Disgusting stories just keep coming

Wednesday was a day full of startling news. News that makes you wonder about the future of society.

* Ex-Sooner football player Eric Thunander, 29,  was charged in Cleveland County District Court with three counts of lewd acts with a child and one count of possession of child pornography. Just last year, the deaf  Thunander published a book, Silent Thunder, in which he detailed his life of overcoming depression and drug addiction and a dysfunctional family.

* Joshua Spires, 28, former pastor of the First Baptist Church of Jay in Delaware County, was charged with 10 counts of of lewd molestation. He is accused of having consensual sex with a 15-year-old girl from his church, with some of the acts coming on his desk where he also prepared sermons. The relationship allegedly started when Spires was the church’s youth pastor.

* And Millwood Middle School assistant football coach Larry Ray Buck, 50, was arrested on complaints of lewd acts with a former female student, who was 14 at the time.

The stories just kept coming, one after another. An inspirational athlete. A pastor. A coach. All facing disgusting charges. Three men easy to trust. Which could be part of the problem. Easy trust can lead to a relaxed guard.

This Wednesday was a valuable reminder to us all, a lesson that we don’t really know people just because of reputation or titles or position.

The story of Thunander will hit hardest, because while few Oklahomans have heard of Buck or Spires, thousands have followed Thunander, who was one of Bob Stoops’ early recruits and, despite a rollercoaster beginning, seemed to be a success story. As recently as last May, Thunander spoke at the baccalaureate service for Norman graduates. Now his life is in tatters again.

And we all are further warned. Be wary of people with access to our children, no matter their title, no matter their fame.