The need for caution

by **professorpan** » Thu Jul 28, 2005 5:31 pm

A very good example of why caution and skepticism are important, especially when dealing with controversial topics such as ritual/Satanic crimes: <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4708251.stm">news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4708251.stm</a> On the RI blog, someone has hinted (not so subtly) that I'm a Satanist magician. Why? Because I rejected her broad-brush tarring of anything remotely related to the occult (such as Harry Potter books) as dangerous. The case of the West Memphis 3 shows what can happen when superstitious, alarmist people go looking for a scapegoat. The police and jury branded three innocent teens as "Satanic" murderers because they didn't fit in with the definition of normalcy. More here: <a href="http://www.wm3.org/live/thewm3/index.php">www.wm3.org/live/thewm3/index.php</a> The HBO documentary "Paradise Lost" and its sequel are excellent.

by **heath7** » Thu Jul 28, 2005 6:24 pm

I haven't seen Paradise Lost, but am acquaited with its subject matter. Its interesting that this HBO film follows the sham Indictment: The McMartin Trial, which was also an HBO film, by only a year or two. Seeing Indictment made me kinda cringe that HBO would do something that lazy, and makes me wonder whether they were as lazy with Paradise Lost.

by **Dreams End** » Thu Jul 28, 2005 6:35 pm

I'm not familiar with this case, despite living in Tennessee. I want to learn more about it. I'm curious, what about the crime scene suggested the victims were murdered "ritualistically"? I'm curious because, if it was clearly ritualistic AND the boys were not guilty, it sounds like there might be more than a mistake going on here. The article suggests that the "exaggerated" belief in SRA may have led to the "mistaken" arrests, but if the victims were actually murdered in some kind of ritualistic way then we can hardly blame their belief in SRA on this "atmosphere." If you have more info, I 'd love to see it. Otherwise, I'll see what I can find out. Meanwhile, this ties in nicely with other discussions about caution in dealing with this sort of material. In fact, one could have a case where clear ritual abuse/murder took place (this sounds like one of those) and where people go on a literal "witch hunt" as in rounding up anyone different, regardless of guilt. If these boys are innocent, I imagine that the real perpetrators may have some skills and connections that will make it tough to get the boys exonerated.

by **human** » Thu Jul 28, 2005 6:47 pm

<img src="http://www.charm.net/~profpan/images/pandrawing.gif" style="border:0;"/> not to be a dick, i mean, you gotta admit, somebody might get the wrong idea, no? i agree with your point though... (although i do find Harry Potter a bit suspicious....) one human?

by **professorpan** » Thu Jul 28, 2005 6:48 pm

The wm3.org site is pretty comprehensive. <a href="http://www.wm3.org/live/caseintroduction/synopsis_burk.php">www.wm3.org/live/caseintr...s_burk.php</a> May 5th, 1993 was a Wednesday, and when the Weaver Elementary school bell rang, three 8 year old boys headed home to their nearby West Memphis, Arkansas neighborhood. Only a few hours later they would be reported missing and an informal search by their parents would be under way. The next afternoon at 1:45 PM, a child's body was pulled from a creek in an area known as Robin Hood Hills. Eventually the bodies of the other two missing children were found nearby. All three of them were naked and they had been tied ankle to wrist with their own shoe laces. The children had been severely beaten, and one child, Christopher Byers, appears to have been the focus of the attack; he had been stabbed repeatedly in the groin area and castrated. A triple homicide is extremely unusual, and particularly when the victims are children and unrelated to one another. So far, two documentary films have been made about this case, and interest in it shows no sign of fading. The facts surrounding the Robin Hood Hills murders, the events which they triggered, the aftermath, the trials, the verdicts and the hearings have been the focus of an ongoing research project for the past several years and we have reached many surprising conclusions. Having had no previous experience with this type of murder, the West Memphis Police Department allowed potential evidence to be destroyed at the site where the bodies of Steve Branch, Christopher Byers and Michael Moore were located. Officers who were present made very little apparent effort to preserve or properly document the scene or to make accurate notes. Perhaps this was due to negligence or perhaps it was due to the fact that they were inadequately trained and inexperienced in handling such a crime and the events that naturally follow. Many unidentified people can be seen milling around the bodies in the brief crime scene video, and the Chief Investigator, Gary Gitchell can be seen smoking a cigarette well within the perimeter of the area. Strangely, a juvenile probation officer was present when the horrible discovery was made and he indulged in speculation with a police officer about who might be responsible for such an unspeakable act. The probation officer had been following the activities of a local teenager named Damien Echols for years, and his first instinct what that the moody, dark haired teen was responsible. In fact, he and the police officer agreed that Damien was the only person they felt was "capable" of such a thing. Both men decided that the triple homicide had actually been a bizarre Satanic ritual sacrifice performed by a "cult" which they imagined Damien was the leader of. Of course, there was no evidence of any "cult" activity in the woods, and the investigating officers found nothing incriminating the next day when they visited Damien Echols in his trailer in the nearby town of Marion. The juvenile officer had questioned Echols before whenever something happened for which he could find no explanation. When a piece of guidance equipment disappeared from a train that had passed through West Memphis, Damien was questioned even though the train didn't even slow down when it passed though the small truck stop town. When a girl was killed 100 miles away, Damien was questioned. It seems that this juvenile officer was looking for a crime that he could pin on what he saw as a "sinister" teenager, and the homicides of Steve Branch, Christopher Byers and Michael Moore were good enough. Though there wasn't any evidence to connect Damien to the victims or to the murders, the rumors, irresponsible police work and the media created an environment where it was decided, well before the trials, that the three teenagers were devil worshippers who were guilty of the murders. Much more at that site.

by **Dreams End** » Thu Jul 28, 2005 7:11 pm

Pan, I was just going to post from there. Okay, they were all hogtied, and one boy had several stab wounds to the genitals. Horrific, but not really ritualistic, though suggestive of....something...I don't know what. however, it appears the bodies may have been brought there from elsewhere, so there was no context to be seen. I was also a little suspicious that a juvenile parole officer was there on the scene when the bodies were found. He immediately suggested one of the WM3. How conveeeenient that he was there on the scene to steer the police. Some suspicion it was one of the victim's own father. One tidbit...not long after a girl was killed within a hundred miles. A lot of child murdering going on...but I can't find info on that other murder. They tried to tie it to the boys, I think, but couldn't. Still, it would seem significant.

by **Avalon** » Thu Jul 28, 2005 7:22 pm

So if the Prof had a picture of himself with long hair and flipflops someone would figure he was Jesus instead?

by **human** » Thu Jul 28, 2005 7:30 pm

So if the Prof had a picture of himself with long hair and flipflops someone would figure he was Jesus instead? lol. you bet. i cant even count the amount of times ive been called jesus....... its actually pretty weird... one human?

by **human** » Thu Jul 28, 2005 7:33 pm

^^^btw... i have dreadlocks down to my thighs, i havent cut my hair or shaved in about 8 years.....

by **Dreams End** » Thu Jul 28, 2005 7:37 pm

See he's professor PAN...not Professor Satan. Any reference on Greek and Roman mythology should help you clear up the confusion.

by **human** » Thu Jul 28, 2005 7:55 pm

i never said i was confused... i just think its obvious how one could come to a conclusion based on more than what Prof. Pan wrote... dont think its right..... or wrong... dont care even! just an observation.... a lot of folks jump to conclusions, and its easy to make a visual connection to "Satan" based on the pic... plus, yuknow, some folks think anything pagan is satanic... like i said, i agree with his point, but i dont think he should take the accusation too seriously... unless its true!!!! ooga booga.. one human?

by **Avalon** » Thu Jul 28, 2005 10:48 pm

Not everybody seems to get it yet that we have a very wide range of interests, knowledge bases, and more importantly, widely differing perspectives on symbolic representations. An ability to being open to seeing things through someone else's eyes is useful here. Human, give your description of your dreads, would you by any chance be someone I last saw about a year ago at a gallery opening for a photographer you have ties with? In the town that's the county seat, the show at a red-walled caterer's place opposite Kim's?

by **human** » Thu Jul 28, 2005 11:04 pm

probably wasnt me Avalon... just doesnt sound familiar... <a href="http://www.zeroflesh.com/gallery/albums/events/RAGGA/IMG_9594.jpg">www.zeroflesh.com/gallery...G_9594.jpg</a> ^^ human? last year at a show we did in boston.. i spend most of my time in NYC though.... it is true... many paths... and i do agree that there is a bit of a overboard backlash against the occult here on RI sometimes.. all traditions have their mystical side... but as far as this crime thats being discussed... there must be some kind of dark forces involved, there always is when somebody is murdered, and genital mutilation of children seems to point towards a bit more than just your basic murder.... personally, i prefer dealing with a Satanist who professes their faith rather than a "Christian" who deceives..... but that is just my opinion... one human?

by **professorpan** » Thu Jul 28, 2005 11:24 pm

No offense taken about the drawing. Indeed, as has been noted, the reference is to the Greek god Pan. Long story short, I adopted the persona years ago, in the early days of the net, when everyone had a screen name. Professor Pan was a character in a short story I wrote, about a guy who gets dosed with an experimental "smart drug" and morphs into a satyr. Yeah, I was reading a lot of "Mondo 2000" at the time ;-) The illustration is mine, also. Most people find it humorous, but I could understand someone taking it the wrong way. That's the beauty of art, eh? But back to the subject... I know people who are aware of the reality of ritual abuse bristle at the term "Satanic Panic." But it does happen, as the West Memphis Three episode illustrates with such clarity. Which is why I'm always very, very careful to check my belief system (BS) at the door when analyzing a particular case.

by **lilorphant** » Fri Jul 29, 2005 12:06 am

Those kids could be any one of the bunch that shows up at my house to see my kids. Dark, brooding, dramatic, not quite satanistic, just a lot of bullshit to fight boredom. What makes me suspicious is the juvenile officer, what kind of background does he have, perhaps doth protest too much? I don't know if anyone has noticed but many threads about RA, and child abuse in general show up, I think we may be on the fringe of something, so far intangible, or unidentified where children are concerned. I think many children (teens) feel as if they are prey of some sort, and I think that sense may be increasing among teens. I am sure the mindset of a group of people coming of age post-9/11 would be vastly different then many of us, but the collective orientation seems to be one of deep mistrust, and cynicism. I am not talking about the usual run of the mill stuff, drama, gossip, occasional drug use, and even the usual disfunction. What I sense is that kids themselves feel as if they are being set up. Even in the face of war, many (outside of the usual military family orientation types) enlist to help out their friends, they go in as a group, loyalty is to their friends and seeing them get home, not to the US especially except superficially, or to any political ideology. One of the biggest hits in teen literature currently is Battle Royale, (aside from Harry Potter) and it is extreme lord of the flies, type scenario, the result of a fascist Asian government. I think Harry Potter is a red herring, a scapegoat, the real deal is this-the kids are very aware they are controls in the experiments,(political, educational system, etc.) and they are revolting, undercutting, and preparing for a lifetime of settling of scores. How will they do it? Technology, for one. They make us irrelevant. One free service after another will kill one industry at a time, wireless technolgy keeps them mobile and global, and there are no boundaries as to rules, morals, dogma, laws, they are already on another plane, in practice, anyway. The funny thing is that they know they are being played, but really who is being played when they are creating the next reality at the speed of technology?

The need for caution

The need for caution

Re: The need for caution

Good point...

hmmm...

more...

just read wm3

A picture is worth 666 words?

yup

btw..

Pan

welp...

Many paths here

hmmmm

Re: hmmmm

OMG I am so on board this thing!

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