Friday, July 1, 2022

See something, say something

Don't get mad if you're a Penn State alumnus or fan, because I know that loyalty can cloud our vision from time to time.

And for those of you with no background on the case that saw Pennsylvania State University ripped apart just over a decade ago, well, the short version is, they had an assistant football coach named Jerry Sandusky (who is in no way to be confused with Baltimore sportscaster Gerry Sandusky).

The head coach at PSU was Joe Paterno, who won 409 football games during his lengthy career. He was no doubt a great football coach, but there was a problem up there in Happy Valley, PA. 

Jerry Sandusky was a filthy child molester.

Penn State defensive coordinator Sandusky was arrested on 52 counts of child sexual abuse occurring between 1994 and 2009, and these charges included offenses alleged to have occurred on the college campus and at the football training facility.

Make a long sad story short, Sandusky went off to prison forever, and Paterno was made to walk the plank. Why? Because he did the bare minimum about it when he was told by a graduate assistant, Mike McQueary, that Sandusky was molesting boys. Paterno testified to this to a grand jury, saying that McQueary had described Sandusky "fondling" a young boy in the manner of a "sexual nature."

So Paterno knew, but did the bare minimum by reporting that conversation to his supervisor, and not calling for a police investigation. That's what led to his dismissal - he seemed to put the success of his football team over the safety of dozens of young victims of a sexual predator.

There was a Paterno statue outside the PSU football field, Beaver Stadium. After all this came to light, the statue was removed and put in storage.

Now, Pennsylvania legislators are attempting to find out where that storage is.

Republican Pennsylvania lawmaker Aaron Bernstine attached an amendment to  state Senate bill 1283, which provides funding for the state colleges, an amendment calling for PSU to reveal the location of the statue.

That bill went down to defeat, 162-38.

 “The statue symbolized Coach Paterno’s many outstanding contributions to Penn State on and off the gridiron,” said Bernstine. “His legacy should remain alive for people to view and reflect. Removing the statue does not serve the victims of Sandusky’s horrible crimes. The university is sending a mixed message by treating Paterno as a hero at the campus library where a plaque is displayed due to the millions of dollars he donated, but a villain at the stadium where he coached the Nittany Lions to two national collegiate championships and five undefeated seasons."

Again, we've seen this over and over and over. We don't treat vile crimes with a wink and a nod anymore, and how that man could sleep at night, knowing that someone on his direct staff was assaulting little boys, is beyond me. 

Even if he did win 409 games.



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