BOYS CHOIR COVERUP

NY Post ^ | January 24, 2004

[presidio9]

Anyone who wonders why sex abuse against kids is as pervasive as it is should consider the scandal at the Boys Choir of Harlem. A report by schools investigator Richard Condon accused the choir's director, Walter Turnbull, of covering up a two-year case of abuse by a choir counselor against a student there.

[presidio9]

Only when Roman Catholic priests are finally allowed to marry will will the children of the Harlem Boys Choir be truely protected from this menace...

[farmfriend]

We performed with this Chior in a competition.

[Zipporah]

Yikes.. is nothing sacred?

[presidio9]

Only when molesters are shot will children be truely protected from this menace.

You'll get no argument from me there, but my point is that your child would be far more likely to be abused in a choir than by a priest, but somehow the liberal media has conditioned most Americans to think "pedophile" as soon as they hear the word "priest."

[Pontiac]

A report by schools investigator Richard Condon accused the choir's director, Walter Turnbull, of covering up a two-year case of abuse by a choir counselor against a student there.

Someone needs to explain to me what is the purpose of a Choir Counselor.

I was in the Choir for 6 years as a child and we never had a Counselor.

When we went on trips we had parent Chaperons, any similarities?

[IncPen]

Someone needs to explain to me what is the purpose of a Choir Counselor.

I'll bite.

If the kid behind you in choir has a horrible voice, the liberals want you to be able to get counseling for PTBSD**.

_{**Post-Traumatic-Bad-Singing-Disorder}

[af_vet_1981]

What we need are more fair trials and fast hangings.

[George W. Bush]

...somehow the liberal media has conditioned most Americans to think "pedophile" as soon as they hear the word "priest."

In truth, this has always been a militantly Protestant country since its founding.

Just the breaks. The Roman church's far bigger problem is the distrust, disaffection, and defection of its own flock. Not the media's reporting on some sex scandals.

Don't worry much about it though. Wasn't it Napoleon who said that the Roman church was indestructible because its hierarchy had been trying to destroy it for over 1500 years and still hadn't succeeded? One of his few memorable quips.

[TheMom]

This in no way condones what was done. Personally, I think those that do any harm to children should be hung by their thumbs and stabbed with a fork until they bleed to death (but that is just me).

This is about arrogance. I worked for a boys choir for three years, I understand the "founder/artistic director" mentality. They know what is right for everyone, even when they know they are wrong.

I also understand that although there is a "board of directors", the founder/artistic director is the man in charge. Bottom line.

[razorback-bert]

"The problem is acute in many African-American communities," he notes, "where the staggering statistics of teenage pregnancies, black-on-black violence, and incarceration rates demonstrate all too clearly the need for children to know the meaning of words such as respect, honesty, integrity, discipline, hard work, and love."

The first lessons involve punctuality. Turnbull requires that those who don't show up on time present their excuses to everyone else, which often provokes snickers. "Public humiliation is a great motivator," he observes, "and nothing is too small to launch into a larger lesson on life. If a child asks to be excused to use the bathroom only ten minutes after rehearsal had begun, I tell the boy and the class about the word 'preparation' and how they have to plan things in their lives."

Turnbull insists that children be honest. "We are honest with them and expect them to be honest with us," he says. "If we see them doing something wrong or antisocial, we stop and talk with them about their behavior. It's more than telling them that they were doing something unacceptable. We tell them why their behavior was wrong and what the consequences would be if they continued with that behavior."

[longtermmemmory]

That will not solve the man on boy criminal acts. That needs to be adressed directly.

[MattAMiller]

I assume you had some adult in charge, that's probably what they mean by counselor. You know, like a camp counselor. The word counselor is not necessarily synonymous with therapist if that's what you mean.

[realpatriot71]

It seems to me that requiring preiests to be married almost ensures you filter out the perverts. The Roman Catholic priesthood as it currently stands is the perfect place for any child molester to hide without raising the suspicions of the community.

What is the rationale for forbidding priests to marry anyway?

[presidio9]

It seems to me that requiring preiests to be married almost ensures you filter out the perverts.

Oh, that's right, I forgot. Marriage is the perfect cure for sexual perversion. Perverts are never married, right?

What is the rationale for forbidding priests to marry anyway?

Jesus Christ.

[realpatriot71]

Oh, that's right, I forgot. Marriage is the perfect cure for sexual perversion. Perverts are never married, right?

Why the attitude? It made a simple observation an asked a simple question. Of course there are also married perverts in the world, BUT (and I'll bet you money on this) there are more UNmarried homosexual predatorial pedophiles than not. Do you disagree? Marrige would be a good way to screen those types out.

Jesus Christ never forbade marrige to anyone, especially "priests," as the Bible is clear that we (Christians) are all a priesthood of believers (Pet. 2:9). I was asking what was the Roman Catholic Church's rationale.

[subterfuge]

"somehow the liberal media has conditioned most Americans to think "pedophile" as soon as they hear the word "priest." "

No, I think the priests did that to themselves.

[mewzilla]

Jeez, Turnbull's a Heinz Award winner, too. Click here for details.

Wonder if anyone besides Rangel exerted any influence...

[mewzilla]

For more on this case, click here at blackcommentator.com.

[presidio9]

No, I think the priests did that to themselves.

What an asinine comment, since the vast majority of Catholic Priests are actually the exact opposite.