I truly don’t want to get into my own trials and tribulations here. However I do feel a need to explain myself when I fail to blog or post.
Perhaps strange, but true :).
I mentioned that our son was back in hospital for further surgery. Well, a bad turn of events on his first post-operative night – bleeding ++. So, more blood and plasma transfusions. He is stable now and we pray that the bleeding has stopped. But, it’s a worry. My mind and heart wander….
I did post three new but dated articles related to Charlie’s “trial.” You can access the links on New to the Site. Read them through along with “Questioning Dunlop and Courtroom Objectivity” by Bob Roth (10 May 2002). The Roth column is posted on the Perry Dunlop page – scroll down to the first article under “Articles Which Provide Further Information.”
This is just a small example of the “Blame it on Perry” fervour which gripped Crowns, judges and defence attorneys during the Leduc and Charlie “trials.” What alleged molesters did or did not do to young boys was totally irrelevant to one and all. Ditto what alleged molesters might do if they got the judicial nod to walk out of court and onto the streets.
Allegations of cover-up were scoffed at. Perry Dunlop was scorned, ridiculed and slandered. The “alleged” victims were mere legal window dressing to be used and/or abused as desired. The court transcripts are a mess because there was not a soul in the courtroom to represent or defend Perry Dunlop’s interests, or to ensure that he got a fair hearing, and to ensure that the numerous erroneous statements entered into the record were corrected.
Nor was there was a single legal soul in the courtroom who had the moral certitude, backbone and/or concern for the safety and well-being of children to say: “Enough! What about the boys? What about the allegations of sexual abuse? What about Perry Dunlop’s presumption of innocence? What if Charlie (or Leduc) really is guilty? What about our children’s Charter rights? What about justice? What about truth? What about the “victims? What about the pay-off? What about the illegal gag order?”
In response to such judicial and legal travesties of justice we are promised “healing” and “closure” through the Cornwall Public Inquiry, an inquiry mandated to look at the ever evolving sexual abuse policies, practices and procedures of various institutions and their respective responses to allegations of historical sexual abuse — an inquiry which has a acquired a sudden peculiar and irrefutable interest in who talked to Perry Dunlop, how, why, when and where?
What an insult to sheer common sense.
Been there! Done that!
That’s all I can say. Been there. Done that.
Enough for now,
Sylvia
(cornwall@theinquiry.ca)