Well, I am going to tell you a little story, well, actually it's a big story, and its about my recent experience with some of those who consider themselves to be involved in the "paranormal community."
Now, I am not going to sit here and bash everyone. That wouldn't be fair. In fact, I think a large amount of people out there are good hearted and want to help. Unfortunately, I don't have the demographic of readers or followers to reach these people, so in the last year or so, I have reached out to a huge amount of people within the community who do have that ability to reach a profound amount of people, and this is what happened.
I am just going to tell you about the most recent incident I have had within the paranormal community relating to a certain fundraiser that I started to help the Burrillville Historical & Preservation Society in Burrillville, Rhode Island.
You see, back in 2013, when the film "The Conjuring," came out, I watched it as many other millions upon millions of people had, but my gut told me something wasn't right. So what did I do? I researched, and researched until I dug up the truth. I immediately posted my first blog on the subject, completely debunking the slanderous lies that have been told about Bathsheba Sherman, as well the as false history of deaths that have been alleged to have taken place at the home on Roundtop Road.
Besides the blogs, I published an even more in-depth chapter in my book, "Stories of the Forgotten: Infamous, Famous & Unremembered."
Over the years, I have tried to spread the truth about Bathsheba Sherman, as well as the factual information on the house on Roundtop Road, but I have been met with so much opposition. Now, you would think that people who claim to want to help the dead, and those who want the truth to be told would be more open minded into sharing the facts wouldn't you? Instead, it is like I have hit a brick wall in the paranormal community.
Why do you suppose that is?
Well, for one, there are still those within the paranormal community that continue to perpetuate the lie. They might say, "Well, Bathsheba isn't who the film made her out to be, but she was accused of these things so we will never know." WRONG!!!!
For the record: Bathsheba Sherman was NEVER accused of any wrongdoing whatsoever. She was never accused of being a witch, never accused of killing any human being (baby or adult), never accused of or even suspected of being involved in any sort of Satanic rituals or beliefs. NADA!!!
Anyone who continues to spew this false narrative is a flat out liar. The records have been combed over time and time again, and there are NO RECORDS insinuating Bathsheba ever did anything to sully her Christian reputation during her lifetime. Period. CASE CLOSED.
So, with that being said, it has been profoundly disappointing to say the least that during the last 8-10 months, since I started the fundraiser to help the Burrillville Historical & Preservation Society raise funds to replace Bathsheba's stone I haven't gained much momentum.
First off, Bathsheba's grave had been beaten by time and the elements of course, but in the recent years it had been damaged on numerous occasions because of vandalism due to the lies that have been spread in the movie, in various books and paranormal programs which have continued to only add fuel to the fire of misinformation, and so now her grave sits desecrated.
Now, you would think that if I reached out to the paranormal community, with their preaching of "para-unity," and wanting to help the dead rest in peace, they would want to get involved in this right?
Wrong again....sadly.
I wrote to a long list of paranormal people in the business (sans Zac Bagans, because honestly, I have my reasons) and only 6 people wrote me back.
1) Troy Taylor, a paranormal author was actually the first to write back, and was kind enough to not only share the post, he also donated from his own pocket, which I will forever be grateful for.
2) Richard Estep, also a paranormal author shared and donated as well. Another chap I am very thankful for the help.
3) Penny Griffiths Morgan, another paranormal author from the UK, who also happens to be a friend that I greatly admire, also helped share the link and donated as well which is hugely appreciated.
The other three "paranormal" people who wrote back:
4) One was a television show and radio host who was very nice, but said he couldn't share 'go fund me' links or else everyone else would expect him to share theirs. I never heard anymore from him.
5) The next person was another paranormal co-host of a recently cancelled program, who is working on a new show, but despite the fact he claimed he was interested and wanted to help "any way he could," never reached out to the historical society or even shared the link.
6) And the last person was a producer for a very popular paranormal television series that I have worked with in the past, who was very nice, and promised he would forward the information to his two "stars" but they never responded to it. I had also reached out directly to the same two "stars," and they ignored my emails as well.
Out of all the dozens of people I reached out to, only 3 people were willing to share a link and donate a few dollars to a good cause. To say that this was disheartening would be a complete understatement.
I also have to give credit to a fellow writer and debunker of false stories, Kenny Biddle, who isn't what I would consider a paranormal person, more of a skeptic, although he does involve himself in the community to debunk most things, but even he was willing to help share the link and even wrote a very well-written article for the Skeptical Inquirer, to clear Bathsheba's name.
Over the last several months I have continued to reach out to others, individuals and groups, to no avail. In the end the ones who have really been interested in helping right this egregious wrong have been the average people like you and me that have taken the time to share or donate to the fundraiser.
As of today, August 1, 2022 we have not even reached 50% of our goal but we have raised some, which again I am forever grateful for those kind hearted and generous people who sincerely care about this cause.
In Conclusion
This blog isn't to bash the paranormal community as a whole, but instead to raise awareness that there is some sort of cliquish mentality going on there. If you aren't in the "in crowd," they won't help you, even if it is for a good cause. I am not looking for fortune and fame, I am not asking for money for myself either, I just want to help Bathsheba get a new headstone. The money goes directly to the historical society.
Still, a simple thing like asking a list of "paranormal celebrities," who on film and in their books claim to want to share the truth about the paranormal, have simply ignored the pleas to right a terrible wrong here. Another point I would like to make is that many of these people have in one way or another profited off of the house on Round Top Road (aka The Conjuring House) by writing about or filming at the home, despite the fact that the truth has been given to them about the property and Bathsheba's real history (which has no ties to that house whatsoever).
With all the money being made here, you would think they could take some time out of their day to share a link or even donate a few dollars towards fixing a wrong that some of them actually have a hand in helping promote (even if they unknowingly did so). They have a chance to fix that, but still, all I hear is crickets.
Why am I writing about this today, instead of my usual historical blog uncovering a mystery?
Well, maybe because I feel like Bathsheba Sherman deserves a hell of a lot more than she's getting from the very same paranormal community that shredded her reputation in the first place. A terrible wrong was done here starting back in the early 1970's and although the facts have been shared in the last 9 years shedding light on the truth, it still seems that much of the paranormal community would rather sweep that truth under the rug and pretend it doesn't exist, so they can continue to promote false history and so they won't have to admit their own little part in all of this.
Why not be the first to admit there was a wrong done, and help be the one who actually helps us fix this wrong?
Be part of the cause that fights on the right side of history this time. If not for me, for Bathsheba.
To help the Burrillville Historical & Preservation Society please click here:
To read the truth about Bathsheba Sherman please click here:
https://dreamingcasuallypoetry.blogspot.com/2019/07/bathsheba-shermans-vindication.html
Thank you!
(Copyright, J'aime Rubio www.jaimerubiowriter.com)
Photo: by the late, great Kent Spottswood (who is very much missed in the historical community).
