The Question of Evil

Over the last several days, the media dove deep into the controversy involving Jerry Sandusky, the ex-football Assistant Coach at Penn State University, and charges of child sex abuse that led to the firing of two top university executives and legendary college football coach, Joe Paterno.

In an interview airing on NBC's Meet the Press, Columnist David Brooks said the crime cover up and presumptive sexual abuse was allowed because people are not "alert to what evil is."

My immediate reaction to the punditry was disappointment in Brooks' comments to call this simply an evil act by a bad man.  I think that it over simplifies the circumstances leading to the sexual abuse if Sandusky is found responsible legally. His comments also do not put squarely on Sandusky's shoulders the burden of responsibility along with a community of sordid and benign silence that allowed the abuse to continue for at least fifteen years.

By calling these acts evil, it puts the Devil, Satan, and Evil as the proprietor of bad behavior instead of pointing the finger at people who we once saw as heroes, legends, and holders of our cultural and moral compass.  It also ignores the disappointment we experience in learning that those we trusted and honored with our highest esteem have fallen short in ways that seem mystifying.

Then, when our society comes around to recognizing the wrong that is done, gives voice to those who have been silenced by the power brokers sitting comfortably around fine tables in the back rooms, the community lifts their voices in a large cry, fists raised, and hearts heavy.  We, the community of the wronged, are reminded of the sickness that invaded our homes, minds, and polite conversation about college football.  Some of us will try to make sense of it by calling it evil, the Devil's handiwork.

I'd disagree.

Indeed it is wrong, immoral, a fundamental injustice to those most vulnerable in our society; children sweet talked and beguiled by a man, flesh and blood, real to the core.  I doubt the Devil made Sandusky do it. He probably is very sick mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually.

When the general public learns his story, they'll learn about a very troubled man.  I just don't think people care to really know what it takes to create a man like Jerry Sandusky. Another reaction would be for people to feel utterly overwhelmed by what they learn and some people's reaction will be to dumb it down and say, "See! I told you.  He was just evil."

We may learn that Jerry Sandusky is everything we want to believe and very much a person we have become accustomed to loving. My concern is that over a period of time when the lights go down, the cameras are turned off, and the attention of the media is directed toward the next celebrity marriage, somewhere in the shadows, right there in the back room of our community, there will be other Jerry Sanduskys of the world hoarding their private imaginary of morally disgusting fantasies with the off chance of sharing it with others. They secretly know their behavior is abhorrent and desire with everything left in their heart to be caught.

These pedophiles may be your brother, uncle, sister, parent, family friend, or long time acquaintance. I hope and pray that we each individually will not freeze as all those at Penn State did and really do something about it.  I fear one of the reasons that child sexual abuse continues is because the face of these individuals are all too familiar and look nothing like the evil we imagine in our hearts and minds.