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.
I’m a bit surprised that college punks are rioting on behalf of an established, venerated, old respected, white male tradition (Joe Paterno). I can see them rioting if the yoga professor was fired for something, but an old white guy, football coach?! What up with that?
Let’s add this up. A couple of guys come to know that one significant adult around the football team is chasing young boys...and it does not appear that any of them ran to the police. Among ninety-nine percent of us....we would have simply called in this ‘tip’ and let the cops investigate. They would prove or disprove the situation. These guys around the Penn State team didn’t want to involve cops, and you have to wonder why.
I can see them rioting if the yoga professor was fired for something..”
Or the Human Sexuality professor.
I respectfully disagree.
Paterno’s ego and belief in his own importance first, football second and PSU as an institution, all that, he rated higher than a child. that has nothing to do with gay. It has to do with the monumental self centered ego of Paterno. He could have done the right thing but choose instead to participate in a cover up, to further his “legacy”. as late as this week he still doesnt get it.
i posted this elsewhere, but if you didnt see it , read it, there can be no doubt of his knowledge or complicity in a monstrous crime. he should do serious jail time. he was the guy who could have stopped it.
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2011/11/06/sports/ncaafootball/20111106-pennstate-document.html
Yes, in this new Amerika, you would be correct. If they fired a Yoga instructor all the PC Puss!es would be screaming at the top of their lungs and create an outrage. How Pathetic!
A colleague and I were discussing Paterno’s situation. She believes it was wrong for him to be fired because from what she perceived he followed a chain of command when reporting something like that. I do understand and support the decision to let him go, but the quaterbacks coach should have been gone first, IMO.
Society is morally bankrupt.
“Where is God in all of this?”
His judgement descended on Spanier, et al who promulgated the culture of the most LGBT-friendly university in the country.
I did not know that about Spanier. thanks for the info, now we have a hint as why no (real) action was taken by upper management at P.S. I agree there is a lot more to this story.
College punks are all about The Establishment, they just don’t realize it. They are the biggest conformists of all.
Why do you think OWS isn’t protesting in front of colleges? Because they get their marching orders from academe.
I think you’re stretching - Penn State football meant more to Paterno than the safety of little boys. The Catholic sex abuse scandal was being dragged into the open; Paterno must have read about the lasting harm suffered by the victims, the suicides, the pure betrayal of the cover-up.
Jail time (IN GENERAL PRISON POPULATION) for each of them that did not call the cops about pre-teen kids being raped on campus.
Wrong. Paterno ran the program. He was the most powerful man on campus. It was his call.
He decide to allow his friend to retire with salary, parking space, and access. That allowed Sandusky to destroy countless more lives raping (let’s call it like it is) young boys.
Paterno gave the keys to the Ice Cream truck to a pedophile knowing what he’d done and would do.
How can you for a minute not think he’s morally responsible as well?
Save us the contortions of defending Paterno.
The greatest sins are sins of omission. Paterno and various others knew exactly what was happening in their building. They chose to cover it up, probably because it seemed like the easiest course of action at the time.
We see similar scandal every day, when we or others choose to look the other way at crime, abortion, infanticide, government corruption, etc., etc..
Perhaps what was happening with Joe was a bit of what I refer to as "The Imus Syndrome." Imus is an obnoxious, outspoken (and sometimes funny) radio host who hides his often bad-taste behavior behind his charitable activities. For instance, when he made that "nappy-headed hos" remark about those Rutgers basketball players, the first thing he did in defense was talk about all the good he does in the world (he does great work for veterans and for kids with cancer and other awful diseases). He felt--both consciously and unconsciously--that this good activity shielded him.
Perhaps Paterno had the same feeling. All the good he did, all the accolades he received should allow him to give Sandusky (in Joe's eyes, a stand-up guy who played defensive end for him and was a great coach) a pass on this.
A few are handled by campus cops, and are quickly hushed up.
Most cases seem to be young girls being harassed by female coaches, and nothing has ever been done, except to let the students out of their scholarships.
There is a complete double standard at play.
The statistics state that it normally takes a child victim of sexual abuse telling 7 adults before anything is done!
Everyone benfited from not demanding justice and help for all the boys!
Paterno
Sandusky
McQuery
Spanier
Penn State Univ and the PSU Administration
The campus and the State college police that didn’t want to respond to many allegations , including from parents
The football playors that never said anything or did anything about the rumors and signs they must have known ( some are “now” commenting about Sandusky’s behavior).
If a MAN walked into a shower and saw someone raping a 10 year old boy, someone would have left the shower in a body bag and the police would have become involved. End of Story! Everything else is pure B.S.
I don’t think Joe-Pa is evil. I think became part of the campus good ol’ boys network that thinks it’s easier to hush things up rather than risk the campus looking bad.
Joe-Pa is the Godfather of PSU. He could’ve ended this a long time ago. But it seems he was more interested in saving face for the institution.
The problem is, they never handled the problem internally, either. Sandusky was still using PSU facilities for his misdeeds up until recently.
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