#ProudPSUforRAINN: Penn Staters fighting back

I was sent this email by RAINN, an organization that fights sexual violence with education, advocacy and services for survivors:

Dear ,

The recent allegations of abuse involving Penn State have shaken the nation. In response, a grassroots network of PSU alumni have started a movement - #ProudPSUforRAINN - to support victims of abuse and help Penn Staters display their true values by contributing to RAINN. This courageous effort will help ensure that something like this never happens again - anywhere.

In the words of campaign organizers Jerry and Jaime Needel, Bob Troia and Larena Lettow (Penn State '98):

"After having so closely identified with all things Penn State over the past 15 years, the recent events have shaken our beliefs - and those of other alumni - to the core. Simply put, Penn State is way bigger than the alleged actions of a few people. To honor the victims, our goal is to raise over $500,000 - one dollar for each of Penn State's 557,000 alumni. Please join us in showing the world what being a proud supporter of Penn State really means by making a donation in support of preventing and treating victims of sexual abuse and by adding your name to mine below."

Please support this important campaign by adding your name, making a donation, and joining the conversation on twitter at #ProudPSUforRAINN.

With gratitude,

Scott Berkowtiz

President & Founder

In the fight between good and evil, good has just fired a major salvo.

What I'm thinking this morning

myfoxphilly.com has reported that "there may [now] be as many as 17 accusers coming forward against one-time Penn State University defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky." This is the monster who could have been stopped in 2002, when an eyewitness actually saw a sexual assault against a boy estimated to be about 10 years old, and four other people in authority at Penn State were told of what he witnessed, and none of them called the police.

I woke up this morning with a certain image in my head. I may have dreamed it, actually. It was of a courtroom, and the rows were packed with young men who had been victimized by Sandusky, (unknown how many after 2002, when five grown men could have stopped him and didn't). There were two or three rows of victims.

May there should be two or three, or more, rows of victims and their families in the courtroom at some point, maybe at the verdict reading. Then maybe the people who could have stopped Sandusky in 2002, and did nothing, could see the holocaust they enabled.

And yes, I did just use that word, and I intend to stand by it.

He could have been stopped in 2002

He could have been stopped in 2002.

He could have been stopped in 2002.

He could have been stopped in 2002.

That's the main thought throbbing through my mind tonight. He could have been stopped in 2002.

If you don't know what I'm talking about, here's a good place to start.

It should have been stopped in 2002.