Who can hope to be safe? Who sufficiently cautious? Guard himself as he may, every moment's an ambush.-Horace
The secluded driveway that leads to Don Cameron's secluded house
To Don Cameron's neighbors:
I bid welcome to the wonderful people of Don Cameron's neighborhood who will be joining us for this post. This blog is willing to help you in any way possible. We would even be willing to set up a special page for you all to communicate with one another during this time. Deb and I find the actions of Cameron to be despicable and we are so sorry that you have to relive this nightmare. Our thoughts and prayers are with all of you, especially your children. You know how to contact us.
To our readers
Although I do not name the churches involved with Don Cameron in this post, I have given their names to the people in his neighborhood. I believe that those "ministering" to Don should equally minister to the victims. Funny how the victims often seem to be left out of the support system. Perhaps this will be their chance to help out the victims of their church member, Don Cameron.
There is a segment on Fox and Friends that I enjoy each week. It is called “Normal or Nuts.” People send in question and Dr Keith Ablow answers them. You can find one such episode here. Two days ago, I received some news that upset me. So, I decided that I am going to let my blogging community pronounce me “normal or nuts.” Unfortunately it deals with a pedophile situation. I am not going to get into the particulars of the crime, merely how some churches handled the mess and why it is affecting me today. Dee is mad and frustrated. This post is personal and perhaps it will help me to blow off some steam. That is one advantage to having a blog.
Before I begin this post, I want to say something loud and clear. Don Cameron served his time and he has a legal right to live where he desires. This is the letter of the law. But Jesus taught us that the law extends into our hearts. I believe that a truly remorseful Christian would not knowingly cause distress to his child victims and their families. I contend that he is being deliberately cruel but you all may disagree with me.
Secondly, years ago I made a promise that I would not reveal the names of these churches. Although I wish I hadn't, a promise is a promise. Through the years, some readers have made savvy guesses but I refuse to confirm or deny them. Trust me, the people who are involved in both of these churches will recognize themselves. And now, Cameron's neighbors know as well.
A few years back, I was a member of a local Baptist church. I believed the leadership responded inappropriately to reports of potential pedophile behavior. He was eventually discovered, one year after the initial reports were made to the pastors. Said pedophile is in jail for a long time. Suffice to say, the molestations were extensive and severe. Too bad they did not appropriately act on their knowledge and save these kids one year of hell.
Due to our frustration with the response to our concerns, we decided to leave that church and headed to an Anglican church in the area. We confided our situation to the pastor and began attending. Within a couple of weeks, I was shocked to see another pedophile running around this new church. I was also bit irritated with God for putting me in this situation, once again.
This pedophile, Don Cameron, used to attend our former Baptist church and had been jailed for 8 months for molesting small girls in his neighborhood. This man was well-known to both Deb and me because his wife used to teach math at our Christian school. He had volunteered there as well. We had been made aware of allegations that he was estranged from his two daughters because of accusations of similar behavior in the home. (To our good friend Arce-It appears this guy molests both inside and outside of his family).
We had also been told he,along with his wife, had left his home state to move across country due to these accusations. His wife, unfortunately, had not notified the school of these incidents and recommended him to be a volunteer. She was fired and moved away, leaving Don to fend for himself.
In spite of my frustration of having to deal with another pedophile situation, my concern for the children of the church caused me to email the Anglican pastor and alert him to Don’s history. This was 3 ½ years ago. His response was quite cold. He said he had been told that Don was not a problem. I then responded by reviewing this man’s 20+ year history and urging him to watch him carefully. He said he would do so but seemed irritated by my insistence.
Shortly after this, things went south. My former Baptist pastor contacted our new pastor, claiming that my husband and I had caused trouble over their pedophile situation. (Guilty as charged.) However, he must have embellished his conversation. The Anglican pastor said we would not be allowed to join until there was a “reconciliation” meeting with the previous pastor, supervised by him and one of his church leaders! My husband and I would not agree to that. Needless to say, we decided to look for a fellowship that was a bit more welcoming.
A female "emissary" from the Anglican church met with me for lunch one day. She was not aware of our plans to attend another church. After a short conversation, I mentioned Don Cameron and begged her to alert everyone in the church to the danger and to protect the kids. She did not know of his presence and seemed surprised and concerned.
My husband and I theorize that a friendship had formed between the SBC pastor and the Anglican pastor and they had decided to have Cameron go to the Anglican church to deflect the attention off the Baptist church which was still reeling over the other pedophile incident. Cameron’s long term presence and involvement in that Baptist church was not well known. Hopefully this post will alert members there as well.
Fast forward to February of this year. Here is a link to a post titled When Pastors Breach Trust: My Testimony of Betrayal and God’s Grace, in which I recounted my disappointing experience at the Anglican church and how the experience helped me in writing this blog. I also said that I had forgiven the pastor since the experience was necessary for me to understand the pain that others have in churches. Here is the PS at the end of the post.
P.S. – Keep an eye on that pedophile.
(Remember, this is 3 ½ years later. I was still concerned about this guy.
Too bad the church wasn’t.)
Last week I received a call from a good friend whose son had been hurt by the Baptist church pedophile. Apparently, Don Cameron had moved back into his house in the same neighborhood with the children that he had molested. Although it is now against the law to do so in NC, he had slipped in under the wire. Here is the local news report.
Click here if you can't see the above video.
Today, I met five of Cameron's neighbors.Cameron had lived there for 20+ years prior to his arrest. The neighbors are deeply upset. As one of them said to me, "He is making us relive the pain every time we see him. He shows no remorse." One neighbor told us that she believes that the incidents that led to his arrest had been going on with Cameron for a very long time.
The house in which he lives is a perfect lair for a pedophile. One must walk up a winding driveway which shields views of the house from all angles. I tried to visit with Cameron but he did not appear to be at home. Frankly, it felt a bit creepy, standing alone in his driveway, knowing that no one else could see me. I imagined those little children enduring the abuse. I cannot imagine the pain that these families must experience, seeing their children's molester day after day. Frankly, Cameron's choice is despicable.
(PS I was accompanied on my journey by the mom of the boy who gave me the angel of courage in the above linked post. That woman has courage! She, too, walked up the driveway to see where he lived and was disturbed by the seclusion of this residence.)
A few days ago, an acquaintance forwarded the following two messages to me. These had been sent by the Anglican pastor to his congregation.
Message One:
An Important Message from the Senior Pastor (8/2/12)
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
I am writing to you today to inform you of a situation and the steps our church has taken to ensure the safety of our children. On Tuesday, July 31st an article appeared on WRAL's home page concerning one of our members, Don Cameron. He was convicted in 2007 on charges of "indecent liberty (towards a) minor" for inappropriately touching young girls.
Don began attending our church in 2008 after serving eight months in prison. Within weeks of attending he came to me to share his history. After consulting with our staff, Leadership Council, his previous church, and an attorney we decided to allow Don to attend and eventually join our church. We set very clear parameters to ensure the safety of our children. Don is not allowed to serve in any capacity within the children's ministry or youth ministry, sit next to children in the service, or enter areas of the building alone where children or youth ministries are active. In addition he met regularly with a staff member for accountability and gave me access to his counselor and parole officer. During these past years our pastoral staff, several support staff, several Leadership Council members, a few members of our congregation, as well as a few key members of the children's ministry team were made aware of this situation to ensure that Don was honoring the parameters set for him. All agree that Don has kept to these parameters.
In addition, we have worked hard to strengthen church-wide safety policies that guard against the possibility of any abuses, especially among our children and students. This includes a two-worker policy for all classrooms and nurseries, a system to ensure that no child is vulnerable in the bathrooms, a pager system, child and student check-in (which is being further upgraded with electronic check-in coming this Fall), background checks for all who work with children and students, and child/student safety training.
We hope that we have been faithful to the clear commands of Scripture to both welcome sinners with grace into our fellowship and to ensure the care and safety of the children within our congregation. I will be available this Sunday at 5:00 in the sanctuary to answer any questions or concerns any of you may have.
With you in the Grace and Truth of Jesus,
Message Two-two days later
Important Update from the Senior Pastor (8/4/12)
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Since our letter two days ago, we have learned that some of the parameters put in place with Don Cameron were not completely followed. As of today, Don will not be able come to our physical property at (the church name), however we will continue to minister to Don off-site. I will still be available Sunday at 5pm in the sanctuary to answer any questions.
In the grace and truth of Jesus,
After 3 ½ years of warnings from me as well as others, along with a known jail term and probation, Cameron was still not being properly supervised! How could this be?
Observations:
- My husband and I were not allowed to join the Anglican church because we had stood up to a terrible pedophile situation in our previous church.
- Don Cameron, a pedophile, was allowed to become a member of this Anglican church.
- Cameron was not being fully supervised by the church.
- Cameron himself did not follow the guidelines that were put in place.
- The church is ministering to Cameron. No mention is made of the poor children that he molested.
- My husband and I, who raised the warning, and put up with untold grief, (including bawling my eyes out in the pastor's office) have not received any sort of apology, “ministry” or grace.
Why don't some pastors and churches understand that pedophiles are dangerous? If this church truly cared for the safety of their children, Cameron would have been watched like a hawk. He wasn’t! What message is being sent?
So, here is my message (once again) to that Anglican pastor and his leadership team
- If Cameron was truly remorseful and repentant, he would not have moved back into the neighborhood, surrounded by the children he hurt. He would not be living in a house which cannot be seen from the street. He is a problem. Take a clue!
- If he was repentant, he would have followed the parameters set by the church and he should have reported that he did not have appropriate supervision. Take another clue!
- If the leaders truly took pedophilia seriously, they would have supervised him very carefully. Get a heart check!
- The letter said “We hope that we have been faithful to the clear commands of Scripture to both welcome sinners with grace into our fellowship and to ensure the care and safety of the children within our congregation.” The leaders sure welcomed the pedophile but hurt a woman and her husband who tried to protect the children.
- I have notified the neighbors that your church appears willing to minister to people who are hurting. Perhaps the church could intervene in Cameron's choices of where to live and teach him about caring more for others than himself. Also, maybe the church leaders could reach out to the neighbors so deeply hurt by their church member. It might be the Christian thing to do.
So, I am mad and disgusted, all over again. My question for the TWW community is, "Am I normal or am I nuts?"
Lydia's Corner: Genesis 18:16-19:38 Matthew 6:25-7:14 Psalm 8:1-9 Proverbs 2:6-15
You are not normal. I’d say you are exceptional. Normal probably would not have the guts to take a stand, shine light into the darkness, and let the chips fall where they ought.
Nuts? Definitely not.
Absolutely, positively abnormal …. for a “Christian”…..
Perfectly normal for all those outside ‘the bubble’.
Dee, I’m sorry you had/have to go through this. You are right – his moving back into that neighborhood – that house – is clear evidence of zero heart change. Parents, beware! Don’t think he wouldn’t get off on trying to do a repeat on previous victims….
Grrr…this stirs up so much! Dee, you are not nuts. You are courageous. Thank you.
Normal. And this whole thing just sickens me. What has happened to the body of Christ? May God have mercy on us all.
Oh Dee I am sorry- this story is truely tragic! I am sickened just by reading it. This is the thing, usually pedophiles cannot be re-introduced back into society- we have seen over and over the same things re-occurring. In fact, when these things go unchecked you might even see worse things happen.
I know there is this side of Christians that want to give grace and mercy to those who perpetrate these crimes, and if they are truely repentent Christ would surely forgive. But as a society we must not allow these men or women to be where there is access o any children- whatsoever. We see time after time these men manipulate and deceive pastors or others that they are contrite and will be “good and decent” but the percentages are high that they won’t.
I can testify to everything Dee has shared in this post.
I was the first one she called when she and her husband were refused membership by the Anglican pastor (whom I met and shook hands with once, by the way), and I have NEVER heard her so upset.
Furthermore, I have been her confidant throughout these intertwined ordeals. All of this has to be divine providence.
Deb
I did notice, however, that you did not weigh in on the normal or nuts. Are you trying to tell me something. I added a ps in this post a couple of minutes ago to let our readers know that the mom whose son was hurt at the Baptist church accompanied me on my trip to the neighborhood. She’s got guts- even walked up the spooky driveway.
First: Deny, minimize, deflect
Second: Shoot the messenger
Third: Protect, care and empathize with buddy
Fourth: forget the problem exists, it will go away
Next: Deny responsibility for next victimization
I am so sorry for your renewed grief and sorrow in the revelation of continued evil and incomprehensible spiritual abuse. In spite of your courageous intervention, evil was allowed to continue. May you continue to help that neighborhood find safety and healing. You are demonstrating the true God, who hears the cries of the oppressed and weak. You are an ezer, a warrior with the heart of God.
Dee, email a link to your blog post to the reporter or perhaps one of the families of victims will do that. This WHOLE story needs to come out, and both pastors need a heart transplant, because the one Jesus does on those who truly believe did not “take” with them. Two churches have chosen the pedophile over the well-being and safety of children in their congregation and city, and over the service of a Christian couple with a heart of service and caring for the “least of those Jesus came to save”, aka vulnerable children. They chose the tarnished soul of an evil man over the innocent souls of children. They do not deserve to be in ministry or to be heard.
I am angry. I deal with families where there has been abuse. I do not do criminal defense work, because I could not represent a child abuser or rapist.
Eight months is a pittance of a sentence for ruining a life. And for a pastor to downplay the significance of child sexual abuse is a sin of monstrous proportions.
This violation of terms of release should be reported to the probation office and the court. Please make that call.
Dee,
I don’t think either of us is normal.
Why in the world would we devote tens of thousands of hours (probably more) to this blog, receiving nothing in return except for the wonderful dialogue generated? Why do we do it? Because I believe we have been called to this ministry by our Heavenly Father.
Super normal!
I attended a Lutheran church for 8 years while earning a PhD. Even though I tried very hard to make friends, many of the parishioners were very cold, rude and unfriendly. My soon to be former church is near the university and I stayed there so I could obtain a parking permit. In June, my anxiety over being shunned caused me to have a panic attack in which I could not breathe, which has now been diagnosed as asthma.
I like being able to breathe, so I have stopped attending the church and am keeping a very low profile so that I can obtain a parking permit for my last semester. I have not told the pastors of my anxiety/asthma problem because they would just dismiss me as crazy. I carefully blocked everyone from my church on Facebook, lest someone find out I support gay marriage and kick me out of the church.
I am still a believer but I will probably never join another church, although I may still attend church.
Dee,
I must agree that you’re not “normal”. Unfortunately, so many “normal” Christians (if some of them truly ARE Christians) would not stand in the gap like you have for these victims. They would have turned a blind eye, not said anything, not taken any risks, not taken a stand and done the right thing. They certainly wouldn’t have stood in a creepy, secluded driveway to confront a serial pedophile. They would have stayed silent, because it’s easier – even if it makes them complicit. I’m sorry for the abuse you’ve endured and the emotions that are no doubt bubbling to the surface. But thank you for ministering to the victims, supporting these families, and warning everyone of this monster in their neighborhood.
You are NOT normal, but you are right. I wish your response was considered normal. It isn’t. That tells me we have more work to do. Keep shouting from the rooftop, Dee.
“One hand washes the other…”
And I belong to a church (RCC) that’s infamous these days for pedophile scandals. To the point that the talk-radio wags always append “-pedophile” to every church title when they read the news — “pastor-pedophile”, “bishop-pedophile”, “Cardinal-pedophile”, etc — and refer to Pope John Paul II as “Patron Saint of Child Molestors”. THAT’s how far the reputation can go. You want Jesus Christ to become “the God of Child Molestors” in everybody else’s mind?
All I can think of is that the pedophiles ensconsed in the Baptist and other churches are sighing with relief — as long as the spotlight is on Those Catholics, nobody’s going to be looking for them.
Definitely not nuts, thankfully not normal. Normal seems to prefer “hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil.” We need for vigilance to become the new normal, not monkey business as usual.
Nuts. Without a doubt. Nuts about protecting children. Nuts about justice. Nuts about making a stand for the victims. Nuts about making your voice heard.
And nuts about following your Savior’s commands concerning the little ones.
Yup, you’re nuts. A good faithful nut for Christ.
I am afraid the new normal is to look the other way, diss the vicitms and pretend we are great Christians because we “love’ the criminal. The new normal is to want to get rid of those who care about the safety of children over those who want to protect the criminal. It really is the new normal because it is going on in too many places. The new normal is the make the victims feel like bitter unforgiving people because they do not embrace the molester. This was the message at SGM to victims, too.
Actions speak very loudly. We now know of two more pastors out there who protected a pedophile over victims.
And don’t tell me he is rehabed. How in the world he could move back there and take a chance of running into a victim boggles my mind. Seems he has no shame at all. And guess what? My guess is that “Christians” have either wittingly or unwittingly helped that belief along. Cheap grace.
Churches are pretty much not safe places in many aspects. This particular issue is the worst reason they are not safe.
Normally, I’d say you’re a nut. The very finest, premium, first class, A #1 nut.
This story would be beyond belief except that churches who handle pedophile problems correctly are rare.
Perhaps the perp has more financial resources with which to tithe than the victims. But it looks like the Anglican church finally got it — and you were the first to knock on a door that needed to be ramrodded. It took far too long for the church to come around, but I have to believe that a painting of your painful experience on behalf of innocent victims will be in heaven in the art gallery that’s described in the book, “Affliction” by Edith Schaeffer, who was married to Francis Schaeffer, also an author and theologian. The blog queens are not just dabblers and dilletantes — you bear plenty of battle scars. You’ve become savvy about the very worst things people have done to harm The Church, but you’ve grown stronger in faith, love, and wisdom.
Let me tell you how “normal” the world outside the church bubble sees your behaviour by telling you a story that happened in Australia. A man named Peter Hollingworth, by all accounts a basically decent guy, and former Anglican archbishop of Brisbane, Queensland, was made Governor General in 2001. Let me quote from Wikipedia about what happened next:
“In December 2001, allegations were raised that, during his time as Archbishop of Brisbane, Hollingworth had failed to deal appropriately with sex abuse allegations made against a church teacher at Toowoomba Prep School. That month, the Brisbane Anglican diocese was ordered to pay $834,800 damages to the woman who had been found to have been sexually abused.[16] Hetty Johnston, an advocate for child sex abuse victims, instigated a campaign calling for Hollingworth to resign. Hollingworth told the Australian media that, as a newly appointed archbishop at the time, he lacked the experience to handle the matter. He also said he had not believed that the case involved sexual abuse but that he had not done enough to stop abuses occurring.[17] Hollingworth subsequently apologised to the Toowoomba victim and released a formal statement condemning child sexual abuse but by February 2002, the Opposition was calling for Hollingworth to be dismissed. Hollingworth stepped down from his positions as the Brisbane Lions’ No 1 ticket holder, patron of Barnardos, Kids First Foundation and the National Association for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect.[18]
Phillip Aspinall, Hollingworth’s successor as archbishop, ordered an inquiry, which concluded that in 1993, Hollingworth had allowed a known paedophile to continue working as a priest.[19] In May 2003, the report by the Diocese of Brisbane into the handling of the cases was tabled in the Queensland parliament by the Labor Premier of Queensland, Peter Beattie.[20] The Deputy Prime Minister and Treasurer indicated in early May that Hollingworth should consider his position and after meeting with John Howard on 11 May, Hollingworth stood aside.[21] On 28 May 2003, he announced his resignation[22] and his commission as Governor-General was revoked as of 29 May 2003.”
So here you see a man who was not a paedophile himself, but in ignorance dealt badly with a paedophile in the church, and the public outcry was so great that he had to step down from public office. Protecting children is serious business.
As you know, I have many differences of opinion with Sydney Anglicans, but on this issue I will give them full credit. We have very strict policies and procedures in place for child protection, every adult who does anything with children in even the most minimal capacity must attend child safety training and have regular refreshers, and every pastor is a mandatory reporter
Dee, you’re superbly, fabulously normally nuts. I was so angry to read of this. I realise this post is about where Don Cameron lives but wanted to add a different comment. So it’s not just the Catholic Church who protect pedophile priests and move them around parishes, it’s also done for members between denominations. How helpful for the pedophile. Not sure if I read this right – have there been cases of acts against children in that church since your warning to the minister? Or was the 8 months gaol for something else? If so, I would think there is a strong legal case that could be mounted by parents. Any lawyers want to comment? Like all organisations, these churches will not take deal with the situation correctly until the financial bottom line feels some real pain.
And @Deb Wed Aug 08, 2012 at 09:57 PM – I hope you shook hands with your left hand (ref: Sophie’s previous post)
Well done Dee! It should be normal for christians to protect children from pedophiles…I think the general church are MASSIVELY naive about pedophilia, & the ongoing risk from those Christians who have a history of this. We should always be erring on the side of caution, & the victims or potential victims should be safeguarded as well as the perpetrator given ‘boundaries’ in the church.
I will get up on that soapbox with you any time you ask!
Dee, I read a news article from 2007 on WRAL’s website that says that Don Cameron had sold his house after he was indicted. Here’s the link: http://www.wral.com/news/local/story/1650845/ Do you know anything about that?
I have never been involved in a church situation like that but I have seen ‘Deliver us from Evil’ and I know that when a church protects abusers, it costs many people their faith in God. It ‘slams the door of Heaven in their faces’, as Jesus said. No wonder He saved His wrath for the religious establishment. Other organisations may protect paedophiles and it’s terrible, but when a church does it, it’s spitting in His face.
@ HUG:
“To the point that the talk-radio wags always append ‘-pedophile’ to every church title when they read the news — ‘pastor-pedophile,’ ‘bishop-pedophile,’ ‘Cardinal-pedophile,’ etc. — and refer to Pope John Paul II as ‘Patron Saint of Child Molestors.’ … All I can think of is that the pedophiles ensconsed in the Baptist and other churches are sighing with relief…”
But the conservative church is the last bastion of family values and respect for the Constitution! There’s can’t be pedophiles in the conservative church! /off sarcasm/ Seriously, don’t get me started on talk radio. I’m relatively conservative politically and it drives me up a wall. Five minutes after they called all priests pedophiles, I bet they ranted about how the Catholic church is great for opposing the birth control mandate. Cognitive dissonance?
Dee, What a great job you did writing this post. What guts you had walking up that long, secluded, winding driveway alone to see if Don Cameron, the pervert was at home. As you know, I walked up just a short way and it was scary. Thanks for taking the time to go over there and talk with the neighbors. They are very nice people and they have a right to be very concerned and upset about who has moved back in. I feel for them but I hate it most for the victims that still live just a few houses away. How in the world can he justify moving back to a place where he has molested children that live there????? This proves to me that he is still very sick in his thinking. And to answer your question you are very normal and care for the children who are the innocent victims. I hope this verse will bring some comfort to the victims and their parents. This verse ministered to me and still does with my son being a victim of a pedophile. “A bruised reed he will not break….In faithfulness he will bring forth justice.” Isaiah 42:3 We are thankful that the pedophile that abused our son was sentenced for 13 years with no chance for parole until the 13 years are up. That was some comfort for us and we have to be thankful that he was held accountable for the horrible things he did. Dee, thanks for all you are doing for the children.
Haitch said:
“And @Deb Wed Aug 08, 2012 at 09:57 PM – I hope you shook hands with your left hand (ref: Sophie’s previous post)”
Actually, I shook with my right hand. I went with Dee to a Maundy Thursday service when I met this Anglican pastor.
You may also be interested to know that just last year I shook the (right) hand of the senior pastor at the Baptist church mentioned in this post. He performed a wedding ceremony I attended. Incidentally, the occasion fell on the anniversary of my baptism.
Hmm, well Deb, I trust you squeezed really really hard and brought tears to his eyes and his knees buckled… Ok, I’ll stop now.
A couple of thoughts when reading to perhaps understand the pastor:
From his POV, I’d say a lot of it is a case of stubbornness. Something I’m acquainted with very well! When you approached him over Cameron, he probably didn’t like that his choice was second-guessed (no one does). I’m assuming the Baptist pastor had told him a good amount of information and that he could take care of it. Then you come in swinging with a couple emails and he locks up and just says ‘No’. When you came in with tears, he probably locked up more.
Why? Maybe because of pride and maybe he thought he could handle it. Grace and such and when you came at him, he read you as being a policeman and he didn’t want you terrorizing Carson. When one is consumed in a certain situation, it’s almost like living in a bubble. I’m sure the poor children who were harassed were not thought about because Carson was made the center of the problem and not merely a villainous actor in a problem of pedophilia.
He probably thought it was under control because he watched himself, not relying on anyone else to inform him and was satisfied. That is until the day he notices one thing out of place (maybe like him talking to a child) and asking a few questions, the whole thing unravels. Turns out he wasn’t following the parameters but he doesn’t want this sicko to fall into oblivion again.
Now of course, no one can be certain of Carson’s motives. He may be a devious man who set up shop just because he could. Or he maybe so distraught over himself that he just wants to normalize (by living in the same house) ignorant or self-blinding to fact that the people he injured are reeling because of his presence. The want for it to go away, for things to be normal, is a selfish desire that is avoiding reality.
The problem is this whole incident focused on the pedophile rather than the act of pedophilia and made the pedophile the center victim to his own crimes. Hopefully the children enter into the picture and the frame of reference is changed. I think you’re doing a good job Dee, despite naive or stubborn pastors. Keep on seeking justice!
Moniker
I think he transferred it into his wife's name. His son has been living there according to the neighbors.
Susan said it SO well Dee, “You are an ezer, a warrior with the heart of God.”
This tragic story fills me with grief and rage. It just proves again that “church” is not a safe place. By rejecting the Lord’s light through you and your husband, these two pastors created a dark environment in which deeds of darkness could flourish. I am sickened by their behavior.
I praise God that your light is shining like a “star in the universe”!
May the Lord bring comfort and hope to the precious souls who have suffered at the hands of this pedophile and these complicit men.
You are a mom. That is why you feel the pain of children, even those that are not your own. Your anger is “righteous”, valid, needed and actually a gift even to the churches you have confronted. I don’t understand why the churches even let these guys attend…..whatever happened to 1 Cor. 5 – where you put out of fellowship one who professes Christ but lives otherwise? Let them sit home and watch TV churches on a Sunday morning. They lost the right to fellowship. That is what is called a consequence.
Haitch,
Here’s my final comment regarding handshakes at that wedding. The handshake with the pastor was a gentle one; however, I shook hands with two other attendees, and both were bizarro! Strange that I still remember those three handshakes so well…
Thank God you aren’t normal, because normal seems to be just looking the other way.
You did the hard thing, Dee, and Jesus called us to do that. Bless you for it.
Dee,
As a founder member of ‘Nut Crackers Anonymous’ – I hereby certify that you are both Nuts and as we say ‘over the pond’ crackers as well.
You have to be. both to endure what you and your husband suffered in your quest for justice for the victims of this man…
Long may you both be given the Grace and love to continue. That goes for Deb too.
You both treat the subject of child abuse with both seriousness and may I say it, dignity, and your willingness to step into the Lions den and expose such heinous acts,is something that is a rebuke and example to us all.
So you got hurt by the anglican guys, who have discovered some area of the guy’s supervision fell over, but there is no evidence that he has abused or been a risk to any more children, and the church has taken the strong action of barring him from the community now they know he has transgressed the agreed boundaries etc.
I’m unclear as to what more the anglican guys could have done, besides being nicer to you.
Gareth
I take it that you think I am nuts which is OK because there are days in which I am convinced I am ceritfiable.
But, may I challenge you in the area of abuse? Do you not think it is abusive for a pedophile to move back into the neighborhood with his victims?
i.e. the Tim LaHaye Author Self-Insert Handshake.
Dee –
Not normal . . . but not nuts either! Christ-like? Yes, I think that’s it. You are loving your neighbor as yourself!
Dee –
I am surprised that the legal system let him move back in to the neighborhood! What’s with that?
A “rehabed” pedophile in a church should be required
Dee-
A “rehabed” pedophile in a church should be required to have a personnel attendant (not a relative or former friend) with them at ALL times. They should be escorted onto and off the church property. They should not be allowed back to the church where they offended. Victims should not have to leave an area because a convicted abuser returned.
Gareth:
If the church was truly concerned they would have requested, and helped him move to a more appropriate place. Showing repentance for your sin is not rubbing his presence in the wounds of his neighbors.
Too many churches welcome these ‘sinners’ into their fold, and yet do not require grace from them. They would rather parrot legalities, and ignore what scripture would wish from them.
If they ignore one party coming to them with a concern? They will ignore others. It seems after the first email he got showered with additional concerns, and thus you have the second email.
It seems this church wasn’t too transparent about him and was forced into being so. What were they afraid of?
If they wish their members to offer ‘grace to sinners’ allow them the opportunity when it presents itself. You don’t wait until something happens, and you are forced to say something…and then end you letter to remind people about ‘grace to sinners’. I’m sorry but that seems manipulate to me.
If you have faith in your God, and your house of worship – allow these things to come into the light. You break trust within the fellowship when you don’t.
It’s much more than not being ‘nice’ to one person as far as I can see.
Gareth
The reason that I like dissenting opinions is that they cause me to evaluate my thinking under a microscope. So, let me add something here, more for helping me to document my thoughts (which occurred while I was folding long overdue laundry).
You said “there is no evidence that he has abused or been a risk to any more children.” Once someone is convicted of pedophilia, especially long term pedophilia, the evidence for potential abuse is found in certain actions.
Cameron’s actions:
1. He moved back to the scene of the crime with his victims still present.
2. He violated the security parameters and did not report them
Given his history, I would say that he is at high risk for re-offense, if he hasn’t reoffended already.
8 months in the slammer does not “cure” a pedophile, especially a pedophile with a long term history. I would say that it is more naive to assume he hasn’t reoffended as opposed to thinking he has reoffended.
Even worse, he appears to be taunting his victims with his presence. That would also raise a red flag that he is not “remorseful.” A “not remorseful” pedophile is a danger.
Thank you for helping me to think more deeply. Back to the laundry.
A truly repentant criminal would not move back in the same neighborhood to torment his victims. Period. A repentant and sorrowful man would come no where near them out of respect for the healing process. It doesn’t matter how down on his luck he was – he put himself in that situation, and he isn’t willing to endure any consequences except those imposed upon him by the state (which was a lousy 8 months). This isn’t the first time I’ve heard about (or seen with my own eyes) pedophiles coming back to their victims’ church or neighborhood. This is a deliberate way to further torment and antagonize. It’s part of their abuse and antisocial behavior.
I ran across this recently on my blog – a reader commented something to the effect that it was wrong for a church to set such forceful standards for convicted pedophiles – what if they truly repented? By forcing accountability, the church was not trusting in God’s amazing power to heal a pedophile.
I think this is one of the reasons churches fail at protecting children. They say that God is a God who is able to heal and if they don’t trust God to do His work, even in the lives of a pedophile, they are lacking faith and trust in God. This common thought sets the whole tone in the church, influencing the guidelines that deal with these difficult issues. The result is often gaping holes in the safety and protection of children, overriding the common sense and common knowledge about recidivism.
You are normal, and I believe that Anglican pastor owes you and your husband an apology.
Julie Anne
How about trust but verify?
NMP
Thank you for your kind comment. It is often a lonely stand, especially when your church decides you are the problem, not the pedophile.
Rusty
I love it- I am now a member of Nut Crackers Anonymous. I take my membership seriously and will attempt to live up to the high standards imposed by your leadership.
Bridget
Hmmm, not normal or nuts? Howza about schizophrenic at times?
MM
I like this term “ezer.” It sounds better than “geezer.”
Hannah
Like the comment.
a reader commented something to the effect that it was wrong for a church to set such forceful standards for convicted pedophiles – what if they truly repented? By forcing accountability, the church was not trusting in God’s amazing power to heal a pedophile.
I think this is one of the reasons churches fail at protecting children. They say that God is a God who is able to heal and if they don’t trust God to do His work, even in the lives of a pedophile, they are lacking faith and trust in God.
Trust God. But they need to realize that only God knows if this person is now a good liar or a repentant person. Embezzlers should not be allowed to work with money. Dis-barred lawyers don’t get to practice law, even informally. And ask some of these folks who wants to be alone with the convicted but repentant rapist late at night on a long drive?
Accept their repentance but they have to understand that their past sins require new boundaries. And if they don’t agree with this then they just maybe are not repentant and changed.
A truly repentant criminal would not move back in the same neighborhood to torment his victims.
I have no details on WHY he moved to where he did. Money, a lack of empathy, whatever. But if the choice is homelessness or a house like this are you saying he should choose homelessness?
I would have a hard time believing homelessness was his only other choice. There are re-entry programs that provide housing, jobs, mentoring, and other assistance to former prisoners. Going back anywhere near his victims is brazen and callous torment. I can’t even fathom doing something like this to a child, going to prison, and coming back to live beside them. How can that sound like a reasonable option?
Pedophiles are master manipulators. They know how to seem harmless and helpful. They give the Master Deceiver a run for his title. An honest pedophile will tell you that repentance and forgiveness is wonderful, but the temptation will still occur. And no one but God really knows what is in the man’s heart.
And yes, homelessness would be the better option.
A bank robber once said that he robbed banks because that was where the money is. A pedophile will seek to be in a church because that is where trusting parents and vulnerable children are.
And they like to live in nice, quiet, upper middle class neighborhoods, where parents believe it is safer for their children to be out and about.
“I have no details on WHY he moved to where he did. Money, a lack of empathy, whatever. But if the choice is homelessness or a house like this are you saying he should choose homelessness?”
There are other options besides (a. Living in the same neighbourhood as the children you molested & (b. Homelessness.
He could sell the house and move, or rent it out and live somewhere else.
The American housing economy is not in the best of sorts right now, but the fact that he has moved back into the same house, in the same neighbourhood, as his previous victims, in my opinion is evidence of an unrepentant spirit, extreme laziness, and malignant apathy towards those he has hurt.
Lynn
I can assure you that homelessness was not an issue. Since his discharge from the slammer, he reportedly had been living in an apartment just on the right side of the legal line near a school. The moment his limits were lifted, he hightailed it back to the neighborhood.
I would have a hard time believing homelessness was his only other choice. There are re-entry programs that provide housing, jobs, mentoring, and other assistance to former prisoners.
These don’t always exist for everyone. There was a 60 minutes type of show on this a year or so ago. About Miami I think. If released in Miami they boundaries were such that the only place they could live was homeless under a freeway overpass. Every where else in the city was block via the “no closer than xxx to a yyy” rules. And from the interviews with some officials this was done on purpose.
And sorry Arce. But telling someone to go homeless when there is a legal residence they can live in doesn’t cut it by me. Now they can make that decision but I’ll not tell them to. But I will help them “get out of the neighborhood” in any reasonable way possible other than theft of their property or rights.
I’m not saying I want to support this guy. I’m just saying that if we have a judicial system where someone serves their time and they play by the rules we need to go along. Even if we don’t like the result. And if we don’t like the result, change the rules.
Dee –
Hmmmm . . . maybe you’re “radical?”
Lynn
it appears that he has not been playing by the rules.
Legal rules? Or the local church rules? If legal then he needs to be hauled into court. If church. Well all they can do is council him or toss him out.
As the saying goes – “normal” is just a setting on the dryer.
I say kudos to you for standing up to him, the churches, and the community then and now. Saddens my heart for the victims.
“I ran across this recently on my blog – a reader commented something to the effect that it was wrong for a church to set such forceful standards for convicted pedophiles – what if they truly repented? By forcing accountability, the church was not trusting in God’s amazing power to heal a pedophile. church was not trusting in God’s amazing power to heal a pedophile.” Julie Anne
The end if this statement is basically saying that you lack faith in God if you make the pedophile “do” anything to prove and live out his repentance. But scripture says that “faith without works is dead.” So what does real faith and grace look like on the part of a pedophile and on the part of church that is willing to walk the road with a repentant pedophile? (I think this had been covered in other posts.)
Why do people equate “trusting in God’s amazing power to heal a pedophile” into “believe what they say and do nothing?” Since when does faith = not thinking and not doing? One might as well sit around and meditate all day if this is what someone thinks following Jesus is about! Jesus didn’t live like that or tell others to live like that.
Lynn –
I believe he has been tossed out of the church community. But if he also broke parole requirements, he should be hauled back to court. If the church is aware that he broke parole, then they should report him to the authorities — not just kick him out of fellowship.
Lynn,
If re-entry programs hadn’t existed for Don Cameron or if he hadn’t been able to afford an apartment as Dee said, then I’m with Arce – homelessness.
I don’t wish him any harm, although I despise what he’s done. It makes me sick. Instead of living comfortably in his nice home beside his victims, he could find a meager job and rent a tiny or mobile home. I know this is a dumb question, but do former prisoners still get their Social Security benefits? Cameron is 66 years old. If he is drawing SS, he has income. Homelessness would be a moot point.
Cameron has put his victims in their own prison. They will be doing the hard work of healing from sexual abuse for the rest of their lives. The least he could do is to leave them alone, instead of re-victimizing them by moving in right beside them.
Lynn
Heart rules.
tiny apartment…
Dee –
The local news report that you reference in the post isn’t showing up. I’d be interested in reading that if it’s available.
I’m in no way defending this buy. But a legal system that has penalties at some point has to either change the penalties or let them out. If someone has a home LEGALLY available to them and that’s the only choice or the only choice that makes financial sense then they get to use it. It does not mean I like it or that he should be helped to move out if he asks but rule by the mob, not matter how well intended, is still mob rule.
Should murderers be allowed to move back to small towns where they committed the murder? What if they were broke and that was where the old family farm was located? How about rapists? At some point you either have to write laws that say life without parole or not.
This GUY. (New keyboard.)
My apologies. It looks like Cameron is now 71. Make no mistake, when the limits were lifted and he moved back to the house where much of the abuse took place – this is a way to taunt his victims. It’s a statement that he “won”, that no one can get to him. He is also able to better re-live the graphic acts he committed right there on his property. Child molesters enjoy seeing their victims and re-living their crimes.
Sorry but I don’t subscirbe to mind reading.
Lynn,
Have you studied Antisocial Personality Disorder? Sexual deviance? Pedophilia? Childhood sexual abuse?
There are several of us here who share from our education and professional experiences in law, criminal justice, social work, counseling, and human services. Others have personal experiences and know of what they speak. Some of us have had both professional AND personal experiences with pedophiles and their victims. You don’t have to take my word for it. Do some research.
Bridget said: Since when does faith = not thinking and not doing? One might as well sit around and meditate all day if this is what someone thinks following Jesus is about! Jesus didn’t live like that or tell others to live like that.
Hey, friend, don’t get me going. You’re speaking to the choir. It’s the same kind of logic that allows children to die because their parents refuse to take them to the doc. They say they just need to have faith for God to heal their sick child (yet, these are the same people who wear glasses – why didn’t God heal their eyes????? hmmmmmm). It’s absolutely insane logic.
No I have not. But for anyone to make a blanket diagnosis without meeting someone is wrong. IMNERHO. As a class we can assign attributes. But not individually without meeting with them or reading their case files.
As someone close to this blog has stated, “We are all wonderfully and uniquely made.” Emphasis here on unique.
I’ve seem people labeled too many times based on broad categories that were, for the person, just flat out wrong.
I do have some thoughts about the situation, will try to present them later.
He isn’t my client, and I haven’t diagnosed him. But I have enough documents and reports and information to know for sure that he is a serial child predator. Based on that information, there is plenty we can assume. If we don’t, other kids are going to be hurt.
I’m sure Don Cameron appreciates your defense though.
I”m not defending him. I’m arguing against mob rule.
“As a class we can assign attributes. But not individually without meeting with them or reading their case files…I’ve seem people labeled too many times based on broad categories that were, for the person, just flat out wrong.” -Lynn
How is this arguing against mob rule? I don’t see a mob rule argument in this.
Are you not suggesting that we could be “labeling” Cameron “based on broad categories” and “wrong” about his character?
Several people have made comments about attributes of DC’s personality which are nothing more than inferences. But they have made them as statements of fact. They may be true. But they also may not be.
I include those statement that contain wording like “all …. are ….”.
DC was wrong ethically, in my opinion, to move back to the neighborhood. But not legally wrong as far as anything I’ve seen. And saying he should be made to move out doesn’t cut it with me. I know too many people who will jump on that wagon and would start including homosexuals, atheists, Chinese, Germans, Catholics, blacks, …. Oh, wait, we’ve done all of these and more in the short history of our country.
Lynn
You subscribe to mind reading everyday of your life. So do I. We evaluate circumstances and decide which makes the most sense. When you have a life history that points to molestation, the molester has already show he does not play by the rules that he agreed to, and he has the resources to live elsewhere, one can assume that he is at high risk for reoffense.
mob rule
Any time I see signs of people gathering pitchforks and tar soaked brooms. Or the verbal equivalent of such.
“Since his discharge from the slammer, he reportedly had been living in an apartment just on the right side of the legal line near a school.”
Oh yeah. Definitely a potential problem. This reminds me of a crime show episode I once saw, where a suspect with a restraining order looked at the cop character and said (with a straight face), “I wasn’t violating the restraining order. I measured.”
Lynn,
I’m not trying to be contrary, but childhood sexual abuse is an issue close to my heart. I think I get what you’re saying about his home and the limits of the justice system. I haven’t heard anything about vandalism or protests outside his home or a mob breaking the law themselves to get him out of the neighborhood.
We may be powerless in that sense, but the point of Dee’s post and this discussion is to support the innocent child victims and their families and to alert (and support) Cameron’s neighbors of the very real danger that lurks in their neighborhood.
It is also to point out that pastors and church leadership MUST understand pedophilia and the reality that almost all child molesters re-offend. They MUST take this seriously. Dee shouldn’t have been dismissed and wounded at both of these churches for standing up for innocent children. It’s despicable that neither pastor has taken responsibility for refusing to hear her – and thus more children were left vulnerable and without protection.
You subscribe to mind reading everyday of your life.
But I really try and not state those conclusions as fact. I’ve had too many times people to that to me with bogus conclusions just because I didn’t fit the expected mold for the particular situation.
Yes we can assume he’s high on the list to re-offend. But we can’t conclude he will. And we can point out to the neighbors he’s there. But we can’t force him to leave.
And I’m sorry, but saying someone should be homeless when they have a LEGAL residence available to them is just plain wrong. Again IMNERHO.
What I’m hearing here in many of the comments is there should be life sentences for such people. I have a hard time with that.
I measured.
Anyone with a restraining order would be a fool to not measure. The issue is is this person taunting or not. And in the case you describe he is.
taking a deep breath
Does anyone have a map of the area showing all the restricted zones for sex offenders? Comments have been made about people living on the edge of such zones. But in many cases there aren’t many open spots left. And you might be within feet of a zone in most cities of any size when you start looking at apartments that aren’t in the zones.
“What I’m hearing here in many of the comments is there should be life sentences for such people. I have a hard time with that.” – Lynn
I have a hard time with the life sentences Don Cameron imposed on his child victims.
So should the law be changed? How about for rape in general? Assault that maims? Where is the line?
I just want to reiterate that the Wake County tax records list Don Cameron’s wife as the sole owner of the house. How does that factor into this, if at all? Why did Mrs. Cameron allow her husband to move back into the home?
I ask this question respectfully because I know the Camerons. My older daughter was a student of Mrs. Cameron during her sophomore year, and she was in her homeroom when the news broke about Don Cameron back in 2007. Also, I would often see Don volunteering at the school that both my daughters attended. Although my daughters were older than the girls he appeared to ‘target’, this situation is extremely upsetting to me.
Lynn
I bet you do not mean to equate banning Catholics from a neighborhood with banning serial, long term, convicted pedophiles from living in the neighborhodd where they molested children. Also, it is now against the law in NC to do what he is doing. He just happened to get convicted prior to the law change.
Lynn
He does not need to be homeless unless you equate living in a very nice apartment as being homeless.
DC was wrong ethically, in my opinion, to move back to the neighborhood. But not legally wrong as far as anything I’ve seen. And saying he should be made to move out doesn’t cut it with me. I know too many people who will jump on that wagon and would start including homosexuals, atheists, Chinese, Germans, Catholics, blacks, …. Oh, wait, we’ve done all of these and more in the short history of our country. – Lynn
Ahem. Your attempt at fear mongering and shaming? Seriously?! Its a bad attempt, and you seem to totally miss the point.
If it is ethically wrong – I believe more along the lines of morally – but anyway he could ask the church for help to move. That would be awesome gift of grace to all involved. If not possible? He would move heaven and earth to find a way if he was truly repentant.
Your example was awful. Those groups of people may have been targeted in the past due to bigotry, but that is hardly the case here. They were not criminals after all. Child rapists are not asked to leave due to race. It’s due to the damage and hurt they have caused.
I can’t imagine knowing someone that hurt you in that way moving back, and not feeling violated. They were raped, and having your rapist move in down the block? God does allow for consequences, and does not shield us from them. It wouldn’t matter if the man has turned from his ways – it would be out of respect for his victims if nothing else.
If he was going to follow the straight and narrow by following rules? He would still be at the church.
8 months in jail does not ‘cure’ things. It would take more than 8 months of counseling on the outside after all.
If he was a decent person he would find a way of moving – come hell or high water. Why? He wouldn’t wish to continue to pour salt on the wound. He knows darn well his being there in his current position does. That speaks louder than anything.
If he was convicted later on – he wouldn’t be allowed there. Most are able to figure out why that is, and not make excuses for it.
Its not due to ‘mob rule’, but common decency and respect for his victims. Why is that so hard to imagine? It shouldn’t be.
Deb
The neighbors all liked Eileen and said she must not have known.
However, due to the history of the situation, the fact that she hid the history from the school when he volunteered there and hid this from the church as well as the issues with her daughters, it is my guess is that she is a classic enabler. Think Mrs. Sandusky.
Lynn
The neighbors are behaving in an admirable fashion. They have investigated their rights, talked with the sheriff, and spoken with the reporter. They are not stalking him, but they are keeping a close watch on the children. One man is trying to sell his house, which will not go well due to the presence of Cameron.
The laws have now been changed to prevent pedophiles from doing exactly what Cameron is doing. Where is the mob rule in any of this?
Hannah
I hope his current Anglican church will intervene and convince this man to do the right thing. I also hope they will reach out to the neighbors with compassion. Cameron has been playing the church game for years. That is where he finds his victims as well. Church, school and youth sports are where these pedophiles find their victims.
Bridget
The report is the video. This is the written report.Link
http://www.wral.com/news/local/story/11374777/
He was convicted of 4 children, and yet they seem to think it was more. I’m sure they didn’t have the proof for those. 4 does show a pattern of behavior.
Its sad that he got 60 days in prison for each child he hurt.
Its sad how little respect for justice we have for our children within our current legal system.
“Wendy on Thu Aug 09, 2012 at 02:36 PM said:
Lynn,
Have you studied Antisocial Personality Disorder? Sexual deviance? Pedophilia? Childhood sexual abuse?
Lynn on Thu Aug 09, 2012 at 02:43 PM said:
No I have not. ”
Lynn – may suggest that you begin your education on this matter? Here’s a start – a link to Hetty Johnston’s website (previously mentioned by another Lynne) on the effects that victims of childhood sexual assault can face. Hetty’s someone who is extremely passionate about the victims. http://www.bravehearts.org.au/docs/fact_sheet_effects_of_csa.pdf
Then start some research about paedophiles that includes their own statements. This is a dark and disturbing area, but not something to shy away from if you are prepared to go out on such a limb on a blog site.
People here have said that he should be homeless before he is allowed to live where he is now.
People here said that he doesn’t get the rights of others as he’s a criminal. If on parole I agree but still there are laws. If his sentence has been fully served then his is NOT a criminal. He is someone who committed a crime and has served his time. And the examples I gave about others, well at the time they were on the exclusion lists of various kinds people thought of them as less than human. Which is where many are putting DC.
I’m all for stricter sentences if that’s what is needed. I’m all for people being aware that people know about people with criminal records living amongst them. What I’m against is people wanting more punishment than the law allows. And that goes with civil liberties also.
As to where people can live. If we want to restrict them then we make laws. DC didn’t get covered by the current law. So we inform the neighbors and call DC a creep for moving back there. But I’m not going to say he should be homeless due to a prior served his time conviction.
And if he violated parole then jerk him back into prison. But no one has said he did that. Just that he violated the rules laid down by a church.
As to feeling for the victims. Yes I do. But to go after DC based on our feelings and not the law is mob rule.
What most people seem to be saying is that they want the law changed but made retroactive. I really have a hard time with that.
Again, does anyone know of a map of the area that shows where sex offenders can live? I’m curious as to just what the options are. Wake county has something like 200 schools, 100 swim clubs, dozens of parks, etc… I’m curious just how many places there are that are “open”. And not open but next to a border.
Dee –
My iphone has a big blank white space where the video link would normally be?? Thanks for the link.
Bridget
Oh dear, I think it is the flash drive problem with I phones. Mine did the same thing. I will refer this to GBTC for advice. Hey Guy, are you reading???
Lynn
In Wake County, it is limited to schools and day care centers from what I have been told.
Lynn
The law cannot be changed to be made retroactive. However, he was not, nor will he be “homeless.” There are resources. Note his age. He is also eligible for senior housing. Bet he wouldn’t like it. Guess why?
Also, there is no mob rule in this situation. DC is a jerk, plain and simple. Here is a bet. I believe he will reoffend if he has not already.
Also, there was a deal cut with the county so the little girls would not need to testify. Therefore, he got off lightly. Trust me. There was much more to all of this.
The difference with the Baptist church pedophile is that some of the teen boys did wish to testify, due to the courageous act of one family and their son who pushed people to do so. So he went to jail for 13 years. Too bad that couldn’t have happened here.
You might enjoy glancing up his driveway. People mistake it all the time for a road to a local lake. Total creepy…
He served his time (why so short I don’t know???). He served his probabtion time. He legally (not morally) moved back to the neighborhood where he offended. He does not seem concerned for his victims. He should be on the sex offenders list.
The church unwelcomed him because he broke their rules. This church should warn all the churches in their area to be on the look out.
The only way forward now is to change the laws (sounds like they have been).
Question — should everyone attending a church have a background check? It is the only way to be sure that people with a history aren’t attending without disclosing? However, I think you need permission to do a background check.
Dee –
None of this changes the fact that you and hubby were treated very badly and should have received apologies from several pastors!
Bridget
There is also a possibility that the church did not follow their guidelines, trusting him to do so. I think that anyone vounteering on the property when children are present should receive a background check.
Well it would have been foolish if they were trusting him to police himself, no matter if he was on parole or not. Making it through parole doesn’t cure a pedophile either.
You can be a member of a church and be on the premises without working or volunteering. I agree with you that ANYONE working on the premises, paid or volunteer, should have a background check.
Soooo – should all members be checked?
If you want to see video on iPhones and such they have to be iOS compatible. Not all online videos are. We can talk.
PS: It is due to iOS (and all future versions of Android) not supporting Flash PLUG INs. Not flash drives.
Oh yeah, I love innocent children enought to want the convicted perp to spend his life in prison. You bet. The child was given a life sentence in a perverted prison to carry with them until glorification.
Never ceases to amaze me the folks who are so concerned about the perp they will accuse others of mob rule. Seriously, think about it. This guys is on the edge of a law that says he cannot do what he is doing but he does it anyway with no thought to his victims. He violates rules at a church and yet we are mob rule. See how this works, folks?
What is so insidious about this sort of thinking is that victims know it. And it is one reason many do not come forward and live in silent hell. They watch how other victims are revictimized and people rally around the perp and are all worried about him.
Dee,
Have you heard yet from the Anglican pastor telling you you were right and he is sorry? Because he owes you.
Here in Australia, anyone can walk into a church. But in order to EVER do anything where children might be remotely involved, you not only have to have done a safe ministry course but signed a form giving permission for a police check. And if you change churches it has to happen all over again before you’re allowed to be involved in anything other than purely adult ministry contexts. It’s very workable.
Also, on a related note, when we had an older man turn up who was inappropriate towards some of the young single women our pastor, on being informed, personally confronted him and told him he was not welcome on church property unless he agreed not to speak to any woman without another man being present. The fact that he immediately refused to come to church on such terms says a lot about his motives (I think)
Hey Eagle, glad to see you’re back in the saddle! I’m bettin’ it won’t be long and you’ll be strong enough to pull the ears off a gondark.
anonymous
I haven’t heard a word from the pastor of either church for 3 1/2 years but i bet they think about me now and then. i am rather hard to forget!
Eagle
I believe! And who was the man smoking the cigarette…
If dee and deb are Mulder and Scully do I get to be Skinner? Or maybe one of the lone gunmen.
Well, since I’m in Lion Country… this is reminding me WAY too much of Jerry Sandusky and all of the people who shielded him and thus enabled him to keep on abusing children.
The Sanduskys live right next to a school, btw… (not rumor; fact).
There are pedophiles *everywhere* that there is access to children. We cannot possibly be “too careful” in. re. protecting kids. (I saw teachers and other staff preying on fellow students of both sexes when I was in Jr. HS and HS, fwiw. And some of my fellow students were preyed on by close family members…) Once a person has been exposed to this kind of behavior, there is really no going back as far as wanting to help kids and expose wrongdoing.
So, Dee – you are as sane as they come. I only wish that we all didn’t have to be sadder but wiser in. re. these kinds of assaults and abuse.
P.S.: I never spoke to anyone in my schools’ administrations re. what I knew about other kids being preyed on, for several reasons:
1. I was a kid, they were adults. They had the upper hand, and we all knew it.
2. They would more than likely have written off any attempt at such communication as an attempt to “act out” and get attention on my part as well as that of other students.
3. They might not believe me
OR
4. They already knew and were shielding the people in question.
Re. #4, I’d put money on it, as some of these situations were quite blatant… super-obvious to anyone who had eyes, ears and a brain.
Kids are far more aware of such people and what they do than adults give them credit for.
Numo – the same for me. And it took until well into my 20’s until I could put a voice to it – and only after someone else had spoken up.
You will be hearing much more from victims in the future when they finally realise that the shame’s not on them and they did nothing wrong.
oh, and I feel like lightening the mood by sharing this poem (dedicated to Dee) – it’s not a metaphor ok ! Just an easy-remembered funny poem we used to recite in childhood.
The peanut sat on the railroad track
His heart was all a flutter
The train came steaming ’round the bend
Toot toot ! Peanut butter.
Ooh, I remember that one!
Haitch – I remember that bit of verse from my childhood, too! : )
and, like you, I didn’t fully grasp the implications of what was going on around me until I was an adult. As it was, there were other kinds of abuses taking place at those schools and what I saw re. sexual abuse was just one of *many* serious problems.
In order to have cleaned house and done it properly, all of the administrators – and many, many others – would have had to have been removed from the schools and barred from any further contact with employees.
Even that likely wouldn’t have been enough.
But all of that is a moot point now.
I’ve put a link in so people who don’t have Flash installed can see it.
Dee, I’ll get with you on how to deal with this in advance.
People have again brought up the Sandusky matter and the “cover up” at Penn State. Something about that situation did not seem quite right to me, so I have reread the Freeh report. And I have come to the conclusion that there is another side to that story that needs to be explored.
One must always have concern for the victims. But sometimes bystanders can become victims as well.
It bothers me that the 1998 incident, apparently the first time that Paterno became aware of a problem with Sandusky, was reported, investigated, turned over the district attorney, and no further action by the prosecutor was taken.
If one takes the perspective of Paterno, he did what was right and nothing happened. But Sandusky was put out of the program by Penn State, in what seems like a negotiated retirement to get him out of the football program.
When next alerted to a problem, Paterno reported to his superiors. The only evidence that we have that he acted to cover up would not be admissible in court against him: an email from Curley to his superiors (and not to Paterno) that, after talking to Paterno, Curley decided against further action. That is hearsay at best, and an extrapolation from the actions of Curley as to what Paterno MIGHT have said. We do not know what Paterno actually said, or even if Curley actually talked to him. This might all be Curley using Paterno to bolster Curley’s decision to cover up.
Blaming Paterno for the failure to prosecute and imposing penalties back to 1998 seems out of line due to the fact that that incident was reported and the prosecuting attorney decided not to pursue charges. The PSU people did the right thing in that instance. Why is PSU taking the heat and not the prosecuting attorney???
Eagle
But, what did he know?
Numo
Sane! I like that.
Haitch
I agree. The times are changing and many parents are training their kids to speak out. Now, if only some of the churches would catch up.
Haitch
So, I am only spreadable nuts?
Guy
Much thanks. I laughed when I saw I got the name of this wrong. In my universe, flash drive is the same as Flash. Or, as my husband would say, “Your kidney is not your bladder.”
One word–>PORN
The defense of the pedophile is a form of self-defense and self-justification. Those who defend him have (at the very least) looked at pictures of minors.
The porn use also has a very corrosive effect on their view of women fostering a deep rooted lack of respect. They won’t hear your warnings and they’ll misuse Bible and God to demonize you.
Two Churches, Don Cameron, the Pedophile, and Me: Am I Nuts?
Dee, about once a week I have to phone up my regular writing partner and ask the same question:
“Did we go crazy, or did everybody else?”
(Though these days it’s as likely to be “everypony else” as “everybody else” — we’re both Bronies.)
And he gives me the same answer, from one of the Desert Fathers:
“There will come a time when men will go mad. And they will lay hands on the sane among them, saying ‘You are not like us! You must be Mad!'”
On my side of the world (Southern California, circa 1960-something), the local variant went:
Peanut sittin’ on a railroad track
Wondering what to wonder,
The four-fifteen came round the bend —
Toot! Toot! Peanut butter!
The Mighty Oak was once a Little Nut who Stood her ground
By the way good news!
Gov. Bobby Jindal signed a law in Louisiana called “The Sex Offender Chemical Castration Bill”. This bill gives sex offenders a choice between chemical castration or physical castration. Also it forces them to be castrated but does not reduce their time in prison.
This bill signing was a push back to the Supreme Courts ruling that sex offenders could not be executed for violent sex crimes.
The Sex Offender Chemical Castration Bill
Does it apply to ANY sex offense? There are a non trivial number of sex offenders on the roles who got in trouble when they were 17 and their girlfriend was 15. Does it apply to people like this?
This bill signing was a push back to the Supreme Courts ruling that sex offenders could not be executed for violent sex crimes.
To clarify. The supreme court said that the state could not execute a rapist unless the victim was killed.
And to answer my own question, it appear the law is not aimed at all sex offenders, just at convicted rapists. This is for LA.
In CA, IA, and FL this can be forced on people who commit serious sexual offenses. (Wikipedia doesn’t define it more than that.)
GA, IA, MT, OR, TX, and WI all have some form of this.
CA has it for child sex offenses if it is a second offense.
According to what we the neighbors have heard, Don Cameron will be moving out tomorrow.
Breaking news on the Cameron situation. See new post!
Neighbor
Yippee! See the post i just put up. I am so glad for you. Our thoughts and prayers are with you and the children. i am so soryy for your pain.
Thanks to everyone who helped get this pedophile away from his victims!!!!!
Neighbor
Give yourselves a pat on the back. It was your courage in standing up to such madness that attracted the attention of the media. Our prayers are with you.
Should we throw a farewell party???????????
Neighbor
I think we may come on over next Saturday to make sure it happens. We may bring a few treats with us. Go ahead and celebrate. It is entirely appropriate.
We are all sooooooooooooooo thrilled!!!!! Beer and wine would be nice. We can set up a tent in the cul de sac.
You are normal. I have been absent from your blog for a while. The Jack Schaap pedophilia and firing case has been my focus. I have a friend who is still kind of trying to defend him and charge the juvenile girl with being a temptation. I am so mad I could spit.
Bob
Come over here and spit with me!
You are blessedly normal and I commend you for standing up. I am facing similar circumstances in my home church in dealing with a sociopathic pedophile (per the court psych report). He is currently incarcerated but will be out in the spring. One of the cries of my heart is that the pedophile and his wife and family are being cared for graciously and so far since conviction he has not been removed from church membership. I on the other hand am being ‘bad’ for notifying those in our congregation (present and past) because nobody else is willing to stand up and say this man is dangerous. Why can’t I be more gracious, forgiving and loving? Because I don’t ever want another child hurt by this man.
Stand up and speak loudly. You may be the only voice the children in your neighborhood have!! I applaud you and I understand.
Mama Bear
If you would ever want us to highlight the pedophile’s release from jail and for us to stand with you, drop us an email.