Letter: Time to Attack in Pennsylvania
Monday, February 21, 2011
Every day brings new evidence that we no longer live in a civilized and principled society. The worst part, it usually concerns another case of corruption involving a member of the PA Senate or House; a PA judge; law enforcement officer; District Attorney or some other Pennsylvania public servant (I prefer serpent). However, when the news of wrongdoing in Pennsylvania involves what I call child trafficking, can the Commonwealth sink any lower.
The trial of former Pennsylvania President Judge Mark Ciavarella is finally getting underway; his criminal cohort, Senior Judge Michael Conahan agreed to plead guilty to various federal charges (no state charges, PA politicians take care of their own) and faces up to seven years in prison. Their crime, according to court documents, say they took kickbacks for sending children to a "privately owned, for profit" detention facility. Altogether the judges admitted in Federal Court that they took $2.8 million in bribes.
PA Child Care is owned by Gregory Zappala who is the son of former Supreme Court Chief Justice Stephen Zappala, Sr., and brother of Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen Zappala Jr. Also, DA Zappala was appointed to a three-year term beginning June 1, 2010 to the National Review Board. Board members collaborate with the USCCB in preventing the sexual abuse of minors in the United States by persons in the service of the church. According to media reports, DA Zappala claimed his brother was a victim of extortion in the Kids for Cash scandal. Makes you wonder if the DA really understands the definition of victim.
As more and more cases of corruption — and cover-up — come to light, one begins to wonder whether Pennsylvania politicians should be considered any more trustworthy than, say, Saddam Hussein.
So — what should be done? Given the level of wreckage and anguish caused in the lives of so many people, it seems appropriate to look to the war on terror for a model strategy.
A first prong of attack might involve a Special Forces unit made up of highly skilled and trained military personnel capable of tracking down and obtaining confessions from any current or former owners of businesses that deal in child trafficking. Are their more judges who took kickbacks to send innocent children to detention homes? How many dysfunctional Pennsylvania politicians, police officers and other scoundrels working for the state were involved?
If rights are violated, if military personnel sometimes go a little too far, so be it. Those incapable of civilized behavior shouldn’t expect the rights and privileges of civilization.
A deck of cards could be created to help identify the hard-to-find as well as the disgraceful political leaders who permitted, and in essence, condoned the incarceration of young children. Photos of the most deviant and reprehensible Pennsylvania officials accompanied by a list of their offenses will encourage us all to do our patriotic duty in helping the authorities track down suspected Pennsylvania politician/terrorists.
Another option would be to divide Pennsylvania into territories. A color-code warning system would be established, alerting parents about crooked judges, corrupt cops and district attorneys holding court in their respective regions. Depending on the designated color for a particular region, parents would know whether their children should attend a juvenile hearing or escape to a third world country where children are treated with more dignity and respect.
If all else fails, is it any less rational to declare war on the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania as part of a war on child abuse than it was to declare war on Iraq (which had nothing to do with 9/11 or Al-Qaeda and apparently had no weapons of mass destruction) as part of a war on terror? How many innocent children have been verifiably lost to this menace — and how many more will be lost if we don’t make a preemptive strike?
Child trafficking and those who willfully hid the crimes as far as I can see, this brings us much closer to the realm mortal sin. And the sinners include not just the judges who sentenced the children and took the money but also those who are staying silent because of concerns about a paycheck, a 401K, a pension, or a fear of standing up to the mobsters who orchestrated this crime. God has a place for everyone — and if you abuse children or protect the abusers of children, we can only hope that your place is called hell.
Mike Ference
Clairton, PA 15025