Ed Wood "The Right Stuff" Published March 19, 2003

Abiding trust

Let me share with you a somewhat personal experience. My 8-year-old grandson attends a church-sponsored elementary school. His school cannot afford a gymnasium, swimming pool, or other luxuries of a public school, so arrangements were made for three weeks of swimming instruction at the local YMCA. Yesterday was their first day. My daughter and her husband, being the overly protective parents they are, accompanied the class to the "Y" to make certain none of the kids drowned.

Last night, my son-in-law got a call from a school official wanting to know if he saw a naked man in the men's dressing room. Seems that several of the boys had told their parents they saw such a person, and the parents were irate! My son-in-law acknowledged that there was such an unclothed person in the dressing room. A well-known local businessman-member, who had finished his exercise workout, had taken his shower, and was toweling himself off when the boys came in. Can you possibly imagine the consequences if my son-in-law hadn't been there to witness and testify to the innocence of the event? As you know, all it takes these days is an accusation.

Our church just got a new pastor. The first thing he requested was the installation of a full-width glass panel in his office door, so if counsel with a female member of the congregation is requested, such a meeting would be held in full view of all passers by. I am sure the former pastor of nearly 15 years never even gave a thought to such a thing, and would probably have been offended if it had been suggested to him. But times are different now.

Department-store Santas can no longer hold children on their laps. School crossing guards are warned to never touch the children while escorting them across a busy intersection. I know of a former Eagle Scout, and father of three children, who would like to work with the local Scout troop. But he has been advised that his intentions might be misinterpreted since his own children are no longer of scouting age.

What has happened to us? Can't we trust anybody any more? The news in Nashville last week was of a 25-year-old man standing in the doorway of his home, exposing himself to passing children on their way to and from school. This week in Atlanta, it was a medical examiner for an insurance company who has been charged with sexual battery for conducting improper examination techniques.

I understand, and yet I don't understand. In this day and time, we can't be too careful with the safety and security of our children. But as we caution them against those who would do them harm, we must remember to tell them that the world is largely made of good, decent people. People who wouldn't hesitate to come to their aid, should the need arise. We can't allow our children to grow up to be skeptics and cynics, based on the misconduct of a few.

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Ed Wood is a resident of Sparta, TN. His column is published each Wednesday in the Crossville Chronicle.