Jerry Brown could have been a hero.

He could have helped expose a cache of child pornography in the basement of the local archdiocese.

He could have forced bishops to release the names of adults credibly accused of abuse in the past ten years, but whose identities were kept secret from parishioners, communities, and the cops. He could have exposed the names of the credibly accused kept secret for decades.

He could have flushed out men who sexually abused kids and then bullied anyone who dared expose them.

He could have helped local police get the evidence they needed to re-open important investigations into child sex crimes.

He could have helped hundreds of victims of child sexual abuse use the courts to seek justice.

But what did he do? He cried “unfair!” Instead of signing SB131, the California Child Victims Act, and using it as a first-step rallying cry to change the laws that affect ALL institutions and give ALL victims rights in the courts, he decided that NO kids deserve justice.

Here is his logic: You stand on the side of a boat and have one life preserver in your hand. You have another life preserver next to you, that you only need to inflate. Inflating the life preserver will take you 15 seconds. But there are two children drowning. Instead of throwing in one life preserver and taking the short amount of time to inflate the second, you decide to let both children drown. Why? It’s unfair if one child has to wait an additional 15 seconds.

Minnesota should be an example to the nation. As should Hawaii. When victims have rights and a voice, crime and those who cover it up have nowhere to hide.