Often, this comes off as a tongue-in-cheek observation about things like finding a first job, or expressing a position on some current political event. But since November 4, 2011, much of the free world has watched and read in horror and disgust about the 14-year abuse of power by the powers that be in Manic Depressive Valley, Pennsylvania, where unfathomable horrors took place behind closed doors and in open shower stalls, and the voices of young boys were essentially ignored by alleged leaders and authority figures.
Silence can be golden, and ignorance bliss ... if you are self-absorbed with your own narcissistic greatness. Not if you're a victim of child abuse or pedophilia, not if you allow criminal activity to flourish and foster for over a decade. And most certainly not if you are in a position of authority, and have the legal and/or moral obligation to, as Spike Lee so eloquently phrased it, "do the right thing."
Yes, Jerry Sandusky - for 31 years an assistant coach under Penn State University's legendary football coach, Joe Paterno - was found guilty last night. Guilty on 45 out of 48 counts of sexual crimes against children. Guilty of involuntary deviant sexual intercourse, corruption of minors, endangering the welfare of a child, indecent assault, and other offenses. Guilty of abusing his power, and abusing young boys with that power.
Guilty! Guilty! Guilty!
And by forcing this to go to trial, where eight victims of his abuse had to endure the stigma of testifying before not just Sandusky, or the judge and jury, but the entire nation - and, in the process, had to re-live those terrifying moments of helplessness and pain - Sandusky chose to abuse his victims yet again. And again.
None of the eight should have had to suffer on the witness stand and tell how Sandusky molested them in campus showers, basement bedrooms, even the football team sauna.
There is a special place in Hell for Sandusky - assuming Hell accepts him. Then again, even Satan might be scratching his head and having second thoughts.
By all accounts, Sandusky was a pillar in the State College, Pennsylvania community. He was an intelligent, hard-working coach. He was a stimulating leader, a charming speaker, and a supporter of children - as both a coach and the founder of The Second Mile (a charity for troubled youths). People believed in him unconditionally, because his track record and active participation in the community gave them good reasons to do so.
But pillars of a community don't run; they crumble. And crumble down, Sandusky did - toppling an historic, model collegiate football program and the positive public perception of Penn State University in the process. The scandal ultimately brought down Paterno and school president Graham Spanier for failing to stop it.
And as much as many would like to think justice has been served and the entire ordeal is a wrap ... well, that's just not the case. Nothing is ever that simple.
While Sandusky has to be held responsible for his individual choices and pathologies - and the absoluteness and swiftness of the verdict have, at the very least, achieved this, whether the 68-year-old agrees with or comprehends the jury's decision - it does not truly bring closure to this horrific story. His victims - survivors, really - and their families will need years, perhaps decades, of professional counseling to try and grasp some aspect of a "normal" life. His legal counsel has already indicated it will appeal the decision, regardless of how futile this gesture may appear to the vast majority of observers - thus prolonging the public specter. And other trials are still pending; Penn State, Sandusky and The Second Mile will likely face multiple civil lawsuits demanding monetary damages in the future, and both PSU senior vice president Gary Schultz and Athletic Director Tim Curley have been charged with grand jury perjury and failure to report suspected child abuse - the indictment accuses each of not only failing to inform law enforcement, but falsely telling the grand jury assistant coach Mike McQueary never informed them of sexual activity.
(McQueary testified that he witnessed Sandusky raping a boy in a shower in the Penn State locker room. He reported the incident to Paterno, who informed Curley and Schultz, who oversaw the Penn State police department at the time. Ultimately, the only action taken by Curley and Schultz was to order Sandusky not to bring any children from The Second Mile to the football building - an action approved by Spanier.)
Further, while Sandusky was the most culpable individual here, he was not alone in these transgressions. The whole lot of them - McQueary, Paterno, Curley, Schultz, Spanier, maybe even more administrators - all failed miserably in this tale.
Too few spoke too little and too late - if at all - in this scandal, which left a trail of broken moral compasses in its wake.
Paterno wasn’t charged, but when Sandusky was found guilty, Paterno (who died five months to the day of the verdict) was found equally guilty. As was Schultz, Curley and Spainer. Guilty of protecting a football program before a child.
Guilty! Guilty! Guilty!
Fucking bastards.
It reminds one of the response the Catholic Church had in years past when allegations of child sex abuse were made against priests. Rather than turn the matter over to the relevant law enforcement agency, they investigated the matter internally, paid off witnesses, and moved priests around to other churches where they would inevitably molest again. Ironically, the day of the verdict, the Pennsylvania courts rendered another high-profile sex offender conviction, as Monsignor William Lynn was found guilty of child endangerment becoming the first U.S. church official convicted of a crime for mishandling abuse claims. According to the charges, the 61-year-old Lynn helped the archdiocese keep predators in the ministry, and the public in the dark, by telling parishes their priests were being removed for health reasons and then sending the men to unsuspecting churches.
"One of the recurring themes of the witnesses' testimony, which came from the voices of the victims themselves in this case, was, 'Who would believe a kid?'" Pennsylvania Attorney General Linda Kelly said in addressing the media after the verdict was announced. "And the answer to that question is, we here in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania, would believe a kid. And as reflected by this verdict, we all just heard a jury here most definitely would, and did, believe a kid."
Well, now we do. At least 14 years and 10 victims later.
Kelly and other members of the law enforcement community are hopeful not only will other Sandusky victims come forward now that "the monster" has been convicted, but the case will motivate other survivors to come forward, as well as encourage more prosecutors to vigorously pursue cases of sexual violence.
Ironically, Sandusky chose silence throughout and after the trial. He didn't take the stand. He didn't address the media. Even as he was being led away in handcuffs, to spend the first night of his many future nights as a convicted felon, he never made a noise.
His silence was deafening.
Who knows - maybe the older generation will finally take voices of the future more seriously. Finally.
Note: RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network) is the nation’s largest anti-sexual violence organization. The National Sexual Assault Hotline number is 800-656-HOPE ). Pass it on.
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