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The difference being when USA swimming found wrongdoing by member organization swim coaches, they were reported to the police and banned from the sport. When the Pope (previously Cardinal) became away of molesting priests, he willfully covered it up and moved them to places where they could continue molesting and raping.
One is responsible reporting, the other is facilitating rape.
I'm not defending the priest but was't it the place of the parents to contact the police and report the molestations in the US? Why wasn't this done? Why were these priests not reported to US law enforcement? Why lay it on the Pope decades after the fact? Just sayin........ it really isn't that different afterall.
I'm not defending the priest but was't it the place of the parents to contact the police and report the molestations in the US? Why wasn't this done? Why were these priests not reported to US law enforcement? Why lay it on the Pope decades after the fact? Just sayin........ it really isn't that different afterall.
It is extremely different. If it was revealed that a ranking figure in USA swimming knew about specific instances of molestation and chose to cover it up, that individual would be going to prison.
I'm not defending the priest but was't it the place of the parents to contact the police and report the molestations in the US? Why wasn't this done? Why were these priests not reported to US law enforcement?
I agree with most of what you say. Parents (whether of kids involved in the Catholic church, in organized swimming, etc, etc, etc) need to be extremely watchful of any adult that has regular contact with their children. Parents need to speak frankly with their kids about appropriate and inappropriate touching and tell them not be afraid to come to them with any problems. Parents need to be fierce advocates for their children (and even other people's children) if they so much as suspect even the smallest bit of inappropriateness. Had my dad ever even slightly suspected our swim coaches were molesting either my sister or me, he certainly would have confronted (possibly killed) the coach.
I'm not defending the priest but was't it the place of the parents to contact the police and report the molestations in the US? Why wasn't this done? Why were these priests not reported to US law enforcement? Why lay it on the Pope decades after the fact? Just sayin........ it really isn't that different afterall.
It's hugely different. The Church and the Pope/Cardinal KNEW about rapist priests and did nothing to stop them. In fact, they allowed them to continue raping children by moving them out of harms way to unsuspecting congregations with new prey. USA swimming is accused of doing too little in screening swim coaches. In every instance of substantiated wrongdoing, USA Swimming acted to report and ban the offender.
Also, the Catholic Church is an authoritarian organization that directly oversees its member priests. USA Swimming is an umbrella organization that has essentially ZERO involvement in the running of its member swim teams.
My dad just stopped by. He was on the board (president for awhile) of the USA Swimming (then called USS) swim team I was on from age 9-18.
He oversaw the hiring of 6 or 7 different swim coaches while involved with the team.
I asked him "How much involvement was there by USA Swimming in the running of MACS, specifically in the hiring and oversight of coaches"
His response: "Other than certifying their level of coaching education, absolutely nothing"
He wasn't even aware that USA Swimming would do simple criminal background checks on potential coaching hires for member teams if requested (perhaps they didn't back in the 90's). Either way, he said when hiring a coach the team sought candidates, the team interviewed coaches, and the team conducted the background investigation into the person they hired - USA swimming had no involvement.
This small handful of lawsuits are just distraught and guilt-ridden parents and victims looking for someone to blame for the unthinkable crimes committed by a small number of evil monsters.
Swim team coaches seemed a little creepy to begin with.
what kind of a statement is that? Did you swim competitively or have family members who did? Man coaches look at things in a different light than some others, but to say creepy is strange. Our kids and our grandkids all swam competitively for years, both year round programs and high school, their coaches were never creepy...by any means..
The guy or any guy that molests kids (women who do as well) are sick, they should be locked up and anyone who covers up for them should be punished as well, but this it is so unfair to lump them altogether.
what kind of a statement is that? Did you swim competitively or have family members who did? Man coaches look at things in a different light than some others, but to say creepy is strange. Our kids and our grandkids all swam competitively for years, both year round programs and high school, their coaches were never creepy...by any means..
The guy or any guy that molests kids (women who do as well) are sick, they should be locked up and anyone who covers up for them should be punished as well, but this it is so unfair to lump them altogether.
Nita
I agree. My brother was a USS swimmer in Louisville, KY from the time he was 8 years old until he graduated from high school. He loved it, and his coaches were AWESOME. The team was very large, but was a tight-knit group, and the coaches were like family to all the swimmers and their families. A few bad apples out of thousands nationwide does not warrant the group-stereotyping that's going on in this thread.
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