June 15, 2005

Fighting on against child abuse

UNITED STATES
Cincinnati Enquirer

Editorials

Michael Jackson's child molestation trial had the air of a carnival about it, and his acquittal Monday the mood of a fan club meeting.

But while a man found not guilty has a right to celebrate his exoneration, let us never confuse the gravity of the issue at hand with the lighthearted mood surrounding this verdict. ...

Monday, while cheering fans chased after Jackson's caravan, some local residents surely noted in a far different way the death of Earl Bierman, a former priest in Northern Kentucky convicted of molesting six adolescent boys and named in dozens more abuse reports.

The selfish arrogance of Bierman's crimes and his unrepentant attitude toward his victims remind us why sexual abuse makes such supremely poor fodder for "humor," and why children's accusations must never be easily dismissed.

Recently the Diocese of Covington proposed a $120 million settlement to acknowledge and address victims' suffering at the hands of abusive priests. The dollar amount sent shock waves, - would it bankrupt the diocese? Who will end up paying for it? - but those questions are better asked of the moral, not financial, effect of abuse.

From that angle, the answers are easy: A climate in which sexual abuse can occur will bankrupt any organization. And clearly, we all end up paying for it.

Posted by kshaw at June 15, 2005 08:52 AM