One sees an older man molesting a child — but another one sees an honored football coach and the great sponsor of a wonderful charity, and the second sight is enforced. Community norms cancel the first and make us blind.

We all see on the two levels, aboriginally and through public norms, and so we are all subject to the criticism of the emperor’s new clothes in the fairy tale.

But here in our community we serve the new mind of youth in its purity and innocence. To it we bring the traditional categories and, as they meet, comes forth visions. In this, all of us participate here and not denying the horror of this scandal, yet it cannot touch this our common vocation.

For awakened vision is one of the great miracles of the world to which now we should all rededicate ourselves.

John Harris State College