The situation, as The Atlantic article describes it, is clearly a miscarriage of justice. The hateful language about seeing Shanley die a slow and painful death, ratified by the court, is absolutely of a piece with the horrific witch-hunt against pedophiles that has become a permanent fixture of American life. Exactly as Michel Foucault predicted, pedophiles would become the scapegoat of choice now that Jews and gays are no longer available for the purpose. Or better, the narrow subcategory of alleged clerical pedophiles are the ideal target for acting out sacred rage and uninhibited hatred, under the banner of "protect our children." There is no rational check on this.