David Bloomberg
August 14, 1998
The State Journal-Register
One Copley Plaza
P.O. Box 219
Springfield, IL 62705-0219
To the Editor:
I obviously don’t know whether or not Monsignor Norman Goodman did the things of which he is accused (August 14), but I do know that basing such accusations on "repressed memories" is a risky and unscientific practice. It seems too coincidental that all 12 of the older cases claim to have just now "remembered" the abuse they supposedly suffered at Goodman’s hands.
While the article is correct in saying courts have allowed the use of repressed memories, the tide has turned as more evidence has come in over the years about the inaccuracy of "repressed memories." In the past few years, many important cases have been overturned because the evidence was based on these unscientific methods.
Your own paper had two editorials in 1994 (April 18, May 19) bringing up a number of critical points about repressed memories that had not, until that time, been widely present in the general media. It is somewhat surprising to me that there are still cases, like this one, based on such an unreliable practice.
If anybody would like more information on repressed memories or related topics, they can contact me at P.O. Box 20302, Springfield, IL 62708, e-mail me at chairman@reall.org, or call the REALL hotline at 726-5354.
David Bloomberg, Chairman
Rational Examination
Association of Lincoln Land
