As I first heard the news a few weeks ago about the Penn State Scandal, my feelings have even developed into much more anger and disgust. Here you have a grown man, a major figure at a highly ranked university, a non profit organizer, who had the audacity to take advantage of underprivileged children to which the organization was supposed to be helping. The Second Mile's tag-line reads-"Providing Children with Help and Hope," and their mission-"To help young people, particularly those in need to achieve their potential." Sandusky clearly did not succeed in the organization's mission, in fact, he provided more reason for those young individuals to suffer more and be worse off than when they came to the organization for the help they were supposedly going to be provided with. Mr. Sandusky, sexual abuse is not the way you provide children and young youth with the opportunity to reach their potential. You took away those innocent years by enforcing your sick demonic ways onto them.
I sat here this evening and listened to the Rock Center interview Sandusky conducted via telephone with Bob Costas and could not believe what I was hearing. He stated on a few occasions in the interview that he showered with young boys. Whom in their right mind would shower with young children and think that its ok? Bob Costas asked if he had a liking for young boys and he couldn't answer that question straight up. Sandusky says, "I enjoy young people's company"...what the fuck? Nah, that isn't going to fly Mr. Sandusky. When asked if the grad intern caught you in the shower having sexual intercourse you said no but I did take a shower with the child and "horse played" around with him, slapping him on his but with a towel. When asked if it were true if a janitor caught him performing oral sex on a child, Sandusky says that's not true. Bob Costa asked, "well why would these people that say they caught you lie and say these things" Sandusky says, I don't know you'd have to ask them. Not very convincing or the sounds of innocence at all! Nor is this normal behavior for a grown man.
Please let me not forget the Graduate assistant that allegedly saw these actions taking place. I guess he thought he did the right thing by going to tell Joe Paterno about what he saw. No, fail again Penn State alum. What he should have done was go and whoop Sanduky's ass on sight, then call the cops. That's sure ass hell what I would have done or any other morally and ethically sane human being. In my opinion he is just as sick as Sandusky. Moving on from the grad assistant, let me go to the head coach, Mr. Paterno. Mr. Paterno, the face of the institution, decided to go to the Athletic Director and say something. Did it not occur to him that this is of a serious matter and needed to be handled as such. What could have gone through these people minds as they received this type of news and did not go straight to authorities? It seems they all felt as if the reputation of the university, the reputation of those adult individuals was more important than the lives of those children. What is done in the dark comes to light. Karma is a mutha! As they all are witnessing now.
As, I may have stronger feelings than most in regards to this issue, I know that mostly everyone out there can understand how child sexual abuse affects children from the time of the occurrence of the abuse until adulthood and even further. As in most cases of abuse, and especially when there are public figures and institutions involved, the victims are overlooked. Penn State's reputation and image has been rocked, Joe Paterno's legacy has been tarnished, but those victims will forever remain with the horrific reality of what took place in their childhood and is now being exposed publicly.
I believe in speaking out in order to raise awareness for child sexual abuse. This is an epidemic that continues to spread rapidly. It is shun upon in many cultures and not talked about. But the truth of the matter remains that child sexual abuse happens more often than anyone thinks and wants to acknowledge. Every six minutes, a child is sexually abused in this country. Two-hundred forty children are sexually abused each day. One in four girls and one in six boys are sexually abused before their 18th birthday. So, as we go about our everyday lives and do our normal activities, there is a child somewhere out there being sexually abused, being robbed of their innocence, and changing their lives forever. Just think, it may even be happening or has happened in your family. What will it take for you to stand against child sexual abuse?
