I got Dungbeetle's persmission to post this here. It's very good...
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I almost feel sorry for the Watchtower
An estimated 125 people showed up, many survivors and many more advocates. That says a lot for just how guilty Watchtower REALLY is in and of itself. This pain and anger had to come from SOMEWEHRE.
Bill Bowen has previously been used to MUCH smaller crowds than this, and yet he held his own today. The organizational and logistical and practical skills that had been used to get us all here today is nothing less than Herculean. Bill Bowen and his supporters deserve a Golden Fleece too.
The first thing you notice standing at Pierpont is the Bridge, the Brooklyn Bridge. I thought back to all the emails and posts I had read concerning the Bethelites that stood at the windows of Bethel and WATCHED 15,000 scared, screaming, injured, shocked people RUNNING for their lives across a bridge WHILE THE BETHELITES stared at them, then locked the building, then pulled the shades and WENT BACK TO WORK. So this is Christianityand Jehovahs Witnesses at their BEST.
The March got under way without any serious problems. In the middle of a tropical storm warning, just as the March begins--it stops raining. This is why people cant stop believing in God. As we were marching, some took up the chant Silent Lambs No More! and others shouted out No More Pedophiles at my Door! and still others cried J. R. Brown Must Go Down! (My personal favorite). I have to remember to write Watchtower a thank you note: All those years of Theocrappic Misery School training, and all the years of going door-to-door PAID OFF TODAY!!!
As we neared the Watchtower building, the group quieted somewhat, what seemed like almost reverence could be felt in the air. THIS BUILDING, and others like it, represented so many years of our lives; so many childhoods sacrificed---so many dead children whose voices we cant hear right now. For myself, my voice choked and I couldnt speak for a few moments as we rounded the corner. There it is someone spoke softly. But the lull lasted only moments, though it seemed longer. We had come for a purpose-we had come for the children. Our voices lifted: Listen to the Lambs Roar! could be heard from at least a block away.
We gathered in a cluster across the street from the GATED Watchtower building. At first we could see figures on the other side of the windowsthat didnt last long. They scurried away like scared rats. Although from time to time however, one or two could not help themselves and came to the windows and peeped out momentarily. This time, though, they DID NOT CLOSE THE SHADES.
As Bill spoke an introduction, the press went up to the Watchtowers front gates and filmed inside. We saw men in suits-one looked amazingly like J.R.Brown-come out to the gates, speak to reporters, go back inside, come out again..rather like busy ants. They let the press inside, then back out, then inside again. Hmmm..nervous no doubt. It brought to mind the Scream, dont scream, scream, dont scream doctrinal flip-flips and others like them that Watchtower is-now-- so world famous for. In the meantime, the Bethel tours continued unabated..business as usual, THATs the Watchtower we all know and LOVE.
Bill handed out Silentlambs Courage Awards, these were mostly for some survivors who stood tall and spoke out against their abusers and the ABUSERS supporters. There were awards for the advocates too. Then some non-JW advocates for abuse survivors stepped forward, they told some stories and they voiced their support. Then some survivors stepped forward and spoke of their experiences. Although we have heard of their stories, now we have faces---and voices-to go with the words we saw on our computer screens. The survivors have graduated from statistics to living breathing persons. They are real to us as they have never been before.
And finally, the moment for which we came. The hush that settled over the crowd was heavy, almost stifling. The rain had stopped falling, the wind stopped blowing, the leaves on the trees did not even move, as Bill walked slowly toward the building with stuffed lambs in his arms. Myself I stood with one hand over my mouth, not even daring to breathe out loud. The police officers in attendance stood tensed, posied for something to happen. Not to worry, no one came outside to talk to Bill. Chanting broke out, Let him inLet him in.. Even now at this late date, when all has been said and done, we still yearn for a settlement, for closure, for justice. Even now, our anger and pain and righteous indignation for what we and our loved ones have gone through for this BOOK PUBLISHING COMPANY could be put aside forever in return for just a promise---even a hint---of compromise.
Well, it didnt happen. Granted, Watchtower officials allowed Bill to place a few lambs on the front steps, but then they called for the police-who are not allowed to be officials in their organization by the way, and whose salaries goes to almost no limit to avoid paying-to come and remove Bill forcibly off the property if necessary. But Bill did the graceful thing, the correct thing, and walked away of his own accord. WE obey the laws of the land. What are you afraid of, what are you afraid of? came the chanting from the crowd.
Watchtower, as always, is its OWN worst enemy. If they had allowed us to simply place the lambs on the steps, Watchtower officials could have removed them from sight at their leisure. Instead though, we walked across the street and placed the lambs on the chain linked fence directly across from the Watchtower building.how fitting it seemed to us after all, a chain linked fence -- representing the barrier that Watchtower has been to victims and abusers alike. This way, they were visible to motorists on the freeeway, to pedestrians traveling down FOUR different streetsTHANK YOU WATCHTOWER!!!
Bill concluded with a a scripture from the Bible book of Ezekiel, which Bible book Watchtower claims refers to itself in large part. We agree. You have not strengthenedyou have not healedyou have not banded. Many a childs grave, lies in silent testament to that fact.
And the final irony is---while these grown men will NOT meet with adult survivors of abuse, these same Watchtower officials DEMAND that CHILDREN confront their abusers in back rooms behind locked doors, with no advocates present.
I have a dream. And in that dream I see a sign across the face of the Watchtower building. Instead of saying Watchtower it says For Sale.
Peace to all of you, expecially to the children no longer with us, the victims, the ones who did NOT survive Watchtower blood and abuse policies. Soon you will have justicewe promise you. And you WILL NOT BE FORGOTTEN.