by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Your Black World
Like the rest of America, I found myself getting sick after reading about the sex abuse scandal at Penn State University. The detailed reports are nothing less than mortifying, and I am among those who believe that this university should pay tens of millions to victims and their families in order to make things right. I also find myself wondering if anyone other than former Penn State Assistant Coach Jerry Sandusky should be going to jail over this – there appear to be numerous accomplices who should be losing more than just their jobs.
But a radio conversation I had this afternoon with Santita Jackson (the daughter of Rev. Jesse Jackson) led me to reflect on the buzz that this case has suddenly created within the African American community. Black folks are increasingly concerned about the fact that many of the victims were Black boys, and wondering if race created an additional layer of vulnerability. In light of this, I thought about a few things that I’m asking myself about this pathetic and tragic situation.
1) How many of those boys were Black?
Many of my associates noticed that media reports of the Penn State/Sandusky sex scandal featured a great deal of code language: At-risk youth, under-privileged kids, etc. In many circles, and in a country that enjoys hiding from racial realities, these words effectively mean “Black boys.” This is supplemented by the fact that many programs to “help” Black youth are also feeder programs for universities seeking to extract wealth from the extraordinary abilities of the Black male athlete. Based on my (as my friend calls it) “negro intuition,” I’m willing to bet that more than a few of these boys were Black.
The fact that the children might have been Black boys doesn’t make the scandal any worse than it already is. But it does create a heightened reaction from a community that is sick of seeing Black men victimized in far too many walks of life. It also leads some to wonder if race played a role in Sandusky’s fetishes, or the tone of the university’s response.
2) How did NCAA economic power play a role in the cover-up?
It’s a widely-known fact that the NCAA earns hundreds of millions of dollars each year on the backs of unpaid athletes. Many of these athletes come from underprivileged communities, and already find themselves dominated by the massive financial power of this professional sports league. Yes, I said “professional:” everyone in this league makes professional money except for the individuals who actually do the work. We can’t let a mere technicality keep us from calling out the system for what it is.
Former Penn State coach Joe Paterno and other administrators likely swept Sandusky’s activities under the rug because they were trying to protect their massive cash cow. In that regard, the university came to the concerted conclusion that protecting the reputation of the Penn State University football program was more important than protecting the innocence of young children. Only a keen addiction to the power of money can make a group of educated men and women do such an evil thing.
If the Penn State program were truly amateur (as the NCAA would like for us to believe), there would not be millions of dollars on the line and the Penn State football program would not have an economic value that matches many professional sports organizations. This would have made a difference in the degree to which administrators felt pressured to make unethical decisions to protect a billion dollar brand. In other words, the Penn State University sex scandal was yet another example of just how far NCAA members are willing to go in order to protect their wealth.
The Penn State/Sandusky child sex scandal is simply among the worst and latest of a slew of ethical compromises regularly made by universities that earn millions from collegiate athletics. Over the last 20 years, I’ve seen students taken out of classes for big games, having their majors changed to fit their football schedules, and even leaving college without ever learning how to read with administrators hiding the fact that the star on the team barely knows his A-B-Cs. The pattern is reprehensible, and reminds us of how NCAA athletic money has served to corrupt numerous institutions, turning them into a glaring hypocritical embodiment of capitalism gone wild.
3) Did race play a role in the way Penn State responded to the abuse?
One can only hope that race wasn’t a factor in the decision of leading Penn State officials to overlook a serial child predator in their ranks. But African Americans have good reason to be concerned and skeptical. When Black kids go missing, the media almost never notices. When Black children are being shot in “the hood,” nobody cares. Black men are incarcerated at holocaust proportions, but few politicians show even a hint of concern. In light of these realities, it’s not entirely inconceivable that Sandusky chose his targets for the same reason that many serial killers murder prostitutes with no family…..it’s easy to get away with the unthinkable when you go after the victim that no one cares about.
This leads me to my final question……
4) What if Jerry Sandusky was a Black man having sex with white boys?
While I hold that we don’t know the race of all the abused children, I truly believe that many of these young men were Black. While the race of the victim has no impact on the severity or relevance of the crime, it has been proven in numerous academic studies that race does impact the magnitude of the punishment. For example, had OJ Simpson not killed a white woman, his case would have been in the media for about a week.
The NCAA has ruined the careers of numerous Black male athletes over even the tiniest of infractions: Getting free tattoos, taking a few hundred dollars from a booster, or asking to be compensated in a manner that is remotely consistent with their massive market value. You would expect that an institution (the NCAA) that has the ability to catch an athlete taking free lunch would also be able to identify a man who has been sexually abusing children in campus facilities for decades. The truth, however, is that we tend to only find the things that we’re actually looking for, and I suspect that the desire to protect young men and women hardly inspires as much passion as the NCAA’s desire to protect its money – for example, the NCAA has no problem seeing the star player’s mother being evicted rather than share its money with the players and their families.
I can’t help but wonder if the Penn State scandal would have been swept under the rug had a Black coach (or athlete) been found abusing a young white kid in the showers in the same manner as Jerry Sandusky. Would the free passes Sandusky has received from the judge (who volunteered with his charity), prosecutors and the university have come to pass if the situation has been shaped differently? While we might presume that any Penn State coach would have been protected in the same way, it’s not difficult to speculate that race might be a factor in a case such as this.
Only time will tell how Penn State University overcomes one of the most tragic scandals in the history of college sports. But I hold to the premise that these kids were sold out for money, and it is for this reason that we should all be ashamed. Money and power can tarnish the soul, and the soul of Penn State University has been corrupted for all eternity.
Dr. Boyce Watkins is a Syracuse Professor and founder of ALARM, the Athlete Liberation Academic Reform Movement. To have Dr. Boyce commentary delivered to your email, please click here.
But a radio conversation I had this afternoon with Santita Jackson (the daughter of Rev. Jesse Jackson) led me to reflect on the buzz that this case has suddenly created within the African American community. Black folks are increasingly concerned about the fact that many of the victims were Black boys, and wondering if race created an additional layer of vulnerability. In light of this, I thought about a few things that I’m asking myself about this pathetic and tragic situation.
1) How many of those boys were Black?
Many of my associates noticed that media reports of the Penn State/Sandusky sex scandal featured a great deal of code language: At-risk youth, under-privileged kids, etc. In many circles, and in a country that enjoys hiding from racial realities, these words effectively mean “Black boys.” This is supplemented by the fact that many programs to “help” Black youth are also feeder programs for universities seeking to extract wealth from the extraordinary abilities of the Black male athlete. Based on my (as my friend calls it) “negro intuition,” I’m willing to bet that more than a few of these boys were Black.
The fact that the children might have been Black boys doesn’t make the scandal any worse than it already is. But it does create a heightened reaction from a community that is sick of seeing Black men victimized in far too many walks of life. It also leads some to wonder if race played a role in Sandusky’s fetishes, or the tone of the university’s response.
2) How did NCAA economic power play a role in the cover-up?
It’s a widely-known fact that the NCAA earns hundreds of millions of dollars each year on the backs of unpaid athletes. Many of these athletes come from underprivileged communities, and already find themselves dominated by the massive financial power of this professional sports league. Yes, I said “professional:” everyone in this league makes professional money except for the individuals who actually do the work. We can’t let a mere technicality keep us from calling out the system for what it is.
Former Penn State coach Joe Paterno and other administrators likely swept Sandusky’s activities under the rug because they were trying to protect their massive cash cow. In that regard, the university came to the concerted conclusion that protecting the reputation of the Penn State University football program was more important than protecting the innocence of young children. Only a keen addiction to the power of money can make a group of educated men and women do such an evil thing.
If the Penn State program were truly amateur (as the NCAA would like for us to believe), there would not be millions of dollars on the line and the Penn State football program would not have an economic value that matches many professional sports organizations. This would have made a difference in the degree to which administrators felt pressured to make unethical decisions to protect a billion dollar brand. In other words, the Penn State University sex scandal was yet another example of just how far NCAA members are willing to go in order to protect their wealth.
The Penn State/Sandusky child sex scandal is simply among the worst and latest of a slew of ethical compromises regularly made by universities that earn millions from collegiate athletics. Over the last 20 years, I’ve seen students taken out of classes for big games, having their majors changed to fit their football schedules, and even leaving college without ever learning how to read with administrators hiding the fact that the star on the team barely knows his A-B-Cs. The pattern is reprehensible, and reminds us of how NCAA athletic money has served to corrupt numerous institutions, turning them into a glaring hypocritical embodiment of capitalism gone wild.
3) Did race play a role in the way Penn State responded to the abuse?
One can only hope that race wasn’t a factor in the decision of leading Penn State officials to overlook a serial child predator in their ranks. But African Americans have good reason to be concerned and skeptical. When Black kids go missing, the media almost never notices. When Black children are being shot in “the hood,” nobody cares. Black men are incarcerated at holocaust proportions, but few politicians show even a hint of concern. In light of these realities, it’s not entirely inconceivable that Sandusky chose his targets for the same reason that many serial killers murder prostitutes with no family…..it’s easy to get away with the unthinkable when you go after the victim that no one cares about.
This leads me to my final question……
4) What if Jerry Sandusky was a Black man having sex with white boys?
While I hold that we don’t know the race of all the abused children, I truly believe that many of these young men were Black. While the race of the victim has no impact on the severity or relevance of the crime, it has been proven in numerous academic studies that race does impact the magnitude of the punishment. For example, had OJ Simpson not killed a white woman, his case would have been in the media for about a week.
The NCAA has ruined the careers of numerous Black male athletes over even the tiniest of infractions: Getting free tattoos, taking a few hundred dollars from a booster, or asking to be compensated in a manner that is remotely consistent with their massive market value. You would expect that an institution (the NCAA) that has the ability to catch an athlete taking free lunch would also be able to identify a man who has been sexually abusing children in campus facilities for decades. The truth, however, is that we tend to only find the things that we’re actually looking for, and I suspect that the desire to protect young men and women hardly inspires as much passion as the NCAA’s desire to protect its money – for example, the NCAA has no problem seeing the star player’s mother being evicted rather than share its money with the players and their families.
I can’t help but wonder if the Penn State scandal would have been swept under the rug had a Black coach (or athlete) been found abusing a young white kid in the showers in the same manner as Jerry Sandusky. Would the free passes Sandusky has received from the judge (who volunteered with his charity), prosecutors and the university have come to pass if the situation has been shaped differently? While we might presume that any Penn State coach would have been protected in the same way, it’s not difficult to speculate that race might be a factor in a case such as this.
Only time will tell how Penn State University overcomes one of the most tragic scandals in the history of college sports. But I hold to the premise that these kids were sold out for money, and it is for this reason that we should all be ashamed. Money and power can tarnish the soul, and the soul of Penn State University has been corrupted for all eternity.
Dr. Boyce Watkins is a Syracuse Professor and founder of ALARM, the Athlete Liberation Academic Reform Movement. To have Dr. Boyce commentary delivered to your email, please click here.
51 comments:
I've been waiting for someone to bring this up because I,as are most Black folks in America,am aware who the disadvantaged youth tend to be.The fact that Sandusky had a charity for young boys who were poor and probably lacking a father in the home,tells me that the reason the charity existed was to supply him with young boys.
He isn't the first or last pedophile whose work allows them access to boys(or girls for that matter),and the fact that some of these boys are Black tells me that he set out to prey on those most likely to not have recourse,as would be the case in a middle class white youth club.
It has just been announced that 10 more young men are filing charges against him and considering how long he had the charity-for over 30 years,we can expect many ,many more to follow suit.
It was also announced that the CEO of the charity has resigned.His annual salary was over 2 million dollars!
I'm in total agreement with your critical thinking its without doubt that the race of these young boys were of African desent.
All I'm going to say is support your HBCU , and fathers count . Too often we abdicate our responsibility and let others provide them "guidance "
There is no substance to this article. These comments reminds of a person who has to take an essay exam, has nothing to say, so he or she makes up an answer, and expects someone to get a grade. This uncharacteristic article by Dr. Watkins, receives an "F" from me. There is nothing here. Shame on you Dr. Boyce ...
It has been approximately 50 years since the Civil Rights Movement began. Many strides were made, legislation was passed and many barriers were removed, and still blacks, my own people, continue to complain about what 'the man has done and is doing to black people and black children. When will we overcome, Dr. Watkins. Far more happens to our children, unchecked, in black communities by blacks. Or haven't you ever heard of 'black on black crime'. This was and is a cheap and tawdry article that is full of slander and innuendo.
great article. this needed to be pointed out.
I have to agree there is a lot of suspicion and not much substance to this article. Friends of mine are Penn State graduates and had a boyfriends who played at Penn State. They've made remarks about how the players would have to help with the camps and how many kids were always in attendance, but have yet to say they were predominantly Black. The first victim to speak out has been a white kid...there's not enough to go on to toss the race card out just yet.
"While I hold that we don’t know the race of all the abused children, I truly believe that many of these young men were Black." As previous poster commented, there's no substance. "I truly believe" is not a fact. I also fear that these children, due to the adjectives used, may have been black or hispanic but crappy as it sounds, I'd think that the people being convicted, being white, would prey on white kids.
However, basing assumptions on assumptions is nothing more than a form of prejudice itself; Dr. Watkins, appears to have jumped the gun, and is guilty himself of doing what he is accusing the other side of doing. We refer to that as slander. What other races were 'not involved', and was and is it because they take care of their own. Fifty years, post-civil rights, we still aren't doing that in our black communities. When will we go after our own black racist pedophiles, murderers, drug dealers ... as opposed to issuing tawdry and speculative reports on the white community. Our children will remain victims of exploitation ... until we do!
The first victim's mother is white. We don't know if the child is also white. Whta I mean is, he could be half-black (not unheard of), so this 'whites abuse only other whites' is stupid. A pedophile lurks in the places he/she is most unlikely to be discovered. They don't stop to consider the race of the child. Remember the white boy who raped and kiled the little black girl in a Vegas bathroom? Think he stopped to consider if he really wanted to rape her 'cause she mwas black? All I see is Penn State 'circling the wagons' to protect everyone who actually knew and the money they make. That charity? Is it nothing more than a front for Sandusky and possibly more white men to rape boys? Let's call it what it is, child rape. Before you defend anyone in this case other than the victims, you might want to wait and see how many more victims step forward and how many enablers who knew, did nothing. Great article.
shame on you boyce...your position is extremely premature.
you play the race card when there is no evidence that any of the kids where black.
the problem--when there is evidence of racism...no one listens due to race baiters like you.
your speculations can be dangerous and irresponsible for black people.
shame on you...
Doc! Despite all your reservations, you knew the answers to your rhetorical questions before you asked them.
Much of America stills lives lies.
If we could return to the beginning of the 20th Century, if not before, and we were to read articles from black organs, for example 'The Crisis', we would read articles that have a similar theme and it is 'white racism'. Accurate perhaps at times, but more often than not, the real problem is being overlooked. We have been bequeathed a wonderful legacy and opportunity, given all of the sacrifices and hard-work done by both black and white freedom-fighters and liberators. The white race is not guilty here, and neither is all of the white race guilty of doing anything this time. If anything happened at all, let's wait for the evidence, and charge the guilty. And while doing that, let us again look at the articles being written today, that mirrors those that were written over the past 100 or so years. The question that we need to be asking ourselves is, when will we overcome, and stop blaming other people for our own shortcomings as a community. Someone has to say it, and I am certain that I am not the only one thinking it. Who victimized Rosa Parks while she sat alone in Detroit? Let's get mad at our criminal element, as much as Dr. Boyce wants us to get made at PSU. This article is what I will refer to as passive deflection or de facto truth as Dr. Boyce sees it!
Thank you Dr. Boyce for pointing out issues concerning Penn State that many of us were thinking. In my personal opinion Penn State should hang their head down in shame and close their doors.
I am a grown black man with two sons and two daughters. All of them are grown now. I am not given to tears but I am on the verge of it because of this ordeal. Reading the accounts of what took place makes me so angry and sad because I KNOW in my gut that this was covered up for money, influence, and the status of this organization. The young black male carnage that has been left in the wake of the NCAA sports machine is astounding to say the least! There is so much hypocrisy in the NCAA that I don't think I will ever see it the same. Watkins is right they don't give a rap about out kids unless they sign on the dotted line, and once they do they can then act like they own our kids. I truly believe that this incident at Penn State is the just the tip of the iceberg too! The jealousy that hides out in America coupled with the greed of these colleges has created a void where young black boys are being used and thrown away at a very alarming rate. Our children make the universities multi-millions of dollars by dangling a college education and possible professional sports careers in front of them. The facts are that a small percentage will ever see their dreams realized.
I HAVE loved college football. Now... I can't even look at these coaches without total skepticism, KNOWING that they are users at the core. The NCAA is a cesspool of corruption. Starting with Pop Warner and going on through high school the brain washing process is set in motion.
Mothers and fathers with athletically talented children, if you value your children it would behoove you trust none of these jokers. I don't care if it is Mike Krzyzewski, Les Miles, Joe Paterno, your friendly neighborhood little league or high school coach. None of them really have you or your child's best interests at heart. DO NOT TRUST THEM!! Stay involved at every level regardless of whether they like it or not. You hold the cards until your son or daughter signs on the dotted line. Most of our kids will leave these programs used up and with nothing to show for it unless we demand different! I was recruited by a major college program for football. I recall asking the assistant coach on a phone conversation after having been offered a full athletic scholarship whether the college had an architectural program. I was told that they only had architectural engineering. After pausing for a moment the coach said "but we do not encourage our student athletes to major in these kinds of curriculum. We prefer that they pursue majors like physical education." I turned it down and went to Howard U. were I ran track instead and majored in graphic design. That still bothers me to this day. I will never look at these coaches the same.. NEVER!!
I knew from the moment this story surfaced that the majority of male victims involved would be Black and poor!! In answer to your question: Absolutely yes!!! Racism is not only involved, it is a major player, along with classism. Racism in the form of slavery, the original diseased weapon of mass destruction of Black masculinity in this country, has merely mutated into a huge conglomerate of virulent emasculating aqents, i.e., genocide, imprisonment, discrimination, degradation, humiliation, joblessness, blaming the victim, torture...and so much more.
Given the extremely well documented yet seldom talked about history of White sexual and economic exploitation of Black people, this article cannot be considered far fetched.
Given our percentage of the general population,to have talented young Black men dominate college sports and the prison industrial complex is an indictment of this stinking system.
The fact that it went on sooo long would tell any thinking person that the children were more than likely Black.
Note also that Pennsylvania was where 2 White judges were sent to prison for getting kickbacks for incarcerating innocent Black Boys.
I completely agree with this article. Those of you who doubt it may not have read the entire grand jury report. The report does not identify the race of the victims, but you can easily read between the lines. Also, I can't help but wonder about the janitor in the report who got so upset by what he saw. He completely freaked out. Why such a dramatic reaction??? Y'all know why.
Dr. Watkins, you talkin' right, well said!!!! SMDH:'-(
Hopefully, he will have the chance to take some long, hot showers in prison. That is what he deserves more than the death penalty.
if they were black children, why did you folks allow them to be victims?
I read an article online with a reference from one of the mother's of the victims here and she stated quite clearly that all of the boys around Sadusky looked the same 10 − 11 years old, African American with slim build and tall for their ages. This is so sad.
What I don't understand is, Why do you say that "If O.J. Simpson hadn't KILLED a WHITE woman"..etc ...."Wasn't this man found NOT GUILTY by a JURY?....yet because he is a BLACK MAN, this O.J. trial has morphed into GUILTY by the "court of PUBLIC OPINION!....isn't that what always happens in this country?...the truth always BECOME FICTIONALIZED with the passage of time becoming "SOMETHING ELSE ENTIRELY!!!...PUBLIC OPINION....yet, nothing is never said on a CONTINUAL BASIS ABOUT THE MANY "ALL WHITE JURORS" WHO FOUND WHITE MURDERERS, RAPIST ETC INNOCENT....IT'S ALWAYS HAS BEEN BLACK/WHITE...WITH WHITE BEING RIGHT.....EVEN IN THE FACE OF GROSS INJUSTICE IN THIS COUNTRY!!...I STILL BELIEVE THAT THE TRUTH WILL COME OUT, AND VERY SOON....BUT EVEN THEN, BECAUSE AMERICA HAS FOUND THIS SO CALLED CROWNED "KILLER" THE CRIME OF THE CENTURY" HE WILL ALWAYS BE "GUILTY"...AMERICA'S JUSTIC!!!
Serial Robber Child Rapist
THE LORD ABHORS DISHONEST PEOPLE
By: David W. Johnson, Jr.
The sincere desires of the truly righteous ends in good
When a good Man will give freely he gains even more
Too many of us today are not doing what we should
Instead of just harming one another we should adore
Bring trouble on your family and inherit only the wind
Righteous is a tree of life and he who win souls is wise
God said children needs people whom they can depend
Open your ears, listen to God and little children’s cries
Kindhearted women gains love, admiration and respect
While the blind, ruthless men will gain temporary wealth
Evil things we seem to love but positive things we reject
Smoking, drinking, over-eating is destroying our health
Listen here; the ill-gotten treasures are of no real value
I know for sure, Blessed are those who keep Gods ways
Instead of liars and murderers, let’s be honest and true
Look around you; we are coming to the end of our days
Lord recently assigned me as an Eye Opening Servant
When our Race had very little chance I was given birth
The good and bad God made sure I was a close observant
If God did not have plans, I would not be here on Earth
Young I was when He laid out foundations for our Races
Never would I have imagining us falling this far behind
Entering graves and prisons, instead of God’s Holy places
If you lost Him or never had Him, our God you best find
I know it for a fact that whoever finds God finds real life
When you do find Him, also praise Him under His steeple
Teach young people about God, not about a gun or knife
I know for a fact, “The Lord Abhors Dishonest People”
God Want Us To Unite & Build…Not Hate & Destroy
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MEN AND MALES
by: David W. Johnson, Jr.
Males, how quickly they can brag about being men
Men, children are in direr need of our quick return
Males are taking our children down the road of sin
Men, from us about Real Life children could learn
Men sometimes go to jail for protecting their family
Males go to jail for robbery, rape, and other stupidity
Men show women love, appreciation and hospitality
Males leave women with babies and a lack of stability
Men do not leave their sons alone to be raised by a gang
Males hang on street corners instead of going to school
Men teach children about education not about slang
Males run the streets selling drugs and acting like fools
Men know education is the key to survival and success
Males brains is below the belt not above the shoulders
Men, for their families always try to do their very best
Males are cell and grave fillers, not employment holders
Men work two jobs to support their families if need be
Males spend their money on car rims before their child
Men try to help their children earn a diploma and degree
Males think that their underwear showing is really a style
Men teach their sons to respect women and the elderly
Males on the other hand teach them to respect no one
Men take their children to the parks so they can play
Males teach their siblings that a loaded handgun is fun
Men, is what is missing in our children lives these days
Males are sending young people to graves and the pen
Men it is left up to us to show children the right ways
Males, learn the “Difference Between Males And Men”
Where Have All The Men Gone
Dr. Boyce, what's wrong with waiting for facts about the case to surface and then basing an article on real information? It's getting a little old to see so much speculation about this case being commented on as though it were the truth.
Clinton County, PA, where the most recent allegations stem from, is 96% white/non-hispanic with a median household income in 2009 of $36k. There is strong likelihood that a child from this area could be considered impoverished, at-risk, underprivileged, and disadvantaged AND white. Let not our outrage be diminished if these boys end up not being part of our community.
In follow up to my comment at 10:58am, I have to reply to the comment from 10:09am with regard to the reason why the janitor was so upset. I am a black female that works for Penn State and am horrified by both the actions that have taken place and the inaction of those in charge. Having said that, I am familiar with counties in this area, the Second Mile program and the general make-up of the faculty, staff and student bodies on the University Park campus. I would be willing to be my annual salary that the janitor (or physical plant worker)was not black, nor was he of any minority group. Service class jobs in this area (hotels, mechanics, fast food, large chain discount retailers) primarily employ white people.
Do I think race matters in this case? Absolutely. Had Sandusky been one of the black assistant coaches, there would never have been anything to cover up. They would not have protected him the way their silence protected Sandusky.
If these children are primarily black then this reminds me of the BostonRedSox child-sex abuse scandal from the 70s&80s that didn't have the always-on-internet in order to display it as we can this tragedy and travesty of Sandusky/PennState.
My wife is from this area of Pennsylvania...It is primarily white; however, there were branches of this 'charity' around the state so there could be a mix of races these alleged acts were perpetrated against (B & W).
Parents must talk to and with their children everyday, even when they become young adults. Know their companions and caregivers of any age. Ask questions about activities and interchanges. Have some knowledge of the friends' parents and community. Question "gifts", etc. and purchases or items you neither bought nor that your child should or would have the money to acquire. Know where your child is at all times.
This is not about distrust or being overprotective. It is about being proactive. "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." For those who scoff at my parenting, know that I pay the bills, nurse the sick child, go through the injustice system when my child is a crime victim, etc. You, naysayer, do not!
From age three, my child began ballet class (for almost seven years). These were followed by African dance and flamenco. She never was in a revue, because while old costumes were deemed "unnoticeable in the lights" for a ballet performance, somehow panty lines were. This meant that it was expected for the little ballerinas to NOT wear panties. Even when I volunteered back stage, so did my daughter. There are a lot of bad people around - "gay, straight, sideways", so winning a role in an audition or being in a performance was secondary to my child's safety and childhood/teenage/young adult innocence. She only got one ballet certificate at the end of her training, because she was not allowed by me to be on stage due to the no panty rule. After the fallout, there are a whole lot of people asking, "Where were the parents?", etc. That will come despite your best efforts. The Richter scale does not have to register that highly when you do not let the village raise your child. Everyone in the village is not nice-sometimes including so-called friends, community members and "icons (big shots)" and family.
Yes, my child and both of us (her parents) came from a married, two-parent household. We have a mother-daughter understanding that she will get a good husband and in-laws to help babysit before she is a mother! Enough said! P.S. Sleepover...,forget about it!
As a former public school classroom teacher we all know that most at-risk youth are minority. Sandusky hid behind the premise of the foundation to help green light his ability to abuse these boys. How many black boys are coming forward and I'm sure he didn't use a condom. That really grosses me out that he subjected them to disease let alone abuse and mental anguish. He abused his powers and betrayed so many people. Now he has the nerve to say he did nothing wrong. DUH!!!!!
TL
I consider myself a liberal, middle class African American woman who lives in Chicago. Chicago who has thousands of at risk youths, unemployment in the high 20's, maybe 30's. This city has some of the worst schools in the nation. There are numerous rapist of children and the outcry is not LOUD enough. Our laws don't help these children. You have to beg for therapy and apathy runs rampant. Now, you are pointing a finger at the asst. coach at Penn State, Sandusky. You better have a pretty long finger for all the sickos who destroy these youngster lives. Let's have some full disclosure, these African American kids are being attacked by African American men. Let's not sugar coat this either. Yes, I think this man should be punish and harshly. Point it at everyone for the thousands who have no voice in the city and everywhere. One white man and thousands of molesters in own communities. Stop and look out your window...they are out there. Give us some real facts about who is molesting our children.
It's highly improbable those that feel that Dr. Boyce is premature on his statement aren't black or either lack any knowledge f a Black experience. It is in my mind that most of these allegations are true to the limit I might add. Sandusky and his cronies although they may have started out doing good w/ the charities turned this into something horrendous for these children,how could the person that wrote earlier say if children were victims how could we as a people allow this? How could you prevent your parents being in a fatal accident? There are no cards being thrown when someone decides to use authority or their wealth or position to take advantage of those who are already disenfranchised,removed and thought of as cattle in the first place. One must think of the culture that perpetrates and gives voice to those types of deeds and thoughts of racism and hate that permeated this school's charities and allowed the coach and his accomplices to access and violate kids in any form of beastly perversions that he could muster.. The saddest thing is that it still hasn't surfaced at least all of the facts. This is indeed only the tip of the iceberg.Now who will take the weight of these offenses?
The US system is corrupt to the core. It is also built on racism by the European barbarians and racial slavery. The 'good' people and so-called "good" people are left confused, in doubt, mis-educated, brainwashed, misdirected, and on and on. It appears that only a few can see the whole scheme as it is, clearly. Yet even some of those who believe they can see the whole sordid picture have their mental enlightenment stunted and blocked by bits and pieces of preconditioned flux. This country is a vile illusion of freedom and democracy filled with people fighting and dying to to get or keep, what they have fought and died to get or keep! The Anglo-elite and their cohorts own and control everything! Including our mental attention and our capacity to see everything clearly. It's a tall order to manipulate humans in such a massive manner but considering the centuries of work invested in it and the stop-safe mechanisms used to maintain it, these 'world pirates' and race-baiters are brilliant!
If we consider everything that is happening and how so many are ignorant and slightly-retarded in their concerns, we can be assured that everything is as bad, and in fact, worse than even Dr. Boyce could imagine! The signs are glaring all around us but so many are in denial about one thing or another and cannot see. That too is a major reason things like this can not only be happening but can get unimaginably worse! Blacks and people of color can be assured that they didn't create this catastrophic hateful greed-power machine that is abusing the world's people, but we should understand that we become part of the problem as much as collateral damage from the problem because we have been caught up in it's gears like a hanging limb.
In order to end this madness the people must order the ultra-wealthy ultra-greedy a quite monstrous 'elite' to relinquish all wealth,resources, and power back to the people of the world! If we can't completely separate them from their wealth and power they will eventually destroy us all and some of us will continue to die the most horrendous deaths known to man!
@ JB:
You're an idiot! You should be ashamed to call yourself blk while defending that monster Sandusky & placing the blame for this atrocity on the blk community. Its a true testament to how so many of us have been conditioned & brainwashed into believing that we r to blame & accountable for every atrocity committed against us as a ppl. Also, to Dr. Watkins, keep up the great work. I totally agree w. ur assessment re the race of the kids that were abused! Otherwise, it would not have been tolerated for so long by so many. Thank you for your work on our behalf always!
that's right WizardG! keep speaking the truth!
I too had questions. I went to the foundation website and the pictures seem to be primarily of girls and the number of White children far outnumber the Blacks. We shall see as the truth continues to come to light.
I disagree with the premise concerning Black boy victims. In fact, Dr. Boyce you appear to be the boy “calling wolf.” If there is no evidence about the racial makeup of the victims; I find it disconcerting you injecting race in the matter. Dr. Boyce your responsibility to be a critical observer loses it creditability with baseless accusations. A sounder proposition would be if the attorney general stalled the indictment until Joe Paterno (White) passed Eddie Robinson (Black) for the all-time (409) victories by an Div I coach.
That's ridiculous. I've followed this story pretty closely and I've assumed the victims were white from the get-go. Furthermore, I asked a few other folks to say the first thing that came to their mind regarding the race of the victims...they also answered white. And as far as media attention??!! This story has gotten more media attention than any other sports story this year...and we're talking about a former assisstant coach at a college here...not a star athlete or other big name...yet it's still huge news. The cover up had nothing to do with race. This writer needs to heed some of his own advice "the truth, however, is that we tend to only find the things that we’re actually looking for". This guy sees race as an issue here, because that's what he wants to see.
A conclusion, to my way of thinking, ought to be based upon a fact, not upon an assumption. How many Americans, including blacks, are condemned before they have been tried. I live on the West Coast, we are 3 hours behind the East Coast, is Dr. Boyce privy to some information that has not been received where I live.
Not only can the other side be prejudicial and play the race card, all too often, our people engage in similar behavior. Where's the beef Dr. Boyce? If you know something, say it, the point being that based on what I read in your article, you jumped the gun. Again, if you know something say it or write it. At any rate you did not do that in this article, the thought that comes to my mind is yellow journalism.
And I am still hoping for the day, when black Americans will get as exercised about the behavior that we know for a fact takes place, within our own communities. If a non-black were to engage in similar behavior we would be up in arms, like Boyce is doing in this article. On the other hand when it comes to what's going on in black American enclaves, we rationalize and almost justify it by saying things like, "he or she is a victim of the culture of poverty". Hoggy washy, it is the moral equivalent!
Oops, forgot to sign off with, 'keep it real Dr. Boyce, keep it real. All of us know already that 'Race Matters', but so does the truth. You are a rising star, don't blow it, wait for the facts or tell us what you know for a fact that you haven't revealed!
All of us should keep in mind, that that the same accusation could be made against any of us someday. I would prefer to be tried in the court of law, as opposed to in the court of 'rush to judgment' opinion, and it would appear that a lot of that has gone on in this thread!
Bob V. - Another aspect that must be investigated is how many other adults related to the 2nd Mile Program and/or Penn State were engaging in these same illicit and immoral acts? According to McQuery, he emailed friends claiming that he talked to the Police about a child rape...what did the police do or not do in regard to that claim? Can McQuery substantiate the claim? Can the police claim not to have been notified? What action did the Police take at that time? As the evidence comes forth, I suspect that the institutions were pimping young black boys. This is potentially larger than the scandal of the Catholic Church. I don't see how McQuery can claim that he did the right thing...he should have beat the holy hell out of Sandusky after witnessing that rape in the shower. Shame on all the pedophiles involved. I suspect that Penn State and the Second Mile Program house more than one pedophile. Look into it.
Where are the boys parents? The job of a parent is not only to provide economically but to provide emotional support. If our children are emotionally strong no one can abuse them. The are emotionally weak as not only does the power structure not car about them but neither does the Black community. If we did urban schools would not be failing. If we did we would challenge the NCAA and force them to provide major stipends to our athletes as they enter college. If we did we would force colleges to be fair and pay out financial aid refunds in the first 14 days of schools not 8 weeks after school started.
We need to look at whether we collectively care about our legacy our children.
amazing how many people are posting the kids where black when there is no evidence to support the claim. this kind of bull s gives white people an excuse to dimiss real racism against black people.
until there is evidence of black kids being molested...stop being manipulated by race baiting black leaders/educators who use race to increase their bank accounts in the name of love for black people.
You race-baiters are unbelievable. First 'Dr.' Boyce Watkins looks to inject racism on a hunch, although he at least kept it speculative. Then the rest of you morons turn that into black children ARE being sexually abused and then start in on varients of "nobody cares".
The Facts:
1. Nobody knows who the kids are, they're identities are protected at the moment.
2. If this evil scum was choosing black kids, that's not racism. Even hell-bound perverts have sexual preferences.
3. MOST IMPORTANT OF ALL!! The authorities know who the victims are, black, white, or otherwise, and Sandusky is ARRESTED! Every news source in the land is calling for his head. WHERE IS THE RACISM?
It's people like Watkins and the fools who blindly follow him that help racism to thrive. Hasn't anybody read 'The Boy Who Called Wolf'? You keep trying to make everything racial and soon nobody will care and racism actually can thrive.
Besides people, guys like 'Dr' Boyce Watkins LOVE racism. He NEEDS racism. He COVETS it. It's his livelihood, his bread and butter. People pay him money to talk about it. A lot of money. Way more than any of us reading this make. And it's more than money as well. It's public adoration as well and that's an addiction that makes crack look like a weekend six-pack. This is why he will MANUFACTURE racism and insert it into a national news story like this one. If he was truly concerned about black children being sexually abused, then he would look at the black community. GOOGLE it BEFORE you decide to get pissed off at that. Look at who does abuse black children. But he WON'T do that, even though he could make a difference. Why? Because then he WOULDN'T get his ADULATION and it would also affect his MONEY. Remember when Bill Cosby spoke out about the current state of black education in America? He got raked over the coals. And he was RIGHT and TRUTHFUL. Don't remember that? You can bet yo ass Boyce Watkins remembers, and he doesn't want a piece of that. Oh Hell no!
So Boyce, how much money IS enough money. Do you really want to make a difference instead of a buck? Are you RICH enough yet to actually attempt to MAKE A DIFFERENCE? Or do you simply lack the courage, insight, righteousness, and nutsack of Dr. Cosby?
THANK YOU THOMAS BYRD SHAW!!!!!!!!
thomas byrd....you nailed it!!!
Jerry Sandusky is a pedophile. He used his position and the resources of his university to gain access to those at-risk youth. He should be sent to prison for a long, long time.. The administration at Penn State, including Saint Joe Paterno, knew about it but took no action.
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