• Home
  • Contact
  • Biography
    • Press Kit
    • New Author Photos 12/2011
  • NCTE/ALAN 2013 Q&As
  • Author Visits
    • Presentation Praise
    • Scheduled Events
  • Crutcher Books
    • Losers Bracket
    • Period 8 (2013)
    • Angry Management (2009)
    • Deadline (2007) >
      • DEADLINE Defense Materials
    • The Sledding Hill (2005)
    • KOTMF (2003) >
      • KOTMF Extras
    • Whale Talk (2001) >
      • WT Defense Materials
      • WT Turning Japanese
    • Ironman (1995)
    • Sarah Byrnes (1993) >
      • SFFSB Defense Materials
    • Athletic Shorts (1991)
    • Deep End (1991)
    • Chinese Handcuffs (1989)
    • Crazy Horse... (1987)
    • Stotan! (1986)
    • Running Loose (1983)
  • Other CC Books
  • For Educators
  • Angus -- The Movie
  • Older News Briefs
  • Photo Albums
  • Scrapbook
  • CC Videos
  • Student Projects
  • Censorship
    • Chinese Handcuffs 2014 >
      • Chinese Handcuffs PRESS
    • South Carolina 2011 >
      • SC 2011 Article
    • Wisconsin 2010
    • Kentucky 2009
    • Delaware 2009
    • Indiana 2009
    • Six Rounds -- Oct 2008
    • To Mark -- Sept 2008
    • Delaware 2008
    • Ohio 2007
    • Iowa 2007
  • Banned Book Videos
  • Teens CAN Stop Censors
  • Banned Books Week
    • BBW Interview 2013
    • Oct 2011 BBW Article
  • Extras!
  • CC Press
  • Letters to CC
  • Movie News
  • Crutcher Speeks
    • Update Bantleman/Tjiong
    • Nod to Gnuts
    • Hip-Hop
    • Good Day...
    • Gun Referendum
    • Free Neil and Ferdi >
      • Freedom!
      • A Summary
      • Joko Widodo
      • Another Open Letter
      • Open Letter
      • To All Canadians
    • Responsi-damn-bility
    • Whacking on Your Children >
      • Peterson Abuse Images
    • Piling On
    • Biopsy Biography
    • Walter Elevated Us All
    • Different Direction
    • Parenting Guidance
    • Goodbye, Ned.
    • Happy Birthday, Crutch!
    • Forrest Bird Charter School
    • Senator Portman
    • My Gun Rant
    • Maybe Now (Guns & Mental Health)
    • Support Your Local Pragmatist
    • So You Want to Be a Righter
    • Philosophy and Humanity
    • We Are Paterno
    • Boy Scout "Leadership"
    • Thoughts on McQueary
    • To Meghan Cox Gurdon/WSJ
    • India 2011
  • Crutcher-Price Blog
Author & Loudmouth
  • Home
  • Contact
  • Biography
    • Press Kit
    • New Author Photos 12/2011
  • NCTE/ALAN 2013 Q&As
  • Author Visits
    • Presentation Praise
    • Scheduled Events
  • Crutcher Books
    • Losers Bracket
    • Period 8 (2013)
    • Angry Management (2009)
    • Deadline (2007) >
      • DEADLINE Defense Materials
    • The Sledding Hill (2005)
    • KOTMF (2003) >
      • KOTMF Extras
    • Whale Talk (2001) >
      • WT Defense Materials
      • WT Turning Japanese
    • Ironman (1995)
    • Sarah Byrnes (1993) >
      • SFFSB Defense Materials
    • Athletic Shorts (1991)
    • Deep End (1991)
    • Chinese Handcuffs (1989)
    • Crazy Horse... (1987)
    • Stotan! (1986)
    • Running Loose (1983)
  • Other CC Books
  • For Educators
  • Angus -- The Movie
  • Older News Briefs
  • Photo Albums
  • Scrapbook
  • CC Videos
  • Student Projects
  • Censorship
    • Chinese Handcuffs 2014 >
      • Chinese Handcuffs PRESS
    • South Carolina 2011 >
      • SC 2011 Article
    • Wisconsin 2010
    • Kentucky 2009
    • Delaware 2009
    • Indiana 2009
    • Six Rounds -- Oct 2008
    • To Mark -- Sept 2008
    • Delaware 2008
    • Ohio 2007
    • Iowa 2007
  • Banned Book Videos
  • Teens CAN Stop Censors
  • Banned Books Week
    • BBW Interview 2013
    • Oct 2011 BBW Article
  • Extras!
  • CC Press
  • Letters to CC
  • Movie News
  • Crutcher Speeks
    • Update Bantleman/Tjiong
    • Nod to Gnuts
    • Hip-Hop
    • Good Day...
    • Gun Referendum
    • Free Neil and Ferdi >
      • Freedom!
      • A Summary
      • Joko Widodo
      • Another Open Letter
      • Open Letter
      • To All Canadians
    • Responsi-damn-bility
    • Whacking on Your Children >
      • Peterson Abuse Images
    • Piling On
    • Biopsy Biography
    • Walter Elevated Us All
    • Different Direction
    • Parenting Guidance
    • Goodbye, Ned.
    • Happy Birthday, Crutch!
    • Forrest Bird Charter School
    • Senator Portman
    • My Gun Rant
    • Maybe Now (Guns & Mental Health)
    • Support Your Local Pragmatist
    • So You Want to Be a Righter
    • Philosophy and Humanity
    • We Are Paterno
    • Boy Scout "Leadership"
    • Thoughts on McQueary
    • To Meghan Cox Gurdon/WSJ
    • India 2011
  • Crutcher-Price Blog

Another Open Letter to Canadian Prime Minister Harper

Picture
Dear Prime Minister Harper,

I probably should have made this clear last time. An open letter isn’t necessarily already open. You have to open it. Since it’s clear you failed to address my attempt to alert you to the shameful, trumped-up charges in Jakarta, Indonesia against Canadian citizen and respected educator Neil Bantleman, I’ll give it a second try. I would include the names of the others caught in this web of corruption, but if I can’t get you to stand for your own citizens, how on earth can I infuse you with empathy for citizens of a land half-way around the world?

When last I wrote, Mr. Bantleman had been incarcerated for nearly a year while awaiting and then enduring a trial that would have embarrassed a Kangaroo. The accusations were horrific. Mr. Bantleman and the others had been charged with the repeated anal rape of a five-year old kindergarten boy at the Jakarta Intercultural School. As the courtroom events progressed it became clear that the defendants weren’t only being wrongly accused of a crime, they were being accused of a crime that was never committed. In the end, the three judge panel accepted none of the forensic evidence presented by the defense, while accepting all of the whimsical, random, colossally absurd utterances of the prosecution.

I would chronicle the details, but I’m from the United States and keenly aware that on this side of the border at least, the attention span of a politician lasts about as long as a quick trim at the barbershop. If you’re interested in those details, have an intern go to ‪#‎freeneilandferdi‬ and follow the links. There has been international outcry, detailed in presses all over the world.

What bothers me is that within that international outcry your administration’s voice has been silent. The only feedback I have received from your camp is that you don’t choose to interfere in the affairs of other countries.

But Mr. Prime Minister, this is an affair of your country. I’m not asking that you send a unit of JTF2’s to bust Mr. Bantleman out of prison, but I’ll bet if you asked any member of that elite force, they would tell you they never leave their dead or wounded behind.

There is no downside to this, Mr. Harper. The international decibel level will only increase as the details of this travesty of justice become more and more evident. Do not let your voice continue to be unheard. You have left a wounded soldier on the battlefield and if you allow him to lie there, you will be, in short order and in full world view, on the wrong side of history.

Good teachers are among this world’s greatest soldiers. You have the power to put economic and political pressure on a corrupt Indonesian government that has allowed this mockery, and help bring at least one great soldier home. But your window of opportunity is closing. Neil Bantleman will be set free. You can be part of that or not. Either way, your countrymen and women won’t forget.

With Whatever Respect That Turns Out To Be Due,

Chris Crutcher



Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
  • Home
  • Contact
  • Biography
    • Press Kit
    • New Author Photos 12/2011
  • NCTE/ALAN 2013 Q&As
  • Author Visits
    • Presentation Praise
    • Scheduled Events
  • Crutcher Books
    • Losers Bracket
    • Period 8 (2013)
    • Angry Management (2009)
    • Deadline (2007) >
      • DEADLINE Defense Materials
    • The Sledding Hill (2005)
    • KOTMF (2003) >
      • KOTMF Extras
    • Whale Talk (2001) >
      • WT Defense Materials
      • WT Turning Japanese
    • Ironman (1995)
    • Sarah Byrnes (1993) >
      • SFFSB Defense Materials
    • Athletic Shorts (1991)
    • Deep End (1991)
    • Chinese Handcuffs (1989)
    • Crazy Horse... (1987)
    • Stotan! (1986)
    • Running Loose (1983)
  • Other CC Books
  • For Educators
  • Angus -- The Movie
  • Older News Briefs
  • Photo Albums
  • Scrapbook
  • CC Videos
  • Student Projects
  • Censorship
    • Chinese Handcuffs 2014 >
      • Chinese Handcuffs PRESS
    • South Carolina 2011 >
      • SC 2011 Article
    • Wisconsin 2010
    • Kentucky 2009
    • Delaware 2009
    • Indiana 2009
    • Six Rounds -- Oct 2008
    • To Mark -- Sept 2008
    • Delaware 2008
    • Ohio 2007
    • Iowa 2007
  • Banned Book Videos
  • Teens CAN Stop Censors
  • Banned Books Week
    • BBW Interview 2013
    • Oct 2011 BBW Article
  • Extras!
  • CC Press
  • Letters to CC
  • Movie News
  • Crutcher Speeks
    • Update Bantleman/Tjiong
    • Nod to Gnuts
    • Hip-Hop
    • Good Day...
    • Gun Referendum
    • Free Neil and Ferdi >
      • Freedom!
      • A Summary
      • Joko Widodo
      • Another Open Letter
      • Open Letter
      • To All Canadians
    • Responsi-damn-bility
    • Whacking on Your Children >
      • Peterson Abuse Images
    • Piling On
    • Biopsy Biography
    • Walter Elevated Us All
    • Different Direction
    • Parenting Guidance
    • Goodbye, Ned.
    • Happy Birthday, Crutch!
    • Forrest Bird Charter School
    • Senator Portman
    • My Gun Rant
    • Maybe Now (Guns & Mental Health)
    • Support Your Local Pragmatist
    • So You Want to Be a Righter
    • Philosophy and Humanity
    • We Are Paterno
    • Boy Scout "Leadership"
    • Thoughts on McQueary
    • To Meghan Cox Gurdon/WSJ
    • India 2011
  • Crutcher-Price Blog