HB 1947, which ends the statue of limitation for child molesters in Pennsylvania and extends the time frame in which lawsuits can be filed, became a subject of controversy after Pennsylvania House members were criticized by name in Catholic church bulletins for their April 12 vote sending the bill to the State Senate.
The bill had passed the House 180-15.
Legislators had their feelings hurt by the criticism.
But the Catholic church is right to criticize. The push is coming not from those interested in justice but from those seeking profit. Legal fees and percentages of settlements keep lawyers fat.
You doubt us?
Eliminate the statute of limitations but cut the lawsuit extension. There would be no controversy. There is no statute of limitation for murder, after all, and child molestation is equally evil.
But prosecuting these monsters doesn’t make money and the ones crying for this change in law are only interested in the money part.
They want the power to sue an institution with deep pockets, get an huge emotion-based judgement of which they get 30 percent and laughingly waddle off to their Beamers not caring that it is not the criminal who is going to foot the bill.
You doubt us?
Jerry Sandusky still has his assets and continues to collect his $59,000 public pension. Enabler Gary Schultz is collecting a $330,000 public pension.
Meanwhile Catholic schools on the margin are closed, parents of retarded children lose a place of refugee and 200 acres of green space will become a shopping center to cover costs related to the church scandals.
And tuition keeps rising at Penn State.
How is that justice?
Institutions should not be liable for damages that cannot be quantified and that are left to moments of emotion. Only innocent people are hurt when this is allowed.
Imagine, however, if administrators’ personal wealth and pensions were on the line. Schultz and Graham Spanier — yes he is also collecting a $59,000 public pension — might not have been so quick to turn a blind eye to Sandusky’s predatory acts.
Their pockets, however, are apparently just not deep enough for class action jackpot seekers.
Or people who get public pensions get political protection.
HB 1947 Deserves Condemnation
I have to disagree with you on this one. I have a former friend who I found out had sexually assaulted a young boy from the ages of 5-10 years old. The guy is in jail now because the young man was brave enough to come forward almost 20 years later and the DA worked with the police to get the guy to admit to the victim in a phone call that he had done such heinous acts on a young boy. As far as I’m concerned a guy like this should lose EVERYTHING to this victim who has had to live with this anquish and shame for most of his childhood and all of his adult life.
If it was your child, you would have to agree that extending this especially how horrible this situation was for this guy to grow up knowing he was raped.
I would want the perv who did it hung. I would not want the parents of retarded children to suffer, however.
Please use the correct terminology and stop calling these people retarded. It hasn’t been used in any official manner in over 3 years. It’s just used as an insult now. This is a news site. Please do your due diligence and use the correct terminology.
“…parents of retarded children lose a place of refugee…”
Just letting you know that “retardation” is no longer a diagnosis and no longer used in medical terminology, as the article you linked to states. The term they use in the article is “developmentally disabled” and the term used in the DSM 5 is “Intellectually disabled.”
“Retard” is no longer used because it has such a negative connotation due to the public and general use.
It would look much more professional and well researched if you use the correct term.
–Just letting you know that “retardation” is no longer a diagnosis and no longer used in medical terminology —
I won’t speak to medical terminology but this is how Catholic Social Services of Philadelphia refers to the program at Don Guanella: The Community Outreach Program is headquartered at the Don Guanella Village complex in Springfield, PA, and provides recreational, social and spiritual enrichment programming for adults with mental retardation who live at home or in community settings.
http://cssphiladelphia.org/css/developmental/
If some use “retarded” as an insult, some don’t. Whatever word or phrase the easily offended pick to replace the reality being described will invariably end up being used as insult as well. One may as well stick with the familiar term and strive to recognize the difference between an insult and a description meant to enlighten and assist.
Political correctness is poison.
I’m not trying to be politically correct. I’m trying to be medically correct. Refusing to keep up to date on medical terms isn’t something to be proud of. You’re happily stating you’d rather use an outdated term than the correct one. That just makes you look sad.
You are trying to be politically correct, hence I feel confident in my phrasing.
And spell your name correctly so your comments are not placed in moderation.
‘I won’t speak to medical terminology’
I know right! Isn’t it great when news sources don’t do research. This isn’t about being politically correct. It’s about being medically correct.
Which is something that you should strive for. It’s kind of funny that I have to even tell you that.
Be sure to send Catholic Social Services of Philadelphia a similar harangue. Retardation is a fine word to use in the appropriate context. If my use of it bothers you, remember it is you who is the one that is bothered.
One more (hopefully) final point: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arc_of_the_United_States
Using the word retarded to describe those with the condition of having an IQ measured as below 70 to 75 and significant delays or lacks in at least two areas of adaptive skills is appropriate. Making fun of people having an IQ measured as below 70 to 75 and significant delays or lacks in at least two areas of adaptive skills is vile.
Getting hung up over the use of an appropriate word while ignoring the closing of an institution designed to help them because of corrupt, greedy people is every bit as vile.