Cornwall Standard Freeholder

01 October 2008

Cornwall will play host to a public forum tonight on how homophobia can impede efforts to fight child sexual abuse.

The moderated event will run from 7-9 p. m. at the Weave Shed. It's part of Phase 2 of the Cornwall Public Inquiry, which has a mandate to promote healing and reconciliation in the Cornwall area.

 Phase 2 has run concurrently with the Phase 1 of the inquiry, in which a variety of institutions are testifying about how they reacted when faced with allegations of historical sexual abuse.

The panelists include Michael Seto, a Toronto psychologist with the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, and Bruce Ryder, director of the Osgoode Law School's Centre for Public Law and Public Policy.

 Jan Handy, a member of the inquiry's advisory committee, will also be speaking at the event.

The public is allowed to ask questions of the panelists, each of whom will be making presentations on the topic.

Comments on this Article.

As reported, this “forum” is directly related to “The Cornwall Public Inquiry”.
Therefore, from the onset, we must look at this forum from the “Cornwall Public Inquiries” perspective and context. This is not a forum designed to define, assert, represent “gay/lesbian” rights, educate the public about “homosexuality” or identify barriers and battles, homosexuals face daily.

Make no mistake about it, this forum is being held in the context of the “Public Inquiry” mandate. It is my opinion that unfortunately, this open forum is ill-timed, is being convened in the wrong venue (context), is being exploited and will be deliberately mis-interpreted to satisfy the mandate, objectives and goals of Commissioner Glaude, The Ontario Attorney Generals Office and therewith, “The Cornwall Public Inquiry”. Consequently, I believe this will “set back” and do a dis-service to the long-term objectives of “all” parties involved and the “missions” they “are” empowered to represent.

I am not crying conspiracy, as some short-sighted people may claim. Simply, I urge readers to get to know the “Mandate” of the “Public Inquiry”, which does not even mention the words “sexual abuse” together. Study specific interactions recorded in the transcripts of the “Inquiry”, combined with review of the Commissioners recent “press release” of Set. 08, 2008, titled, “Phase 2 workshop.” “Homophobia and How it may Affect Efforts to Confront Pedophilia.” See the word “may”. It is used to circumvent responsibility and appear to by-pass any definitive accusation, but the “implication” is definitely clear, especially in the context of a Phase 2 association.

Unfortunately, this misplaced “forum”, in the current context, may cause the public to get the get the wrong inference and therewith widen the “gap”.

I mean there are many different topics. Why “homophobia”? Why is “pedophilia” and “homophobia” NOW being introduced, so-to-speak, as opposed to a more relevant subject? Has “pedophilia” and “homophobia”, individually or combined, been a recurring theme in this “Public Inquiry”, or have “they” been “thoughts” everyone has chosen to ignore or suppress, until now? Or, are there other “long-term” motives? I suggest, that over time, “the powers that be”, “The Cornwall Public Inquiry” et al, will assert that, homophobia “may” be widespread in Cornwall and Area, as in other communities or that a few people, who may be perceived as being “homophobic”, fuelled fears, by spreading rumours and innuendo, surrounding allegations of sexual abuse against minors, perpetrated by prominent clergy and other citizens. I believe in part, the “powers that be” will “cast ambiguous guilt” by implying, for all to infer, that in part, so-defined, “homophobics” spread rumours and innuendo, when in fact, in today’s standards, no crimes were committed. These “allegations” were all consensual homosexual relationships, between homosexuals and had nothing to do with “pedophilia” or “abuse”. In addition, I believe, “the powers that be” will imply, decades ago society ostracized and did worse to whomever “it” perceived were “homosexuals”, whereas in 2008, society “has evolved” to openly accept and respect “homosexuals”. A “dis-service” to all parties. 

Let me know how many attend this forum...and if it will be only those from the Inquiry. It will be interesting.  

..see the Ottawa Sun article dated today October 1, 2008, titled "Kill gays, candidate says" and written by Angela Scappatura. Unfortunately, I believe this "open forum" in the current context and "the powers that be" running the Cornwall Public Inquiry, in part, will attempt to correlate the attitudes, behaviours and basically the whole issues surrounding Cornwall and Area allegations of sexual abuse, with the horrid and hateful words "allegedly" utterred by David Popescu, as reported in the Ottawa Sun article.

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