GET OUT OF HELL FREE
Answered prayers: Well now, isn't this ruling convenient for the St. Louis Archdiocese and for predator priests ["Clergy Sex-Abuse Claim From Former St. Mary Magdalen Parishioner Denied on Appeal," Nicholas Phillips]?
It never ceases to amaze me how cruel Church officials and their lawyers can be. They use every tiny little technicality they can conjure up to not be held responsible, but mainly to keep themselves out of the courtroom and off that witness stand.
Like Paul Alvino says, he wanted to have his day in court so the full truth could be exposed about how the archdiocese covers up crimes against kids. Until the courts start allowing victims of child sex abuse to have their day in court, kids will never be safe. The truth needs to be exposed, and those who commit crimes against kids need to be held accountable. Not just pay out money — they need to be put in jail, like any other human being.
This is so sad for Paul Alvino and for victims of clergy abuse. We hope that he does not give up the fight.
Judy Jones, SNAP Midwest Associate Director, via the Internet
Path to salvation: If the Church is honestly interested in eradicating its sordid history in these cases, it will waive any and all statute of limitation defenses that it may have.
Janelovernot, via the Internet
EL RUSHBO'S ROAD TRIP
Rushing to help: A great effort to help Joplin stay in America's minds to enhance a complete rebuild/recovery from such an awesome demonstration of Mother Nature's destructive power ["Rush Limbaugh Pushing Tea in Joplin," Sarah Fenske]. Good choice made by a powerful individual who didn't have to do anything....
Roy, via the Internet
Tea for two: By doing what, giving them a bunch of tea? And then being all, "Oh, I'm not trying to outshine Joplin, just because I happen to be the most awesome, powerful man in America. This is about all of you!" Just give a speech of support, donate the tea silently and be done with it.
Kitty, via the Internet
American entrepreneurship: Where you see a devastated community, Rush sees a marketing opportunity to launch a new product! See? That's called taking a negative and turning it into positive cash flow! What's crass about that?
Bill Streeter, via the Internet
FEATURE, JUNE 30, 2011
REAL MEN DON'T LIKE MATH
Dullsville: When I first came to St. Louis for college in the 1980s, I was quickly pointed to the RFT, where the truth be told and the story be uncovered — and it was always cutting edge, in my most humble Midwestern naive opinion ["Real Men Get Their Facts Straight," Martin Cizmar, Ellis Conklin and Kristen Hinman]. But over the years, I have seen the cover story, the centerpiece of the RFT (and the reason to open it up), go from "sharp like a tack" to "dull like the clearance rack."
Today when I read the daring exposé of how Demi and Ashton got their numbers wrong and how the media seized it, I saw a great example of how a newspaper can waste way too many pages just to miss a point. Comparing the number of arrests with the number of instances of a crime is nowhere near apples to apples, but to waste even more space finding other sourpusses that will fight over that 100,000 to 300,000 number is really missing the point.
The RFT has gone from "cutting edge" to "peeking over the hedge." In your choice to push all the other great stories aside to "uncover the big lie" makes the RFT look like you don't think there is any problem with child prostitution.
Congratulations for helping your readers stand up and say, "I mean, heck, if Ashton and Demi can't get their numbers right, they should just shut up, instead of sticking their neck out to publicly make an effort to bring attention to a flaw in our social fabric." Yeah, you are right: They should just go back to eating jelly beans on the beach. Thanks, RFT, for dissing the activists!
John Covelli, St. Louis
