I’m not into college football. I’ve never snapped towels in the shower. But I continue to be blown away by the distorted reality of this subculture.
The email McQueary sent to a friend — obtained by the Associated Press, reads as follows:
“You are the first person I have told this … and I don’t know you extremely well … and I have been told bye (sic) officials to not say anything ….”
“I did stop it, not physically … but made sure it was stopped when I left that locker room … I did have discussions with the official at the university in charge of police … no one can imagine my thoughts or wants to be in my shoes for those 30-45 seconds…trust me.”
“Do with this what you want … but I am getting hammered for handling this the right way … or what I thought at the time was right … I had to make tough impacting quick decisions.”
What is “tough” in the decision to stop the rape of a child and report the crime to police? Am I missing something?
Sandusky went on national TV with Bob Costas. The Washington Post reports:
On Monday night, Sandusky said in an NBC television interview that he showered with and “horsed around” with boys but was innocent of criminal charges, a statement that has stunned legal observers. Sandusky’s comments, they said, could be used by prosecutors trying to convict him of child sex-abuse charges.
“Mr. Sandusky goes on worldwide television and admits he did everything the prosecution claims he did, except for the ultimate act of rape or sodomy? If I were a prosecutor, I’d be stunned,” said Lynne Abraham, the former district attorney of Philadelphia. “I was stunned, and then I was revolted.”
“I could say that I have done some of those things. I have horsed around with kids. I have showered after workouts. I have hugged them, and I have touched their legs without intent of sexual contact,” Sandusky told Bob Costas. “I am innocent of those charges.”
When Costas asked him whether he was sexually attracted to underage boys, Sandusky replied: “Sexually attracted, no. I enjoy young people, I love to be around them, but, no, I’m not sexually attracted to young boys.”…
“What was especially astonishing about Sandusky’s interview is — and this will be the big moment in court — is when he stumbled over the question about whether he was sexually attracted to children,” said crisis management expert Eric Dezenhall, who runs a Washington consulting firm. “That may not be legal proof that he’s guilty, but it is certainly not helpful, to struggle with the question.”
As with Paterno’s offensive and shocking retirement statement, none of these men seem to have much of a clue about right and wrong.
Strategies on how parents can help to prevent child abuse here. The basic message is talk to your kids.
Are you KIDDING Mr. Curless?
“This (small pox) (pedophilia) was just circulating thru the air and I happend to catch it “???????????
Although I believe Sandusky probably did everything of which he’s been accused and more, I still wish the public would wait until he’s convicted to pass judgment on him. Furthermore, I wish they would take fuller account of the fact that pedophilia is a sickness and that their extreme vilification of people who act out this sickness and their hysterical reactions to this acting out are neither fair to the perpetrator nor helpful to their victims.
For it is no fairer to hate and condemn people for manifesting the symptoms of mental illness such as pedophilia than it is to hate and condemn people for manifesting the symptoms of a physical illness such as smallpox. Quarantine them to protect the public, but don’t hate them and take vengeful action against them the way the public clamors to do in cases such as Sandusky’s.
And when the public overreacts to molestations by calling them “filthy,” “monstrous,” and “ruinous” to their victims, not only are the victims more likely to feel more victimized than they would otherwise but also more injured by their abuse than if the public’s responses to it were more moderated. Moreover, it seems likely adults with pedophilic proclivities would be more inclined to seek help that prevents them from acting out if they knew they would receive a more compassionate response from society than the extreme demonization they actually incur.
Adults who molest children and children who are molested are both victims of mental sickness, and until we as a society understand this and act accordingly, not only will child sexual abuse likely remain pandemic, but both abusers and abused will continue to suffer more than is just or necessary.