I grew up in Pennsylvania. I spent every fall weekend at PSU home games, went to PSU swim camp, and belong to a family of PSU grads and die-hard supporters. It was my dream, until a shoulder injury derailed it, to swim at Penn State. To say I grew up deeply influenced by the aura of Penn State, Joe Paterno, and what was a very special atmosphere and philosophy is an understatement. Admittedly at times I've been frustrated, even angry, at some members of my family's eager willingness to prioritize Penn State over all else, but I've remained a believer and a fan. And, I write this knowing full well I may end up excommunicated from my family because of my views, but damn it I am angry.
When the awfulness in State College PA first broke I wrote to some of my friends and family about my anger -- primarily anger at Sandusky for ruining what we all thought was special and honorable, and at Paterno, Curley, Spanier etc for allowing it to happen.
But now, my anger encompasses more than that -- it includes the people who refuse to see facts, who refuse to see reality, and who refuse to accept that someone we've all idolized completely blew it -- and we're not talking about blowing a call, or losing a game, or even misjudging a recruit. We are talking about a series of decisions that, in part, permitted a monster to harm who knows how many more children. I've heard the outrage directed at, say, Jim Tressell for his complicity in the OSU scandal -- and this is FAR worse than a stupid NCAA violation. And the hypocrisy makes me livid.
I listen to the excuses people throw out for choosing -- and it IS a choice -- or supporting someone's choice to stand by and do nothing or to step away from a situation involving an abused child. I've heard "politics" and "job security" and "fear" cited, among other things. I've heard "what more could I do" or "it wasn't my call to make" and other justifications. I've heard people talk about how Paterno discharged his legal obligations by going to the AD, as if that makes it ok -- as if that would be ok if it were YOUR child in that shower.
And, as an aside, why is that argument applicable to Paterno but not to the AD or Schultz? Didn't they discharge THEIR legal duties by going to Spanier?
It's insane. Whether it is "he didn't know" or "he did what he could" or "why isn't the focus on Sandusky, he's the bad guy?" or "this isn't fair, Paterno's done so much for the University" etc., the defense of this is insane. Years of service does NOT buy you the right to look away. It does NOT buy you the right to not bear responsibility for your role -- through omission or commission -- in allowing such a heinous crime to continue being committed.
Let's be real. Sandusky didn't suddenly decide he wanted to diddle little boys in 1998, when it first came to light. He had 6 adopted children and fostered others. He founded an organization in 1977 that focused on underpriviledged boys. He had boys staying AT HIS HOUSE, in a special basement room. He had boys traveling, solo, to away games and staying ALONE in his team hotel room.
His relationship with Paterno, according to accounts, was strained for years before he retired suddenly in '99. In 1998 a parent came forward because her son came home with wet hair after showering with Sandusky. She taped him admitting to being naked, in a shower, with a child, and lathering him up. This was reported to campus police, and, apparently to State College police.
And I am supposed to believe Paterno didn't know about it? That he didn't know Sandusky was on tape, admitting to showering with the kid? That he didn't know kids were traveling with the team and staying alone with Sandusky in the hotel room?
Stop and consider that, for a second. If you knew your friend or colleague (or your kid's coach) was staying alone in a hotel room with a revolving door of unrelated children, what would you say or think? At a minimum, wouldn't you say "hey man, that looks REALLY bad" and instruct that person to cease doing anything that could be misinterpreted or open to accusation? Especially when you are someone whose entire career has been built on the moral high ground? Or would you equivocate and whimper "it's none of my business" and ignore it?
How can anyone with a straight face say that somehow Paterno was unaware of what is being termed a a "massive" police file created in '98? Does anyone think it is a coincidence that Sandusky, who had been called the "heir apparent" to Paterno, suddenly, some say shockingly, retired after the '99 Alamo Bowl? (Where, incidentally, he had one of the victims identified in the Grand Jury report with him).
And why would a set of janitors be "afraid for their jobs" after witnessing a FORMER football coach performing oral sex on a child in the team showers if it wasn't well known that nothing would happen to him?
And here, again, do a bit of role playing. You are at work. You see, or hear of, an employee regularly coming and using the company gym with a variety of unrelated children. You already know he has been accused of, and admitted to, impropriety.
According to the homers, it would be unreasonable to think you might find that of concern. Some, less homery, suggest perhaps your lack of comment stems from your arrogance and refusal to admit you, or something, could be wrong.
Me, I say, you have to TRY to not "know" given that set of circumstances. And, once the incident in '02 came to light, you have to just plain not care to not "know".
So many stupid choices were made in '02. Why didn't McQueary, who was what, 28, beat the shit out of Sandusky the second he walked in on him and a boy he said looked ten?! Why did he leave them alone, walk out, and call his FATHER and not the police? Why did his father do nothing? Why did it take another day after being told for Paterno to talk to Curley? Why did it take another week and a HALF for Curley to follow up with McQueary?!
And, why didn't Paterno follow up? Or, worse, DID he follow up (because I find it unfathomable that such a potential scandal could go on within the athletic department without Paterno being consulted and keeping his finger on the pulse of it's progression) and acquiesce in it's being swept under the rug.
THIS is where I get the most angry, because THIS is where the excuses start flowing. THIS is where people start defending the indefensible. There is no way I am buying that Paterno didn't grill McQueary like a filet for details before he went to Curley. NO. F***ING. WAY. That man controls everything. He is even controlling, or attempting to, his exit under these circumstances (announcing he would retire at the end of the season and instructing the Trustees to not waste any time discussing him!). There is no way he did not ask for, and get details. NO way. This isn't some teaching assistant in the geology department. This isn't some campus shuttle driver. This is JOE PATERNO. The face of the University. The man who put the University on the map. But how many homers are insisting it is plausible he didn't get details and didn't follow up after he talked to Curley.
Seriously. Are you listening to yourselves?! It really truly makes me wonder if some of the people so strenuously defending Paterno perhaps have made the same choice sometime in their lives -- to look away from a child's mistreatment (or perhaps to inflict it themselves). Perhaps if the great Paterno makes the same choice it makes their own choice morally defensible and easier on the palate...
And then it gets worse from there. After the '02 cover up he was supposedly told not to bring boys on campus. Think about that. Take your predilections elsewhere. We're copacetic as long as you anally rape ten year olds OFF CAMPUS.
and yet, he continued to come on campus, and continued to bring kids on campus. But, of course, the homers would have us believe Paterno was oblivious to THAT too.
Seriously.
I don't feel sorry for him. I don't think he is being mistreated. I don't think he should be allowed to finish out the season and hear the accolades that WOULD have been his if he hadn't made what looks like a long series of awful, hopefully inexplicable choices.
I hear people saying that the focus should be on Sandusky, but I disagree. This is so much more than the actions of one scumbag. Sandusky committed awful crimes, some facilitated by his position with the University. Businesses bear liability for the illegal actions of their employees. There's an entire law school course about that topic, in fact. An employee's actions can stain the image of a company -- but what really dictates how MUCH it stains that image is the company's reaction to those actions. And significant representatives of Penn State took an ink blot stain and poured a barrel of crude oil on it.
The issue CANNOT be simply about the actions of Sandusky, because those actions were facilitated by the fumbling, bumbling, possibly concertedly intentional INACTIONS of some of the most powerful representatives of the University. They messed up. More than that, they ruined lives. And even the 50+ years of other goodness doesn't warrant a pass for Paterno. (Frankly, if he messed this up so badly, how can anyone think he has been above reproach in every other aspect of his career over the course of that time?!) As long as Spanier and Paterno continue to represent the University, it will be ABOUT the University. How much clearer can it be? An employee of the University commited heinous, unfathomable crimes, and other, more powerful employees of that same University did nothing. Legally and morally, they are individually liable, and, like it or not, their actions as representatives of their employer imputes that SAME liability (on both counts) to the University.
Yes, it is awful to think that a career ostensibly built on goodness and service is going to end and be tainted by this mess. But, for GOD"S sake, could we please remember that PATERNO (and everyone else) made free choices, of free will, based on their own code of conduct and morality. No one did this TO them. They chose it themselves. It is awful, and depressing, and disappointing, and discouraging, and sad. It's all those things. But it is also their OWN damn fault, and defending them or excusing them is disgusting. Shame on all of you.
...that's my why, what's yours?
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