Robert Steven Williams wonders what a moral compass is when it’s not even being guided by morals.
Money didn’t molest those kids in Happy Valley, but money smashed the moral compass that caused those in power to not stop a known pedophile. The Penn State football program is the third-highest revenue-producing program in the country, generating over $50 million a year (not counting the impact success has on alumni donations).
The Catholic Church faced a similar dilemma with its pedophile priests. The Church brand was too valuable to be put at risk even though children were being molested.
Money and power were also at the root of why the global financial system almost collapsed in 2008. Those running the major banks understood better than anyone what was happening, but they were making too much money, and when the music finally stopped, they knew better than anyone that there would be enough blame to spread around so that they personally, as well as their firms, would survive.
Coming clean is costly. Covering up is worse, unless of course, you don’t get caught.
It’s naïve to think that the moral compass of those in power is always guided by doing the right thing. Their allegiance is often to their money, their legacy, their influence. They will always do what is in their best interest, whether it’s the church, a banker, a politician, a university trustee, or a head coach.
And yet in today’s world of instant access, cell phone cameras, and social media, covering up gets harder. If that 2002 shower incident had happened today, an iPhone photo would have put an end to Sandusky’s “horsing around” in an instant.
But many in power are still of a pre-Internet age. They don’t get how the world has changed. All the money and all the power in the world can’t stop a photo uploaded to a Twitter account. Ask those still alive who once ruled Egypt, Tunisia, and Libya about that.
Social Media and the increasing prevalence of smart phones should provide incentive for those in power to do the right thing, even if it’s for the wrong reasons.
But until that happens, improved oversight by government agencies, board of directors, and university trustees will go a long way in keeping those in charge focused on realizing that doing the right thing maximizes long-term brand value.
Unfortunately for those kids, the damage is done. Hopefully all of this attention will bring sharper focus to oversight to create an environment that ensures swift action the next time something like this occurs.
—Photo psd/Flickr
About Robert Steven Williams
“Money didn’t molest those kids in Happy Valley, but money smashed the moral compass that caused those in power to not stop a known pedophile. ”
Excuse me? There is nothing wrong with being a pedophile. Would you stop a “known straight man”? For what?!
Pedophilia is a sexual orientation. That means that the people with it are not “evil” and are not necesarily rapists! Pedophiles are NOT child molesters, just like an heterosexual is NOT a rapist.
A pedophile can be a GREAT person, just like anyone else. There are good and bad heterosexuals, homosexuald and pedophiles. Just because you have a different sexual orientation doesnt mean you are “evil”. Just because you are attracted to children doesnt mean you are molester, or a “predator”.
Most pedophiles find about their sexual orientation when they are teenagers, between 12 and 16 years old. And they grow up feeling like shit, because of people like you. Because of people who say
“Pedophiles will often ally themselves with trusted organizations as a means of getting themselves trusted by children. After earning trust, the pedophile will begin to initiate physical contact.”
Do you think there is NOTHING wrong with those sentences? You are generalizing the behaviour of some members of a group, to all members of said group!
If some asian man kills a woman, and someone wrote
“Asians are killing our women, damn asians”
Wouldnt that be ignorant and bigoted?
And yet you do the same against pedophiles!! You generalize and demonize people based on their sexual condition! You wrote things that make people feel like shit because of their sexual orientation! Many pedophile teenagers and young people feel like shit because people like you make offensive generalizations like the ones you make.
Demonizing pedophiles because of their sexual orientation is the same as demonizing homosexuals for their sexual orientation. No one chooses to what he/she is attracted. No one chooses to be a pedophile. And you can be a pedophile and be an EXCELLENT person and GREAT human being. Sure, there are bad pedophiles, just like there are bad homosexuals or heterosexuals. But having a different sexual orientation does NOT turn you into a child molester!
http://www.b4uact.org/facts.htm
“Money didn’t molest those kids in Happy Valley, but money smashed the moral compass that caused those in power to not stop a known pedophile. ”
Excuse me? There is nothing wrong with being a pedophile. Would you stop a “known straight man”? For what?!
Pedophilia is a sexual orientation. That means that the people with it are not “evil” and are not necesarily rapists! Pedophiles are NOT child molesters, just like an heterosexual is NOT a rapist.
A pedophile can be a GREAT person, just like anyone else. There are good and bad heterosexuals, homosexuald and pedophiles. Just because you have a different sexual orientation doesnt mean you are “evil”. Just because you are attracted to children doesnt mean you are molester, or a “predator”.
Most pedophiles find about their sexual orientation when they are teenagers, between 12 and 16 years old. And they grow up feeling like shit, because of people like you. Because of people who say
“Pedophiles will often ally themselves with trusted organizations as a means of getting themselves trusted by children. After earning trust, the pedophile will begin to initiate physical contact.”
Do you think there is NOTHING wrong with those sentences? You are generalizing the behaviour of some members of a group, to all members of said group!
If some asian man kills a woman, and someone wrote
“Asians are killing our women, damn asians”
Wouldnt that be ignorant and bigoted?
And yet you do the same against pedophiles!! You generalize and demonize people based on their sexual condition! You wrote things that make people feel like shit because of their sexual orientation! Many pedophile teenagers and young people feel like shit because people like you make offensive generalizations like the ones you make.
Demonizing pedophiles because of their sexual orientation is the same as demonizing homosexuals for their sexual orientation. No one chooses to what he/she is attracted. No one chooses to be a pedophile. And you can be a pedophile and be an EXCELLENT person and GREAT human being. Sure, there are bad pedophiles, just like there are bad homosexuals or heterosexuals. But having a different sexual orientation does NOT turn you into a child molester!
http://www.b4uact.org/facts.htm