Who was Walter Breen?

I think I'd seen a comment on this very photo -- "a good thing photos don't capture smell."

 

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If they had smell aided internet, the only place to view that picture would be the remotest regions of Outer Mongolia. After a few sniffs of that picture, Amnesty International would be involved.

 

As much as I like documentation about coins, I could do without hearing about Breen and his sexual interests. Now that it is in the corners of my memory, it is my fault that the article about Breen is now there. I hope that I will never hear his name again, either in reference to his Science Fiction articles/books, his published works on coins, and especially about his sexual proclivity (look it up if you don't know what it means) For the most part, Breen was a genius that was way ahead of his time.

 

No argument from me. I'd argue that all academic textbooks have errors in them; first editions usually have the most. I remember one of my college professors handing out a multi-page addendum to a first edition meteorology textbook the first day of class, correcting a number of errors in the book. When the second edition was released, most of these errors were addressed but some new ones were found in the new material added to the original work. You'l get no argument from me that Breen was a significant contributor to our hobby and it would be foolish not to acknowledge his work.

 

It should be noted though, there is a difference between errors or knowledge changing and someone just making things up

 

Despicable excuse for a human being.

Whatever contributions he made to the hobby are overshadowed by my contempt for the person.

 

Yet most think of Ben Franklin as one of the greatest men ever in the US, and have not researched his "adventures while serving the US" as deep as his numismatic/postal contributions.

 

Lol at trying to \deflect from Breen but not surprising at all. Ben Franklin died in 1790 during a much different time. Breen molested children less than 50 years ago and probably actually more like less than 40 or even 35 years ago

 

@baseball21 and @masterswimmer . Not familiar with your collecting interests are in our hobby, but if you collect any series before 1940, most bits of information concerning that series are thanks to Breen. If this bothers you, see you on the darkside.

 

That's just simply not true and there are countless other resources where you don't need to engage in any of his content to get accurate often times more detailed and accurate information

 

Check around. Most sources used his research extensively. They may not have given him credit but the info was used. Take the time to read his research and compare it with the current published material. Current authors, last 45 years, used his research along with new information. Most current authors are not willing to spend months going through dusty books. At this point, we'll agree to disagree.

 

The man himself is the lowest form of human scum imaginable. His contributions become irrelevant, especially when there are other resources to utilize in your research.

End of conversation on my part.

 

That's just an assumption on your part. The convicted child molester wasn't the gate keeper of information and he obviously got the real information he used from somewhere that anyone else could have done the same.

I'm sure some did, but to act like we only have the information now because of him simply isnt true. It would have happened either way and maybe even be further along without the made up stuff included as information/research has substantially increased over the last 40 years and especially the last 20. We'd be in the same place now in numismatic knowledge whether or not he ever existed.

 

One last pertinent quote by the famous lawyer Clarence Darrow:

“I have never killed any one, but I have read some obituary notices with great satisfaction.”

Aptly said in reference to Breen.

 

While I agree that he is human scum...that doesn't change the contributions he made to this field. This isn't one of those instances where his criminal behavior played a roll in his writing and research. The two are totally separate.

 

Nice whataboutism

 

Burrying histry doesn't serve any purpose. It is important to know that individuals are complex and can hide terrible traits. Hero worship of individuals is usually problematic. This is a good lesson in that. Even great men, and Breen was by no means a great man, have difficult personal lives and relationships.

 

We’re not talking about “difficult personal lives and relationships.” We’re talking some of the worst depravity imaginable.

 

My understanding (from sources in the SF community) is that it was known for far too long that Breen was a predator and people refused to act because of who he was. He this is the reason that it remains important to confront what he did

 

It is horrible but it is not the worst depravity imaginable... not even close.

I knew when I wrote that, that someone feeling self-righteous would say this, verbatim. You just can't draw enough blood to satisfy some people. Child molestation is difficult personal lives and relationships. That is the correct phrase to use. It is a human frailty that has plagued us from the start of humanity. It is damaging to the children, and it is abusive.

But if you want some of the worst depravity imaginable, I can start laying some of them out for you that would make Breen seem like a saint. And most of them were condoned by broader society.