Politics: People don't let down people, programs do - Oprah

After catching her global press conference this morning, I applaud Oprah Winfrey's direct actions to eradicate the child abuse recently discovered in the girls' school she sponsors in Africa. In fact, she should be commended for saying she's glad the problem is getting so much attention so that it can be stamped out.
 
However, I don't believe she is right to say that neither she nor the school staff let the girls down. "I haven't done anything wrong," she said. She and the staff set up "programs" and procedures to screen employees and to protect the children. "The programs let the girls down," she concluded.
 
Actually, it is people -- Oprah and the school staff -- who planned and implemented those programs. Programs do not act or fail to act autonomously. It is people who circumvent or fail to follow proper procedures. It is people who let other people down.
 
Oprah also said child abuse most often is perpetrated by someone the child knows. So if an uncle abuses a child, is everyone in the child's family innocent of having let that child down? No. They are the child's guardians and protectors. Only the perpetrator can be blamed for the sin and deception he commits -- but those whose job is to be vigilant cannot be innocent of neglect if their oversight fails.
 
Barak Obama, Oprah's chosen candidate, has been losing his luster in the early stages of the Democratic presidential campaign alongside Hilary Clinton. I sincerely hope he's not taking too seriously the political advice Oprah has expressed her interest in providing him. It's become apparent he has been sounding more like her lately, often talking about himself as the presumptive superstar candidate while failing to discuss the substance of his policies and political platform. Failing to discuss such things implies one does not, in fact, have any. I'm afraid it might already be too late for Obama to win the Democratic nomination -- now or ever in the future. I hope he will be able to run again, once he is more seasoned and prepared.
 
And please, God, save us from late entrants in Al Gore or Ralph Nader.