Certain professions lend themselves to creating demi-gods. Professional sports is one of those professions.
When Edmonton signed on confessed sex offender Eric Tillman my first reaction was disgust and that this man was being rewarded for his unwanted advances on a young babysitter. His excuse of being on medication that altered his thinking came across as lame. I would be more inclined to think that his demi-god belief led him to believe that he would do whatever he wanted without repercusssions.
Then I was reminded that our social system is designed to rehabilitate offenders and put them back into society to become useful citizens. Millions of dollars are spent in prisons to counsel and offer therapy to offenders. If we do not intend to give them that second chance, then there is no point to the programs offered for rehabilitation.
The one difficulty here is that Tillman didn't go to jail and to my knowledge did not receive an rehabilitative programming.
Perhaps his new employer should have made rehab a condition of his contract. It is easy to slip back into old habits. Since he has lived a short time as a mortal, the appeal of the demi-god may be the song of the siren too hard to resist.
And perhaps we mortals should stop creating demi-gods.
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What the F@!@%%#^!! You have got to be kidding with this post!! Why is it that everyone and his or her dog wants to ridicule and berate this guy. Is it because he is an easy target. The "offense" as described and attested too wouldn't even have made it to the sleeze mags 10 years ago. Don't get me wrong about the fact he plead guilty and I have some issues with how long it took him to get to that point but that probably had more to being ill advised than the type of person he is. The fact he obtained a discharge and no record clearly indicates the Judge did not see him as a habitual offender. Yet here is another somewhat ill informed soul, preaching that he should be strung-up or as some would have it banished to an island never to be heard from again. I listened closely to the John Gormely show where an Edmonton Sex Abuse Support Group spokes person said he shouldn't have this job RIGHT NOW it was an insult to all women!!!! And when asked when it would be appropriate if at any time couldn't answer because her attitude would be just like yours. LET HIM WROUGHT IN HELL!! Now I have no problem with that if it was the same for all but we seem not to care when the much more severe pedophiles and rapists either don't go to jail or serve 1-2yrs for their crimes. I have a daughter and if this had happened to her I wouldn't have called the cops I would have done the right thing. Asked for a bunch of money so I could afford the counseling you all feel she would need. I'd bet my bottom dollar this girl has had more abuse because of the publicity then she ever had or felt from Tillman. By the press and blogs like this continuing the harassment of Tillman you continue to victimize that young girl and her family. Who BTW has forgiven him.
ReplyDeleteI appears you folk won't be satisfied until his "#%^#%" is cut-off and hung out for all to see.
Get back to what you know best Mistress and that is going after the real molesters of our society the Governments/Judges that won't target punishment as the only justifiable reaction to sexual abuse.
I realize I am unclear in my comments. I think that if offenders have successfully completed rehab programs they should be given another chance. I don't know whether Tillman has, but if he hasn't he should be required to do so.
ReplyDeleteAnon 1:14 - I feel bad for your daughter. I take it from your comments if some guy gropes her you will simply look for a cash cow rather than letting her know that what happened was inappropriate and not her fault. I suspect this is why so many sexual assaults go unreported.
Oh don't worry about my daughter mistress the only one that would have to worry is the guy that gropes her as one of would be going to court the other would be going to the morgue. All I was hoping to point out to you is the degree people have taken this case compared to the millions of assaults that occur every year. I just don't see this case needing all the hype unless culture has truly changed over the last year. I don't see people casing down the judge over this case for not putting him in jail or mandating rehab so why not!!
ReplyDeleteSadly it isn't just the Edmonton Eskimos and Eric Tillman who are like this.
ReplyDeleteProbably the worst example is Lawerence Phillips, who beat his girlfriend badly (dragging her up and down some stairs) and wasn't cut by the University of Nebraska Cornhuskers. After that, he was was drafted in the first round by the St. Louis Rams, given another chance by the San Francisco 49ers, then won a championship with the Alouettes and after causing problems there was given a contract by the Calgary Stampeders. His last act? He intentionally ran his car into a group of teens after losing a game of touch football and is in jail.
In the NCAA, the University of Florida has had over 30 football players arrested during their current coaches regime. Before it was a low graduation rate could jeopardize a coaches tenure, now players don't have to graduate or even stay out of jail as long the team wins enough.
My point is that professional sports has no ethics as long as guy can help them win. (Teams like Saskatchewan, University of Indiana, and Notre Dame are the rare exceptions... Not only did Saskatchewan let Tillman go but also let Shivers go when Saskatchewan players were starting to get out of control).