Reply To: Reporting Abusers

Syag Lachochma,

Sorry to butt in like this, but follwing the above discussions, both with myself and others, the key issue here appears to be that you wish to make it very clear that abuse is an issue in our kehilla, often more widespread than we are aware of or would like to think about, and that there are those who either actively or passively assist abusers in carrying out and getting away with their crimes.

And on all these points I agree. And, I daresay, so does LoIbud and mw13. Perhaps there may be a minor quibble over the extent, but that has not been the point you have disagreed on. If I may, the only thing you have clearly disagreed on is the manner in which you disagree. I hope this comes across the right way, but in trying to raise awareness and point out that this is a widespread and significant issue, you do appear to be disagreeing with points you don’t necessarily argue with, such as my own point that there is no widespread conspiracy, or my other point that we should not allow this issue to be used by those who wish to damage the kehilla to further their divisive agenda. Perhaps I am wrong and you do disagree with those key points. Please let me know if you do, for nothing you have thus far said indicates this.

If I may be so presumptious, I would say that in your zeal to raise awareness and draw attention to the issue, an admirable intention, you ascribe motivations to others, including myself, that we do not hold. For example, insinuating that by using the words ‘isolated’ or ‘few’ I was in some way trying to play down the severity of the issue. OUt of context, that would be true, but in the manner that I used it, this was obviously not the case, as I explained explicitely above.

I hope I have framed my assumptions in the right way. Please do not take this as anything other than an attempt to avoid an argument that I do not think is actually based on a true disagreement. Your strength of feeling regarding this issue, as opposed to others’, including myself, more analytical approach, leads to the appearance of discord that, at least in my view, does not exist.