I put a blog post on January 16 entitled 99,601. I thought it was pretty innocuous, more of a “I’m still out here” piece than anything else. It drew a vitriolic response from one reader who decided that it was more of an exercise in narcissism and that I should be taking a more vocal stand against the Survivors’ Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP). To be honest, this is my blog and I am going to write as often as I am moved to on topics of my choosing. If you don’t like it I would like to direct you the freshly pressed section of WordPress. There is some really neat stuff there.
If you have read this blog for any length of time you will know that I do not have a lot of love for the National Director of SNAP. I have voiced my opinion on SNAP and the way the national board conducts business. I wrote a blog post entitle Parting Company with SNAP that spun up a lot of comments and heated discussion, some of it too nasty to approve on both sides of the discussion. Do I really want to rehash that? Not so much! I don’t think, as a blogger, I need to announce annually that I am not a fan of the national leadership of SNAP. I still hold out hope that at some point the Survivor community finds a network where we all get an opportunity to work together collectively to advance a legislative agenda that will lengthen statutes of limitation
Instead of pointing out, again, that I think SNAP is a self licking ice cream cone, I choose to spend my time and some of my money supporting organizations like the Foundation to Abolish Child Sex Abuse and Justice4PAKids and their efforts to change laws and do real and tangible good. They are making a difference. SNAP is more focused on having 2 conferences this year, one here in the States and the other in Ireland. I guess the National director is working on improving his standing in the airline rewards program of his choice.
At this point I would add that I am very impressed by some of the state SNAP coordinators. Becky Ianni in Virginia is the real deal. I have only met her twice, but she is a force for good in the northern Virginia and Washington DC region. I would gladly support any effort she led. Karen Polesir has helped me on occasion and is active in a coalition of groups working to get SOL and window legislation through the State Assembly in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
I support people like Kay Ebeling who has been reporting (not blogging, reporting) on the sexual abuse crisis for years and has gotten little support from the survivor community. She has been inspiring and I consider her a friend. Funny, the vocal ones have the church, its apologist and many survivors attacking them. I guess that is the point I am circling here. Even in the survivor community there is a chasm between elements. Being a good, compliant survivor or victim makes you a darling to some of the national groups. Dare to criticize them and see how quickly you are on the outs. Lessons learned from the hierarchy of the Catholic Church I guess.
For now I look at the future. I think that change will come but it will not be led by a national organization. We don’t have an effective one. It will be led by regional groups, some affiliated with larger organizations, some will be independent. Fools will rush in and out. We all need to stay the course. We really will not get anywhere if we are sniping at each other.
Off My Knees - A Blog by Michael Baumann 
Good point, Michael. We need to stay focused on bringing the truth to light and changing laws that currently protect perpetrators and their enablers while harming victims.
Thanks for remembering me, Mike. I agree rehashing stuff is just rehashing stuff and I agree I got little support and a lot of the opposite. Oh well, life goes on, been too busy making a living to keep blogging. Thanks for the kind words and acknowledgement. Friends forever, right?
PS I have zero airline miles
Still don’t even have a car. . . Sigh
Mike, you keep referring to the “Survivor community” What survivor community? The phoney one run by Catholics? I am not anti-Catholic. I’m anti-phoney.
You; I ;Kay and a few defeated others, are the “survivor community”.
I’m sorry, but who said I was defeated?
Maybe you’re not defeated, but I am.
Stating Facts is necessary to know about SNAP’s shortcomings. It’s important people are informed. The help the Harold Jerry Mash victims got was from The Chicago Tribune. The reporter we worked with truly worked very hard to get long needed facts out there on Mash, and after 4-5 months of his hard work, the courage of three Ohio victims, and my help, Mash was exposed.
The Ohio victims really did not have a good experience with SNAP, and there’s really more to it than I can put in this blog. It’s very, very, serious! Mostly, SNAP was a hinderance, and the local (ex leader) verbally bullied me throughout the process of exposing Mash. Nothing coming out of her mouth made sense. I ignored her, and continued to listen to my gut! I’m thankful I did.
Let’s not forget how very serious it is when one disagrees with how SNAP handles things, and the obstruction of stopping pedophiles that happens as a result.