Time out from Time Out to Post a Comment my Friend went to great lengths to post

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What more does he have to do to get his words heard, cried out Jim Robertson to me on the phone this morning. He had driven across town to come to my house yesterday to post a comment at Michael Baumann's blog, Off My Knees, as Jim is not a computer user. But when he heard about this post: Parting Company with SNAP Jim really wanted to join the comment conversation.

Then this morning Jim's comment did not get posted, and Baumann had his reasons I'm sure for not running Jim's comment, but there is a history here that Baumann did not realize.

It was a watershed moment when Robertson read the Parting Company with SNAP post at Off My Knees Blog, where Baumann described his decision to disconnect from a support organization that does not seem to respond to the survivors it purports to support.

How SNAP treats us, it's complicated. I've tried to write about it myself several times and ended up just getting tangled.

Robertson came to my house Wednesday, he asked me to type in his comment, and we submitted it at Off My Knees, then Jim's comment did not run, so here it is at City of Angels:

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By Jim Robertson

Hey, Mike, right on! And keep writing on.

I was recently elected head of SNAP Los Angeles, the first elected SNAP leader that I’ve ever heard of, and I’ve been in the “movement” since the 1990s. Right after my election, I was told by Joelle Casteix and Barbara Dorris that I was “not leader of anything.” And would be “In big trouble” if I used SNAP's name.

I live in a democracy and I expect SNAP to be a democracy, not a dictatorship by the “committee for victims’ safety” i.e., SNAP.
Why are people having the same awful experience with SNAP all over the country? Who are they working for? Themselves? Others unknown? Certainly not for victims I’ve had contact with.

I went to jail (in 2003) for handcuffing myself to the Cardinal’s throne. I was told by Mary Grant that I had “deeply hurt victims” by doing that. For three solid hours I was told by Mary Grant that I'd hurt victims.

SNAP vows to watch the hierarchy to make sure they are protecting the children. I’m not interested in watching the hierarchy anywhere other than in a court hearing or Congressional hearing.

How about you, other victims, what do you want? Has SNAP ever asked you what you want? I’m interested in getting to the truth of the coverup. Ireland’s had hearings, Germany England and Canada has had hearings. Our government has yet to be forced to have hearings. And SNAP is one of the major reasons why.

SNAP says it want to protect the children, then reporters go up the stairs at L.A. press events which are always at the cathedral. Reporters then talk to the press secretary for the hierarchy and the Church says they do protect the children. Story over. And over and over and over.

Who benefits from this political line? The victims? Not on your life. I and others have been dealing with this leadership for the past eight years in Los Angeles. And we are fed up. That’s why SNAP only got fifteen people to donate out of the 660 settlements in L.A. in 2007.

I say, follow the money. Ask the people who’ve been working with SNAP for eight years in Los Angeles. Never once have we had time to prepare for a news conference, we’re just asked to show up and give imprimatur with our presence.

SNAP owes me. SNAP owes all of us. Our presence gave them credibility, that they’ve used to gather money and spend on themselves. Salaries of $80K a year, plus travel expenses.

One year gave SNAP gave $200 directly to victims services out of a $900K annual budget. This is a sin. And should be a crime.

It’s Fraud.

Three people do not decide what Victims want. Yet SNAP behaves that way.

I want elections, don’t you?

August 4, 2010 at 6:46 PM

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The real story to City of Angels is how difficult it is to get past a tyranny and get out the total truth. I think Jim should take the plunge, get a computer, and post a blog of his own, where he can tell his entire story.

Jim and I wrote this comment together last night and it DID run at Off My Knees:

From Jim Robertson

PS: Have you guys ever heard of a “sweetheart union”? In the labor movement of the 20th Century, business owners would form a fake union that represented the owners, while appearing in public to represent the workers.

This is not the first time in history that a fake organization has formed to divert energy and attention from genuine activists.

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Meanwhile, Kay Ebeling is coasting.

Email cityofangelslady@yahoo.com if you want to send a note or have me forward a message to Jim Robertson.

Except Bob Schwiderski, I do not need any more emails from Bob S.