AUSTRALIA
Sydney Morning Herald
Amanda Vanstone
The media frenzy surrounding Cardinal George Pell is the lowest point in civil discourse in my lifetime. I’m 64.
What we are seeing is no better than a lynch mob from the dark ages. Some in the media think they are above the law both overseas and at home. Deep pockets of your boss or lesser pockets on your victim, build bravado. If your assets aren’t on the line you can trash a reputation with gay abandon.
The systemic abuse of predominantly young boys in churches, government institutions and schools and the cover up is a stain on our past. It did irreparable harm to many young people and the Catholic Church was a chief perpetrator. Even the Victorian Police joined in the cover up.The career of a good and decent policeman who didn’t want to let sleeping dogs lie was ruined.
At least they’ve sought to right that wrong. Whether they have pursued everyone involved in ruining that career, and everyone who covered up, I don’t know. Throwing out principle, treating Pell as guilty from the start won’t right all the wrongs perpetrated on innocent children. It will simply perpetrate other evils.
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