Doing what’s RIGHT, not just what’s “legally required”

There are some things I’ll never understand.

Trigonometry.

The fascination with “Jersey Shores”.

How anyone could catch a pedophile IN THE ACT OF ABUSING A CHILD and just walk away. Without stopping the sicko (and following up with kicking the living shit out of him). Without calling the police immediately to report the sleazebag.

Or how anyone who’d been told “I just witnessed a boy being anally raped in the shower” could refrain from calling the police immediately. Or demanding that the pedophile be held immediately legally accountable for his heinous actions. Or following up to say “hey, this guy is still around young boys, who he likes to anally rape, so why isn’t this scumbag getting a 10 inch dose of karma down at the county jail right now?”

Or how people can be so enamored with a sports team or a school or an individual that they will riot and destroy property, while failing to consider that the issue at stake is that YOUNG CHILDREN were victimized, failing to consider that the children who were victimized are older now and are watching while those who were in a position of authority are somehow transformed into heroes by, at best, misguided protesters.

I’m talking, of course, about the story out of Penn State this week. Maybe it’s because I’m a parent. Maybe it’s because I couldn’t care less about sports. Or maybe I just have the life experience that those rioting college kids don’t yet have, the experience that prevents me from feeling invincible and untouchable. Maybe it’s because I’ve had my own experiences with being victimized by adults who knew what they did was wrong and horrible, and I can’t help but empathize with the children who were preyed upon by a pedophile in a position of trust and power.

All I DO know is that I feel rage – white-hot, pure rage – when I think about how badly the victims (the children who were abused are the ONLY victims, by the way – not some awesome coach or some school’s reputation) were failed by the adults who they relied upon to protect them.

It really should go without saying, but apparently it needs to be said, taught to teachers and coaches and administrators, written by a skywriter, posted in every office and locker room, and so on. In case anyone, aside from the pedophile and all of his enablers and accomplices, needs to have some clarification, I thought it’d be helpful to put this out there in no uncertain terms.

IF YOU SEE OR KNOW ABOUT A CHILD BEING ABUSED:

1)      Call the police

2)      Tell everyone related to the abuser – his bosses, his co-workers, his family and friends – that he is an abuser and should not be around children under any circumstances

3)      Call the police again to follow-up

4)      Tell the parents of the children you know have been abused about what you’ve witnessed

5)      Help the parents press for criminal charges, find mental health services for the children, or anything else that may be needed in order to help and support the children who were victimized

6)      If the bosses, police, or others in authority don’t take swift and definitive action, call the damned press and have THEM lean on whoever in authority needs to be leaned on to do the right thing

7)      Did I mention calling the police?

Really, how hard is this to wrap your head around?

What horrific things must people in the sports world be caught doing in order for them to stop getting a free pass? Apparently, if you want to get away with rape, pedophilia, driving drunk, fighting dogs, spousal abuse or any other illegal offense, being in the realm of sports is the right career for you. As long as you can help lead a team to victory, by all means, let’s turn a blind eye to any unsavory behavior for which you may be responsible. As long as you bring in a lot of revenue for your school or organization, feel free to be as reprehensible of an excuse for a person possible.

It’s shameful that anyone would dare to say “aww, poor staff members who’ve lost their jobs”, while there have been (so far) EIGHT VICTIMS who have come forward to say they felt powerless against an adult in whom they and their families placed their trust. Statistically speaking, how many more victims have yet to report their sexual abuse? And how many more will never speak up, but will live with the fallout of being a victim of sexual abuse?