The Stalin Reaction
Stalin was famous for altering photographs and news releases to either include himself with people like Lenin or to remove pictures of people like Trotsky from pictures of Stalin. The dictator simply altered the photos and stories, and thus changed the past.

George Orwell's classic 1984 seized upon this concept with "the Memory Hole", into which old news stories were sent to be incinerated and the past thus functionally altered.

Why is this important? Well, I find it interesting when certain groups do that today.

Take, for example, this webpage regarding the "Centennial gala" of the Baylor College of Dentistry.

Note in particular this section:

BCD's centennial video, "A Legacy of Service," premiered after entertainment by Dr. Todd Calvin (BCD '89), also known as "The Singing Dentist," as well as the Meadows Chorale of Southern Methodist University. Later, guests enjoyed dancing in the Venetian Room to the music of The Project. Although the evening's events officially ended at midnight, the celebration continued as guests lingered for coffee and conversation.

and this photo:



This was the original version of the Baylor story on the Gala. The photo is of Dr. Todd Calvin a/k/a "The Singing Dentist"

Now look at the current version.

See any differences? Let me point out the revised paragraph:

BCD's centennial video, "A Legacy of Service," premiered after entertainment by the Meadows Chorale of Southern Methodist University. Later, guests enjoyed dancing in the Venetian Room to the music of The Project. Although the evening's events officially ended at midnight, the celebration continued as guests lingered for coffee and conversation.

and the new photo:



Note that Dr. Todd Calvin is no longer mentioned anywhere in the story. He has gone from prominent, featured entertainer to persona non grata. His photo is no longer even on the Baylor website (I got a copy from Google's cache and saved it to my own site). It is as though he was never there.

What offense has Dr. Calvin committed to warrant such conduct? Well, it seems he was involved in some rather vile activities:

For years, law enforcement has worked with foreign governments to crack down on pedophiles who travel the world seeking prey in the sex-tourism industry.

But federal agents also go undercover to catch them before they leave the country, as the FBI says it did Monday in San Diego by arresting a local dentist accused of planning a trip to Mexico for sex with young boys.

"It's our duty in law enforcement to protect people who can't protect themselves," said Daniel Dzwilewski, special agent in charge of the FBI's San Diego office, which investigated the case.

Todd Calvin, 43, is charged in federal court with interstate travel to engage in sexual activity with a minor. He's accused of planning such an overseas trip with an undercover FBI agent.

Well. It seems Dr. Calvin has some rather disgusting predilections. I certainly find those sorts of activities repugnant and morally reprehensible. I can understand why Baylor might not want to be associated with him any longer.

But I also understand that Dr. Calvin was an honored guest at this "Centennial Gala" a mere three weeks ago.

It would seem to me that the most honest course of action would be to leave things as they were, acknowledge that Dr. Calvin did perform at the Gala, and move on. It isn't as though anyone is going to reasonably believe that Baylor either knew of or in any way condoned his sexual perversions.

Apparently, his ex-wife and children are in shock at the arrest. Why would Baylor know him better than those closest to him?

But to sweep him under the rug, to virtually erase his participation in the manner Baylor has done -- that seems just as chilling in it's own way as anything Dr. Calvin may have planned.
- posted by MrSpkr @ 00:09