Letters from Linden
by JACK LINDEN
There is a blindness in America when it comes to the sexual predator – whether it be a predator of boys or girls.
While the scandal in the Roman Catholic Church has made headlines, not enough is being done to protect young boys, girls and women. There are laws now about sexual harassment in employment, but what is really happening in society regarding the sexual assault on women?
In a recent news story, a Roman Catholic monsignor was convicted and sentenced to prison for three to six years for not reporting the priests who molested children. Is this a severe enough penalty? Take into consideration how many children were involved and how the priests were moved from parish to parish without so much as a warning to the future parishioners. Very few charges have been brought against those covering up the crimes.
There is even less outcry about the sexual assault and abuse of women. For much too long in history, women have been considered as “lesser” than men. Being lower of status is bad enough, but they have been denied rights and privileges and, in some cases, considered nothing more than chattel. This is not only true in some religions but in the justice system as well.
During the past few weeks, two glaring examples of the miscarriage of justice in rape cases have been in the news. One involved a drill sergeant in the Air Force who was charged with several counts of rape and sexual abuse of 10 female recruits. His punishment meted out by the military judges – 20 years in prison. He will be eligible for parole in six years. That is justice. He will be dishonorably discharged and reduced in rank.
But his life will go on without the psychological impact the women he abused will face. Is there an outcry from the American public? NO!
In another incident, another man, a civilian, was sentenced to two years in prison for raping two women. Is this justice? Two years for two charges of rape is not justice.
There is now discussion about whether justice is truly being served in the Penn State-Sandusky child molestation case. The argument? Whether the ruling handed down by the NCAA was too harsh. Too harsh? Think about all those children. I think not.
It is time we demanded the same justice for crimes against women and young children. We must throw aside the notion that women be held in lower esteem than men. Let us forget the assumption that Eve was the cause of all the problems in the world. Remember, Adam was punished the same way Eve was. There was no double standard.
