Friday, October 29, 2010

Music Director Norman Keesee arrested

NormanKeesee When I read stories like this where young girls are molested by big fat lecherous Christian men, I get angry. I see a picture of a man who allegedly felt up a young defenseless girl for months. He was only caught out because of a mom’s suspicions. Of course, by now I know to wait before piling on the sarcasm. I need more information before I can build up the bile needed for a good rant. For now it is enough to know that Christian Music Director Norman Keesee was arrested.

According to an incident report from the Greenwood Police Department, a 13-year-old student of Norman Keesee said that he inappropriately touched her breast several times while he was giving her music lessons.

The report said that Keesee would sit beside the girl and reach under her shirt to touch her, and that when the girl would pull away, Keesee would not stop.

Emerald Baptist Church put Keesee on paid administrative leave until the investigation  is complete. Until then, he is not allowed on church property. Pastor Curtis Eidson has this to say on his website.

Wait a little while!

With all the news coverage of the events taking place around our church I wanted to take just a moment and address the situation over our web-site. Our church has agreed to stand by all parties involved in this terrible situation. No one within the church is qualified to pass judgment on guilt or innocence. That should be left to Someone in much higher authority. If due process of the law is carried out we will reach the end of this matter that is causing great concern around the church. Please pray for Emerald as we continue to seek the Lord's guidance, His grace, and His goodness to carry us to the next level….

….Feel free to drop me an email at: pastor@emeraldbaptistchurch.com. I would love to hear from you.

I plan to write Pastor Curtis Eidson a note to congratulate him for addressing the situation on his website and for treating all parties fairly. This is something I do not normally see in these cases. In fact, I would call it rare. But I want to know something else too. Did Keesee go through a background check?

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Sid Orr's avatar

Sid Orr · 756 weeks ago

I have known Norman for over forty years. Norman has been serving as a youth pastor and music director for most of that time. Norman has taught music in school, given private piano and guitar lessons to hundreds of youth and taken literally thousands of Church youth on mission trips. Not one student or youth has ever even suggested that anything even remotely inappropriate happened. Norman has more talent than anyone I have ever met. Please don't pile on my friend without knowing the truth. One pre-adolescent handicapped student with emotional problems has destroyed an otherwise amazing career. The old addage is very true. No good deed goes unpunished.
1 reply · active 732 weeks ago
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N/A's avatar

N/A · 755 weeks ago

People need to know what they are talking about before they post crap like this for everyone to see. Know the facts. Until then SHUT UP.
3 replies · active 755 weeks ago
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N/A's avatar

N/A · 755 weeks ago

"...big fat lecherous Christian men" - sounds pretty nasty to me.
2 replies · active 755 weeks ago
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Non-judgmental's avatar

Non-judgmental · 755 weeks ago

Those who accuse most loudly are usually the most guilty, in an attempt to cover their own demonic behavior.
5 replies · active 755 weeks ago
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Shirley Alexander's avatar

Shirley Alexander · 755 weeks ago

You creep! I have known Norman Keesee since we started first grade. He is a good person. ANYONE who knows him will tell you that! People should consider what might prompt a 13 year old with emotional problems to say those things. I know it doesn't bother you that you are adding fuel to what amounts to arson of character. All you are after is more blog comments. The more controversy you stir up, the happier you and your perverted little mind will be. You seem to be basing a lot of your judgment on Norman's weight. Let me base my judgment of you on your appearance. You look like the kind of slimy freak who wants something like this to be true so you can go into your room at night and fondle yourself over the images. Of course, like Norman, you are innocent until proven guilty. Both of you have one person accusing you. Both of you have the judgment of some writer who does not like the way you look. The only difference is, I know one of you personally, and Norman is the one I would trust with my children. Not afraid to leave my real name.
2 replies · active 754 weeks ago
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Wiser than you's avatar

Wiser than you · 755 weeks ago

There is something deep here, but surely isn't thought.
1 reply · active less than 1 minute ago
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Objective's avatar

Objective · 755 weeks ago

News reports reveal that the mother was not concerned until the child wanted to stop music lessons. The mother demanded a reason. Could it be that the child could not think of a decent reason for quitting music?
1 reply · active less than 1 minute ago
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Shirley Alexander's avatar

Shirley Alexander · 755 weeks ago

"Mojoey", I noticed you have not written a personal description on your profile. Looks like some subjects are too nasty for you to write about, after all.
1 reply · active less than 1 minute ago
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Sid Orr's avatar

Sid Orr · 755 weeks ago

I am NOT afraid to post my profile. I was drafted out of high school in 1965, joined the Marine Corps, served in Viet Nam with the MARINES as a helicopter door gunner, returned and went to work. I married a wonderful woman (a school teacher) and served in the National Guard for the next thirty years. (Thirty-four years military service total) I taught Sunday School for twenty five years, led our youth group as lay-leader while earning four college degrees at night. After I retired from military service, I began a second career as a high school special education teacher and earned another Masters Degree in Special Education. This is NOT about me, but when I say I respect Norman and his work, the source is believable. I believe in Due Process of Law, but I also believe in Habeas corpus... Where is the evidence?
2 replies · active 754 weeks ago
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Sid Orr's avatar

Sid Orr · 755 weeks ago

The court, the attorneys, the police and the pastor have all begged for one more "Victim" to come forth...simply to gain access to the truth and to protect every one involved. There are none. Yes, I am a close friend to Norman and a Bluegrass "Picker" with Norman. Bluegrass folks are just nice people. For the record, Norman is a pretty hefty ol' man... If you should meet Norman some time at a Bluegrass Festival, you would immediately understand why the accused statements are physically impossible. AND.... You would like ol' Norman like his thousands of friends, family and fans do.
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Chuck's avatar

Chuck · 750 weeks ago

Why are we so quick to judge one another? When we accuse and "point out" something negative about another, we are acting as though we have done no wrong. When we read about something bad happening to another person, why do we "all of the sudden" forget about the wrong behavior in our own lives. I like to forgive myself of past wrong behavior, but, when I hear of another person struggling with a bad decision, I am immediately reminded in my own heart that I am but a man that has done wrong in my own life. I am not proud of my wrong behavior, but, I am thankful for the forgiveness from God, from others, and from myself. I personally do not believe the allocations made against my friend, Norman. But ponder this...without forgiveness in our lives, where would ANY of us be? Let's just be totally honest on this one.
1 reply · active 750 weeks ago
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kate's avatar

kate · 730 weeks ago

"forgiveness"
"When we read about something bad happening to another person, why do we "all of the sudden" forget about the wrong behavior in our own lives. I like to forgive myself of past wrong behavior, but, when I hear of another person struggling with a bad decision, I am immediately reminded in my own heart that I am but a man that has done wrong in my own life."

Oh that's swell you smug ass. You get a pass because you give yourself a pass, well aren't you something special. You know what, I've been a victim of the type of crimes here that people like you like to minimize or perpetuate by your willingness to live in a fantasy-land where all your friends are angels that poop butterflies and honey all day.

It doesn't work that way. People do bad things. People can be good and look good when they want to and turn around and be monsters when it suits them as well and many will surround themselves with rubes -- another sign of an abuser or social lecher -- who will believe them to the end because they haven't the intelligence or the critical skills of observation or the emotional maturity to see the cracks or admit to their presence.

All the abusers I've ever known always have had times when they've left their proverbial shirts undone and everyone had an opportunity to see them for what they were but their friends, families and followers chose to turn a blind eye because the truth was icky while the pretend world the charlatan presents feels so much better.
4 replies · active 676 weeks ago

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