Monsignor Lynn sentenced to three to six years in prison (for ENABLING child raping priests)

[cleanhippie]

Msgr. William J. Lynn was sentenced to 3 to 6 years in state prison Tuesday by a judge who said he turned a blind eye while "monsters in clerical garb" sexually abused children, devastating families and shaking the Catholic church across Philadelphia and beyond.

Common Pleas Court Judge M. Teresa Sarmina said she believed Lynn was once the kind and selfless parish priest that his supporters so passionately described. But as the aide Cardinal Anthony J. Bevilacqua tapped to investigate clergy-sex abuse, Lynn instead chose to protect the church over victims, she said.

"You knew full well what was right, Monsignor Lynn, but you chose wrong," she told him.

The sentence, the first for a Catholic leader for enabling clergy sex abuse, fell just short of the maximum seven-year term Philadelphia prosecutors sought. It was hailed by victims and advocates who had complained church officials long eluded justice for accommodating or concealing priests' attacks on children.

http://articles.philly.com/2012-07-24/news/32828948_1_william-j-lynn-monsignor-lynn-clergy

Convicted of ENABLING child rapers. You know, to supply with the means, knowledge, or opportunity. Giving time, money, or support falls under that definition. Let that roll around in your head for a bit.

[dmallind]

1. too short a sentence, too few defendants, but a start.

The whole system - any system - that does anything but immediately contact police and immediately withdraw any opportunity for reoccurrence it can possibly affect at the very first credible report of child abuse is guilty of this crime. Football coaches, hierarchy, business leaders, whatever. Makes no difference. I am and remain a denier of moral absolutes, but any scenario I could imagine that would make turning a blind eye to pederasty, let alone actively giving the child-rapist a fresh set of victims for the choosing, a worthy moral choice is so fantastic and improbable it would strain comic book credulity to say nothing of the courtroom.

[HockeyMom]

29. I agree too short a sentence

but the priests actually convicted of sexual abuse haven't gotten much more time. Pitiful. Just a slap on the wrist.

[Dems to Win]

2. Bernard Law and the pope should be sharing his prison cell

FINALLY one of the catholic pedophile-enablers is sent to prison. FINALLY.

There should be dozens more in prison with him.

It is absolutely astonishing to me that ANYONE continues to give money to the catholic church, when they call Bernard Law a 'prince'. Disgusting. I can only conclude that they are indeed sheep, and proud of it.

[rug]

3. Are you calling practicing Catholics "sheep"?

[Dems to Win]

4. If they are funding the pedophile ring called the catholic church, yes I am.

Twenty five years of revelations of catholic bishops covering up for pedophiles. Bernard Law called a 'prince'. The pope is one of the key members of the coverup.

Yes, if you are sending these people money, I am calling you a sheep. I can think of many worse names to call those who fund pedophile coverups.

[rug]

7. And do you include Biden, Pelosi and Napolitano?

[Dems to Win]

11. If they are sending money to the catholic church, yes, I do.

I was disgusted by Pelosi's kow-towing to the bishops over the ACA and birth control. The catholic bishops should not be treated as any kind of moral spokesmen -- they are exactly the opposite, apologists for evil.

[rug]

12. Rethink your name.

[Goblinmonger]

5. Why don't you post the results of the alert when it comes in?

Hide or not, I'd like to see it.

[rug]

9. Get some new material.

[Goblinmonger]

13. How about if you get some new material.

First you have him repeat what he said so that you can have a second alert. Then you ask him if he means that about Dem politicians so that you can alert on that one if it doesn't work because he is saying things not just against you but about prominent Dems.

It's a pattern that plenty recognize. If you stop doing it, I'll stop pointing it out. Promise. I just want the unsuspecting to know what you are doing.

[rug]

21. You are way too obsessed with DU.

Do you dream about who alerts and wake up staring in the middle of the night?

No, I didn't alert. That's more your shtick.

Even though this broad brush bullshit deserves it.

[EvolveOrConvolve]

17. Get some new material?

Thick the irony is in this one.

[rug]

22. Yoda was fresh 30 years ago.

[EvolveOrConvolve]

28. Yoda is always fresh

The Force is an eternal, and not to be mocked, subject. So stop saying that.

[rug]

34. Oh, in that case I'll rephrase

Fresh Yoda was time long long ago.

Now I'll listen to some Devo.

[Goblinmonger]

37. Leave Devo the hell out of this.

They were ahead of their time. Musical geniuses.

[rug]

42. They have a strong cult following.

[EvolveOrConvolve]

44. Oh my

I'm not touching that one.

[EvolveOrConvolve]

39. You're still mocking Yoda

Careful, there might be some Jedi Knights around DU who are offended by your capricious treatment of their hero.

[rug]

45. It's not Yoda I'm mocking.

[EvolveOrConvolve]

48. Well then who are you mocking?

Inquiring Minds Want to Know. <- sticking with our 80's theme

[cbayer]

18. Well, someone alerted the post and I'm betting it wasn't you.

Really an abuse of the jury system.

[EvolveOrConvolve]

19. C'mon cbayer, you know it's not an abuse of the alert system

If someone's offended by something on DU, they can choose to alert (or not) on the post. I'm not sure they need your approval before doing so. For example, I'm offended by your post - would it be "an abuse of the jury system" for me to alert on it?

This entire thread is fraught with irony, considering a particular poster's methods.

[cbayer]

20. Looks to me that some one alerted on it to set rug up.

You don't think that's an abuse?

If you haven't read the whole thread, you may want to do that.

[cleanhippie]

23. Someone "set up" rug?

Stop it Smalls, you're killing me!

[rug]

26. Naw, that couldn't possibly happen.

BTW, where's laconic?

[EvolveOrConvolve]

30. Looking for another notch, I see

The belt getting a little lonely?

[rug]

33. You have it backwards as usual.

Do you really need to be shown again who was looking for notches?

[cleanhippie]

36. I wasn't commenting on the possibity of that.

Just the irony of cbayer complaining that YOU were the victim of a "set up."

[Goblinmonger]

40. Get some new material. n/t

[rug]

43. Incoherent comments about alerts. n/t

[cbayer]

27. Who alerted the post?

This is really low.

[EvolveOrConvolve]

25. I don't question why other DUers alert on posts

If they're offended by something and want to alert on it, that's what the system's for. Doesn't mean that I'm going to vote to hide just because someone alerted a post they found offensive.

And, FWIW, I declined service on a jury adjudicating one of the very posts in this thread. In fact, that's how I stumbled across this delightful conversation.

[cbayer]

31. He didn't alert because he was offended.

Exactly how stupid do you think I am?

[EvolveOrConvolve]

35. First, I didn't call you stupid - I think you're anything but

Second, how the hell would I know "his" motivations?

It can't be that you just found out this is a game played (rather adeptly) by both believers and non-believers. And I see once again that you're choosing to chide only one side for their behavior. You'd have a lot more credibility if you maintained the unbiased POV you like to profess so vehemently.

[cbayer]

41. You can't possibly be defending this.

I would chide anyone who I saw do this.

This isn't a game and that was a really ugly thing to do. Trying to set up another member using duplicitous means is wrong.

There are members here I think make DU suck. It has nothing to do with bias.

[cleanhippie]

38. That's a rhetorical question, right?

[cbayer]

47. Well, at least I would have probably had the presence of mind to edit the alert message

before I posted it.

But then again, I would have never done something like this.

So, you decide if it's rhetorical of not.

[cleanhippie]

49. "I would never have done something like this"

Oh, no, integrity, neutrality, and fair play is what you are all about.

[cbayer]

51. I wouldn't. I'm not neutral about much, but for you to question my integrity and fair play after

doing this is not remotely funny.

Why don't you just take responsibility and say it was wrong?

Should I take this to meta? How do you think the jury that took the time to serve and even make some thoughtful responses would feel.

Is this your new path? Very enlightened.

[cleanhippie]

52. Don't you dare lecture me.

I'm commenting on what appears to be hypocritical behavior.

[EvolveOrConvolve]

53. Aren't you calling out another DUer's integrity

by claiming that the alert was "an abuse of the jury system."

As I mentioned in an earlier post, this game didn't just start today, and for the first time you look like a real player.

[cbayer]

56. I have no idea what you are talking about. You mean this has been going on for a while?

You bet I'm going to call out someone's integrity who would do something like this.

[EvolveOrConvolve]

57. Really? You're kidding, right?

You haven't seen the back-and-forth that's gone on for YEARS? You can pretend that you just noticed it, and that it's all those dirty atheists' fault, but seriously?

[cbayer]

59. I'm not talking about the back and forth.

I rarely get involved in that and just let them go at it.

I'm talking about alerting on a post that you agree with in order to make it look like another member did it. I am talking about gaming the jury system to make points.

This has nothing to do with whether a theist or atheist did it.

[Goblinmonger]

62. You have no proof that is why he did it.

Or that he even did it. He could have had the results PMd to him from the real alerter. He may have alerted on it for a variety of purposes--one of which I explained earlier.

I am quite sure that if cleanhippie was doing something nefarious, he would be smart enough to post the alert without the "you alerted on a post" attached.

[Goblinmonger]

58. I find it hard to believe that you are really this clueless.

That you really think that every single alert is made because of honest concern for DU standards?

You really don't know why rug asks the same question of someone multiple times, do you?

[Goblinmonger]

54. Yeah, go run to Meta.

That's a good idea.

[Goblinmonger]

46. I thought about alerting on it first

with a really stupid reason to inoculate it against further alerts. Perhaps that why it was alerted on--to stop the "I'm going to get you locked out of this thread" alerts that were seemingly obviously coming.

[Evoman]

75. Bwahahaah

Hilariously ironic. Sad thing is, only seen one person "set up rug" and he is toast. Goose is cooked, but the gander keeps on trucking.

[cleanhippie]

15. Color me surprised. A jury gets it right.

At Wed Jul 25, 2012, 03:49 PM you sent an alert on the following post:

If they are funding the pedophile ring called the catholic church, yes I am.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1218&pid=37444

REASON FOR ALERT:

This post is disruptive, hurtful, rude, insensitive, over-the-top, or otherwise inappropriate. (See <a href="http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=aboutus#communitystandards" target="_blank">Community Standards</a>.)

YOUR COMMENTS:

Over the top

JURY RESULTS

A randomly-selected Jury of DU members completed their review of this alert at Wed Jul 25, 2012, 04:06 PM, and voted 2-4 to LEAVE IT ALONE.

Juror #1 voted to HIDE IT and said: Blanket condemnation.
Juror #2 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE and said: No explanation given
Juror #3 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE and said: It is now obvious that the bishops are covering up the pedophile ring. The machine runs on money donated by the members. Stop the money flow and the leaders of the church will correct the problem. I don't see another solution. Anyone giving money is supporting the cover up.
Juror #4 voted to HIDE IT and said: No explanation given
Juror #5 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE and said: Actually it's not over the top - a little bit overboard, but not quite over the top. All he's saying is that if you support the Catholic Church, you're just an enabler, and Dems to Win is right on this.
Juror #6 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE and said: If you don't really want to know the answer, don't ask.

Thank you.

[cbayer]

16. Wait. You alerted the post??

[rug]

24. Lol, you called it.

[Starboard Tack]

61. Unfuckingbelievable! I guess he's been taking lessons from laconic.

There are some incredible limbo dancers around here. Most entertaining.

[Goblinmonger]

63. Save your indignation.

Funny how it is never aimed at rug.

[rug]

64. I guess if you're not good at Scrabble, this game is an alternative.

[trotsky]

32. Is there something against the rules in doing that?

Perhaps you should alert on that post, since you're offended?

[cleanhippie]

6. Don't priests refer to their congregations as "flocks" with him as the "shepherd"?

Sheep seems to be the exact correct word. No?

[rug]

8. Actually, that is the correct translation.

Even though we both know that's not what he means.

[Dems to Win]

10. Bingo. Priests regularly call their parishioners dumb animals.

[2ndAmForComputers]

14. Don't Catholics (and other Christians) think being "sheep" is a GOOD thing?

And very openly so? "The Lord is my shepherd" and lots of other similar imagery and metaphors? Do I remember wrong?

[MineralMan]

66. Of course, and Jesus is not called the "Lamb of God" for nothing.

The shepherd/sheep connecting is common in Christianity.

[Walk away]

50. Hundreds of pedophile priests, dozens of Bishop enablers, decades of abuse...

And one man is convicted? What a joke! No wonder good catholics like Sandusky and Paterno followed the path they did! Child rape seems to be an acceptable practice in their religion.

When is the church going to open it's files and report ALL CASES of pedophilia to the police?

[Starboard Tack]

65. All cases? How long do we have?

[cleanhippie]

67. Huh?

[cbayer]

68. I don't think Sandusky is Catholic. Not sure how you see these as related.

[Walk away]

70. Rampant Pedophilia by trusted leaders covered up by powerful men...

while victims suffer and the sheeple put their fingers in their ears and deny that their Bishops/Coaches aren't allowing their Priests/Assistant Coaches to fuck little children?

Paterno is a catholic. Therefore, his moral compass is the catholic church. If the Pope and the Bishops can pay off victims to shut up with millions of dollars supplied by catholics from all over the world, then it must be OK for Joe to do the same.

It seems as if the church's message is for all good catholics to cover up pedophilia and pay off the victims.

[cbayer]

71. Pedophilia is bad. Covering up pedophilia is bad.

All involved need to be brought to justice.

But I'm not sure you can really draw a link here. Joe Paterno's moral compass was highly questionable, as is Jerry Sandusky's.

As are those of all people involved in these kinds of activities and coverups.

[Walk away]

72. I think the rape of children by so many catholic priests ...

and the decades long (at least) coverups by the church's leaders links,in a way, to every pedophile and enabler everywhere. If Paterno's church made a policy of hiding it's own sexual abuse then Joe can go meet his maker with a clean record.

Let's face it the church is a hideous example for it's followers. Maybe we should make a point of praising catholics who turn pedophiles in to the police considering what they have been taught by their direct link to god. Sandusky was just the pedophile, they are pretty much the same in any religion. Joe and his powerful friends were the ones emulating the catholic churches crimes! Copying from the Masters!

[kwassa]

69. Sandusky belonged to St. Paul's United Methodist Church. That's where my wife knows him from.

Not a catholic.

[Walk away]

76. I was really trying to make a point about Sandusky's crime and...

Paterno emulating his church's actions in hiding, aiding and abetting pedophiles in order to retain power and money. Sandusky's religion is unimportant as he is just your garden variety pedophile. Paterno learned his lessons from catholic bishops and cardinals and possibly the pope himself. All of these men were Joe Paterno's direct link to god. I believe they are supposed to be all catholics direct link to god.

[cbayer]

78. This has a lot more to do with the religion of college football

Than it does with Catholicism.

But, whatever gets you through your day, I guess.

[Walk away]

82. I suppose if you really believe that a mans religion and church has no bearing on....

the way he lives his life and makes his decisions then you may be right. I am an atheist and, therefore, I can choose who I emulate based upon my personal ethics. I thought catholics and other christians looked to their church for their morals and ethics. What are churches for if not that? If you are correct they are simply expensive, usless and many time criminal enterprises. We should certainly take away their tax exempt status.

[kwassa]

79. In State College, football is the religion, and Paterno was God.

Football put State College on the map. Paterno was worshiped. There was nothing more important, and no person more important, on the campus and in the town.

I had a otherwise-intelligent colleague from Pennsylvania get in my face shortly after the scandal broke, and she said, very loudly:

"If Paterno said it, it's true! You can depend on it! That's the way it is!"

[cleanhippie]

80. Substitute "Jesus" for "Paterno" in what your collegue said...

It sounds just as ridiculous either way. Getting it now?

[kwassa]

81. No.

Your analogy is both off-topic and inane.

[cleanhippie]

83. Yes.

It's not only on-topic, it's quite apt.

[dmallind]

55. Weird - lots of middle school cilquey shite being discussed

Not so much the tiny slap on the wrist for one child-pimping obstructionist hierarch out of hundreds. What's important here again?

[cleanhippie]

60. Not sure anymore.

Apparently, personal image is more important.

But then again, down has been up and black has been white in here for sometime now.

[linux80386]

73. the sentence is way too short

for scum like him..

[backscatter712]

74. A priest, a rapist and a pedophile walked into a bar...

He ordered a drink.

[Walk away]

77. And then asked the bartender why he wasn't in church on Sunday! nt