop on and "defend" child molesters) - but you deserve a response - if only because your tactics are low-ball.

    It's going to be a long one.

    I have made it clear - over and over again, that my post on Dr. Levine's situation was borne of disgust . . . with a plaintiff's lawyer who made statements which were patently false - about what is and what is not necessary during physical examinations for ADHD.

    If you are going to quote me, quote me in context. The "scum-sucking piece of excrement" I was referring to was the lawyer I criticized - not ANY of the people who subsequently posted (unless they are lawyers too).

    Additionally, treating someone accused of a crime FAIRLY and with a little thing called DUE PROCESS IS NOT treating them with "kid gloves".

    It's treating them the way YOU would expect to be treated if you were falsely accused and INNOCENT.

    And OBTW, go back to school. Due process IS a fundamental right in this country (please refer to the 5th and 14th Amendments of the US Constitution) - and is a concept that dates back to the Magna Carta. It stands between us and mob rule. It's tragic that your premise is that it is not (ala, "Damn the proof, burn Levine at the stake!").

    My blog cites a case where a doctor's life was destroyed after being FALSELY ACCUSED of sexual misconduct. You left that part out in this rant.

    I don't equate the basic cannons of justice with "hero worship" - or "supporting" child molesters.

    As is clearly stated, I locked the thread because I got tired of people coming onto my blog and making accusations they would not stand behind by signing their name. That, and my blog is not a courtroom - not to mention that you may actually being doing a disservice to your legal case by blogging about it (of course, that's a notion I myself have discounted - in an effort to serve a greater good).

    I oftentimes think the effort is misguided.

    In point of FACT, as the first commenter on this thread noted, Dr. Levine gave up his medical license pending a legal resolution of the civil claims. He's not practicing - all the more tragic if he's innocent or falsely accused. But the bottom line is that he is NOt a threat to anyone right now.

    Ergo, if your intent is truly as noble as you say, you/others already have what you wanted.

    You've "stopped" him.

    If there is, indeed, anything to stop.

    While the accusations fly, many people/parents/patients have come forward and said Dr. Levine changed their lives for the better. I am not going to discount that.

    Here's the thing. You can blog about this all day and it's not going to change anything. Take the case to court. Vet it there. But don't ask me to join your lynch mob.

    Furthermore, I won't be your punching bag. If you had looked at anything on my blog beyond the one post you seem to be so obscessed with, you would know that I am well-versed on taking on bad medicine and bad doctors.

    I've spent ten years of my life battling a hospital that would have had me turn my back on a dying baby. I was fired because I did not roll over and go back to sleep when the nurses called - I went in and I save that child's life - and (despited being threatened with termination if I did not keep my mouth shut) I reported the bad medicine to hospital peer review AND the NC Medical Board (which did NOTHING).

    I blew the whistle. And my life, as I knew it, was destroyed. I've gotten no help from the government I served or local law enforcement:

    http://drjshousecalls.blogspot.com/2007/01/what-duke-boys-and-asheboro-nc.html

    I also poured myself into child advocacy and child abuse cases until being taken for a ride by a local DA (and possibly, a "victim"):

    http://drjshousecalls.blogspot.com/2006/06/district-attorneys-license-to-rape.html

    In the post you cite/ridicule, I also play "devil's advocate" on the issue of the NC Medical Board not doing what needs to be done to investigate claims and discipline bad doctors. I ask the same questions you do. Were you asleep?

    Do you not understand how hard it is - how professionally risky it is - to take on one's licensing board to tell them that they are not coming anywhere close to doing the job they're supposed to do?

    http://drjshousecalls.blogspot.com/2008/06/dogs-and-ponies-one-does-not-even-get.html

    Try it sometime.

    I have "spoken out". I've tried to get the local & state newspapers to listen - but they've got their nose buried up the butts of the local economic machines (that put the well being of hallowed institutions above all else) and have buried my case - and downplayed others.

    I may be in court soon myself because I have had enough of the "white wall" and the jurisdictional dodge - that would shield and protect bad doctors (and yes, child molestors) while putting good people (patients/nurses/doctors) in harm's way.

    So get this through your head. Where the case of Dr. Levine is concerned, I am sick of people putting their words in my mouth.

    I do not "support" William Ayers (I barely know who he is). Moreover, if it is proven in court that Dr. Levine molested children, I will not have ANY use for him either. He will be dead to me.

    But in the meantime, I am not going to participate in the mob mentality that would turn Dr. Levine into a Pediatric version of "strange fruit".

    I'm not coming back to this blog to "debate" anything. So let me say this before I go. Life is not fair. There is a reason they call a battle a battle. Sometimes when you're wronged or wounded, it's never made right and you do not heal.

    Grow up. And at least get your facts straight before you aim your own "vitriol" in my direction.

    And, as you encourage people to "get to know" their Pediatrician, understand that you're not helping your cause by attacking one of the few Pediatricians in North Carolina who has been in the deepest/darkest trenches fighting the battles no one else would fight.

    The very LAST thing I have done is ignore the problem of physician accountability in medicine.

    Put that in your pulpit and smoke it.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Four comments about Dr. Johnson's commentary, for everyone else. (Since Dr. Johnson won't be coming back)

    1. You are correct: the 5th and 14th amendments to the U.S. Constitution guarantee "due process." But that does not equate to "assumption of innocence" that you and everyone else seem to continually espouse. Furthermore, the constitution applies only to the FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, not to the way free adults in this country are allowed to think and behave in a discriminating fashion in order to protect themselves and fellow citizens. I didn't want to be too rude in this reply, but on this one, it's YOU who will need to go back to school.

    2. Well, I thought about "just emailing you" but you would have just blasted me for being "anonymous" and not providing a way for you to identify me as a real person. (see also #3 below)

    3. I've read lots of your postings, and your name calling and general vitriol often makes it difficult FOR ME to tell WHAT your position is. I DO think it's clear that at least in some cases you DO stand up to the kinds of struggles we're dealing with in the Ayres case, and for that I'll thank you very kindly.

    4. Thank you for reading. We're otherwise feeling pretty ignored by medical professionals, social services, medical boards, courts, and everyone else who could have done something.

    ReplyDelete
  4. While checking links on a post I'm putting up on this subject, I read "Deep Sounding's" response:

    Pertaining to our Constitutional discussion, I actually don't have to go back to school - all I have to do is refer to Wikipedia:

    The Fifth Amendment guarantee of due process is applicable only to actions of the federal government. The Fourteenth Amendment contains virtually the same phrase, but expressly applied to the states. The Supreme Court has interpreted the two clauses identically, as Justice Felix Frankfurter once explained in a concurring opinion: “To suppose that ‘due process of law’ meant one thing in the Fifth Amendment and another in the Fourteenth is too frivolous to require elaborate rejection.”

    Wait. There's more: The due process clause applies to "legal persons" (that is, corporate personhood) as well as to individuals. Many state constitutions also have their own guarantees of due process (or the equivalent) that may, by their own terms or by the interpretation of that State's judiciary, extend even more protection to certain individuals than under federal law.

    You are actually arguing the First Amendment - i.e. everyone has the right to an opinion (and, within reason, can act upon it) - which I certainly have no problem with.

    I respond to all e-mails pertaining to my blog - indeed, I often strike up long back & forths with readers. You made assumptions that had no basis in fact. Your problem, not mine.

    The blog clearly states that I moderate comments and do not post anons.

    Your post quotes me out-of-context and alleges (falsely) that I "support" child molesters". And it's a TOTAL LOAD of horse-hockey.

    Some people would call it libel. You see, free speech has to be true.

    Doesn't say much for your credibility.

    Moreover, you don't sound very "thankful".

    And that's the reason people like you bug me all the more. For I'm one of the doctors who did something.

    I paid dearly for it (and therefore have earned the right to be just a tad "vitriolic").

    I oftentimes wonder why I ever bothered.

    Now I'm really done. And I won't be reading any more - until I read about the findings of the court in the newspaper. You pretty much shut down the dialogue here with your approach.

    ReplyDelete
  5. OK. I'll bite:

    1. Refer me to the part of the constitution, or Frankfurter's opinion that has the word "innocent" please. We're both in agreement about the "due process" part. I suppose we can have a lengthy debate about the difference between "due process" and "innocent until proven guilty"

    "Wikipedia" also says: "The phrase that a person is innocent until proven guilty refers to legal as opposed to factual guilt."

    In my discussion, I'm not discussing court cases. I'm talking about people who seem jaded by the "good" that these high-profile (alleged) molesters have done, and how it affects their opinions and ability to make unbiased decisions. Many of you also make damaging comments about the victims (and the lawyers who represent them.)

    2. Well, I do actually mean "Thank you" when I say it.

    ReplyDelete
  6. And also:

    If you've truly "done something about it" and have paid dearly, then, I'm very sorry to hear that, and again thank you for your efforts.

    From my perspective, on the topic of Levine, you appear to be very angry at the victims, and pretty convinced that he's innocent.

    I'm not going to change my mind about my interpretation of what you wrote, I've read it many times over the last month, and took many days to write what I wrote, and feel comfortable with my position.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Dr. Johnson:

    I too read your blog and my sense is that you can't separate from what happened to you and other cases. That often happens when people have disappointments.

    But where's the compassion for the victims ? I recall that you got angry with the man who posted that his brother was one of Levine's victims. That to me is the tragic part -that he was treated harshly for speaking up.

    Something about the Levine case scares you but I'm not sure why.

    Also, Somerville did send you an email first but did not get a response.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Dr. Johnson, I repeat- Somerville sent you an email about the post here but got no response. That's why Somerville posted on your blog.

    It sounds like you're in a lot of pain about what happened to you and I hope you sort it out. Thanks for engaging in this dialogue.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Sometimes the truth evokes quite a response. Dr. Mary Johnson said she would not be back, but she came back, something is bothering her. Yes the white wall of silence punishes doctors who speak out. Code white - doctors covering for doctors. Freud said you have to love someone before you hate them. He was found to be nuttier than a fruitcake, like a lot of doctors who take a holier than though approach, yes victims of child abuse know the white wall of silence as well, and I agree with one thing Dr. Johnson said, the wounds never heal.

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  10. Dr. Johnson says:
    "But the bottom line is that he is NOt a threat to anyone right now."

    How does she know ? Since there are complaints from boys going back to 1987, what on earth would make Levine stop ? Men with a predilection toward pedophilia CANNOT stop,even after they get out of prison for doing time for their crimes. Johnson should see that documentary "Deliver Us From Evil" about the California priest who was booted out of this country for molestation.. The filmmaker later catches the priest lurking around a playground in Ireland, leering at the little children in their bathingsuits.

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  11. First off I do not want to be labeled as anonymous. My name is David Gross and I was a victom of Ayers in 1974, and was referred to ayers by my pediatrician who was my father. I am a 50 year old gay male and while homophobia may keep staight men from wanting to talk about homosexual molestation, I have no qualms about discussing or admitting that these things happened. I know both from having grown up in a medical household and being gay that ayers did what he is being accused of. As for the reasoning by some of his defenders that he was an outstanding shrink and that he did much good, I would like to point out that all of the people being brought forth in major embezzeling crimes for either millions and in 1 case billions of dollars anyone who gets away with crimes for years are all proficient at their jobs and are always well thought of, that is how they are able to get away with their crimes for years. Boys do not make these claims because of the negative connotations that come with these acts and for years feel that it may be because they have homosexual desires that they are ashamed of. how any intellegent or professional person could think that all of these allegations are fictitious better look at themselves and figure out why they can not accept that this was happening. I have not and will not try to gain any monetary benifits from this experience. Maybe because I am gay I can see the situation more clearly than most and would happily testify against ayers if asked. Unfortunately this whole situation has probably affected the relationship I have with my father, for while he hasn't supported ayers at all he hasn't publically denounced him and has not actively attacked him in the medical community, being obout the same age as ayers if it was me I would have looked him up and physically kicked his ass up and down the street. I would love the chance to confront him and will try to be at the trial if at all possible with my work schedule. He is scum and should not be allowed to continue having his freedom and needs to spend whatever time he has left on this earth in prison for the lives that he has ruined. Anybody who had been informed of his actions and ignored the information is in my opinion an accessory to a crime and is lucky that they are not being prosecuted along with him, maybe this would have saved many young boys from having been victoms over the years after the 1st complaint was made. the longer this farse goes on with all the delays just prolongs the pain of the victoms. If ayers was poor and had even one witness claim they saw him commit a minor crime he would be sitting in jail, yet money and his professional status has kept his freedom when this should make the crimes even more henous. I'll climb off my soapbox for now, but I may climb back on it if I deem it necessay to help get justice served. Thank you all for your time taken to read this.
    David Gross
    Victomized but not allowing myself to be a victom.

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  12. "Dr. " Mel Levine barred for life from practising medicine because of charges he molested boys.http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/21/us/21levine.html

    Dr. Johnson has a column up on the subject. Of course she has barred comments. A bit of a control freak, I would say.

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