Falling Starr
The irony of the story is that Starr is under fire for allegations of a sexual scandal. That he was accused of covering up sexual assaults on female students to protect the football program. His administration, as well as the coaching staff, are accused of collaborating with the Waco Police Department to cover up sexual assaults committed by football players from the highly successful gridiron program. Similar accusations were made at Penn State and Oklahoma State football programs. Baylor is supposed to be different with high moral standards. A place were young ladies can be sheltered from an immoral culture to be nurtured in the Christian faith. The institution was the first school of higher learning started in Texas and has a long history of being tied to the Baptist General Convention of Texas. The historic twist of the story is that Starr made his legacy by going after President Bill Clinton for taking sexual advantage of an innocent young lady entrusted to his care. This would be known as the famous Monica Lewinski scandal. Head football coach Art Briles, who is in charge of the football program appears to be given a free pass, (after all, it is Texas and this is football.) Starr might be the one thrown to the angry mob to help save a national contender in football. Just a few years ago the team was in the cellar of the Big Twelve Conference. The last couple of years they knocked on the door of a national championship. Some are saying this success came at the cost of endangering young coeds who dwell at this school on the Brazos River. At least 8 allegations are surfacing about sexual assaults with more pending. This is on top of the revelation that the Waco Police were covering up stories to protect the football program. ESPN has been reporting on the story with speculation that Briles might not make it through this scandal. Will prominent families now be willing to entrust the University with their daughters in this type of atmosphere? That has become a moral as well as economic problem according to wide spread speculation. Just last week Starr praised Bill Clinton as a great politician. He now claims the entire attempt he led to get President Clinton was wrong. Starr spent over $54 million in tax payer dollars to go after Clinton. Which proved to be a costly error in judgement few of us could live down. I recently saw Starr speaking in one of Houston's leading Religious Right churches, Second Baptist. Starr was using his speech to praise John Kennedy. It seemed ironic that he thought so much of JFK with the well reported sexual liaisons history records. If Kenneth had been around then would we have had a JFK? History also notes that fellow impeachment ally Newt Gingrich was having a scandalous affair at the time of Clinton's impeachment. While Newt was helping Starr lead the charge at Clinton, he was embroiled in an affair himself. Newt claims his offense was different since he did not commit a felony by lying to a Federal Judge. Newt and Starr's argument appears to be that the wrong Clinton committed was refusing to admit to the scandal when confronted early on. Just exactly what other celebrity or politician who admitted to a scandal when first confronted by accusers is not mentioned. Later on Clinton did own up to the encounters. This was not quick enough for Newt and Starr. Baylor is known as a bastion for First Amendment issues. Starr came as president after working for Kirkland and Associates, a legal firm that defends Big Tobacco and advocates public money be given to private Christian academies. Texas Pastors for Children, an organization fighting for public education and defending the idea of keeping the state away from funding private Christian schools had hoped Starr would take a public stand for them. He has not done so. Insiders I know tell me there were other attempts to fire Starr. He was not a Baptist when hired by the school. Starr appears to be hoping the trustees will recall the Bible verse about someone caught in a sexual scandal. Jesus responded that he who is without sin let him cast the first stone. Starr and Gingrich never missed one chance to pile on Clinton.
Falling Starr | 7 comments (7 topical, 0 hidden)
Falling Starr | 7 comments (7 topical, 0 hidden)
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