I suspect there's hardly a gay man in the country who didn't feel the pain of Peter Ellis when his homosexuality and outgoing nature were teamed up with hysterical allegations of child abuse at the Christchurch Civic Creche. We watched as he was publicly vilified and on the basis of bizarre stories related by infants cared for at the creche, backed up by increasingly organised parents and an overeager police force, and was thrown into prison. He still proclaims his innocence and anyone who followed the case or read Lynley Hood's remarkable analysis in her book A City Possessed must have serious reservations as to whether justice was done. Was that dead baby ever found? How did the children survive those alleged bizarre and damaging rituals with no apparent physical or emotional damage? Where did the cages get to? Pedophilia is unacceptable, the abuse of children too young to understand the emotional and physical factors at work and who are most often traumatised by the manipulations of those who lure them into sexual acts. It's also a scary ogre in the back of many parents' minds. “What if it happened to my child.” It's not too long ago that homosexuality carried the same portents of doom and fear. Religious leaders and followers, the bigoted and the ignorant, berated, attacked and emotionally damaged those thought to be homosexual. Electro-convulsive therapy anyone? Now we understand that homosexuality is not a crime against nature and many understand it is not an abomination against their god either. Most New Zealanders can see that a homosexual liaison between two consenting adults is nothing to fear or be ashamed of. But for some people the old fears lurk in the dark recesses of their minds... “homosexuals are predatory, they try to convert straight men, they can't wait to get their hands on little boys, they're undermining society!” So when those people connect a rumour of pedophilia with their hatred of homosexuality all reason goes out the window. “If he's gay, he's a pervert! If he's a pervert he must be guilty!” So Peter Ellis went to prison and Winston Peters attacked Jim Peron under the convenient cloak of Parliamentary immunity from prosecution. As founding editor of express gay community newspaper, and as its co-publisher until few years ago, I observed the Ellis case unsure how to cover it, not wanting to help re-connect pedophilia and homosexuality in the public mind. Besides, no-one would ever convict Ellis on the ‘evidence' that emerged, right? Wrong. Lesson 1: Never underestimate the power of those who see pedophilia and homosexuality as inexorably and inevitably intertwined, and subsequently as a tool to attack an individual or group. But Peter Ellis had one slight advantage over Jim Peron, the allegations went to court and were publicly aired at length, fat lot of good that it did him. The allegations against Jim Peron have been made on the sly and as they continue to be refuted lesser, more intangible, allegations and allusions are surfacing. It's a campaign mounted by a few people with personal agendas, lacking in real substance but packed instead with invective and poisonous whispers. It's not just and it's not fair. Sadly, I stood by bewildered by the Peter Ellis case, not believing that the evidence as presented would ever be taken seriously and fearful of screwing up by covering the case. Lesson 2: Stand up and be counted. On my, and your, behalf, Chris Banks, a fine, disciplined and passionately inquiring reporter, has been wading through the smokey mush of allegation and innuendo, trying to make some sense of the dynamics and personalities at work, trying to separate out the realities of this ghastly business. I should disclose that Jim Peron has been a long-time occasional contributor to GayNZ.com and has recently taken up the mantle of Family Matters adviser. His lively and "take no prisoners" debate on political and social issues has brought clarity to some issues, subtlety to others. Sometimes he has just thrown up a dissenting view for the joy of debate. That seems to be his nature, and a free and open society should treasure dissenting voices and articulate debate in order that issues are aired fully and fearlessly. It is possible that GayNZ.com will also be vilified for our attempt to grasp this issue, by those who have long sought to attack glbt folk, those who are all too ready to believe inferences and innuendoes if it suits their prejudices or political agendas or personal grudges. So be it. Lesson 1: Never underestimate the power of those who see pedophilia and homosexuality as inexorably and inevitably intertwined and subsequently as a tool to attack an individual or group. Lesson 2: Stand up and be counted. - Jay Bennie Content editor, GayNZ.com Jay Bennie - 21st March 2005