Despite all the news making headlines in Maine this week, we find our attention riveted by the growing scandal enveloping Pennsylvania State University and its iconic football coach Joe Paterno.
Based on what little is known, the story is a parent’s worst nightmare involving a retired defensive coordinator for the football team preying on underprivileged boys. This abuse allegedly went on for years.
What is really galling is the appearance that people who could have and should have done something to stop the alleged abuse, did nothing or next to nothing.
The people involved in the Penn State situation are currently reaping what they have sown. They deserve what they are getting.
What does concern us, as it concerns parents everywhere, is the image of a bogeyman jumping out of the closet to threaten our children.
It is true, that pedophiles are often the people we least suspect: the popular coach or youth leader or church deacon. When a case like the one at Penn State breaks, part of the pain is the betrayal of trust by the last person people would have suspected of such a thing.
However, it is also true that such criminals are the exception and not the rule. The overwhelming majority of parents, coaches, teachers, deacons, scout leaders, et al, would sooner saw off their own right arm with a rusty butter knife than harm one of the young charges in their care.
For every priest who condemned himself to hell through his own actions, there are thousands of others who spent their lives quietly following their path of righteousness. It is too easy to lump them all together, but it would be wrong to do so.
Yes, we need to remain vigilant because the world can be a scary, dangerous place but we cannot and should not allow our fears to overshadow the essential goodness in most people.
