You can't have it both ways, L.A. Times!
The L.A. Times wants it both ways -- to eat its cake and have it, too.
As we know, the Times, in editorials, columns and news coverage, rightly rips Cardinal Mahony and other bishops for having sent priests to "treatment" and then restored them to duty.
But then today, the Times turns around and runs a sick, and sickening, op-ed piece (click on this post's title) that calls for, guess what, sending sex criminals to "treatment!"
The op-ed, entitled "The new American witch hunt," carries the subhead, "Demonizing sex offenders by passing tough, mindless laws rather than treating them makes little sense."
The Times says the writer, Richard B. Krueger, "is a psychiatrist and an associate clinical professor of psychiatry at Columbia University's College of Physicians and Surgeons."
Here is how Krueger ends his op-ed:
"What is happening now with individuals who have committed sexual crimes is the modern-day equivalent of a witch hunt...It is time to reexamine our approaches and develop empirically based, scientifically sound measures and treatments to bring rationality back to this discussion."
Obviously, Cardinal Mahony and other U.S. bishops deserve criticism for having returned "treated" priests to priestly ministry.
But by running this sick op-ed piece, the L.A. Times forfeits its credibility to make such criticism -- and lends credence to the impression that anti-Catholicism is a part of its motivation, along with the rest of the "news" media, in criticizing the Church on this and other matters.
Cardinals, newspapers and everyone else need to admit that "treatment" does not work.
And the L.A. Times has to learn that it can't have things both ways anymore.
As we know, the Times, in editorials, columns and news coverage, rightly rips Cardinal Mahony and other bishops for having sent priests to "treatment" and then restored them to duty.
But then today, the Times turns around and runs a sick, and sickening, op-ed piece (click on this post's title) that calls for, guess what, sending sex criminals to "treatment!"
The op-ed, entitled "The new American witch hunt," carries the subhead, "Demonizing sex offenders by passing tough, mindless laws rather than treating them makes little sense."
The Times says the writer, Richard B. Krueger, "is a psychiatrist and an associate clinical professor of psychiatry at Columbia University's College of Physicians and Surgeons."
Here is how Krueger ends his op-ed:
"What is happening now with individuals who have committed sexual crimes is the modern-day equivalent of a witch hunt...It is time to reexamine our approaches and develop empirically based, scientifically sound measures and treatments to bring rationality back to this discussion."
Obviously, Cardinal Mahony and other U.S. bishops deserve criticism for having returned "treated" priests to priestly ministry.
But by running this sick op-ed piece, the L.A. Times forfeits its credibility to make such criticism -- and lends credence to the impression that anti-Catholicism is a part of its motivation, along with the rest of the "news" media, in criticizing the Church on this and other matters.
Cardinals, newspapers and everyone else need to admit that "treatment" does not work.
And the L.A. Times has to learn that it can't have things both ways anymore.
posted by Quintero at 11:48 AM
3 Comments:
Actually, the LA Times in this instance can have its cake and eat it to. :) Notice what the LA Times says,yes it does call for treatment of sex offenders, but, it does not endorse putting them back in places where they could be a danger
I have the same policy regarding schizophrenics. I think they should be treated, not jailed, but I do not endorse putting them in places they could be a danger, like the military :)
Dear Hoodlum,
Sorry, the Times is going to have to go without any second helpings.
The op-ed is for treatment instead of against criminal punishment, so that would leave sex offenders in society -- where they obviously would remain a danger, esepcially if their "treatment" resulted in their being given a certificate of being "rehabilitated."
Where in society is there that a pederast can't be a danger???
The key to understanding the LA Times is like the key to understanding any commercial media: their business is selling papers, not reporting news.
Constantly stirring pots and pushing buttons is simply the most effective method of selling their product...
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