I for one don't think that GL raped my childhood. I love Star Wars as a film and I loved collecting the toys when I was a kid but I stay realistic. It is only a film and whilst it's a shame that someone I looked up to for many many years has made some bad and contradictory decisions, I am still happy to call myself a Star Wars fan. At the same time I don't think GL owes me anything. I am a consumer of his work. I can at any point choose to accept or refuse what Lucasfilm pumps out.
My deminishing respect for Lucas only helps increase my respect for Kurtz, Kershener and all the people that opposed Lucas to make the OT what it is today (or was 10 years ago). To be brutaly honest I think Star Wars was quite a fluke. Afterall it is incredibly difficult to make sucess after success. Bad decisions are bound to occur at some point. Star Wars was so much about the time at which it was made. The film world is now a totally different place.
I feel that Lucas like many directors has suffered from early successes, leading to them being surrounded by sycophants (both professionals and fans alike). This has lead to a world of no conflict for Lucas, nobody to question his decisions. Just look at TPM documentary with Lucas deciding what should be CG and what shouldn't with his highlighter pens. Why weren't such decisions left to the FX heads is beyond my understanding.
When Lucas shot Star Wars, he had $9 million, a young crew, studio heads breathing down his neck. Yet he managed to make an interesting, innovative film, like nothing seen before. For TPM he had so much more to spend and we are left with a dissappointing, lacklustre cartoon.
I work in TV and whilst pressure is never welcome, I find that I do most of my best work in a pressurised environment. Perhaps Lucas needs to remove the safety of making these films and really push the envelope once again. Preferably with someone who has the balls to answer him back.