On 2005-01-15 17:33:00, jehudrive wrote:
"Alright. I live right near the Newton residence. I live next door to the church. I see Mr. Newton every single day. I see him walking his dog. I see him and his wife walking 3 and 4 year old children to the church. The kids aren't abused, but happily skipping along...like normal children often do.
I didn't know about his history until today when these crazed people parked in my driveway saying something rotten about my neighbors, passing out offensive flyers. I did not appreciate it. I think that even if the woman's piss and moan aliby were true...I wouldn't feel a bit sorry for her.
Hypothetically, considering that he may have been a part of these program's abusive natures, I still wonder what a woman in a ragged old van, poorly dressed, obese, looking for sympathy wanted with me? Why on earth would she pass out a flyer to me? I don't pity her. Her incident was 20 or so years ago. The people targetting this man who is now quiet, religious (yeah...I've snooped around the church once..it's not a torcher dungeon), and minds his own business, are sick and need to stop the self pitying nonsense, and instead of seeing a lawyer, they ought to consult a psychiatrist. I am neither religious nor opposed to religion, but I disagree with ANY of this talk about trying to discontinue his church, as it is a house of god and is protected under the law of the United States...just like your lawsuits were.
There are people in this world who have suffered greater tyranny and pain than those attending the S.T.R.A.I.G.T program. Apparently they, nor many of the supporters of this website have been out of the country...where people have died for lesser things than holding three fingers up instead of two for a religious salute.
I am not going to say that you have not been caused pain, but I will say if you were sent to STRAIGHT, it was for a reason. A lot of the kids there were DRUG ABUSERS..yeah. Those kids were the same kinds of kids in my schools today that make life miserable for us good students by getting in fights, exposing others to drugs...etc. Society has a place for you, and it may very well be locked up in an abuse center. I've seen what hard drugs do to people. I wouldn't want my kids hopped up on meth, coke, or extacy either.
You shouldn't continue to dwell on this. It is ridiculous. That ragged woman in her ragged van could have probably procured a nicer vehicle...and probably wouldn't be so overweight and homely (ie. taken better care of her appearance..or maintained at least a litte amount of femininity) if she had spent less time feeling sorry for herself and more time picking up the pieces and moving the hell on. Nobody's life has been terrific. And the people who complain and whine and bitch about how bad their life has been, and how emotionally scarred they are...those are the people who never get anywhere. My childhood was not great- but I don't go terrorizing the people who treated me poorly. I pick myself off, trust that they will get theirs, and move the fuck on.
To all of you who say that Mr. Newton molested, harmed or attacked you...great, I'm sure he very well could have. You don't seem to be telling anyone how you got to one of those programs in the first place...and you havent taken the precident to move on with your life.
I will speak on Mr. Newton's behalf by saying first that if he was not a good person before, he has shed his poor judgement and has turned to religion for peace. Everyone makes poor decisions. He is NOT some uber billionaire either. He also sent his own damn kid to one of those programs.
And the last thing is...you guys are invasive, disregard other people's privacy and property, you are self-pitying, and you need to refrain from coming into our quiet beach town and causing a tiff over an interpersonal matter that should have been dealt with a long time ago. Find a good psychiatrist, please!"
Normally, I ignore this kind of thing. Ignorance is the word that screams from your post.
It is people like you who turn a blind eye when children are raped, molested and beaten.
That is your choice. The weight of these crimes against defenseless children and teenagers should burden you beyond end ? if it should happen again. If Newton falls back to his old ways it is on your head.
He convinced countless officials, the media, parents of his innocence, his good intentions, while he broke the bones of children, slammed their heads into walls, deprived them of necessity, education, nourishment, and endangered their lives and safety daily for decades. Though straight may have existed more than 20 years ago, Kids of Bergen County, Kids of North Jersey did not but rather, lasted well into the late 90's.
It must be strong faith that allows you to forgive more than 2 decades worth of child abuse in the blink of an eye, or perhaps it is your denial. More likely your ignorance and your lack of education.
The reality is that many children as young as 10 years old were held prisoner in Newton's programs. Many did not do drugs at all. If you had done your homework?if you had taken an objective view instead of whining about the inconvenience of someone in your driveway, you might have been enlightened to the kind of man Newton has been for nearly 3 decades. Newton did not discriminate. Though some children may have abused drugs, many did not. Helping these children was hardly his motivation. Insurance fruad was. Greed was. maniacal narcissism was. He has a record of deception and abuse spans nearly 30 years. Your belief that he has now suddenly in a few short years become a wholesome, honest neighbor is baffling if not downright funny.
Newton would not be the first man to hide behind a cloak of religion, nor is he the first "priest" to have a longstanding abuse record. Should these priests be allowed to continue to work with children and families?
These are survivors, Not victims. Your lack of compassion is incredible. How did you become so cold? Many of these survivors HAVE found a "psychiatrist". I think you are missing the point. This isn't about what happened to them, but what could happen to others. It is noble, unselfish, and brave. Should they just allow him to continue to abuse children? The system has failed them because of people like you. People just like you who allowed these horrific things to happen.
The statistics are high. Something like 1 in every 3 girls are sexually assaulted in some way or worse. I pray that you have boys, but then the statistics are what? 1 in 6. This does not even take into consideration plain old beatings and physical abuse that is not sexual. I hope you can protect them, but if your children are molested, raped or abused in some way, I hope that the system and people like you do not fail them the way it has failed these survivors. I hope that you do not fail them with the same lack of compassion that you are showing now. I hope that the clergy member, the neighbor or the perpetrator who is responsible is watched as closely as these individuals are watching Newton?closer?to the grave! I hope the scrutiny is endless, seamless.
This is not about the past?it is about the present, the future. It is out of compassion for other families and other children who might fall prey and have their lives, their homes and families torn apart. These effects will not just dissipate as you seem to wish, but follow them through their lives.
You are just plain mean. The fact that your inconvenience of having someone handing you a flyer in your driveway in the hopes of preventing future damage promted you into some adolescent verbal assault says a lot about you. Calling this woman fat is childish?laughing at her clothes and car because she might be less fortunate certainly paints a clear picture of the type of person you are. I'm glad you're not my neighbor. Certainly not a good person, certainly not a compassionate human being who can be taken seriously when talking about how religiously devoted and reformed a neighbor might be. My guess though, is that this post is from Newton himself, or no, more likely Ruthie, and if so how does it feel to know that your your legacy, your family tree is tainted, that once you have died it can no longer be tainted with lies. How does it feel to know that your children, your grandchildren, your great grandchildren, your great - great grandchildren will live to know the truth?live to read it in print. I suppose you couldn't find a way to make your name known in the name of good. How shameful. How pitiful. In the end we will breathe the truth in every corner of the continent?we win.
