I can hardly add more to the sadly unfolding mess at Penn State where witnessed and horrific child abuse apparently committed by Jerry Sandusky, former Assistant Coach and well known founder of The Second Mile charity, is just now coming to light.
Lots of fingers are rightly being pointed at those who knew at least something about this and chose silence rather than decisive action. Silence at the very least means complicity—and goodness knows how many young lives have been severely damaged at the altars of winning football and closed ranks of powerful people. Further revelations suggest there may have been abuses, both financial and sexual, within The Second Mile charity.
The lure of money and power will almost always win when in a game with a whistle blower against injustice and evil—especially when it is one’s own money and power at stake.
Secrecy continues to hold its insidious power against the vulnerable. “Don’t tell anyone,” the predators say or “something terrible will happen to you or your parents.” More than that, who would believe a child who says a respected leader did something unspeakable to him or her?
Then there is the shame associated with these particular violations. Those coming public are never looked upon the same by family or friends. Names may not be identified in the press, but those close to the situation know.
What will it take to have a society where people will stand up to these predators? What will it take to stop this?
As I work through my anguish here, I acknowledge that we have come a long way toward forming a more just society. There are laws on the books requiring equal justice for people of all colors and ethnic backgrounds, although just about everyone knows there is a different justice for the rich than there is for the poor.
But at least we have the laws. We have stated, “It is wrong for one people to enslave another.” “It is wrong to make housing or schooling decisions based on skin color or ethnicity.” Clearly we know, “It is wrong to sexually prey on children.” These are important steps. We know this—but apparently some people just haven’t gotten the message yet.
These kinds of things just won’t stop until more people have the courage to speak up. That courage comes at great cost.
We offer child-care at our church. We are required by law to report suspected child abuse or situations where we have reason to believe the children are being brought up in households where illegal drug use is rampant. We’ve had to make calls. The program loses money as a result. So much easier to be quiet and fill the coffers. Lots more reward for doing that as well.
Silence pays.
Speaking out opens a more treacherous path, one rarely rewarded—except in the privacy of conscience knowing perhaps one more child might get protection. Maybe.
But there’s another side to this story: because as a nation we now do have a very much heightened consciousness about child sexual abuse, the possibility of wrongful accusations must be addressed.
I don’t know how many remember the McMartin Preschool abuse trials. A seven-year investigation and prosecution led to no convictions—because there had been no crimes committed. Nonetheless, lives were ruined. It was a modern day Salem witch trial.
We look for scapegoats on which to pin the ills of society. We want to blame someone else for our tribulations and keep the focus off our own stuff.
We must all learn to “dwell in the cell of self-knowledge.” Those words were penned by a 14th century woman, Catherine of Siena, who was eventually granted sainthood partly because of her courage and willingness to speak out.
When we know ourselves, our own weaknesses and propensity to sin, we may speak with humility AND courage. That’s when real change begins.
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