Michael Hackett

Hi Marc,

What I was starting to see was a number of terribly disappointed folks trying to find some rational reason for this situation and trying to understand why and how something like this could take place with someone so respected and admired. I honestly don't think there is a rational explanation beyond a matter of choice. The one constant I've seen with educators, physicans, lawyers and even a couple of cops in these circumstances was a sense of entitlement and arrogance that was almost palpable. I make no judgment about this particular case as I only know what has been published and that simply isn't enough.

Some of the suggestions put forth to protect an individual are excellent ideas to prevent unwarrented allegations and folks would be wise to heed them. Those would be good subjects to consider for inclusion in instructor's seminars and within individual dojo. I still maintain however that an adult, man or woman, knows full well they are going into a very dark place when they engage in sexual relations with a kid. No amount of training will prevent these acts from happening, regardless of the walk of life the individual is engaged in. Maybe the day will come when we have the tools to prevent these events or to correct them. Today we don't with any degree of success and we are left to punishment in the form of confinement and even shunning. And yes, in my view, sexual offender registration is a modern equivilent of shunning.

Although I still have contact with some of the victims I worked with over the years, I don't have your experience in trying to put the pieces back together in their lives. Usually I only dealt with them when they were freshly broken and obviously suffering and perhaps that has skewed my view. You have made me think a little. Maybe the world that I thought I saw in shades of grey were more black and white.