Harrisburg, PA 56°F
I'm not a Penn State fan. Having been born in Michigan, my allegiances lie more with the University of Michigan than they do with teams from my adopted state.
I am, however, a fan of fairness. Like many others, my eyes are drawn to the Jerry Sanduski scandal playing daily on the television. I see the front page editorial on our local newspaper. I hear the outrage and calls for Paterno to step down. I get caught up in the media hysteria myself, wondering how such a thing can happen; how a person could be legally right, but morally wrong.
Then a though comes to me - what if Sandusky didn't do it?
Don't get me wrong, I'm all for locking him up in the darkest dungeon and tossing the key. If he indeed molested children, children under his care, children who were at his camps to better their lives, then he deserves no leniency. None at all. And if Joe Pa made one phone call and then brushed it off with no follow up calls to police, then he too was wrong, at least morally.
But again - what if?
Humans are intense creatures, and protective of our children. When we hear of accusations such as these, they tear at our very souls. We feel such strong emotions that sometimes we forget. We forget that we are in the USA, where everyone - everyone, is innocent until proven guilty. The media itself often forgets this, plastering images and stories for all to see, with the bent that yes - guilt is there, it is widespread, and there are many at fault.
One doesn't need to stop at the Penn State scandal. The current crop of presidential hopefuls is another case in point. Did Cain sexually abuse the women who claim that he did? The media certainly seems to think that he has.
We need to do away with our hysteria and drop the mob mentality. Convicting without trial makes all of us guilty of our own transgressions. Evidence is needed, testimony will come out, and a jury will decide. The media needs to stop appointing themselves judge and jury. We need to stop following the lead of a few and think for ourselves. We need to wait. We need to consider how many innocent people can be hurt when we allow hype to rule the day.
And if it is shown that Cain did abuse his accusers? Obviously he is not presidential material.
Penn State, Sandusky, Paterno and the rest? If Sandusky is proven guilty in a court of law, jail is too good for him; and the staff that covered it up is just as culpable - they too need to be held accountable. It is up to the courts, not the media, to try them.
How do you feel on this subject? Let us know.
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