Furlong denies allegations of abuse.
Former CEO of Vancouver’s Olympic committee says he
has asked police to probe claims.
So read the headline
published in the GLOBE AND MAIL dated, September 28, 2012.
“But if ye will not do so,
behold, ye have sinned against the Lord: and be sure your sin will find you
out.” Numbers 32:23.
One must assume the Bible
was never too far from John Furlong as a former missionary at a school at Burns
Lake, BC from 1969 to the early 1970’s. There and then, Furlong worked as a gym teacher where he once
led First Nations students in physical activities.
In the beginning, like the
earth, that period of time too was “without form and void” for Furlong never
did mention it in his book entitled, “Patriot
Hearts.”
I wonder why?
Others like “Lake Babine
First Nation chief Wilf Adam said he planned to issue a formal statement on
Friday (yesterday) in support of band members who say Mr. Furlong abused them.”
“The issue here was the
book and its failure to mention Burns Lake,” Mr. Adam said. “He (Mr. Furlong)
has to be truthful and honest about what happened.”
So, what did happen?
It’s no secret now the
number of physical and sexual abuses that did occur to former Aboriginal
students and now considered as Survivors of all the church-run residential
schools across Canada. The government through Prime Minister Stephen Harper
finally apologized in 2008 to all Aboriginal people and followed through with
compensation packages. It was clear then with the numbers of abuse allegations
and an RCMP investigation full of evidence that prompted Harper to do the right
thing. In most of those Survivor cases, it took 30 – 40 years to break the
silence.
Even for Furlong, time does
not stand still. And thanks to the reporter, Laura Robinson, his time spent 40
years ago in a small town in BC is certainly not without form and void.
Memories of Furlong by his former
First Nations students and an RCMP investigation will certainly fill in that
time…a time he says was of insignificance.
It’s ironic the Bible verse
noted above is found in the book of Numbers. While there are allegations
against Furlong, the RCMP must not and should not deny the numbers and make the
time of 1969 to the early 1970’s of significance to those affected First
Nations members.
