innocence

[SicilianMother@xxxxxxx]

In a message dated 11/3/2003 7:05:52 AM Pacific Standard Time, 
Keithjmoon70@xxxxxxx writes:



<If you know what it does to the victims of this horrible sin, it will change 
<your perspective.  It is going on all the time. I am so angry about this!! 
<This thing damages a person's soul.  It makes the victim feel like a dirty, 
<worthless person and it never goes away. Unless one gets real help, it often 
<results in suicide.



I need to talk again about why it sounds so crazy to me when I read about 
Pete disappointed his fans and was put on the sex offender's registry because he 
used his credit card to do research on a subject that hits home to way too 
many people.  There has never been any evidence, ever, that would lead one to 
believe that Pete was up to something other then what he admitted to, doing 
research to help him better understand the victims and the charities he helps out.

I am not ashamed to say that I, like Jon's daughter was molested.  My parents 
didn't protect me the way I feel they should have (it was an uncle, who later 
served time for molestation). There is some baggage for ya. They tried to get 
me help afterwards with counseling, but nothing helped.  Before I ever heard 
of A Different Bomb, I was in the hospital recovering from a suicide attempt.  
More baggage.

Like Jon said, this story is way too common.  What the fuck is wrong with 
this world? 

I am only now really beginning be able to put it behind me in a real way.  I 
used drugs/alcohol for years to numb it.  Because my innocence was wiped away 
so young, I was promiscuous, very promiscuous until I marriage husband #2 and 
had my own children.  More baggage (and I am not speaking about my kids).  

When I read A Different Bomb, I was thrilled to know that my guy Pete (he 
doesn't know he is my guy, but...) was out crusading to help not only the 
victims, but the sick people who have done harm to them.  That is uncommon compassion 
in this evil world.

I never, ever, for one second thought Pete did anything wrong by his 
research.  Never.  No one can ever convince me of it either.

I didn't want to open this up again.  But, there are walking wounded out 
there because of this sickness called pedophilia.  So, the outrage that people 
like myself felt when anyone even insinuated that Pete was guilty, brought me 
nearly to the point of violence, misplaced violence, but violence nonetheless.  
Notice the baggage??

But, there are people out there trying to help and Pete is one of them.  If 
people spent as much energy, like Pete does, helping the victims or better yet 
preventing more victims, maybe some children's innocence can be saved.

I am pretty sure there is not anyone left here that is reading this that 
thinks Pete is a pedophile or was perpetuating the evil by his research.  Yes, 
Pete made a mistake, even Pete admits that.  But, the good works he has performed 
far out weigh his error in judgment.

Jo