Questions I Would Ask Politicians
At a presidential candidate forum, I would ask the following questions.
Remove Non-profit Status
- Do you support removing the non-profit status of those institutions, schools, universities, athletic teams that participated in coverups of sexual abuse? Should those non-profit institutions who refuse to report to the police or who fail to protect the safety within their care lose their non-profit status?
Call for Congressional Hearings
- Would any candidate support congressional hearings on the level of Watergate, Kennedy assassination, Iran Contra, to investigate sexual abuse in institutions?
For instance, we saw at Pennsylvania State, the school hierarchy covered up sexual abuse making others vulnerable to sexual abuse. At Michigan State, we saw the same pattern of a coverup by university hierarchy. This lead to hundreds of children and minors as prey for sexual abuse by Nassar. And the Pennsylvania Grand Jury exposed the widespread sexual abuse of over a thousand children and minors. How many children would have escaped rape and sexual abuse if institutions cared more for the safety of those in their care than the self-protection of their power and prestige?
American can no longer bury its head in the sand and deny the widespread sexual abuse in the home, athletic teams (gymnasts, wrestlers, football), doctors’ offices, schools, universities, religious institutions (Catholic, Baptist, Mennonite, Lutheran, Jehovah’s Witness, Mormon), Hollywood studios, and government offices. What laws are necessary to protect children, minors, and those vulnerable to sexual abuse? Establish congressional hearings. Get testimony under oath, assemble documentation and evidence. Take action.
RICO Investigation — Racketeering
- Would you support vigorous RICO investigation and prosecution of major institutions? Such as prosecution of religious, social, athletic organizations (NBA, NFL/AFL), Boy Scouts, Universities, religious organizations, media (NBC, ABC, FOX), entertainment (Sony, Disney, MGM)? Wherever there is a pattern and practice of sexual abuse?
Why has there been a failure of federal, state, and local governments to go after institutions? Since Boston Globe Spotlight investigation we have seen two decades of continuing abuse and coverup. When are the bishops going to be held accountable? Who is protecting the Boy Scouts? Clearly, the Boy Scouts organization hierarchy has not. Who protects the vulnerable from rape in the military? Or college campuses? People of faith have been betrayed by predators who use religion as a tool to prey on the vulnerable. We can only conclude that they are protected by their superiors who value their prestige more than the safety of children.
April 10, 2020
