Saturday, April 30, 2016

Randy Engel: Does Francis Really Love Children and the Family?

They're going to teach me what?
Pope Francis’ pronouncement in Amoris Laetitia on “The Need for Sex Education,” appears in Chapter Seven, titled “Towards a Better Education of Children,” § 280-286.

The main heading, “The Need for Sex Education,” is instructive in light of the fact that prior to the post-conciliar era, no such “instruction” was deemed “necessary” by Holy Mother Church apart from the natural instruction given by parents to their children on sexual matters as they enter womanhood and manhood.

More than that, classroom “sex education” for children and youth was expressly prohibited by Pope Pius XI in his encyclical on Christian education Divini Illius Magistri issued on December 31, 1929, where we find the Catholic Church’s first official prohibition of formal sex instruction in an open classroom setting, an academic novelty which was introduced into certain liberal Catholic educational circles in the early part of the 20th century. As Pius XI states:
Another very grave danger is that naturalism which nowadays invades the field of education in that most delicate matter of purity of morals. Far too common is the error of those who with dangerous assurance and under an ugly term propagate a so-called sex-education, falsely imagining they can forearm youths against the dangers of sensuality by means purely natural, as a foolhardy initiation and precautionary instruction for all indiscriminately, even in public; and, worse still, by exposing them at an early age to the occasions, in order to accustom them, so it is argued, and as it were to harden them against such dangers.  (more...)


Conservatives headed toward social-policy meltdown over same-sex marriage stance

The leadership has made its position abundantly clear
OTTAWA — A social policy showdown could be in the works for next month’s Conservative party policy convention.

On one side: a bid to further entrench the party’s stand against same sex marriage with a resolution to protect “the rights of Canadian workers who believe in the traditional definition of marriage from employment discrimination on the basis of their deeply held religious beliefs.”

On the other: efforts to get the existing policy banning same sex marriage dropped altogether.

Supporters of both sides say the stakes are high as the party seeks to reinvigorate itself after last fall’s election defeat.
The party can’t afford to lose its base of social conservatives, said Jack Fonseca, program manger with Campaign Life Coalition, which recently published a list of six pro-life, pro-family resolutions it says will be debated at the convention in May including the same sex marriage one.

“It would be disastrous for the CPC to alienate its large social conservative base and tell them they don’t want them, don’t care about them and don’t care about their values,” Fonseca said.  (more...)


The slow-motion train wreck:




The cognitive dissonance of neo-Catholics invincible

Retired teacher guilty of sexual exploitation


OWEN SOUND - A retired OSCVI math teacher and girls' basketball coach pleaded guilty Friday in the Superior Court of Justice to sexual exploitation of a former student in a “secret relationship” over three years.

Gene Allan Cassidy, 60, of 270 8th Ave. E. in Owen Sound admitted to, while being in a position of trust or authority towards the underaged girl, touching her with his penis, hands and mouth over a three-year period in Owen Sound and elsewhere in Ontario.

A publication ban issued by Justice Clayton Conlan prohibits publishing details that would identify the victim.

Sentencing was delayed until June but assistant Crown attorney Andrew Shatto told the court he will seek a jail sentence of 18 months to two years less a day.

Defence lawyer Karen Jokinen of Barrie conceded jail would be coming because there's a mandatory minimum sentence of 45 days. Cassidy wouldn't be eligible for a conditional sentence as a result, she said. She and Shatto are “very far apart” on the recommended sentence.  (more...)


A Very English Scandal: sex, lies and a murder plot at the heart of the establishment


Passing years may tempt us to regard Jeremy Thorpe not so much wicked as absurd — a skinny, waistcoated Kenneth Williams figure mewling “Infamy, infamy, they’ve all got it infamy me,” to his big fat friend Cyril Smith. Thorpe led the Liberal Party for nine years from 1967 and nearly formed a government with the Tories in 1974. An Eton dandy, his mouth twitched with nascent drolleries. He wore trilby hats and lived in terror of his old dragon of a mother, whose left eye gleamed with a monocle.

 A Very English Scandal
In 1979, less comically, Thorpe was tried for conspiring to murder his gay lover Norman Scott. Somehow he was acquitted.

There have been numerous non-fiction Thorpe books, including last year a fine biography by Michael Bloch. Auberon Waugh wrote a fizzing account of the trial. Other Thorpe chroniclers have included reporters Magnus Linklater and Barrie Penrose.

Now comes one from John Preston, who brings a novelist’s nib to proceedings. Is that a euphemism for saying he has invented things? This fluent, readable book has certainly been polished with a f air degree of what Fleet Street feature editors once called topspin: “Give it some topspin, old boy. Make the copy sing.” In this John Preston more than succeeds.

A Very English Scandal does not seek to be biography or learned treatise. It places a premium on narrative zing. Readers fastidious about fact may find their sensibilities bruised. The author — I nearly said scriptwriter — aims for a vivid tableau of the players in Thorpe’s long, tragic downfall.  (more...)


What? Only in England?

Would that Canadian journalists could uncramp their hands.

“Automated Journalism”, Robots in the Newsroom: The Future of Corporate Media

Needs debugging
The Main-Stream Media (MSM) or corporate media has recently began making moves to replace humans with robots or “automated journalism” to produce its news stories. Not to say that the corporate media journalists who currently work under the propaganda machine are independent and are committed to the truth. However, more than ever, corporate media conglomerates are slowly replacing those same traditional journalists with robots that can produce twice the amount of stories at a faster rate to beat out their competition is just one of the reasons for the change.  But there is a bigger picture to this new advanced technology.

Robots as we know, have replaced humans in several industries especially in the automobile industry where robots are already replacing humans on production lines. The media is no exception. Recently the New York Post (a tabloid propaganda newspaper) reported that Bilderberg attendee and Bloomberg’s Editor-in-Chief John Micklethwait told Bloomberg’s 2,400 journalists in an internal office memo that he was creating a 10-person team that will study how to “use more automation in writing and reporting.” Micklethwait reportedly said:

“Why do we need you, if the basic idea is to get computers to do more of the work?” Micklethwait asked in the memo, obviously addressing an unspoken concern among his staff. 
“One irony of automation is that it is only as good as humans make it. That applies to both the main types of automated journalism. In the first, the computer will generate the story or headline by itself. But it needs humans to tell it what to look for, where to look for it and to guarantee its independence and transparency to our readers. In the second sort, the computer spots a trend, delivers a portion of a story to you and in essence asks the question: Do you want to add or subtract something to this and then publish it? And it will only count as Bloomberg journalism if you sign off on it.” 
“Done properly, automated journalism has the potential to make all our jobs more interesting,” he said  (more...)



The German Option of the Argentine Pope


ROME, April 28, 2016 – The definitive confirmation of Pope Francis’s endorsement of the German solution to the crucial question of communion for the divorced and remarried has come from Germany’s most famous cardinal and theologian, Walter Kasper, in an interview published on April 22 in the Aachen newspaper "Aachener Zeitung".

Thanks to the post-synodal exhortation “Amoris Lætitia” - Kasper said - the German bishops now have “a tail wind to help solve such situations in a humane way.”

And he recounted this revealing episode. Some time ago, a priest of his acquaintance had decided not to prohibit a remarried mother from receiving communion herself on the day of her daughter’s first communion. And he himself, Kasper, had helped that priest to make this decision, certain that he was “absolutely right.” The cardinal then reported the matter to the pope, who approved of the decision and said: “That is where the pastor has to make the decision.”

So “the door is open” for admission of the divorced and remarried to the sacraments, Kasper continued. “There is also some freedom for the individual bishops and bishops’ conferences. Not all Catholics think the way we Germans think. Here [in Germany] something can be permissible which is forbidden in Africa. Therefore, the pope gives freedom for different situations and future developments.”

Between Kasper and Jorge Mario Bergoglio there is much more than just the occasional contact.  (more...)


A modernist axis with deep roots:


Friday, April 29, 2016

Dutch man linked to Amanda Todd case facing child pornography, extortion charges Friday in Amsterdam

Amanda Todd is shown in an undated handout photo. The man accused in the
cyberbullying case of British Columbia teen Amanda Todd has denied the
allegations against him in a letter released by his lawyer.
VANCOUVER — The trial of a Dutch man facing dozens of child pornography and online extortion charges related to the suicide of a British Columbia teenager is slated to begin Friday in Amsterdam, despite Dutch media reports his lawyer has quit on the eve of the hearing.

Aydin Coban is accused of using webcam video with sexual content to blackmail up to 39 victims from various countries, many of them underage.

The federal government has asked the Netherlands to extradite Coban to Canada, so he can stand trial on five separate charges linked to the 2012 death of 15-year-old Amanda Todd of Port Coquitlam, B.C.

Todd killed herself following relentless bullying that was sparked after an Internet harasser allegedly distributed nude photos of her online.  (more...)


Questions: Columbus Boys’ Camp -- Silvia's Site


The Basilian Fathers once staffed the now defunct Columbus Boy’s Camp in Orillia Ontario .  The camp became of interest to me personally when I read that the now deceased and “alleged” molester Father Leo Campbell csb, a Basilian, “ministered at the camp.”

When I discovered that the camp had been administered by the Basilian Fathers since its foundation in 1929, and given that I now know of three Canadian Basilians – Father Robert Whyte, William Hodgson Marshall and Leo Campbell – who have been publicly charged or accused I decided I should try to learn more.

My efforts to learn more about Columbus Boys’ Camp (CBC) are restricted at this time to what information I can find on the internet.  I have also received some information first hand.

The information online is sketchy and at times contradictory.  I have decided therefore to paste a series of CBC-related articles and/or bits of information with the corresponding links.

It seems that the Knights of Columbus funded and promoted the camp from its inception in 1929, but throughout those years the task of managing the camp and selecting camp counsellors and directors as well as providing spiritual direction was the domain of the Basilian Fathers.  (more...)


Read it and weep:

Can Toronto Knights speak to this?

Donald Trump denies rape of teenage girl at 'sex party with convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein'


US presidential hopeful Donald Trump has denied claims he raped a woman when she was a teenager.

The Republican front-runner has been accused of attacking the alleged victim with convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

The bombshell claim threatens to derail Trump’s bid for the White House , as he is currently on course to win the party’s nomination for the November election.

The billionaire businessman responded last night saying the allegations are "categorically false”.

The alleged victim, who lodged her claim in the Central District Court of California on Tuesday, is suing for $100m.

While the Mirror does not usually name victims of sexual abuse, the woman has identified herself in court papers as Kate Johnson, and plans to defend herself in court.

She accused Trump and fellow billionaire Epstein of “sexual abuse under threat of harm” and “conspiracy to deprive civil rights.”  (more...)


Related:


Making America great again.

Thursday, April 28, 2016

80 people arrested in province-wide child pornography investigation


Ontario Provincial Police say that 80 people have been arrested following a province-wide investigation into the exploitation of children online, including 8 from Toronto and over a dozen others from across the GTA.

At a news conference on Thursday morning, OPP told reporters that the arrests were made after 174 search warrants were carried out over the last few weeks.

A total of 274 charges were laid against those taken into custody and include sexual assault, making child pornography, possession of child pornography, accessing child pornography and distributing child pornography.

Among those arrested was a former employee at a Milton daycare and a 74-year-old man from Newmarket.

“There’s always been a misconception that a lot of this material is produced in third-world type countries,” Det. Staff Sgt. Frank Goldschmidt told reporters at the news conference. “But it’s in our investigations that we’ve concluded that just as much of that material is produced right here in Ontario.”  (more...)


More coverage:

Related:

Hillsborough verdict could lead to Orgreave public inquiry finally being heard


The Hillsborough inquest verdict is to lead to a fresh drive for a public inquiry into the ‘Battle of Orgreave’.

The notorious clash between officers led by South Yorkshire Police and striking miners saw 95 men, including four from Durham, falsely accused of offences including riot.

And it was the same force in charge of the 1989 FA Cup semi final which resulted in the deaths of 96 Liverpool fans whose officers fabricated evidence while the man in charge, David Duckenfield, by his own admission lied about who was to blame.

Durham Miners Association secretary Dave Hopper said: “There wouldn’t have been a Hillsborough without Orgreave.

“What happened at Orgreave meant South Yorkshire Police thought they were a law unto themselves and could get away with anything.”

Last December the Orgreave Truth and Justice Campaign group presented an 85-page legal submission to Home Secretary Theresa May detailing the case for a public inquiry. Her response was expected last month but has not been given yet.  (more...)


Same milleau under scrutiny:


The secrets leak out:

Wednesday, April 27, 2016

Teacher facing sex charges to return to court


A judge will deliver his judgment in June in the case of a former Beamsville District Secondary School teacher accused of sexually assaulting a female student.

Robert St. Louis pleaded not guilty in the Superior Court of Justice in St. Catharines in September 2015 to sexual assault, sexual interference and invitation to sexual touching.

He is accused of sexual offences between 2008 and 2010 involving the former female student, beginning when she was 14 and he was 46.

The trial wrapped up in March and Judge Richard Loccoo was expected to deliver his judgment this week in an Ontario Court of Justice in St. Catharines.

On Wednesday, Judge Joseph Henderson said the matter had been postponed until June 16.  (more...)


‘Serial child molester’: Former U.S. Speaker of the House gets 15 months prison over hush money to abused boys


CHICAGO — Dennis Hastert, the Republican who for eight years presided over the House and was second in the line of succession to the presidency, was sentenced Wednesday to more than a year in prison in the hush-money case that included accusations he sexually abused teenagers while coaching high school wrestling.

Judge Thomas M. Durkin also ordered Hastert to undergo sex-offender treatment, spend two years on supervised release after 15 months behind bars and pay a $250,000 fine to a crime victims’ fund.

In explaining his punishment, the judge called Hastert a “serial child molester” and described as “unconscionable” his attempt to accuse one of the victims of extortion.

Hastert becomes one of the highest-ranking politicians in American history to be sentenced to prison. He pleaded guilty last fall to violating banking law as he sought to pay $3.5 million to someone referred to in court papers only as Individual A to keep the sex abuse secret.

Earlier in the hearing, a former athlete who said he was molested by Hastert decades ago told the courtroom that he was “devastated” by the abuse.  (more...)


More coverage:

Background:



Man who allegedly worked at Milton daycare charged in child porn investigation


Peel Regional Police have charged a man who allegedly worked at a Milton daycare with accessing and possessing child pornography.

On Tuesday, parents at the Milton Community Resource Centre received an email notifying them that a staff member at the facility had been charged with possession of child pornography.

The executive director of the centre, Rebecca Barrows Vrankulj, told CTV Toronto that the centre became aware of the police investigation after being contacted by Peel police and the Children’s Aid society.

In the statement, Barrows Vrankulj said that the news was ‘deeply troubling’ to the daycare centre.

“The centre assures everyone, especially parents, that we are cooperating with police to assist them in their investigation,” the statement reads.

The daycare did not identify the accused or his specific position in their statement, but assured parents that the employee has been removed from the property and will not return.

The Ontario Provincial Police have taken over the case but have yet to release details pertaining to the investigation.

According to the Brampton courthouse, Steven Campbell was charged with one count of possession of child pornography.  (more...)


Back in the saddle! NOT Born That Way


Saying what needs to be said. Now, crypto-fags, get over it and re-acquaint yourselves with why Catholics are right.

Time to confront your anxieties

Parents warned over innocent-looking symbols used by paedophiles to indicate their sexual preferences


From a colourful butterfly and an oddly-shaped spiral to a pink layered heart, they could be the scrawls of young children.

But these symbols are actually used by paedophiles to identify their sexual preferences to other predators on social media.

The innocent-looking logos 'distinguish' what gender and age of child the paedophiles are sexually attracted to, according to experts .

Seen on blogs and webcasts, they are accompanied by disturbing descriptions such as 'BoyLover', 'GirlLover' and 'LittleBoyLover'.

And the symbols aren't just limited to social media - with paedophiles having etched them into rings and pendants and even imprinted them on coins.

They have also been previously found on children's toys - to the horror of parents.  (more...)


Truth behind secret Nazi paedophile sect where beasts raped 'slaves' in Chilean commune AFTER WW2 is revealed


The German government has announced it will finally open its files on a cult set up in Chile by a Nazi paedophile.

The move will shed light on Colonia Dignidad, a commune founded in 1961 by convicted paedophile Paul Schaefer and other German immigrants in a remote part of Chile.

Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier made the incredible announcement as the ministry screened a movie about the sect starring Harry Potter actress Emma Watson and Inglourious Basterds actor Daniel Bruehl.

The abuse and slavery that victims of the sect endured only came to light after the fall of Pinochet's regime.  (more...)


More coverage:


Background:


Education ministry urged to investigate York Region school board

York Region public school board trustee Linda Aversa denies allegations that she tried to pressure
senior staff at her daughter's school to boost one of her marks.
The province needs to step in and investigate the York Region District School Board, says a local MPP who has joined a number of parents and staff calling on the education ministry to look into allegations of trustee interference, the director’s unusual 10-year contract as well as low morale in a board once lauded as a model in Ontario.

“There are too many problems here,” said Thornhill Progressive Conservative Gila Martow, who is also urging any elected officials involved to step down should the ministry intervene.

On Sunday, the Star detailed allegations from sources that trustee Linda Aversa sought a higher mark for her daughter to get into a competitive university business program. After being rebuffed by the school, she allegedly approached the superintendent, who in turn received “pressure from above” to look into it, a source told the Star. While multiple requests were made each day during a two-week period, in the end no changes were made.

Both Aversa and superintendent Becky Green have told the Star the allegations are untrue. Aversa said “as any parent would, I did have appropriate dialogue with my daughter’s school about her education, but I have never asked anyone to boost her marks.”

A spokesperson for Education Minister Liz Sandals did not comment on a possible probe into the concerns raised about the board.  (more...)


Background:

Meanwhile, the crew re-arranges the deck chairs:

Tuesday, April 26, 2016

More sex assault complaints against Barrhaven teacher


At least six more female students at Pierre Savard High School in Barrhaven have come forward to police with complaints about sexual comments and touching by their former math teacher, 57-year-old Naoum Abi-Samra.

Abi-Samra was charged last week with sexual assault and sexual interference after several alleged incidents involving one of his students earlier this year, and Ottawa police warned there could be more victims.

The Conseil des écoles catholiques du Centre-Est (CECCE) said Pierre Savard High School sent a letter to parents last Friday informing them that more students had reported similar incidents. Police sources tell CBC more charges are likely.  (more...)


Background:

Canada Post’s delivery of Toronto newspaper ‘distributing hate propaganda’: Human rights complaint


An Ottawa lawyer has filed a human rights complaint against Canada Post and the government of Canada, saying that they are helping to distribute what he called hate propaganda by delivering Toronto newspaper Your Ward News.

Richard Warman, a human rights lawyer with a 20-year history of monitoring the spread of neo-Nazi and white supremacist material, filed the complaint with the office of the Canadian Human Rights Commission on Friday morning. Warman said that the newspaper contains material that is misogynistic, racist, anti-Jewish, anti-Muslim, and homophobic.

Warman said he wants Canada Post and the government of Canada to “respect the law, which is fairly clear that you can’t go around disseminating hate propaganda into the public or into the workplace.”

Your Ward News describes itself as an “anti-Marxist” publication and claims to be distributed to homes and business in Toronto from Lansdowne in the west end to Victoria Park in the east.

Its current issue advocates Nazism, mocks sexual assault victims, and describes various people using a homophobic slur. It espouses anti-vaccination views, denies the Holocaust, and refers to Muslims as “swine.”  (more...)


What's with those eastenders? Some appreciation of Your Ward News:

Background:


Some circumspection by pro-life and pro-family activists may be in order regarding the political "right". They aren't particularly loyal conservatives, and they don't always disengage themselves from Trotskyites and neo-fascists. Orthodox Catholics are becoming wise to and disenchanted with the flakey poltics of these dubious "allies".

Monday, April 25, 2016

Did this company engineer the largest tax dodge in Canadian history?

Cameco President and Chief Executive Officer Tim Gitzel
For Don Kossick it’s been a lonely battle – a sort of one-man crusade, if you will.

The Saskatoon-based activist and community organizer runs Saskatchewan Citizens for Tax Fairness, which lobbies against corporate tax evasion. Two years ago, Kossick managed to raise enough money to pay for a billboard sign in downtown Saskatoon with the blaring headline “Pay Up Cameco”.

Headquartered in Saskatoon, Cameco Corp. is the world’s largest publicly-traded uranium company – producing as much as 15 to 20 percent of the global uranium supply. In fact, it provides most of the uranium used in Canada’s nuclear reactors.

But Cameco is now in hot water: the federal government is accusing the $2.8-billion company of operating a massive tax dodging scheme for years – and potentially depriving state coffers of as much $2.1-billion in cash. Cameco, which denies these allegations, goes on trial in Toronto this September. And If the company is found guilty, it would constitute the largest tax avoidance case in Canadian history. Meanwhile, the US Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is seeking (US) $32-million in back taxes from Cameco – and is investigating to see if the company owes more.

Yet, despite the vast sums involved, Kossick is finding it difficult to raise awareness in Saskatchewan about the Cameco case. “What (Cameco does) is give away money here and there so everybody thinks they’re fine,” he explains. “They are very effective at dodging public concern.”  (more...)


Who could have taught Canadian engineers these kinds of moves?

My engineering alma mater seemed to have an awful lot of crypto-fascists and proto-technocrats.

The Canadian nuclear industry has its charm:

Teacher charged with sex assault in connection to student due in court


OTTAWA – An Ottawa Catholic School Board teacher charged with a number of sex-related offences in connection to a student is due in court Monday.

Police began investigating after allegations that a female teacher employed by the school board was having a sexual relationship with one of her students.

The investigation revealed the alleged relationship began while the accused was working as a teacher.

Jessica Beraldin, 30 of Ottawa, faces charges of sexual assault, sexual exploitation and making sexually explicit material available to a child.

She taught students from grades seven to nine.  (more...)


Background:

The Future of Ontario Education




Related:

Sunday, April 24, 2016

Outside audit suspended: has civil war erupted at the Vatican?

Archbishop Angelo Becciu, left
Yesterday, it was reported that the Vatican had suspended the independent audit of its finances by the firm PricewaterhouseCoopers. The company had been engaged only on December 5 of last year, and for the process to be halted this quickly, even temporarily, seems like a remarkable setback for Pope Francis’s crusade to haul the administration of the Curia, kicking and screaming, into the 21st century.

As he broke the news, the always well informed journalist Ed Pentin linked the story to an article in yesterday’s Italia Oggi newspaper, which claimed that manoeuvres were underway to replace Jean-Baptiste de Franssu, a Frenchman and the current president of the IOR, or Vatican Bank, whose term was not expected to come to an end in the immediate future. According to the article, the move to replace De Franssu was also a proxy move against Cardinal Pell, the prefect for the Vatican’s Secretariat for the Economy, who has been the major, if not sole, agent of real reform in the Vatican finances, and who has been the constant target of a campaign of leaks and gossip since taking office in 2014.

It has been suggested that curial officials are desperate to see Cardinal Pell removed and both the presidency of the IOR and the job of auditing the curial finances return to Italian hands, before the new rigours of full transparency get past the point of no return.  (more...)


Back to business as usual (Italian style)?

York trustee alleged to have pressured staff to boost daughter’s mark

York Region school trustee Linda Aversa is alleged to have pressured senior school staff to boost
one of her daughter's marks
A York Region trustee is alleged to have pressured senior staff to boost her daughter’s marks so she could get into a competitive university program, the Star has learned.

The request from Trustee Linda Aversa and higher-ups was so intense, according to a school board source, that senior staff spent multiple hours of their workday over a two-week period discussing it.

“She should have known better,” said a source with inside knowledge of the incident involving the trustee, who represents Wards 3 and 4 in Vaughan. “She used her access to petition for her daughter.”

Aversa said the allegations are incorrect and she never asked for marks to be raised.
“As any parent would, I did have appropriate dialogue with my daughter’s school about her education, but I have never asked anyone to boost her marks.”

The allegations of trustee interference come as the York Region District School Board faces ongoing concern about how it is being run, increasing discontent among staff and an unusually high number of resignations of well-respected senior managers. The Star also recently revealed how trustees secretly voted their new and relatively inexperienced director an unprecedented 10-year contract.

The behaviour and influence of some trustees across the GTA, who are elected by the public, has long been a headache for the province.  (more...)


Child sex abuse widespread in Exclusive Brethren, research claims

Former Exclusive Brethren turned academic Jill Mytton
Four out of ten former Exclusive Brethrens who responded to a study looking at traumatic experiences growing up in the sect say they were sexually abused as children in New Zealand.

The study, carried out by a former Brethren, found 18 of 44 participants claimed they had been sexually abused as children.

The figure was significantly higher than the worldwide average, which found around 27 per cent claimed they had suffered child sex abuse.

It's the first piece of academic research into allegations of abuse suffered by members of the church.

Researcher Jill Mytton, from the United Kingdom, believes levels of child sexual abuse in the former member population are much higher than in the general population.

"That appears to be particularly high in New Zealand though, and this warrants further investigation."

Mytton said she could not be sure who the abusers were in every case, but those who had spoken to her said that their abusers were members of the Brethren.

Mytton said said she came under attack by the Brethren and her study was suddenly cancelled by her UK-based university after the Brethren made legal threats.

"I was in the process of finding out about that when legal action by the Brethren halted the research. The university who were hosting the research pulled the plug I assume because they feared a lawsuit."

The Brethren commissioned three academics, professors from the University College London and Warwick University, who severely criticised Mytton's research.  (more...)

Saturday, April 23, 2016

Oles Buzina: Voice from the grave


With the onset of the Ukrainian crisis, I realized that I often looked forward to the work of certain journalists, who were both eloquent and informative. Oles Buzina was one of them. In addition to reading his columns, I, like millions of other Russians, watched his frequent appearances on political talk shows. I often found myself in disagreement, but had to admit that his points were well-argued and factually justified—a true sign of a charismatic erudite.

Thus, the news of his brazen murder on April 16 of this year, in broad daylight and outside his home, was particularly distressing. Later, I found out that Oles—a well-known author and historian, in addition to his journalistic career—had been receiving threats for quite some time. Yet he consistently turned down offers to relocate to Russia. Like a true patriot of a country in peril, he continued to love Ukraine. But Ukraine—today’s Ukraine—did not return that sentiment.

Like clock-work, Western mainstream media called Buzina “pro-Russian” in a political climate, where this term has become a slur, in order to reduce the significance of his violent death. Unlike the recent murder of 1990s politician Boris Nemtsov at the Kremlin walls, no Western embassies solemnly changed their Twitter cover images to his portrait, and no emotional condemnations came from the highest levels of foreign governments within hours of the news. Considering the official West’s backing of the current state of Ukraine, I suppose we should be glad that there was any coverage at all, double standards notwithstanding.

To add insult to injury, since his murder, some book stores in Kiev even stopped carrying Buzina’s work. At the same time, however, there seems to be greater interest in them online. But posthumous recognition and growing book sales are of little consolation to the women he left behind: his mother, wife, and daughter.  (more...)


Related:




Friday, April 22, 2016

UK: Abused Priest Withdraws From Review


A clergyman abused by a former bishop has said he will not cooperate with a review into the Church of England's investigations because "bullying and silencing" were not in the terms of reference of the review.

Reverend Graham Sawyer

Priest in violation of restrictions placed on him following inappropriate relationship


DETROIT (WXYZ) - Father Kenneth Kaucheck was forced to resign from the priesthood 7 years ago over a decades old allegation of sexual misconduct.

He was accused of carrying on a relationship with a 16-year-old girl he was counseling at a Clawson parish back in 1976.

The Archdiocese of Detroit barred Kaucheck from public ministry.

While the teen was of age in 1976---and thus---the priest never charged with a crime, it still violated church protocol and raised concerns.

Paula Schnoblen is with the Macomb County based group Turning Point, which advocates for victims of domestic and sexual abuse.

She and others were shocked to learn Father Kaucheck has been quietly surrounding himself with troubled teenage girls.

He is co-founder, Director of Development and on the board of directors at Gianna House. an Eastpointe based ministry for pregnant teens.  (more...)



Background:

Hanover School Division stands behind policy probiting LGBTQ issues in classroom

Michelle McHale made a request to the Hanover School Division to change its
rules preventing teachers from talking to their students about same-sex families.
The Hanover School Division is defending itself against critics, saying it's on solid ground with its policies and procedures that prevent middle school teachers from talking about same-sex relationships in the classroom.

"Quite frankly, it's just not part of the curriculum," said Ron Falk, board chair of the Hanover School Division.

Earlier this month the Hanover School Division was approached by Michelle McHale, a mother from the Steinbach area who was concerned about her child being bullied for having two moms. She asked the division to review its guidelines and implement a new policy that would include LGBTQ individuals and families in classroom resources and conversations.

HSD's current policy classifies all questions around LGBTQ issues as "sensitive content."  (more...)


Alberta teacher may lose teaching certificate after sex in closet with junior high student


In a written ruling released Wednesday, a professional conduct committee of the Alberta Teachers’ Association said former teacher Shane Cameron Mazutinec is guilty of unprofessional conduct for failing to treat a student with dignity and respect, and bringing dishonour to the teaching profession.

“Mazutinec cultivated a relationship with a demonstrably vulnerable student. He groomed this relationship with the student with the ultimate goal of sexually exploiting her and comfortable in his belief that any disclose of (the) same by her would likely be discredited,” wrote the conduct committee, made up of chairwoman Wendy Maltais, Bart Heine, and public member Lynne Davies.

The committee declared Mazutinec permanently ineligible for membership in the association, which would prevent him from teaching in any Alberta provincially run school. The committee also imposed a $10,000 fine and recommended Alberta’s education minister cancel his teaching certificate.  (more...)


Five-year sentence sought for notorious pedophile 'Swirl Face'


NEW WESTMINSTER, B.C. — Ten more months. That may be all the time that admitted pedophile and notorious sex tourist Christopher Neil spends in jail.

It doesn’t seem like much considering what he’s done.

The 41-year-old former teacher from Maple Ridge first came to global attention as “Swirl Face” in 2007 when a worldwide warrant for his arrest was issued by Interpol because of the 315 images found on the Internet of him abusing pre-pubescent boys.

Neil, who fled his teaching job in South Korea the day his swirled image was released, was arrested in Thailand a week later. There, he was charged with sexual offences involving two Thai boys aged nine and 13.

Neil pleaded guilty and because of a pardon, served only 3½ years of his sentence before being deported to Canada in 2012. He was later charged with 10 counts, including two for abusing Cambodian boys and others related to possessing and accessing child pornography in Canada in 2007 and again after 2012.

He pleaded guilty to five charges in December and the others were dropped.  (more...)


More coverage:

Thursday, April 21, 2016

Catholic school in Japan at the centre of abuse allegations


Former students at a prestigious all-boys parochial school in Japan have alleged they were molested or raped by religious brothers who taught there decades ago.

Three former students at St Mary’s International School in Tokyo told the Associated Press they were sexually abused by brothers there. One described “health checkups” in which a brother touched boys’ testicles. Another says he was raped in the chapel by two brothers at the age of 11.

That former student reportedly received an in-person apology from one of the men, Brother Lawrence Lambert, in 2014. The former student’s account of the meeting suggests Lambert might have initially confused him with another victim whose assault went unreported.

The former student said the school sent Lambert away after the 1965 attack, only to have him return to serve as elementary-school principal for nearly two decades.

Allegations from former students have been published in an English-language Tokyo newspaper but otherwise have received little attention in Japan. There are only about 500,000 Catholics in the country of 127 million, and the school is aimed at foreigners like the three former students rather than Japanese.  (more...)


Revealed: huge probe into ‘cover-ups’ over VIP paedophiles


Detectives have combined a series of investigations into alleged cover-ups of child sex abuse by VIPs into one umbrella operation.

Exaro can reveal that allegations about how Scotland Yard “corruptly” dropped old cases on claims against celebrities such as Sir Jimmy Savile, the paodophile and BBC star, politicians and other prominent people are being investigated under ‘Operation Winter Key’.

Sources familiar with the operation say that it covers all claims of "impropriety" by officers of the Metropolitan Police service over complaints of sexual abuse up to 2012.

One source told Exaro: "It is being treated very seriously."  (more...)


Fascism: Past, Present and Future


As the title of the program indicates, this broadcast chronicles aspects of the past and present of fascism – the Underground Reich, in particular – and looks ahead to a very, very scary future. Our political culture has not recorded an accurate account of what fascism is, how it arose, what became of it, and – in particular – why it has been able to perpetuate itself so effectively. One of the reasons for this failure concerns the collaboration between major institutions of our “democratic” society and the Axis powers before, during and after the Second World War.

In addition to dominant corporate institutions and allied political and national security elites, American journalistic organizations have stained themselves with fascist collaboration. One of those institutions is the Associated Press, which collaborated with Nazi Germany, in order to steal a journalistic march on coverage of the Third Reich and its military campaigns.

Next, the program revisits part of the outcome of the decades-long collaboration between the CIA and the distillate of the Third Reich intelligence – the Gehlen “Org.” In Ukraine, the government that assumed power following the Maidan coup/covert operation is the direct successor to the OUN/B fascists who collaborated with Hitler.  (more...)


A recent Canadian story:


And, some related stories:




Cost of Gender Studies


Professor Fiamengo details the high cost of Women's Studies programs in Canada and suggests that this wasted money could be better spent on something useful.

I can affirm that Canadian freemasonry footed the bill for the University of Toronto's women's studies program, and even built the facility housing them. The faculty were largely Eastern Star.


Defence Recommends Sentence Of 8 To 10 Years For Jamey Kristian


LETHBRIDGE - The defence has recommended a sentence of 8 to 10 years in prison for Jamey Brian Kristian.

The former Raymond school teacher plead guilty back in September to charges of sexual assault, sexual interference, child pornography, and voyeurism. He admitted to sexually assaulting three boys and taking photos and videos of other young boys in local change rooms.

The defence lawyer argued that 8 to 10 years for Kristian would be appropriate as he already lost his career and most of his friends. It was also noted that Kristian has started counselling and wants to continue getting help.

On Tuesday, the Crown asked for a sentence of 15 years in prison. They are also seeking a DNA order, entry on the sex offender registry for life, and a weapons prohibition.

A verdict will be delivered on June 30th.  (more...)


Background:

Panama Papers: Bracelet of businesses


THE Beny Steinmetz Group is perhaps the most successful, and controversial, diamond company you’ve never heard of. It’s the biggest buyer of diamonds from Anglo American’s diamond arm, De Beers, and a supplier to the luxury jewellery brand Tiffany & Co. But it is also a company that has been investigated by the US Federal Bureau of Investigations in six countries, and was accused of bribing Mamadie Touré, the wife of Guinea’s former dictator Lansana Conté, to score a $10bn iron concession in 2008 for $165m.

Given that profile, it’s no surprise that the group, started by the Israeli tycoon of the same name, has fought hard to avoid the spotlight. But, given an alleged tax avoidance scam in SA and an ongoing US grand jury probe into Guinea, Steinmetz hasn’t been able to avoid the headlines entirely.

Perhaps to mitigate this public glare, Steinmetz supposedly sold his 37.5% share in Steinmetz’s diamond segment, Diacore, to his brother, Daniel, in 2014.

However, leaked details from the Panama-based law firm Mossack Fonseca, distributed by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, suggest Steinmetz might not have actually stepped away from the business at all.

The leaked Panama Papers shed light for the first time on the labyrinthine structures Steinmetz put in place to distance himself from the business.

It’s a trail that also reveals much about why Africa’s west coast — despite being one of the most diamond-rich regions on earth — remains dirt-poor while companies like Steinmetz are minting it. And in many cases, these spoils get ferreted off to some secretive offshore tax haven.  (more...)


That's how it's done, folks. Cecil Rhodes would be proud.