Scientology -The Apollo series: James Barbour...The Phantom of the Opera

Do not hire a pedophile to star in the Broadway production of the Phantom of the Opera

Hi!

I just signed the petition "Cameron Mackintosh: Do not hire a pedophile to star in the Broadway production of the Phantom of the Opera" on Change.org.

It's important. Will you sign it too? Here's the link:

http://www.change.org/p/cameron-mackintosh-do-not-hire-a-pedophile-to-star-in-the-broadway-production-of-the-phantom-of-the-opera?recruiter=12210851&utm_campaign=signature_receipt&utm_medium=email&utm_source=share_petition

Thanks!
Sharone

The Weekly Vice: Disney Actor James Barbour Blames Child After Fondling Her Sexually
http://www.theweeklyvice.com/2008/01/disney-actor-james-barbour-blames-child.html

Excerpt:

Another Disney actor, 41 year old James Barbour has crossed all of those lines and more.

James Barbour, the actor who played 'the beast' in Disney's "Beauty and the Beast" has plead guilty to two counts of endangering the welfare of a child.

Barbour, who also works as a Broadway actor met the child when she was brought back-stage to meet him following a Broadway production he was starring in. Barbour admitted it was then that he began touching the 15 year old girl sexually.

The sexual touching continued the next month when the girl visited him at his New York apartment. He admitted to the court that he had known that the girl was 15 at the time.

Barbour agreed to the charges in exchange for a reduced sentence. 60 days in jail and three years of probation. Sentencing is currently scheduled for February 29th, 2008.

By pleading guilty to the arrangement, Barbour will not have to register as a sex offender. According to his attorney Ronald P. Fischetti, "By pleading guilty to misdemeanors, he doesn't have to register, and that's important. He wouldn't have been able to travel without reporting, and he wouldn't have been able to work with children."

And Now For The Outrageous Part:

Although Barbour admitted to sexually touching a minor child that he knew was under aged, he blames the child for the entire thing.

His Attorney publicly lashed out at the child, blaming her for Barbour's legal troubles and questioning her motives. Barbour's attorney issued a statement claiming "She initiated both of these sexual encounters and then waited five years before filing a complaint against him".

Barbour, through his attorney took the blame a step further by attempting to publish the minor child's name in newspaper ads in an attempt to solicit responses from other men who might have experienced the same supposed advances from the child.

The Court of Appeal's Judge hearing the case was forced to ban Barbour from running the ads.
The Weekly Vice Reaction:

I'd like to begin my response to this story by asking you a question. How do you feel about a man who sexually gropes a child, blames the child for his actions and then readily admits his confession was offered as the quickest path to get himself back in front of children?

How do these three admitted facts square in the mind of parents who's child may someday become star struck with such actor? How do you feel about the play and movie producers who will showcase this actor to your children in the future?

Undoubtedly, most will be outraged by the very thought that this man will walk out of jail in 60 days and resume an acting career which has catered heavily towards the children he apparently now has his eyes on. But as this story will likely have a short shelf life, how will most parents in the future even know of the man's crimes - as he will not be listed as registered sex offender.

Although the very thought of a 41 year old man molesting a 15 year old girl is repulsive, the real shocker is not so much the slap on the wrist 60 day stay he'll undergo at the county jail.

Yes, the sentence falls ridiculously short of true justice when you consider the obvious lack of personal responsibility that has not been shown by the admitted molester.

The real outrage however is that this man will be completely free to resume all activities with children the moment his 60 day R & R are up. This is a pretty scary thought considering Hollywood has an established track record of returning these tainted actors to duty regardless of public concern about it.