Filthy. Nasty. Dirty.

I wanted to participate in Writer's Workshop today, but I can't.

Tuesday, Mickey called me about 4:00 p.m. and told me not to have the news on.  I thought, the world was ending, because whatever it was was already on the news at 4:00.  Nah...he listens to the radio while he works--sports radio, in particular.  One of his best friends in town has a sports radio show.

I am not that into sports.  I've tried, but unless it's Conan the Librarian at the Academic Bowl, I pretty much can't tell what is going on.

Monday we had heard that a story had broken out of somewhere in PA.  This place is sometimes known as Happy Valley and may go by State College or University Park. I find this interesting as hell.  Please read on.

Allegations of child molestation taking place on campus with the knowledge of one of the most venerated coaches in the history of college football was released over the weekend.  By Tuesday afternoon, more information had been released and Mickey called to make sure that the kids would not hear, because he was ill from hearing it, and worried that this would taint his home life.  He lost track of time.  And the fact that our kids are not big into current events.  Yeah, homeschool fail.  I get it.

This morning, he opened up ESPN.com to find that the university had fired their football coach, Joe Paterno, and university president, Graham Spanier.  Well, okay.  No cheering, here.  That is what they ought to have done. If there is anyone in the building they think might have shook hands ~eeeuuuhhh~ with Jerry Sandusky, they should be gone too.  In my opinion, University assets need to be broken up, sanitized for the public's protection, and sold off and the proceeds divided evenly amongst the families of every child or family ever associated with the Second Mile Foundation.

But wait.

On the release of the news that Paterno was fired, students rioted in the streets saying,"F*** the Media!!!"  We want "JoePa."  Thousands of students defending Paterno's job, went even so far as to overturn a TV van.

Is it just me?  Or is there a problem here?

1) My first glaring issue, is that in a group of a 2000 people, assuming 50% male, there would be roughly 150 men who were sexually abused before age 16.  And yet...

2)  This is not the first instance I have heard of of "adults" rioting in the streets over someone's right to commit a moral wrong without fear of punishment.  I ask you, Person-Who-Has-Reached-The-Age-of-Majority, if that was your little brother, would it be okay? *

3) For once, in the history of one person telling the story to another, the media is not to blame.  Sandusky raped little boys.  He was on campus as recently as last week. To blame the media is absurd.


3)I lie awake worrying about my kids.  We have had close calls (Creepy Neighbor is a maladjusted old guy.  People know him as okay. But he lied.).  There are some things that freaked me out when the girls were small and I don't have answers.   When I think that the parents of these babies trusted these adults to protect and care for their sons.  I am speechless with rage. Whenever I allow another person to care for my child, I am trusting them to care for my child as I would. These people's trust has been betrayed.  And somehow, some way.  People SAW IT WITH THEIR EYES, and didn't call the cops.  For 10 damn years.

Is it okay for an institution to maintain an environment where the exploitation of children is overlooked and young adults are encouraged to defend the rights of the child molester and those who knowingly protected them for 10 years?  If you didn't have time to check the filthy, nasty, dirty links, Joe Paterno knew it was going on for ten years and it looked like he was never going to tell.  He offered to retire "at the end of the season".  The university said, "That's okay.  Get out."  If it were my child, this would be too little, too late.

Untouchable.

They thought they were untouchable.

And as to the young adults rioting in the streets.  There is a right and a wrong here. They tore stuff up.  That is how animals behave.  If you have a case, compose yourself.  Write down your thoughts in order and make an appointment with the Board of Curators of the University.  It is high time, we stop teaching children there isn't one right answer, but whatever they feel is what they should go by. They felt like raising hell.

Can't you just wait until the U.S. Senate is empty because all the different parties are beating each other with 2x4s in the streets.  And yelling, "F*** [this]!!!", a lot, because that is so intelligent.

These kids have high self esteem and feel that if they tantrum hard enough, they can convince the person in charge to change their minds, even if it is wrong. They need to feel they are in control, but they have no idea how to communicate respectfully.  (Wait, I feel like I have said this before).

To be honest, I think they saw it as an excuse to raise hell in the streets and say, "Sorry, I didn't know any better, I am just a young person and I will not be taking responsibility."  (wait, haven't I written this post already this week?).

This is not okay.  It simply isn't alright.

If there is any good here, it is that somewhere, there is a boy.

There is a boy who can look his abusers in the eye and say, "You are a filthy, nasty, dirty animal.  You hurt me."

Let's hope the streets are not filled with out of control adults protesting that the community of pedophiles and their benefactors have their feelings too.

I just have to stop writing.  There is not an end.




*This question originally came from this commentor.  Not me.