In last week's Observer column I suggested that institutions, just like individuals, may be in denial, unable to see unpleasant realities until confronted by a disaster. The next three stories illustrate this point: 1) the US Army acknowledges its failure to respond to reports of prisoner abuse; 2) the New York Times investigates why it was mistaken about Iraq; and 3) an international group of Catholic Bishops collaborate on preventing child abuse. Here are the stories.
From yesterday’s Washington Post
“An internal Army report warned in November that Iraqis were being detained too long and without appropriate review in an immense U.S.-run prison system that failed to keep track of them, did not provide proper sanitation and medical care, was understaffed, and inappropriately mixed juveniles and adults.
The confidential survey by Maj. Gen. Donald J. Ryder highlighted numerous prison shortcomings that had stoked friction between the detainees and their U.S. guards last year, which led in turn to riots and other protests that prison guards put down with the abuses documented in photographs and a damning Army report.”
From yesterday’s New York Times
“Some of The Times's coverage in the months leading up to the invasion of Iraq was credulous; much of it was inappropriately italicized by lavish front-page display and heavy-breathing headlines; and several fine articles by David Johnston, James Risen and others that provided perspective or challenged information in the faulty stories were played as quietly as a lullaby.”
From Friday's Catholic News Service
"An international group of English-speaking bishops is serious about ridding the church of sexually abusive priests and is committed to making the Catholic Church a model safe environment for children, said an Australian bishop.
Archbishop Philip Wilson of Adelaide was the organizer of a May 24-27 meeting in Rome of 30 bishops, religious superiors and church child protection officers from Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Great Britain, Ireland, the United States, Canada and Jamaica."
Please take a few minutes to read and reflect on all three stories. In his book, Spirtuality@Work, Gregory Pierce discusses ten disciplines that we can practice on the job. One of them is "Making the System Work". These stories provide some examples.
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