Op-Ed: Mendy Pellin, This is No Joke!

by Anonymous

There has never been a devout, bearded Chasid who has sat comfortably in front of a camera and confessed that he is sexually attracted to children. Now, there is one. Gershon. And his confession has been viewed by almost 150 thousand people – on its first day of release.

This video is just as disgusting as it is enlightening. It brings you into the mind of a child predator who has lost control of his vile desires. For all those who have said or thought until now that we don’t have such problems in our community, here is your proof. This podcast series is great for those who’ve had their head buried in the sand. I wonder if any will watch it.

But before you quickly jump off of this article to watch or listen to the podcast, I’m here, as a simple parent, to give you a heads up of what you’re about to land on.

Survivors of CSA:
For survivors of abuse, the video is clearly traumatizing and is probably not for you. You may not be able to fully watch the video and probably question why this guy deserves a platform. And I agree. He doesn’t.

If you do watch it and it triggers you, call a friend or a therapist to digest and process those feelings.

Predators:
For the predators who watch this – and I’m sure they all will – you will likely only watch the first video and not the subsequent two. You may want to feel validated, accepted, and want to have a hero or at least some hope. This video is great for you to help put words to feelings and can be a first step in joining a support group and seeking professional help. Keep in mind that there is no redemption if you abuse a child. It always catches up with you. Each victim will bring another world of horror that you’ll have to deal with. So seek help immediately!

Parents & Educators:
For the everyday parent and anyone with a conscience, watching these videos in order may boggle your mind. But will leave you with insight and empowerment. And it’s for this reason that these three episodes are a must-watch, but watch it in reverse order.

Start with Pattie Fitzgerald (Ep 3: Found Here) and then Doctor Salamon (Ep 2: Found Here). Both are full of helpful information that will teach you how to keep your children safe, give you a proper perspective on who a predator is, and how damaging they are to our society. As for the video of the predator (Ep 1: Found Here)… stay away. (Unless you have the stomach for it.)

The question really is: What was his motive? There is no way someone who thinks clearly and gives serious thought to the outcome for his family – the ones he says not to treat differently – would do such a thing. It has then dawned upon me, he is not thinking clearly.

The mindset of a predator, of a narcissist, is to only care and think about himself.

While I still don’t understand why a comedian would do this, as it’s no joke and completely unfunny, I think my takeaway is a certain level of appreciation for allowing everyone to see into the mind of a predator. This is particularly significant when considering there are others out there roaming our streets. Known predators that are still allowed into our shuls, schools, and even granted aliyas in 770.

It’s for this reason that the topic still needs to be discussed more, and why we need to move away from “stranger danger” and focus on our friends, family, neighbors and community. As Pattie says: “pay attention to who’s paying attention to your children.”