A Rejection of the Concepts of Victim, of Apology and of Reconciliation
Apology is often taken as meaning remorse. But there are situations when it is a DEFENCE of an action, as in apologia or apologist.
The etymology of the word APOLOGY is revealing : "defense, justification," from L.L. apologia, from Gk. apologia "a speech in defense," from apologeisthai "to speak in one's defense," from apologos "an account, story," from apo- "from, off" (see apo-) + logos "speech" (see lecture).
The original English sense of "self-justification" yielded a meaning "frank expression of regret for wrong done," first recorded 1590s, but it was not the main sense until 18c. The old sense tends to emerge in Latin form apologia (first attested 1784), especially since J.H. Newman's "Apologia pro Vita Sua" (1864).
Thus when the Church or State Apologises, it is adopting a position that defends it's current status.
As eternal institutions of political power they understand their intended meaning of the words they use. They are the source of our legal language, and the Law is created in the first instance to perpetuate and maintain their status and power, and to avoid the necessary consequences of their actions when they cause harm to people in pursuit of retaining that power.
This can be observed in with the way both have responded to the emergence of living witness evidence with regard to Residential School Systems in Canada and USA, which have existed since the 1860s, in which Aboriginal children have been incarcerated by force, brutally harmed in systemic fashion for more than a century.
Saying 'I am sorry' has no meaning unless there is material action to back it up, unless there is a clear indication that whatever transgression occurred will not occur again.
And in cases where the harm caused is beyond remediation, then accountability demands corrective measures be applied to those Institutions. Corrective measures mean open, honest accountability, reparations, and the return of what was stolen in cultural, economic and political terms.
The etymology of the word VICTIM "living creature killed and offered as a sacrifice to a deity or supernatural power," from L. victima "person or animal killed as a sacrifice." Perhaps distantly connected to O.E. wig "idol," Goth. weihs "holy," Ger. weihen "consecrate" (cf. Weihnachten "Christmas") on notion of "a consecrated animal."
Thus the ancient roots of the word suggest a meaning that makes the creation of a 'victim' within the context of a consecrated 'sacrifice', reasonable, or acceptable.
The concept of sacrifice is in itself the measure of a price worth paying (by those who make the sacrifice... not by those sacrificed,... of course).
As Madelaine Albright or Tony Blair have asserted. That neither have been roundly condemned by the majority of mainstream media, let alone the courts speaks volumes of the acceptance of the 'consecrated sacrifice' mindset that permeates Power.
To be labelled as a victim then carries this hidden meaning, as in one who has not survived a trauma, in that the trauma extinguished the life of the person... and what must be remembered is that often the Survivor bears the scars of the trauma, indelible marks that last a life time that cannot be readily erased, even if they can, to a certain limited extent, be lived with
So let me make this very clear for all : I was not so much a VICTIM as I was VICTIMISED - a defenceless, innocent and beautiful child harmed and brutalised by priests, nuns, teachers and others who bullied me.
The person victimised is not a victim, rather she or he is a victim of - the action of another person is the driving force of the status of those who are harmed to meet the perdeived needs of the brutaliser.
The use of the word victim as a noun typically implies weakness, rather than vulnerability.
I bear the scars of the abuse inflicted upon me, and to some degree I have been able to recover.
The more the Society that permitted and perpetuated that abuse (mine and that of the Iraqi people, and all who suffer needlessly in wars pursued by Governments, that of the Aboriginal Children forced into Residential Schools, that of the children of the poor forced into Residential Schools) denies and obstructs Survivors calls for restorative justice, the more likely it is that others will suffer as we have, and I cannot countenance that, because I know what that suffering was like, and I would not wish it upon anyone.
Restorative Justice is what we want, not verbal apologies and settlenents......
Restorative Justice means public trials, jail sentences, files opened and Institutions that are harming children be openly, transparently remorseful and prepared to commit in toto to prevention of any further abuses - it means that Society speaks and acts to protect all the children, and does so forcefully.
To demand accountability for criminal behaviour is not abusive. It may be seen as punitive, and perhaps there's an argument for making incarceration less inhumane, yet such is the nature of causing harm - there's a consequence that MUST BE PAID BY THE CRIMINAL and that must also protect Society and in our case, all our children, from any future abuse.
Likewise, that oft used word, Re-Conciliation, comes from the Roman Empire.
It means to ‘make friendly’ again. Let’s make-up!
Reconciliation : From Latin reconciliatio (“a re-establishing, reinstatement, restoration, renewal, a reconciling, reconciliation”), from reconciliare
Consilio is to do with being at home or amongst friends.
Roman reconciliation was the practice of Rebels being brought to Rome, after their rebellion had been crushed, and the rebel leaders were made to prostrate themselves and admit of their 'treachery', to become friends again with the Emperor, and then ritually strangled,or so it is told. This act then brought the lands and the peoples the rebel leaders came from back into the Roman Empire's family. It re-established Rome's authority.
It is important to understand the power of legal terms when used by Governments and States, for within their mindsets these masked meanings loom large, as we see in the various attempts of those who have been harmed, brutalised and degraded by the actions of State and Church make any attempt to reveal the crimes, and press for Restorative Justice and the treatment meted to any who dare to do this work.
Feet are washed, Inquiries held to white wash the incidents, green-washing PR campaigns are funded and promoted, Truth and Reconciliation Commissions are set up, and in each case, their primary function in material terms is proven to be to protect the status and power of the abusers and their old power Institutions.
Kindest regards
Corneilius
Do what you love, it's Your Gift to Universe
