silentlambs march September 27, 2002 Summary
On , 125 abuse survivors from 22 states delivered hundreds of stuffed lambs for victims around the world as a symbol of innocence lost. The march started at and and proceeded down to Jehovahs Witness Home office at 25 at the front entrance. We had the t-shirts at the park and were setting up when the park officer asked if we had a permit to be in the park. We had to say no and it was moved to the Promenade which was much nicer anyway. The park officer said they would be glad to store any extra materials we had on the march till we returned. We supplied them with silentlambs t-shirts when we returned. The hurricane that hit the gulf was supposed to be coming over New York that day. Rain was predicted at 90% and it looked like we were going to be drenched. I had bought forty ponchos just in case. I am sure six million Jehovahs Witnesses were praying for rain to see us get washed away, but it appears our prayers were answered instead. It did not rain one drop through the entire march. Do you think that our experience will be in the next Watchtower? We passed out silentlambs t-shirts to everyone there and then the press showed up just as we were getting ready to go. There was two newspapers, three television crews, and one very well known radio DJ on abuse in the area. While this was good I am sure it could have been better, but we were happy just the same. The march was for those who were there to march more than anything else. As we started off the police decided to have us march on the sidewalk instead. I think it was better as we stretched out for over a block and made it look even bigger. As a side note we were in at . I found it interesting to see bethelites patrolling all over in twos. Now they were supposed to be working why were they walking around the Heights? They had patrols on every block and when they saw our t-shirts would follow and switch off. Boy, were they sneaky, it was like trying to hid two Mormons walking around , it was a little obvious.
When the police arrived they were very kind and helpful. Asked to see the permit and we were ready to go. A few locals from the Heights stopped by and asked to join us, I found that interesting. Some walked up and asked what it was about and were appalled to find out what Watchtower was doing to children as the survivors testified. Most were aware due to news coverage that there was a problem. As the march started certain ones started marching chants and everyone joined in, they were as follows:
One, two, three, four,
Silentlambs No More!
No More Pedophiles at My Door!
I Dont Know What Youve Been Told, But Silentlambs Are Mighty Bold!,
Listen to the Lambs Roar!
It was quite loud and I am sure we woke up the neighborhood along the way. People were looking out their windows and stopping on the street to see what this was about. Then we got to 107 and 124, it really got loud there. I am sure all the home boys and house keepers knew when we walked by. As I got closer I realized I had forgotten how loud it was with the BQE going in front of the 25 building. I was so happy Jeannie suggested we get a bull horn, it really came in handy to speak to the crowd. When we arrived there were a few more chants to wake them up. Several noted different ones peeking out the windows and hiding trying to look. It was a surreal scene, 125 abuse survivors all smiling and laughing coming together to support one another. It is true there were those angry but more importantly everyone felt they were being support and cared about, something few get from Watchtower when it comes to abuse. When we arrived they were chanting,J. R. Brown Must Go Down!! Silent Lambs No More!! "Theyre looking out the window, when we looked back or waved they would hide
I started the program off with the following script:
Opening Statement:
Bill Bowen: Today is a wake up call to the men and women who work behind these walls. For twenty one months we have been saying something is wrong and children need to be protected. For twenty one months they have been saying nothing is wrong and you do not exist. Today we are here to say we exist, your policy hurts children. Acknowledge the problem and apologize to those who have been hurt by Watchtower Policy. This march is about a cause for protecting children, it is about exposing the protection of child rapists, it is about a religion crushing a movement that has as its only goal and purpose to support and encourage healing to Jehovahs Witness victims of abuse.
As the Governing Body appoints judicial committees in an attempt to beat their brothers (Matt 24:39) into silence, the entire issue is really about the victims. They will not be beaten into silence they will no longer allow witness tampering by church tribunals to stop them from speaking out, today is your day the silent lambs are silent no more. Today the lambs are roaring and will continue to do so until Jehovahs Witnesses stop their policy of shielding child rapists and preventing their members from be protected by keeping secret databases of child molesters hidden in building like this.
It is the Governing Body that will be silenced, it is their henchmen that will be dragged down these steps and through the doors of the American justice system in the form of billions of dollars of litigation for those injured because they did not take decisive action for children.
What comes to your mind when you define what a hero is? A hero is not the biggest person, the strongest, or the best looking. A hero is a person with the courage to take action in the face of overwhelming odds to assist someone in need. What better way to describe those who have ta a stand with silentlambs in the interest of protecting children. When you came forward about your abuse, you were called a liar, when you tried to warn others you were silenced, when you tried to get justice in the courts you were stabbed in the back by your brothers and sisters. Yet today we are honored to be in the presence of real heroes, people with enough courage to sacrifice everything in the interests of protecting children. Watchtower punished you for doing so, today silentlambs wishes to introduce a new program to award heroes who stand up for children. It is called the silentlambs courage award. Your names will appear on the silentlambs website as the heroes who in spite of the odds had the honor and integrity to do what was right. We will continue to award those this honor as decided by the silentlambs board of directors on a quarterly basis. Today we have the first twelve courage awards to deliver on the front steps of those who punished you for doing what was right. We are proud to recognize heroes and set the example for Jehovahs Witnesses to see how they should treat those who stand up for children.
(applause)
The first recipient is one of the first persons to step up to the media and reveal the terrible abuse she suffered as a child. Her effort opened the way for the many other abuse survivors to speak out and finally be heard. She did an extensive interview for Dateline but it was all left on the cutting room floor. Today I am happy and very honored to name Cory Pandelo as the first recipient of the silentlambs courage award.
( applause)
All : Corie!! Corie!! Corie!!!
Corie accepts her award and gets a hug, she is a bit overwhelmed to say anything, but says a thank you to all present. She gets a nice round of applause.
Bill Bowen: The next person I would like to announce, went to the national media, spoke out, and when she came forward about her abuse, she was told that she would be disfellowshipped. She then went to the police, and reported her molester. When she went to court to testify about the horrible abuse she suffered from age four to thirteen her fellow Jehovahs Witnesses sat on the molesters side of the courtroom, and protected him and even sent her a death threats, for standing up and reporting a child molester. Today we are very honored to present Erica Garza as the next recipient of the silentlambs courage Award.
All: Erica!! Erica!! Erica!!
Erica goes up and says a few words about standing up for what is right and gets a hugs along with nice applause.
Bill Bowen: The next recipient of the Silentlambs Courage Award was not able to be here today. She was in court for the last two weeks testifying about the Watchtower policy that literally destroyed her life. As she was in court for the last two weeks, the Watchtower hierarchy sought to get close to one hundred Jehovahs Witnesses called from several congregation in
to sit on their side of the courtroom in opposition to her. Yet she stepped forward and she testified. That court case has yet to be decided as of today, in
, where this trial took place. And so Im very honored, in abstentia to present Victoria Boer with the next silentlambs courage Award.
All:
!!
!!
Another nice round of applause for Vicky.
Bill Bowen: The next person was also featured on Dateline and it was discussed about the molester that she knew who molested 17 little girls. He remains a Jehovahs Witness in good standing as he resides in a prison penal facility. Yet when she tried to warn other members of her congregation about what happened, the elders disfellowshiped her for trying to protect the children. So Im very honored to present Laurie Fitzwater with the fourth silentlambs courage Award.
All: Laurie!! Laurie!! Laurie!!!
Laurie was quite surprised and came forward to say: My father in law raped seventeen children according to a letter from the circuit overseer. When he gets out of prison he will go back to the congregation in good standing because hes continues to deny the charges. When I tried to tell others in the congregation the elders came after me, they said I had a bad attitude and that I was a danger to the congregation. I was disfellowshipping for trying to protect their children.
Bill Bowen: Not all people who receive the Courage Award are necessarily victims of abuse, but they step up and stand up for them. The person that is next in line, sat on the other side of that courtroom with Erica as the Witnesses gave them dirty looks and ill treatment, but she was a friend who stood by Erica. She came back to the courtroom when this man had to be reconvicted and she testified in Ericas behalf and told about the extent of the abuse and how it had affected her life. So for her courage in coming forward, for protecting and helping a victim of abuse, Im happy to award Sherry Galvez as the next recipient of the silentlambs courage Award.
Sherry: I was molested as a child along with my brothers who cant be here today, and I hold lambs for them. This is an evil, wicked policy that can ruin lives it continues to damage untold thousands who live in denial. Today the lamb Roar!!
All: Nice applause Sherry!! Sherry!! Sherry!!
Bill Bowen
: Watchtowerintimidates those who suffer abuse. The next recipient was afraid when she spoke to me to use her own telephone for fear of what the organization would to do to her. Now that she has been involved with the progress of the silentlambs organization over two years I have seen her growth both personal and spiritual. She is a person who has courageously stepped up and not only spoken out in court for victims of abuse but also spoken about her own abuse and has went fearlessly to the media recently and contacted them She did an excellent job of articulating how Watchtower policy hurts so many and the need to protect the children. The next person to receive this award is Pat Garza.
Pat is overwhelmed with emotion and gets a long hug, she says a few words of appreciation. There is nice applause. Bill Bowen: The next silentlambs courage Award to goes to two parents that stood beside their daughter and enabled her to be strong to stand up. They supported her when she went to the media to be interviewed about these things. They have fearlessly stood up for what was right and for their bravery they were disfellowshipped. The next recipient of the silentlambs courage Award is Carl and Barbara Pandello.
They are greeted by a nice round of applause and then Barbara talks first.
Barbara Pandelo: We were told that we were the only ones, that if we say anything that we would be bringing reproach on Jehovahs name. To find out that there was just so many people like us, its so encouraging and being here for the other children is an honor. Thank you its all an honor for me to be here.
Carl Pandelo: Being raised by Jehovahs Witnesses, probably one of the most horrifying things is to be disfellowshipped, but in fact its an honor to be disfellowshipped for being apostates and to stand and know what is wrong and knowing whats right, Im really proud to be, me and my wife, are disfellowshipped for speaking out, we have no fear of them. Thank you.
(There is another nice round of applause)
Bill Bowen: The next person I would like to present the silentlambs courage Award to is a person who was abused herself. When trying to reach out for justice in helping her daughter she to was threatened with disfellowshipping for trying to warn the congregation about the man who molested her daughter. When they went to the elders, they were told to be silent, threatened with disfellowshipping, and by her being here today, the elders may still try to disfellowship her. She helped many of you to be here today. She is the director for the local chapter of silentlambs, her name is Jeanne Kraus.
Jeannie Krause: My daughter was molested by my husband, when I went to the elders they said it was a misunderstanding because we did not have two eye witnesses. The elders ordered me and my daughter into silence and refused to allow us to warn others in the congregation. I am happy to be able to speak out now and appreciate this award.
Bill Bowen: Next award goes to another married couple who stood up on abuse issues and were terribly sanctioned as a result. When the wife went on Dateline and told the truth about cover-ups she was faced with judicial committees, when the husband simply resigned as an elder after 43 years to protest abuse, he was disfellowshipped within two weeks. For their courageous effort in standing for what is right I am honored to present Joe and Barbara Anderson with the silentlambs courage Award.
Joe Anderson: If I take this (referring to award) over to that building (pointing to 25 building) do you thing they would make me a Witness again? I doubt that and I would not accept it if they did. The policy has harmed thousands of children and they want to act like nothing is wrong, they know it is wrong and they willfully put children in danger. They should be afraid of what the Creator thinks and who will hold them accountable for their actions.
Barbara Anderson: I worked for ten years right here in this building behind us, for three years I was in the Writing Department, two of those years, I knew of the extent of the abuse. For the last ten years I have been trying to find a way to get the word out and protect the children. Children of Jehovahs Witnesses are not safe and its just wonderful to see you here today united and taking a stand for what is right. It is shameful to force Jehovahs Witnesses and their children into danger for the way they use old bible edicts of having two witnesses to each molestation We love our children, yes, we love our children more than we love the Watchtower Society.
(nice round of applause)
Bill Bowen: The last recipient of the Silentlambs Courage Award goes to someone I know very well. When I first came out on this issue of abuse, this person was told, that all they had to do was just leave me, and they would be protected and taken care of along with my children. She turned them down flat and as a result has suffered the ridicule that follows those who stand up for children in this organization. So the next recipient of the silentlambs courage Award is Sheila Bowen.
All: (applause) Sheila!! Sheila!! Sheila!!
Bill Bowen: I think this illustrates to everyone that silent lambs come from all walks of life, and abuse victims know that they support them and stand behind them with the courage to say dont be silent and let them know that they can speak out. For you to be here at this march, for your efforts to present this to the media, for just wearing the silentlambs t-shirt, it may appear to just be small things, yet those small things will multiply and multiply and multiply until Watchtower is forced to see the reality and change their policies. Thank you for all your efforts and we appreciate your courage and how you have helped so many to no longer be silent lambs. If you wish to nominate someone for a courage award, please email or write silentlambs to do so.
Bill Bowen: We have some kind supporters from the area who represent several groups who support abuse survivors. Would you like to welcome them here today? The first person Id like to ask to speak is Tina Alfono, Tina my memory is not good youll have to tell them the name of your group. First Id like to have Tina come up, and then well hear from David Carillo from SNAP, and then third from Van Dugo, from Child Protection Advocates.
(applause)
Tina Alfano: Thank you all for coming here today. I know for some of you, it was really hard whether to come or not today. So for your strength and your courage we support you and are happy to see you here. My name is Tina Alfano, and Im the president and founder of Keep-Our-Children-Safe.com. I came here today in support of all the silent lambs. Today, you are SILENT NO MORE! Every child matters. We will stand strong and firm against child abuse and molestation. We will be united in our plight and we will prevail.
Children have rights. Children should have better laws to protect them. The wilderness has more laws to protect animals than we have laws to protect our children. Somehow, somewhere, we have failed to protect our children. But we can and must make a change to right this wrong. Where are our legislators? Where are our Congressmen and our Senators? Today you may ask, when will this all end? We must bring accountability to every individual who abuses our children no matter WHO THEY ARE!
And to Watchtower: You have the power to change your policies. The power to change the lives of thousands of your children. I know you WILL do your best to change because it is Gods will. And God has gathered us all here today, to rally for change, to say No More dead children, no more abused children, NO MORE SILENT CHILDREN! Thank you all again for coming to this history making March. Together we have already made a difference. God bless all of you here today and may today be the start of a better life for you and your children.
(applause)
Bill Bowen: Next we would like to hear from David Cerulli of SNAP Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests.
(applause)
David Cerulli: Thank you for inviting me. Im a survivor. As a boy of 14, I was repeatedly raped and sodomized by a priest at a church in
. I was incapable of fighting the power of the priest and the church at age 14. Thanks to the help of my family and wonderful people along the way, and most recently SNAP, I can say I am a survivor.
Many other victims are not so lucky. They try to numb the pain with alcohol and drugs and suicide. This tragedy continues today. SNAP exists to help victims become survivors. We dont want to lose any more victims along the way. We have monthly support group meetings and this Sunday were having a rally outside of Saint Patricks Cathedral from nine in the morning until one. Youre all invited. I hope you can make it. Id like to thank you for inviting me, for allowing me to speak today, I think youre doing a wonderful job, keep up the good work!
(applause)
Bill Bowen: We appreciate the extra effort David put forth to be here, he took off work to be with us today, and hes here to support us as abuse survivors. Were very appreciative of him making this trip. Thank you, David!
(applause)
The next person Id like to let speak is Dan Dugo of Child Protection Advocates.
(applause)
Dan Dugo: I think its touching and nice to see everybody come here together from different congregations, from different religions, even no religions, just to stand here and give support to the cause. I tend to think that people need to speak a little more about the bigger picture, like the politics behind things, thats something Id like to touch on. I feel that the issue of clergy members who abuse children sexually is an issue of child safety and not a religious issue, which these people hide behind.
All religious leaders as well as politicians have a moral and civil obligation to take children under their watch. While our country is in the middle of a crisis of children that are being molested and raped by clergy members as well as other members of society, Senator Bruno of the
majority leader stated publicly that the clergy mandated reporting bill is not a priority right now. As for our top guy, Governor Pataki, its nice to watch him stand on platforms and receive awards, but what is he really doing to protect children? Its time for him to put politics aside and do his job. If Pataki wanted a bill on his desk that would make clergy mandatory reporting, or for the statute of limitations to be extended, he would have that bill on his desk within the week. But because of his bid for re-election, the welfare, safety and health of defenseless children have been put on the back burner. God forbid he should pass a law that should upset some Catholics or some Catholic group that he might lose some votes from.
Politicians are sacrificing the children for the sake of votes. We wont tolerate this and Im asking society as well to put their foot down and say no, they wont tolerate it either. I dont know much about politics, but Im being forced to learn very quickly, and what I see so far is disgusting. I also feel that the federal and state agencies should investigate all religious organizations who engaged in covering up and obstructing justice.
(applause)
Bill Bowen: Thank you Dan, Tina, and David for being with us here today. (applause) Next, we have an attorney here with us her name is Kimberly Norris from
area. And she has an announcement she would like to make to you here today.
Kim Norris: Hey, Im Kim Norris from
! I hold in my hand the first of countless lawsuits to be brought in the fifty states filed by my firm and lawyers affiliated with us to be filed in
today on behalf of a Jehovahs Witness Congregation victim/survivor asking for compensation in the amount of three million dollars. This is one of many, check our website, well update as we go. LETS GO GET THEM!
(applause)
Bill Bowen: This is the last part of the program, and at this point, different abuse survivors said that they would like to say a few words. I ask you to keep it brief because we have a kind of a large group and were taking the valuable time of these police officers here. So if any of you would like to come forward, remember to hold the megaphone close and youre welcome to say a few words.
The first is Barbara Carr from
. Brenda, Im sorry.
Brenda Carr: Im not a victim myself, but on behalf of a victim from
, who could not be here today, and whose family has been destroyed by the protection of pedophiles by the Watchtower congregation. She asked me to read a poem she wrote its entitled, I am a voice from the past
I am a voice from the past, abandoned, rejected and outcast.
A child of twelve, and all alone, abused and treated like a criminal.
Shamed and silenced by those I trusted, I die alone, depressed and deserted.
I am a voice from the past, abandoned, rejected and outcast
A child of five abused by brothers, no one to hear my cries, alone and scared,
My life a mess, drugs and alcohol, to deal with the stress.
I am a voice from the past, abandoned, rejected and outcast
Abused as child, again as wife, no compassion from you I found.
Abusers you keep within your walls, but you never hear the ** call.
I am a voice of the future, of all those you call sinners,
Hear me declare, for all to hear, ** you were.
Hear from the innocents, God says, so do it!"
Signed Lee Marsh
(applause)
Bill Bowen: Thanks you Brenda, next, I would like to ask Dorian Baker to come up and read a piece that was written by an abuse survivor that couldnt be here, and she asked her to share this today.
(applause)
Dorian: Id like to begin by stating that I am honored to be in the company I am in, although I could not be there physically. Many of you know me as a lamb. I am a victim of sexual abuse by two elders, one being my father. One is an admitted child molester, having admitted to his actions both in court and at judicial meetings. No actions were taken by the elders involved, and he is still actively involved in a congregation and baby-sits for sisters on their studies. He is also regularly in contact with my own children against a court order the same court order that I am respecting by not attending today.
If someone had done this thirty years ago, this lamb would not exist. How many lambs will there be next time? What price for the children to pay? What is enough? ONE is too many! To those who support the faulty policies of this organization: you can silence the cries of the innocents and the believers, but you will never silence us, the survivors. We are not going away! We will not disappear! We only ask that you do not add to our ranks. You can cripple our spirit and trample our innocence, but you cannot put out the fire that has been started. Truth and right will win. You can view us as dead and shun us, but you cannot kill our spirit, it is FREE!
(applause)
Bill Bowen
: Thank you very much, would someone else like to come forward and speak?
This is Mike Pence from
.
Mike Pence: Thank you very much. I would like first of all to thank the 16 and some odd individuals on the internet most of whom I have never known and will never know and who funded our trip here to be with all of you today. So a thank you to all of them.
When I first started to write, after 9/11 I decided I wanted to be a writer and when I first started to write I realized I had to write about what was going on with Bill Bowen and silentlambs. And in the course of researching some articles it came forward that my own children had been abused. They had the courage to come forward and so I would like to salute them for their courage. My new lawyer has authorized me to say that the presiding overseer of the Orland Pennsylvania congregation is the man who our children alleged abused them, and we will not rest until this individual is brought to justice.
Finally, Id like to thank this man for the courage to step forward and to make the sacrifices in his personal life that I know hes had to make because that kept him tied up on the phone for enough hours and Im sure some of other people have too. So thanks to Bill and to his family for the sacrifices theyve made and thank you to, all of you for supporting victims of abuse like my children.
(applause)
Bill Bowen
: Thanks you Mike, next we hear from Barbara Lees from
.
Barbara Lees: Im so proud to be here with all of you, I just want to make it very clear that when a congregation body of elders decides theyre above the law theyre hurting so many people by just sending a pedophile out into the world and not warning authorities, not warning the congregation, not warning families in the congregation. We would love to be able to have the chance to make the decision whether we want our children around a pedophile and to threaten to discipline us because we wont go door to door with them. Its really important that they realize that they need to report this to the authorities.
I know of a situation where the elders decided they could not handle a particular pedophile they removed him, let him out, he became a little league coach, admitted to multiple victims, went to prison, got out, went to another Kingdom Hall, got caught again, it was covered up and to this day remains a Jehovahs Witness in good standing. This has got to stop, they people must take responsibility and protect our children.
(applause)
Bill Bowen: Thank you Barbara and now heres Charles Riley from
.
Charles Riley: I just wanted to say that Im here in support of everyone here and I also wanted to say that Im also here in support of my niece in
because in 1984 she was molested on three different occasions by one of our brothers in the congregation in Tujunga
. And when my sister went to the elders to get it straightened out, they refused to do anything about it, she sent a letter to the Governing Body, and they wrote her back saying that they were not going to get involved. And this brother this so-called brother.went to another congregation and molested two other young ladies.
Im here in support of her, and I also wanted to say: I was an elder for seven years. And I know for a fact that they instructed elders NOT to go to the police when it comes to child molesting. And I also wanted to mention that of all the Governing Body members of the Watchtower appointed, one of the main culprits is Theodore Jaracz. He is the main culprit; he has to pay. And we are not gonna stop until justice is done for all of our children and for all of us that have been abused by this organization.
(applause)
Bill Bowen: Thank you Charles for your comments, next is Debra.
Debra: It is a thrill to be here today. The elder uncle that molested me when I was 14 years old was in
at the time, I normally live in
. He traveled on to
where he was disfellowshipped for molesting many young girls. He had many flagrant affairs. I was warned that if I said anything my dear precious aunt would be dead. Less than a year later she did mysteriously die after her six year old son also mysteriously hung himself in
. Steve is now one of the anointed remnant of Jehovahs Witnesses.
(applause)
Bill Bowen: Thank you Debra and now we will hear from Pat Garza.
Pat Garza: I'm Pat Garza, and I'm here to say that I was raped by Theodore Jaracz when I was a little girl, in the city of
, he was the District Overseer at the time. There are two boys; their initials are "M.D." and "M.W.", if they could be found they could confirm my allegations- if I could find them theyre older than me, they were there, there were witnesses! We were terrified and silenced! We were not allowed to talk. My life was threatened and my brothers were threatened, they were going to be killed if I spoke.
And when I started remembering the abuse I was abused horrifically in the congregation and I wrote the Watchtower Society and I begged for help, I have the letters with me to show you the names of ten of the elders who hurt me and they told me they could not answer any of the questions I asked, nor could they comment on the circumstances that I described in the congregation.
I ended up in the hospital, in crisis in the emergency ward because of what the elders did to me. And then I was hospitalized for months, because I had nowhere to go, I was homeless. They threw me out in the street, I was destitute and I was disabled, I was unable to work because of the flashbacks I was having. And I ended up on the street, and I have with me a photocopy of the letter that the elders, the entire body of elders sent me, it has all of their names on it. It says that they called the Watchtower Society here in
, and asked how to help me and they sent me a list of homeless shelters and I have that list of homeless shelters, one of them was Parkside Projects on skid row in
. Two of them were churches in
and the other was the YWCA. The humiliation that I felt was beyond belief. I almost died when I got that letter from those elders, and I almost stopped praying.
The Watchtower Society has stood as a block between children and your God. All they do is destroy a person's faith, take away their self esteem and make them feel like God does not love us. And I'm here to say that He does, and I'm saying for those of us who are victims of Satanic Ritual Abuse in this organization it is time to fight these elders and fight Ted Jaracz.
It's safe to come out now and you can come and talk and I'm begging anyone who knows "M.D" and "M.W." - I would say their names but for privacy I won't reveal them, but silentlambs knows the full identity of "M.D." and "M.W." who were there - would you please call silentlambs at 1-877-WTABUSE Please step forward and be my witnesses.
Theyre bringing pedophiles into this organization, they're ruining children for sex and that's what they were doing with me, the boys were there to prepare me for sex with Ted Jaracz! They were there to keep me, to make me, disassociate so that I could not remember him.
Bill Bowen: Thank you Pat for coming forward, thank all of you for speaking out and supporting abuse survivors. I would not like to attempt to deliver the lambs to Watchtower.
(Bowen walks across the street and checks the gates, all are dead bolted. He then goes to the intercom and asks to speak with a representative about his meeting with the Governing Body. They turn the intercom off and do not answer. At this point a Watchtower Rep comes out with some of the media. Bowen speaks to him and is ignored, Bowen asks, Will you accept this lamb as a gift from abuse survivors? The WT rep turns to go in and Bowen pitches the lamb and it hits him in the head as he walks away. Bowen turns to the group and says, They ignore us today just as they ignore the cry of all abuse survivors within the organization.)
ALL: Let him in! Let him in! Let him in! What are you afraid of! What are you afraid of! What are you afraid of?
Bill Bowen: Everybody get back to the other side of the street, come back over. Come back on this side.
(Headquarters refused to accept delivery and denied abuse survivors the right to do so when Headquarters summoned the police to charge anyone who left lambs at the front door with littering. Participants left hundreds of lambs stuck in a chain link fence across the street from the front door much like mementos left at ground zero from the 9-11 disaster.)
We thank you for your sacrifice and kind support in making the effort to be here. In Ezekiel there is an interesting scripture regarding the shepherds of ancient times it states, The sic
ed ones you have not strengthened, and the ailing one you have not healed, and the bro
one you have not bandaged, and the dispersed one you have not brought back, and the lost one you have not sought to find, but with harshness you have had them in subjection, even with tyranny. The Governing Body must wake up and realize as God did not tolerate tyrants in bible times he will not tolerate tyrants today. So while we wait on Jehovah we follow the course of Ezekiel and speak out to protect the lowly ones.
Thank you for being brave, thank you for standing fo ighteousness, thank you for proving you are no longer silent lambs.
I invite all in attendance to attend a meal at a nearby restaurant,
We thank you for your sacrifice and kind support in making the effort to be here.
Were going to have a meal at a restaurant thats right nearby within walking distance. And I invite all of you to come that would like to attend. So with this we will conclude, well let these nice police officers get on their way. We appreciate their kind effort in protecting us here today. So lets all move in that direction, and Jeanne Krause is going to show us where its at.
ALL: Thank you NYPD!
Bill Bowen: This now concludes the silentlambs march.
Afterward at we met at a local restaurant, there was around 70 who were able to make it. It was kind of like when a big group of JWs meet after an assembly, except better. All were laughing and having up building conversations about how rotten Watchtower acted today. There were many hugs and congratulations offered to the great sacrifice so many had to make to be there. We talked and visited for about two hours, the manager was very kind and totally supportive of what we were there for. When we left I gave silentlambs t-shirts to all the waiters at their request. It was an empowering day, it was a day we took the power that was robbed by Watchtower Policy. I believe everyone who participated will remember this day for the rest of their lives as a turning point for the better. Watchtower made asses of themselves they treated abuse survivors with disdain in front of the media and the rest of the world. Where was the compassion? Where was the humility? Where was the apology? Where was one iota of kindness? The very qualities that are held up for all members to follow were ignored in front of the children they have damaged by their policies. Was this wickedness or weakness?
Silentlambs was able to assist 12 abuse survivors to be there due to the kind support of persons who donated toward their travel expenses. The expenses came to around $5,000 for the march and would not have been possible without the kind support of so many. I remember a $5 donation from one abuse survivor, it was all she could do and it reminded me of the illustration of the widows mite. She gave all she could and her gift was part of the collective that made this all possible. The appreciation of those there made it worth every penny.
It was a good day and it is the hope of all silent lambs that it will be the beginning of many more as we support those who suffer and stand up to those who bully the weak.
silentlambs
Edited by - silentlambs on 1 October 2002 13:50:33