The Church’s abuse of Irish children 23 May 2009 [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RplWGisGoXY&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&feature=player_embedded&fs=1] That’s one country. How about all the others? I have heard so many stories… Religion
Metaphysics On the need for grownups [Thoughts from Kansas] 6 Mar 2010 Josh Rosenau has a sermon on the perils of attacking those who think science and religion can coexist at On the need for grownups [at Thoughts from Kansas]. It’s a pretty damned good sermon. He points out that the claim that science and religion are incompatible is itself an untested,… Read More
Ecology and Biodiversity How not to Feyerabend 5 Oct 2007 On Monday night last, Jason Grossman, a philosopher form the Australian National University rang me with an idea. He was coming to my university to give a talk entitled “How to Feyerabend”, arguing that Feyerabend was a dadaist rather than an anarchist. I’d tell you more about his talk, but… Read More
Politics Rudd’s strip joint visit 18 Aug 2007 I do not care if a politicians visits a strip club. In fact, a politician that did it and owns up without embarassment would be a good choice to pick, because you know he’s not going to pull that family values crap in the future. But a politician who visits… Read More
In Canada, the government set up residential schools to “aggressively assimilate” the children of aboriginal populations. These schools were run by churches–mostly the Catholic church, but the Anglican, Presbyterian and United churches were also involved. The mental and physical abuse that happened in those schools, and the destructive affect this has had on aboriginal societies, is still felt to this day. See this FAQ at CBC:http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2008/05/16/f-faqs-residential-schools.html
Not just the natives either (though that’s arguably the larger national disgrace). The same bunch now being implicated in Ireland also ran a branch plant operation in Newfoundland: http://www.mountcashelorphanage.com/ The fallout from both these sordid episodes has been popping in and out of the news for the past 20 years or so, as one or another inquiry or compensation suit proceeds.
Canada, at least, closed the schools and offered an official apology from Parliament and some monetary compensation. There is still much to be done. The Roman Catholic Church continues to cover up. I’ve updated my link to your site. Please consider adding mine to your blogroll. Thanks.