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August 13, 1997 You can hear Moira Johnston on the Joan Rivers Show, WOR-Radio, top New York City talk radio, at 4 p.m. Pacific time, Thursday, August 14.August 4, 1997 The Point of View Section has been updated with a new Article by Moira Johnston, and new reviews. To submit your articles for the Point of View section email Ms. Johnston at moiraj@napanet.net. August 4,1996 Sunday, August 3rd's San Francisco Chronicle vividly bared the venomous anger,the loggerheads disagreements, and the human pain that continue to spew from the recovered memory wars. The Book Review published a letter from Gary Ramona's youngest daughter, Shawna, an attack on my book about the landmark Ramona case, SPECTRAL EVIDENCE, and on the media in general for continuing to be "enthralled by our pain." Only twelve when her sister, Holly, had the flashback memories of incest that triggered the Ramona family tragedy, she has continued for seven years to side with her sisters and mother in loyal support of Holly's memories, even as scientific scrutiny in cases from New Hampshire and Texas to California are stopping them at the courtroom door, rejecting them as inadmissible evidence. In the book's Epilogue, I held out hope that, if reconciliation were ever to occur, it might be between Shawna and her father, since Shawna had called him and twice had coffee with him. Her letter makes sadly clear that, to her, Gary Ramona is dead as a parent -- that she will never reconcile. This point of no return is what families and this society are increasingly faced with, and must deal with, as the losing side, the pro-recovered memory forces, find themselves stuck in a belief system and a public committment from which it is extremely difficult to escape. Today's Chronicle, too, published in its Sunday Feature section a response from the author of SPECTRAL EVIDENCE, a full-page interview with me about these human issues. Here, for your thoughtful reading and comment, are Shawna's letter, and the interview:
S I S T E R C H A L L E N G E S 'E V I D E N C E' B O O K '
S F A C T S As the sister of Holly Ramona, I feel compelled to write you and dispel any notion that Moira Johnston Block's new book, ``Spectral Evidence'' (June 15), contains any facts. I have heard this woman promote her fictional account of my family's tragedy and cannot imagine that the public would believe her statements. In order to set the record straight, let me be clear that Ms. Block's implication of any reconciliation between my father and me is grossly inaccurate. In fact, there is no chance that my father and I will ever have a relationship with each other. My mother has been and will always be my only parent. She is the only parent who has loved me and protected me. The courage that my sister, Holly, and my mother have demonstrated in these difficult times is an inspiration to me. They have shown me the utmost integrity. I believe that both Moira Johnston Block and Gary Ramona are disconnected from our world of truth and justice. It would be unfortunate for others to believe their view of the truth. My family (Holly, Kelli, Mom and I) has had to overcome the past seven years with dignity and strength. Unfortunately, even after all of this time, society is still enthralled by our pain. But this is made worse by Ms. Block's book, which only perpetuates the falsehoods. Shawna Ramona ©1997 San Francisco Chronicle |
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