Regardless of what happens to Herman Cain's presidential aspirations as he fights off the latest accusation, the real sex scandal of our time has nothing to do with him. Nor with any of the other politicians--pick your favorites--who have slept with someone other than their spouse. Really, we ought to grow up. These are dalliances.
The real scandal is something altogether different and goes far beyond sexual indiscretion into the deviant world of child predation.
Though Penn State football has moved off the front pages for awhile, the men's basketball team at Syracuse is poised to take its place. There, long-time associate coach Bernie Fine was fired on Sunday for child sexual abuse allegations, and we await the fate of others around him.
We have a curious relationship with our children. On the one hand, we adulate them, celebrating their every accomplishment however insignificant. On the other hand, we desert them, averting our eyes from the reality of predators among us.
On Monday night Syracuse head coach Jim Boeheim defended his support for his friend. Then he added, "What people do outside the program, I have very little if any control over adults." This is a sorry statement, whether or not Bernie Fine is found guilty. It's the thinking that has gotten us where we are today.
True, we may not be able to stop the impulsive behavior of predators. But surely we can find ways to keep them away from our children.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment