It’s not surprising that for the past week the Penn State controversy has been a lead story of virtually every news outlet in America. And everybody is talking about it. In lunch rooms and locker rooms, on street corners and at bus stops, in penthouse suites and first floor apartments. Everybody is talking about it. All you have to do is walk into any neighborhood diner and listen, it’s the talk of the town. And why not? It has all the marks of a blockbuster story. A championship team. A legendary coach. Allegations of criminal and immoral activity. Denial. Controversy. Cover up. It’s all there. And yet, I can’t escape the lingering feeling that we are all somehow missing the point. That in the midst of all the hype we are losing sight of the real victims in this tragic saga. That’s right, the real victims. The kids and their families. They are the true victims. Oh sure, we pay lip service to the obvious. “How horrible”, we say, “I feel so bad for those kids.” But let’s face it, the real reason this is a big story is not because of the kids who were assaulted. It’s because of who did the assaulting. Had this been a story about a bus driver in Toledo or a soccer coach in Richmond or a step father in Minneapolis or a day care worker in Rochester, do you think the world would be watching? Do you think the story would have even made the front page of the local paper? The sad truth is that it probably would not. Maybe page three. Maybe. And yet, the even sadder truth is that this is a story about a bus driver in Toledo, and all the rest. This is a story that has happened, and is happening, in every little town and every big city from Maine to Montana and from Oregon to Orlando. It is a story that is being repeated over and over again. And it is a story that is being forgotten over and over again. That is what I fear. I am not concerned with weather or not Joe Paterno takes responsibility for what he should have done. I couldn’t care less about how Penn State handles the fall out of this cover up. And I really don’t want to hear anything that Jerry Sandusky has to say. But what I do fear is that once the lights have faded and the crowds have disappeared, the kids will be forgotten. And not just these kids, but all the kids. Those that are suffering and those that will.

That, my friends, is why Millstone Justice exists. We exist because after a career of chasing down guys just like Mr. Sandusky, Patrick Crough saw the need to teach others what he had learned. We exist because we know that it is our responsibility to speak up for those who are too young, or too weak, or even just too scared, to speak up for themselves. There has been much talk this week about whether or not the men at Penn State met there obligations regarding this matter with respect to the law. Well, we here at Millstone Justice know that sometimes the law is just not enough. We know that when it comes to protecting our kids, we need to do whatever it takes. And that is what we do. Whatever it takes. But we can’t do it alone, we need your help. What can you do, you ask? Let me offer a few suggestions. First, we encourage you to read the book authored by our founder, Patrick Crough, The Serpents Among Us. Patrick is a retired investigator of Major Crimes with the Monroe County Sheriff.   In his book, you will learn how to recognize the signs which indicate that a sexual predator may be in your midst. Even more, your eyes will be opened to the need for everyone to be involved in protecting the most vulnerable members of our society, children. For more information on how to obtain a copy please visit our website at www.millstonejustice.org.   Second, attend one of our seminars designed to educate various groups about the dangers of sexual predators. A list of scheduled events can also be found on our website. Among other things, these seminars are designed to offer useful tips for parents, students, churches, schools, and other community groups. You will gain practical insight on how to make your homes and meeting places safe for both yourselves and your children.

Finally, more important than any single thing that we do at Millstone Justice is the promise we all have made to never forget. We will not forget what happened at Penn State. Long before Joe Paterno made the headlines for what he didn’t do, Millstone Justice was doing what he should have done. And long after the press has forgotten about Mr. Sandusky, we will still remember each and every child that he used to satisfy his own evil desires. We will speak up for every child that can’t. We will never forget. Never.