Dear Annie: My dad wants me to sugar-coat his friend’s child sexual abuse conviction

[Jim Burton]

https://www.adn.com/alaska-life/advice/ ... onviction/

Dear Annie: Here’s my dilemma: I moved back into my dad’s house several years ago, and he has been good friends with “Chuck” and his wife “Rose” for at least 20 years. He goes out to dinner with them regularly and often has them over to the house for drinks and cards.

Well, about seven years ago, Chuck was sent to prison for molesting his very young granddaughter. After that happened, his own children cut ties with both Chuck and Rose (Rose continues to stay with Chuck), and my dad seems to be in denial over the whole thing. His rationale is, “We really don’t know what happened,” even though I showed Dad the newspaper article and Chuck’s picture on the sex offender registry.

I am shocked that Dad continues to stay friends with these people. However, I stay out of it and have kept my interactions with Chuck and Rose to a bare minimum. Our paths occasionally cross when they come over to visit my father. I just say “Hi” briefly and go to my room.

[Bookshelf]

I love that the first line of the response is "Your dad has put you in a tough spot". She hasn't been put in any spot. The dad is making his own decision on who he wants to associate with, and is clearly steadfast in his decision seeing as he's been friends with him for 20 years.

[Not Forever]

has Chuck undergone serious therapy or treatment for what he did

This part really strikes me as religious thinking, in the sense of: Has Chuck said his prayers to free himself from his sins? Because if he hasn’t freed himself from his sins, he must be denied a social life.

[Scorchingwilde]

I love that the first line of the response is "Your dad has put you in a tough spot". She hasn't been put in any spot. The dad is making his own decision on who he wants to associate with, and is clearly steadfast in his decision seeing as he's been friends with him for 20 years.

It always astonishes me how otherwise progressive people will adopt the same behavior as coercive religious groups with regards to shunning whenever it comes to MAPs. What's known to be psychologically damaging, isolating and harmful to communities is suddenly totally fine when it's in the service of marginalizing a pedophile

[CantChainTheSpirit]

So he's friends with someone who committed a crime and did the time and is back in society. So he's supporting a friend to re-integrate into society, you know, kind of like what Jesus used to do all the time according to the bible.