Blind Indifference in Pursuit of Power: Over 200,000 Children Sexually Abused by French Clergy

@ASoulAFire @JaniceOCG @TangiSalaun & @IngridMelander of @Reuters reported on recent revelations that more than 200,000 (mostly boy) children were sexually abused by French clergy of the Catholic church, over the past 70 years, prompting me to wonder about the boy children of Gilead and the roads we travel in pursuit of power.  Join “If America Fails?:  The Coming Tyranny,” Thursdays at 8 pm ET, beginning January, 2022.

Where are the boy children in Gilead?  Thus far in “The Handmaid’s Tale” we have not seen much about the boy children.  Perhaps we need another show to highlight the atrocities to which boys and all children may be subjected.  The real world, as always, provides much stimuli from which a story could be crafted.  Recent revelations of the sexual abuse of mainly boy children by French clergy, for example, could be used as a starting point.

As I was reading about the indifference of the Catholic Church in the article linked here, I was reminded of a comment by the character Commander Joseph Lawrence.  While trying to coerce June into revealing the location of runaway handmaids, by warning her that her daughter Hannah would be hurt, June said, “No.  Gilead would never hurt a child.  That’s all they care about.”  Lawrence responded:  “Gilead doesn’t care about children.  Gilead cares about power.  Faithfulness, old-time values, homemade bread – that’s just a means to the end – a distraction…”  (See Season 4, Episode 3, “The Crossing,” 34:40). 

“Gilead doesn’t care about children.  Gilead cares about power.  Faithfulness, old-time values, homemade bread – that’s just a means to the end – a distraction…”

— Character – Commander Joseph Lawrence

What other reason than power could there possibly be for the blind indifference of Catholic leadership to the abuse of children in their midst?  — LMO

“French clergy sexually abused more than 200,000 children over the past 70 years, a major investigation released on Tuesday found, and its authors said the Catholic Church had turned a blind eye to the ‘scourge’ for too long.”  — Tangi Salaün and Ingrid Melander | Reuters

READ | French clergy sexually abused over 200,000 children since 1950, report finds | by Tangi Salaün and Ingrid Melander | Reuters | 10/5/2021