Letter to the Editor - Peter Yarrow and the Baltimore Jewish Times
Note from The Awareness Center's daily Newsletter
The following letter was published in this weeks Baltimore Jewish Times. It's been edited down a great deal, for that reason I wanted to share the original letter that was submitted. (click here for the original article.)
For more information on the Case of Peter Yarrow
_______________________________________________
1) (Published letter)
Letter to the Editor
No Excuse
Baltimore Jewish Times - May 5, 2006
I thank the Jewish Times for having the courage to write the article "Peter Yarrow’s Idealism Arrives," especially for mentioning that Peter Yarrow was arrested, and convicted of a sex crime.
Peter Yarrow was 32 years old at the time he molested a 14-year-old girl. (See the Sept. 15, 1970 Toronto Daily Star. ) The article has Yarrow stating "I’m deeply sorry for what I’ve done." "I’ve hurt myself deeply, my wife and the people who love me." Not once does he mention remorse for what he did.
Your article mentions that Peter Yarrow received a presidential pardon by President Carter. You failed to mention that Yarrow was also married to the niece of Democratic Sen. Eugene J. McCarthy at the time. I personally feel that Peter Yarrow belongs on the National Sex Offenders Registry. There is no excuse for sexual violence of any kind.
Vicki Polin
Executive Director
The Awareness Center Inc.
_______________________________________________
2) (Original Letter submitted)
I wanted to thank The Baltimore Jewish Times for having the courage to write the article "Peter Yarrow's Idealism Arrive," especially for mentioning the fact that Peter Yarrow was arrested, and convicted of a sex crime.
Peter Yarrow was 32-years old at the time he molested a 14-years old girl. Back in 1970 the terms used to describe his crime was "immoral and improper liberties," in today's world his criminal behavior would be described as "child molestation."
According to the Toronto Daily Star (09/15/1970), "The 14-year old girl and her 17-year-old sister went to Yarrow's hotel room seeking an autograph. Yarrow answered the door naked and made sexual advances that stopped short of intercourse." The article continues with Yarrow stating "I'm deeply sorry for what I've done." "I've hurt myself deeply, my wife and the people who love me." NOT ONCE does he mention remorse for what he did to the 14-year old girl he assaulted.
Peter Yarrow is still making excuses for his crime. It appears he still has the "blame the victim" mentality, and also still does not show remorse for what the survivor has had to endure (being a survivor of an attempted rape).
Yarrow is quoted as saying "In that time, it was common practice, unfortunately–– the whole groupie thing."
I don't believe it was acceptable in the 1970's for an adult to have forced sexual relations with a child, or anyone for that matter.
Your article mentions that Peter Yarrow received a presidential pardon by President Carter. What you failed to mention is the fact that Yarrow was also married to the niece of Democratic Senator Eugene J. McCarthy at the time.
I personally feel that Peter Yarrow belongs on the National Sex Offenders Registry, along with all other convicted sex offenders, even those who are related to politicians and receive pardons. There is NO excuse for sexual violence of any kind.
Vicki Polin, MA, ATR, LCPC - Executive Director
The Awareness Center, Inc.
(the Jewish Coalition Against Sexual Abuse/Assault)
P.O. Box 65273, Baltimore, MD 21209
www.theawarenesscenter.org
443-857-5560
The following letter was published in this weeks Baltimore Jewish Times. It's been edited down a great deal, for that reason I wanted to share the original letter that was submitted. (click here for the original article.)
For more information on the Case of Peter Yarrow
_______________________________________________
1) (Published letter)
Letter to the Editor
No Excuse
Baltimore Jewish Times - May 5, 2006
I thank the Jewish Times for having the courage to write the article "Peter Yarrow’s Idealism Arrives," especially for mentioning that Peter Yarrow was arrested, and convicted of a sex crime.
Peter Yarrow was 32 years old at the time he molested a 14-year-old girl. (See the Sept. 15, 1970 Toronto Daily Star. ) The article has Yarrow stating "I’m deeply sorry for what I’ve done." "I’ve hurt myself deeply, my wife and the people who love me." Not once does he mention remorse for what he did.
Your article mentions that Peter Yarrow received a presidential pardon by President Carter. You failed to mention that Yarrow was also married to the niece of Democratic Sen. Eugene J. McCarthy at the time. I personally feel that Peter Yarrow belongs on the National Sex Offenders Registry. There is no excuse for sexual violence of any kind.
Vicki Polin
Executive Director
The Awareness Center Inc.
_______________________________________________
2) (Original Letter submitted)
I wanted to thank The Baltimore Jewish Times for having the courage to write the article "Peter Yarrow's Idealism Arrive," especially for mentioning the fact that Peter Yarrow was arrested, and convicted of a sex crime.Peter Yarrow was 32-years old at the time he molested a 14-years old girl. Back in 1970 the terms used to describe his crime was "immoral and improper liberties," in today's world his criminal behavior would be described as "child molestation."
According to the Toronto Daily Star (09/15/1970), "The 14-year old girl and her 17-year-old sister went to Yarrow's hotel room seeking an autograph. Yarrow answered the door naked and made sexual advances that stopped short of intercourse." The article continues with Yarrow stating "I'm deeply sorry for what I've done." "I've hurt myself deeply, my wife and the people who love me." NOT ONCE does he mention remorse for what he did to the 14-year old girl he assaulted.
Peter Yarrow is still making excuses for his crime. It appears he still has the "blame the victim" mentality, and also still does not show remorse for what the survivor has had to endure (being a survivor of an attempted rape).
Yarrow is quoted as saying "In that time, it was common practice, unfortunately–– the whole groupie thing."
I don't believe it was acceptable in the 1970's for an adult to have forced sexual relations with a child, or anyone for that matter.
Your article mentions that Peter Yarrow received a presidential pardon by President Carter. What you failed to mention is the fact that Yarrow was also married to the niece of Democratic Senator Eugene J. McCarthy at the time.
I personally feel that Peter Yarrow belongs on the National Sex Offenders Registry, along with all other convicted sex offenders, even those who are related to politicians and receive pardons. There is NO excuse for sexual violence of any kind.
Vicki Polin, MA, ATR, LCPC - Executive Director
The Awareness Center, Inc.
(the Jewish Coalition Against Sexual Abuse/Assault)
P.O. Box 65273, Baltimore, MD 21209
www.theawarenesscenter.org
443-857-5560
posted by Jewish Survivors at Friday, May 05, 2006
3 Comments:
Vicki's letter failed to mention the following comments made by Peter Yarrow in the Baltimore Times that appear to show that he is defending his attempted assault:
"In Washington, it was considered a felony. In New York, it would have been a class B misdemeanor."
Journalist Judy Oppenheimer appears to be defending the actions of a convicted sex offender by making the statement:
"What he doesn’t say but you can’t help wondering is, would it have received any of the same attention had it been Mick Jagger, or any one of rock’s bad boys, in that hotel room? Did his arrest, and the subsequent outrage, have anything to do with the fact that this was the man who wrote "Puff?""
I have no idea if Mick Jagger or any of the other individuals Judy Oppenheimer would consider one of "rock's bad boys", wer ever arrested or charged with a sex offense. The issue is that Peter Yarrow was and there was even a conviction. We need to focus on the actions of this one individual, and the way our society has let him off the hook because of whom he was married to at the time.
Vicki wrote an incredible letter regarding Peter Yarrow's child molestation conviction. I was moved by her clear thinking on the subject and the thoughtful experession of her support for the victim. I also find interesing what the newspaper decided to cut from the originial letter. The omission speaks volumes.
I agree with Mr. Yarrow. Yes, it was a long time ago and his jail time indicates that he paid for his crime but for me personally, Mr. Yarrow's rationale for his despicable behavior is problematic.
The "everyone was doing it" mentality that included, as you so aptly stated, no remorse for the victim or any apparent understaind of the effect that his behavior had on a child of 14 years, is yet another example of what author Ann Coulter and others describe as the lack of values of some who seem to subscribe to the Bart Simpson code of situational ethics, "I didn't do it, but you didn't see me do it, and anyway everyone was doing it and you can't prove anything!"
B'H' for the work of The Awareness Center and to Vicki Polin for her courage.
This figures. Here's the Wall St Journal on Peter Yarrow and the Kerry campaign:
http://www.opinionjournal.com/best/?id=110004519
But Did He Inhale?
"On Saturday night, when [folk singer Peter] Yarrow performed 'Puff the Magic Dragon' at a house party in Ames [Iowa], [John] Kerry [the haughty, French-looking Massachusetts Democrat, who by the way served in Vietnam] lifted his fingers to his mouth for a quick toke on an imaginary joint."--Washington Post, Jan. 7
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