In regard to Jessica Hutchinson’s response to my Sept. 11 letter, I stand by my words: homosexuality has no connection to child sexual abuse.

I neither deny nor obsess nor hide from anything. The $660 million payout from the Los Angeles diocese had nothing to do with homosexuality. To say it does is misleading at best and at worst, a lie.

I have learned my facts while participating in Maine’s only intensive, 24/7 sex-offender program at the Maine Correctional Center in Windham.

I’m not in denial, and I do have similar feelings about pedophiles and homosexuals. They’re human beings.

Before throwing around the words pedophile, molester, sex offender or homosexual, one should be able to define them clinically. I can.

Don’t waste prayers on me; give them to much more deserving victims. Give them to all victims. Give them to the men on this unit with me who are working hard to change.

Give them to a fearful public that isn’t getting the truth on sex offender issues, and to politicians and civic leaders that actually believe registries and residency restrictions protect children.

Give them to the media that spin and sensationalize. Most of all, though, give them to the reasonable and logical people whose goal is to get this issue right.

The goal is no more victims.

Michael Johnson, Windham