Should We Blame the Victim?

I was horrified Monday morning as I was putting on my shoes and heard the news that Washington Redskins player Sean Taylor had been shot in his home. I did not have time to follow up on the story throughout the day and had no idea how serious his injuries were until I heard on Tuesday that he had died. His death made me sad, not because he was a rich and famous NFL football player, but because he was a young man just starting out in life with a small child. And his death seemed so senseless. My heart goes out to his family.

I didn't really know anything about Sean before this tragic incident. I don't follow the NFL much (only the Super Bowl, really) and the only players I readily recognize are the former Gators. So the problems this young man had over the years meant nothing to me. Why should they now? Sean Taylor was at home, in bed, asleep in the early morning hours of 26 November 2007. Someone broke into his home and shot him. Whatever Mr. Taylor had or had not done in the previous 24 years of his life did not give anyone the right to shoot him, certainly not in his own home!

It seems to me that the media is holding Sean Taylor accountable for his own murder due to his actions in the past and that is not acceptable. It is like holding a woman accountable for her own rape because she was wearing a short skirt. We all need to be held accountable for OUR OWN actions and use some common sense, but we should not be blamed, by the media, by the courts, by anyone for things that are beyond our control. Sean Taylor was exactly where he was supposed to be and some lunatic broke into his house and shot him. Let's not blame Sean Taylor.

Rest in Peace, Sean.