LETTERS Letters from Sister Plante to Letter from Susan Lyman to Public Statement by General Ross Letter from Samaritans of Boston Statement by Edward J. Florino |
Fight in support of Sister Michaelinda will continueby Edward J. Florino
While other reporters came to my office saying that they could care less about Sister Plante and/or the death of one of her former students, Mr. Rice remained loyal to the anonymity principles, which deserved to be upheld in this case. While many papers are thrilled about the intrigue of a mysterious retired general and would love to try to paint a picture of a nun who has involved herself with "criminal elements," as charged by Mrs. Leite, executive director of the Fall River Samaritans, the Town Crier stayed focused on the story and the people involved. Some may have thought Mr. Rice was biased, but Mr. Rice tried endlessly to give the Samaritans a chance to present their point of view. Ultimately, they chose to use the Boston Globe to explain their position, and broke confidentiality in every sense of the word in an effort to protect themselves. As the Town Crier will not be in existence, when the religious leaders and the Bishop are deposed, I would like to say one thing to our faithful Sister Plante supporters and readers: Do not be surprised if the Bishop does not tell the truth. Would any of you really expect the Bishop of a diocese to admit that he cut a deal with the Samaritans? Remember, the eight members of the Samaritan board are not just ordinary folks. You have Michael Moran, WSAR radio talk show host. Vice president Hector Gauthier also has his own show on the same station. Paul Foster works in Sheriff Nelson's office. Ellie Leite is accepted as an irreproachable humanitarian. And how about Lou Cabral, Congressman Blute's campaign aide, who just happened to go to the Bishop at the request of the Samaritans? That's a mighty powerful team trying to protect their own wrongdoings. Ironically, they chose not to target me, the person who led this entire campaign, but rather an innocent nun who was just trying to help resolve a conflict. The focus of this lawsuit is not Who is General Ross? He has committed no crime. He didn't even know about his wife's secret donations. This suit is about an unwarranted attack on a woman with 41 years of dedication to the church--who lost her position, her reputation and her dignity all because the Samaritans needed a scapegoat to hide their wrongdoings. Why worry about me? I am up here in Medford, 70 miles away. Who can I influence? However, sister was right in their neighborhood and who knew what she would tell. Mr. Rice brought this story to the forefront. He went in depth to the heart and soul of the problem. He didn't fear the United Way, or the Samaritans, or political pressure. He just kept digging and digging, because he smelled a rat...or a bunch of rats. He tried to remain impartial, but when one side refuses to talk, the paper may appear biased. However, you don't hear sister talking in many articles where the Samaritans were speaking, so what does that mean? I don't hear anyone calling the Globe biased. Amid all my harsh words for the few bad apples who have spoiled the bunch--that being the Samaritan bunch in Fall River--I would like to make it clear that other Massachusetts branches should not be blamed or criticized for the actions of a few people. The Samaritans are a wonderful organization. I use them at Veterans Services as a referral, and Mrs. Lyman, vice chairwoman of the American Suicide Foundation, has dedicated much of her time to making sure that the goal of the Samaritans befriending others is not tarnished by the present lawsuit. I respect the work which the hotline volunteers provide to the despairing. I respect the organizational skills and devotion of the many dedicated directors, and I believe that the actions of a few individuals should not discourage people from calling or donating to this organization. Nonetheless, I remain firm and staunch in my support for sister and my praise for the Friends of Sister Plante and Mrs. Lyman. I will miss the Town Crier, but I am certain other publications will follow the story and we will hear more and more about the "Mystery of General Ross." The mystery does not envelop the Samaritans, as purported by the Boston Globe, but rather the Samaritans envelop the mystery. This is their defense. They need to play the poor poor victims. The only victim in this case is Sister Plante. The Samaritans chose not to tangle with me, when I am the only logical person to tangle with. But just like any bully in the school yard, the bully's target is always defenseless. Thank you, Mr. Rice, for respecting privacy. Being a former military man, it makes sense that you would appreciate the privacy act. You will be missed, and your paper will be longed for, but the case will go on, because we will not be ignored and we will not go away. Justice must be served. You did a great job. Good luck in the future. Reprinted here by written permission of the author.
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