I do know something about a couple of things, after all.
Thursday, this issue came up on Facebook:
Facebook screencap @8:10 PM PDT 22 June 2012
I only say this because, when the Jerry Sandusky defense attorney came out and spoke half an hour ago, he said precisely that. Sandusky wanted to testify, they told him it would be disastrous, since the Prosecutor could have then brought Matt out as a “rebuttal witness” and they decided NOT to have Sandusky take the stand in his own defense.
Found guilty on 45 of 48 counts, according to the New York Times, and subject to a minimum of 60 years in prison, according to MSNBC.
Or, as the MSNBC host called him “a monster.”
Goya – The sleep of reason breeds monsters
I believe that he is a truly sick individual and needs institutional treatment every bit as much as punitive imprisonment. (See “The Story of a Child Predator.”)
But what is my voice against the whirlwind of the self-righteous and the modern equivalent of the torches and pitchforks crowd who would have stoned a “harlot” to death, but for the intercession of a bearded guy in sandals, fabled of story and film?
If we were to recognize that this is a widespread problem (a small but significant number, with yet another priest convicted yesterday) and work on isolating and treating — rather than smugly demonizing and imprisoning — I’m sure a lot more boys like me would have done what they could to get predators help.
Bill Maher made a funny joke about it tonight: Those death row inmates know what to do with child molesters.
Yeah. That’s how many steps up from the Middle Ages?
Still, I know a little something about criminal trial procedure and tactics.
Courage.
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A writer, published author, novelist, literary critic and political observer for a quarter of a quarter-century more than a quarter-century, Hart Williams has lived in the American West for his entire life. Having grown up in Wyoming, Kansas and New Mexico, a survivor of Texas and a veteran of Hollywood, Mr. Williams currently lives in Oregon, along with an astonishing amount of pollen. He has a lively blog His Vorpal Sword. This is cross-posted from his blog
A writer, published author, novelist, literary critic and political observer for a quarter of a quarter-century more than a quarter-century, Hart Williams has lived in the American West for his entire life. Having grown up in Wyoming, Kansas and New Mexico, a survivor of Texas and a veteran of Hollywood, Mr. Williams currently lives in Oregon, along with an astonishing amount of pollen. He has a lively blog, His Vorpal Sword (no spaces) dot com.