For four days, the lead story on TV news has been the Penn State sex scandal. The offenses are horrific and shameful. But haven't we seen this show before and does it belong to be the lead story, four days running?
The Christian church, in the White House or among pages in Congress, or at Michael Jackson's Neverland Ranch: haven't we all been disappointed in the abuse of power at one time or another. Sex crimes by the high and mighty are like a broken record (it used to be that a scratch in a long playing record would cause the needle to jump to the beginning of the same track, for those who miss the reference).
My indignation is calibrated. I don't expect anything from big-time sports, whether college or professional, except to reveal what our culture masks.
By all means, prosecute the son of a bitch who abused children to the full extent of the law. Prosecute whoever covered up the crimes. So far as I can tell, none of the Penn State brass including Joe Paterno have been charged except in the court of public opinion.
I can think of half a dozen stories-- not to mention the impending implosion of the Euro zone-- that would make the lead story on the Eyeonmiami network news. Not Penn State, four days running. Instead of sex scandals we should be examining other abuses of power and authority on the front page-- how well, for example, did privatizing and outsourcing the functions of war benefit the United State taxpayer in Iraq or Afghanistan? What polluters are making billions by manipulating the Farm Bill and dumping mercury in the Everglades?
I mourn for the loss of innocence, but maybe the violent reaction at Penn State is about our own.
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