Don’t Forget Who the Real Victims Are

I don’t care how great the speeches were, how long the team reigned supreme or how many titles were secured. None of that negates the fact that years upon years of abuse were overlooked and numerous helpless, hopeless little boys were left to cope in silence. Those children didn’t have a voice. Any one of those officials, if they cared more about human life than victories or glory, could have been that for them. They failed them. They failed us.

How do you excuse that abomination? This is not a difference of opinion. It’s not about disagreeing with taste or style, coaching or play books. It’s not even about a man’s transgressions. It’s about right and wrong. And power, money, ego and greed.

We teach our kids to display good sportsmanship, to accept defeat and be gracious when they lose. What is it saying when this kind of thing happens and we stomp our feet complaining about what we lost instead of those boys? We teach them to be honest, decent, kind people and to stand up for themselves and others. So what do we tell them when the people in charge, the coaches and mentors, the leaders they look up to acted more like followers and cowardly ones at that? Because it’s no longer t-ball and, instead, a Division I school it’s now somehow acceptable?

Consequences exist for a reason. Sadly, this kind of thing is going on all over our country — in our homes and in our schools. The verdict doesn’t take away the pain of those violated nor will it eradicate all of the sexual predators out there but, if far-reaching, example-making, harsh punishment was not enforced and instilled, it would be as if we were saying it was okay. Okay to turn the other way when our children are being molested and raped. Okay because it wasn’t us who did it. Okay because if we pretend we didn’t see it, suspect it, hear or read about it, it almost didn’t happen. Okay because we’re afraid of the ramifications. Okay because athletics, records and a legend and otherwise good man’s reputation are at stake.

I’m relieved Penn State is being made an example of. I’m thankful they’re finally being held responsible for what they ignored and covered up for so long. I’m thrilled that the money they’re fined will go to victims of child abuse. Hopefully others will pay attention, speak up, the sickos will zip up and we’ll start to put an end to this epidemic.

Many of you still have your happy memories from Happy Valley, untainted from the stripping of the record and fining of the school. But those boys? Those boys most likely spent their young lives being afraid, ashamed and alone. And you can bet that those incidents manifested in their adult lives, causing trouble for their family and friends and that they’re now grown men still having nightmares, sons to parents whose hearts broke years ago never to be repaired. And, in their wake, there are most likely others being abused because those who never sought help, never spoke up, are repeating the vicious cycle of violence. And there are boys and girls, living carefree summer days right now, unaware that their innocence is about to be stolen, their life forever tainted the moment the next sexual predator walks into their world.

So every time your knee-jerk reaction is to hop on the bandwagon of “it’s not fair” or “innocent people are being punished for something they didn’t do,” think about those kids, now adults, and their kids. Think about how fair it was for them. Think about your own children, grandchildren, nephews and nieces. Think about any innocent human life being violated in such a horrific way. They’re worth the losses, aren’t they? If this ruling makes one person, just one, speak up, stand up, blow the whistle or seek help for for a voiceless child, isn’t it worth it? While the ruling doesn’t take the pain away or erase the past, and to many of you, it doesn’t seem just, it’s one step closer, no matter how small, to ensuring this kind of thing never happens again. And, I, for one, think that’s worth a few titles.