Letter to the Editor
Sara,
I never do this, but I feel compelled to write you in response to your highly irresponsible story on George Morris in the current HODV issue. In this age, we should do better to support victims and alleged victims of child abuse. Chronicling the alleged victims IV drug abuse history, drug dealing, and mentioning his own status as an abuser was your attempt to discredit the victims. Instead, to me that history screams, “these men were abused repeatedly at a young age.”
Your article appeared as a factual story when it was an OpEd piece. Do your research.
I’m frankly horrified by how judgmental your article reads. Just because a process is not entirely transparent does not mean it is wrong. There are some details we, as the public, do not need to know.
AS YOU KNOW, reactions and stories like yours are very similar to the Larry Nassar story, and other stories like his. History has judged those early doubters as more and more victims came forward.
I hope history does not judge you as harshly.
Sincerely,
Kate Vosbury
THANK YOU for giving me the opportunity to clarify the point of the article about SafeSport.
Their methods fly in the face of the basis of law in the U.S., which guarantees due process, (i.e. "Innocent until proven guilty") to the accused, and the right of an accused to face his accusers.
It was not to judge George Morris innocent or guilty but to point out that George Morris, along with other people banned for life, found out only AFTER they were banned that they had been banned, and SafeSport will not divulge the names of the accusers, so even if they wanted to, those accused are unable to defend themselves as they don't know who accused them.
I don't know where or how The N.Y. Times got the names of the two men who accused George Morris, but in a court of law, a hearsay account (which was that of the man in jail for 20 years claiming another man bragged to him about sex with George) would not be allowed.
In addition, a jury might find a drug addict's testimony not credible.
The way SafeSport operates, someone could accuse anyone of bullying or having sex with a minor - and they wouldn't even know it until they found out that they were banned for life and their careers destroyed.
Sara Cavanagh
Editor
Letter to the Editor
Great headline today about George Morris.
His reputation is ruined and livelihood taken without a shred of due process.
Outrageous. I hope he sues them for defamation
Elisabeth Harpham
