Papa Joe. JoePa.
An icon. An institution unto himself. He WAS Penn State.
84 years old and subjected now to an unbelieveable, indescribable, and ignominious legacy. He won’t be remembered for helping thousands of kids and youngsters get an education and live productive lives.
No, he’ll be tarred and feathered for his ‘role’ in a pedophile scandal involving an asst. coach and friend who he knew for 30 years or more.
When advised of allegations, he told the university. What else should he have done??? Perhaps he should have fired the guy on the spot, or maybe bent him over his knee and spank him? No... he simply told the people that needed telling. And they told the Penn State president.And the complaint didn't come from the kid, it came from a graduate coach who is now the Wide receiver coach. Yet all those that he told are either fired or charged with not calling the authorities.
When we stand in judgment of another, especially without knowing all the facts, we expose ourselves to what Jesus saw when he protected some lowlife.
“Those that are without sin, cast the first stone.”
What he didn’t say… and had enough class and respect NOT to say was this, “And all others- STFU.”
Our society thrives on ‘judgment’. Rick Perry’s gaffe makes him an idiot. Paterno is a blind old man that allowed this to happen for years and didn’t do a thing about it. Conservatives are stupid, uneducated and racist. Liberals are conniving hippies from the 60’s who refuse to grow up.
Hmmmm, ok.. the last one is accurate, but you get my point. What makes the Republicans, and TP especially, different is that we DO give the other side an honest chance for debate and consideration. It’s just that after 60+ years, the time for compromise and acquiescing is over and the time for redirection onto a firmer and more productive path is here.
JoePa and this latest incident is another in a long line of instances that divert attention from the true issues and onto some incidental, micro-societal issue that chews up air time that would be better served exploring MACRO-societal issues. Since when is it ok in this country to pass judgment on another before PROVEN guilty? The news cycle and the media storm is when this began. And it’s ruined many a life.
JoePa shouldn’t have to pay the price for another’s sins. By all reports the man is the hardest working man in football and has shown that work ethic for his entire tenure.He didn't 'follow up' and call the police.
But no, the university wanted blood, wanted someone to be held into account, and its JoePa. I’m sure JoePa’s age, contract, and other inter-university political factors (he WAS Penn State... and you know how academia people feel about jocks) did not come into play. No, not at all.
JoePa was a tough SOB. He was hurt coaching several times over the last 5 years.
In 06 he couldn't avoid a onrushing player and messed up his knee.
In 08, at the age of 80....yes EIGHTY... he was demonstrating onside kickoffs and suffered a sprained hip...
And this year he got nailed again and suffered a broke shoulder and hip.
Odds are, JoePa dies before either the year is out, or as football cranks up next year. No sweat, just another old guy who used to build young men into great men, gone. Something we desperately need in society today.
Todd Reece |
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I must comment that everyone seems to thinks all anyone had to do was tell their superior, have anyone ever heard of the police, when you see a crime you are supposed to report it, that is what the intern should have done when he witnessed it. Not go to his father, not go to joepa, he should have went to the police. There are a total of 8 young men now identified and the story keeps unfolding. Bastards didn't want to lose their football team, so that the price of a winning college team now, 8 adoloscents raped and then hidden away while their rapists and his associates who covered for him lived the limelight like kings, which is what college footbal coaches live like.
ReplyDeletehttp://voxday.blogspot.com/2011/11/joe-is-no-hero.html
ReplyDeleteUPDATE - My suspicions were correct. "The VP who heard the grad assistant's claim was in charge of the campus police. He did nothing. Paterno got the witness to the head of the campus law enforcement agency who was supposed to know that a crime was being reported to him." In other words, Paterno did tell the police, who then did nothing.
Speaking as a child of sexual abuse, I hold this man and all others knowing of the situation responsible. I told my parents and grandparents and I was accused of lying and I was the one punished. Now as an adult, not very many days go by that I don't think about it. I am angry at the abusers and the ones I thought should and would take care of me. I believe most children feel like they are guilty because they were coerced into taking part of something they knew was wrong and therefore are scared into silence. I'm sure he was a great coach to many but he and others failed to protect future victims of this pervert. Something went very wrong here and social status and sports seem to have been more important.
ReplyDeleteSomething went very wrong here
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely and much more may come out in the open. All I know at this point is that the coach wasn't told the particulars, but just that something improper was going on. So, if that was the case, he reported it to the responsible person, was told it would be taken care of, but heard nothing more, then you just don't know.