Posted on 11/11/2011 8:53:16 AM PST by PA BOOKENDS
When something as awful and seemingly inexplicable as what’s going on at Penn State happens, I find myself asking God, “What’s going on, here? What is the lesson we are supposed to learn?”
As an alumna, I truly don’t believe Joe Paterno is evil. Joe’s freshman year as head coach was my freshman year as a student. I’ve been watching him (granted, from afar) for 45 years. In all those years his actions underscored his philosophy and his belief system. Could all that have been a half century ruse to hide a monster?
Is he perfect? No. Is respecting him for all he has done the same as idol worship? Not for me. Do I wish - would I have expected - him to do more? Yes, and so, according to his statement, does he. Is it heartbreaking disappointment? Yes – bigger than the Big 10.
So why, at a school whose football team and head coach have always had a squeaky clean reputation, does something this catastrophic happen? I mean, let’s face it, it could hardly be any worse – the crime, the victims, the duration, the cover-up, the stature of the accused. It has all the elements of a classic Greek tragedy! Where is God in all of this?
Here’s my take-away . . . so far.
Our culture has become so sexualized that I can’t even find words to adequately describe the debauchery. What used to be hidden is now not only done openly, but glorified, endorsed, promoted. Heterosexual, homosexual, pederasty – it doesn’t matter. As the new cliché goes, homosexuality has gone – IN ONE GENERATION – from the “love” that dares not speak its name to the “love” that won’t shut up.
God is trying to warn us that we are not far from collapse. There have been many skirmishes in this war between good & evil, and a few battles, but so far, nothing has really made an impact on the culture. If we don’t soon return to our moral moorings, I fear the end really is near – at least for our country as we know it. Maybe a tumble of the magnitude that Penn State represents will get the needed attention (although, I have to admit – I doubt it.) How the mighty have fallen – and how great is that fall.
Joe Paterno, because he appears to be the one who has fallen from the greatest height, is getting the most attention, but I’d like to focus on Graham Spanier, the President – former President.
Spanier’s degrees are in sociology with an emphasis on things sexual – wife swapping, adolescent sex. He claimed he wanted to make PSU the most LGBT-friendly university in the country. Penn State had the first gay fraternity in the nation. Under Spanier’s leadership, Penn State has sponsored “the Tent of Consent” - all about gay sex, as well as C*ntfest (I hope you find that shocking).
Shortly after his arrival, Spanier tried to get rid of Paterno. Hmmmm. Why would that be? The football program was bringing in tons of money. Paterno was (and remained) one of the LOWEST paid college coaches in the country. He, Paterno, has donated millions to the University. Spanier lost the battle, but one has to ask: why was Spanier so eager to get rid of Joe??
Maybe because the darkness can’t stand the light?
There is WAY more to this story. Joe may, yet, end up being a footnote.
“Joe Paterno, because he appears to be the one who has fallen from the greatest height, is getting the most attention, but I’d like to focus on Graham Spanier, the President – former President.”
No accident that Paterno was fired with Spanier. All the media eyeballs and outrage are focused on Paterno while Spanier slithers away. By design I’m sure by the PSU board.
Apparently you do not understand what the word “statutory” means.
while your post has many excellant points the following one is highly inaccurate....
“Coach Paterno is ashamed and has confessed publicly that he failed, is ashamed, and will retire at the end of the season. Because this reveals a man of honor, we must understand that the idea of voluntarily abandoning his team in midseason was incomprehensible.”
He should have resigned immediately, held a press conference expressing his apology and taking ownership to this nightmare. Instead, he wanted to “finish out the season”...WHAT? Finish out what season, the glory of PSU football? the glory of Paterno’s legacy?
He still has not gotten it. He says hi to the rioting students out side his house and tells them, “thank you, now go home and study.”
but go ahead, and keep apologizing for the great Paterno...blame everyone and everything else ( who all deserve it)...but leave good ole JoePa alone.
The evil facts about homosexuality are covered up in the name of political correctness and “progressivism.”
Homosexuality is cleaned up-—depicted as two adults of the same sex in a committed relationship. But more often homos’ sexual preferences are for young boys-—used to be known as chicken hawks.
Homosexuality is not equal to and is far far different from heterosexuality.-——the quest for new partners is an obsession.
One of the reasons why its being introduced into grammar school-—to condition youngsters for these insatiable pederasts.
Sandusky was charged with 40 counts-—and eight victims have come forward-—but there could be many many more. He ran these football camps in several places——for the purpose of getting young victims.
Sandusky was protected in his activities-—with people like Spanier covering for him. L/E needs to determine whether Sandusky/Spanier pimped out and/or passed around young boys to other pederasts.
I appreciate your thoughtful analysis. While Joe had to go, the investigation needs to be broad and deep, with the chips falling where they may. How is it that a Spanier could be installed as president, with his mission to normalize deviance? How can a known pedophile be granted emeritus status on campus, with full access to facilities? Why is University Park its own jurisdiction, its campus police the ones to call to report a crime? Why did they and the missing/declared dead Centre County DA fail to bring charges against Sandusky? What is in the university policy book and staff training? And how can a decent man who lived to give his best to PSU, its students and its athletes be complicit in any way to the outrage of the rape of innocent young boys. God bless them and their families.
Penn State is blue (blue-out on Saturday to raise awareness about child abuse). The traditional pep rally has been cancelled. Instead there will be a candlelight vigil for the victims. It should have happened when the news broke last weekend. I hope this has genuine motivation, and is not damage control.
As alumni our focus needs to change from Penn State pride to the words of the last verse of the Alma Mater:
May no act of ours bring shame
To one heart that loves thy name...
(Class of ‘70)
Spanier didn’t hire Sandusky, Paterno did.
It is not my intention to excuse or even downplay what DIDN’T happen. My point is that we’ve degenerated as a culture, about sex in particular.
Also, did you ever hear of Kitty Genovese? Not 99%, but 100% of the people who witnessed her murder did NOTHING?
Did not call the police, did not go to her aid. DID NOTHING!!!
There’s something in the human psyche that I can’t begin to understand much less explain.
“...that has nothing to do with gay.”
You can’t mean that?!?!?!? It certainly means more than gay (as my post mentions), but homosexuality is at the center of this particular crime.
“Now, coach Paterno made a bad mistake in 2002, and he may have made a lot of them in dealing with his friend Sandusky.”
Wrong. Coach Paterno made a mistake in 2002, and every day thereafter that he did not confront Sandusky about what happened, and every time he saw Sandusky with a child on his sidelines and never put a stop to it. Paterno is absolutely complicit in this.
So this depraved culture you blame this on had one VERY intgral part: JOE PATERNO. He must be the leader of that culture because HE allowed it to continue. Pathetic.
I see your point and I do believe that there are people who are just out and out evil. Their spirit is ruled by Satan. I disagree that JoePa is one of them.
I’ve never drunk the JoePa koolade and believe he should have resigned years ago. No one should have that much power over the direction of a major university.
I also believe that all of us are flawed and make bad decisions. Some of them are benign,some of them are fatal. But it doesn’t mean that we’re all “bad” or “evil” people. We’re just humans and we screw up. JoePa will have to face his Maker as we all do. He will also have to face the court of public opinion and perhaps be required to face a court of law.
This is my viewpoint as a Christian and it has nothing to do with PC. Others are free to disagree.
I kind of wonder if McQuery received any promotions that he wasn’t really deserving of. Sandusky might have enabled and promoted McQuery over the years to keep him quiet.
Very well put.Thank you for your clarifying response.
Did Spanier “recommend” JoePa hire Sandusky?
We may also find out Spanier enabled and protected Sandusky’s activities.
Paterno hired Sandusky in 1969.
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