JoePa out at PSU? (York, Media: homes, deed, vs)

[Carmen11]

Glad to see the "Good Ole Boy" system didn't work this time. They were right to fire Paterno. Can't believe the people more concerned about football than children being sexually abused. The people who have the power to do something about this and don't are even more guilty than the pervert who did the crime. No one would want this to happen to their child.

[Isitmeorarethingsnuts?]

Originally Posted by fisheye

Check out the Wikipedia article on Jerry Sandusky:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerry_Sandusky
The article states: “Sandusky is married and has six adopted children. He also took in foster children.”

We have not heard from his adopted children, their foster children, his wife or Children and Youth services. I heard one report that one of the natural mothers did not want her son placed with the Sanduskys.

Here is also a good link to a story running in the Patriot today: http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2011/11/who_knew_what_about_jerry_sand.html It mentions the missing DA.

Thanks for the links, it really helps with the timeline of events.

[Raena77]

Originally Posted by Carmen11

Glad to see the "Good Ole Boy" system didn't work this time. They were right to fire Paterno. Can't believe the people more concerned about football than children being sexually abused. The people who have the power to do something about this and don't are even more guilty than the pervert who did the crime. No one would want this to happen to their child.

I agree when I first heard about this on the news it made me sick to my stomach. As a parent myself I would of report it to the police right away. I can't believe the riot, let's get mad cause we lOve the coach? Um what about the kids and their parents! They have to live with this for the rest of their lives! Probably need counseling too!

[SusqueHappy]

I don't understand why there is a 'victim monopoly' mentality operating here.

For anyone who is not from this region, you don't know *specifically* how many of our football players would love to beat up pedophiles - particularly this pedophile - so those comments are out of line, IMO.

There are a lot of people here who have been betrayed, there is no rule for who can be betrayed or upset and who can't or what can be considered on this topic, and if that argument goes much farther I will be... quite angry, in fact.

Everyone in this case will have to stand by his or her behavior.

In 2002, Joe Paterno was in his 70s, BTW, not young, and I already said I wasn't defending him, so your comment, livecontent, makes no sense. In additon, I've read your comments throughout this thread, and while I understand your passion they seem, well... extreme. You are not here living through this, know little of Joe Paterno or my region, and seem intent on stripping this issue down to a moralistic argument - which NO ONE disputes... so I wonder what you are adding to this discussion. Perhaps you will clarify.

[SusqueHappy]

My comments at this point are not directed to the OP except for this comment:

'more of a figurehead than a coach'

which I agree with, and those of us in my region do as well. The premise of the riot (besides youthful exuberance tsk tsk tsk !!! and serves you right if you are arrested or recognized in an interview !!!) is that Paterno is not *really* in charge, hasn't been for awhile, and shouldn't be the fall guy.

...as well as some injured pride, this is a huge blow for our state and region, I can't tell you how devastating this is. I haven't seen a smile around here in days. Everyone is of course very sobered by this and for whatever advances are achieved from it, it seems the Penn State trustees and anyone I've spoke with are extremely interested in being more accountable in our organizations.

[Isitmeorarethingsnuts?]

Originally Posted by SusqueHappy

I don't understand why there is a 'victim monopoly' mentality operating here.

For anyone who is not from this region, you don't know *specifically* how many of our football players would love to beat up pedophiles - particularly this pedophile - so those comments are out of line, IMO.

There are a lot of people here who have been betrayed, there is no rule for who can be betrayed or upset and who can't or what can be considered on this topic, and if that argument goes much farther I will be... quite angry, in fact.

Everyone in this case will have to stand by his or her behavior.

In 2002, Joe Paterno was in his 70s, BTW, not young, and I already said I wasn't defending him, so your comment, livecontent, makes no sense. In additon, I've read your comments throughout this thread, and while I understand your passion they seem, well... extreme. You are not here living through this, know little of Joe Paterno or my region, and seem intent on stripping this issue down to a moralistic argument - which NO ONE disputes... so I wonder what you are adding to this discussion. Perhaps you will clarify.

Hey, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to imply that Penn State players wouldn't want to beat up a pedophile too. My point was that in spite of Nebraska being pretty heavy into football I don't think anyone would turn their back on a kid. And I'm finding it hard to believe people in Pa would either. That's why the timeline is so important. It's pretty easy for anyone to look back at situations and think they were odd after they have knowledge of someone perpetrating a crime. It's quite another thing to move back in time and watch these same situations and wonder how strange they were at THAT time without all the news about it. I, in no way meant to imply anything negative about the people of Pa.

I just can't get my mind around how sooo many people could truthfully be aware of this without the lid blowing. People just aren't that good at keeping secrets. I'm truly sorry if I offended you, it was not intended.

[livecontent]

Originally Posted by SusqueHappy

My comments at this point are not directed to the OP except for this comment:

'more of a figurehead than a coach'

which I agree with, and those of us in my region do as well. The premise of the riot (besides youthful exuberance tsk tsk tsk !!! and serves you right if you are arrested or recognized in an interview !!!) is that Paterno is not *really* in charge, hasn't been for awhile, and shouldn't be the fall guy.

...as well as some injured pride, this is a huge blow for our state and region, I can't tell you how devastating this is. I haven't seen a smile around here in days. Everyone is of course very sobered by this and for whatever advances are achieved from it, it seems the Penn State trustees and anyone I've spoke with are extremely interested in being more accountable in our organizations.

Your comments, in both the previous post, are very interesting and very well presented. I do welcome them and I can see some of your points. However, I do think that Joe Paterno is very much of a figure head today, but in the past when these events occurred he was more in control. This is a national figure, for years, and we do not have to be living in the State and know his activities.

I have characterized him as a dummy in my little senario of his report to his superiors but it may have been different, because his history shows a powerful person, on the campus, who directs others and gets what he wants.

He may have went to the athletic director and said:

"I want you to contain this problem and I want it done now. I do not want to hear anything else, go to the VP and do it" It was really the man in charge, not the AD or the VP. There answer may have been, "Yes Sir, Mr. Paterno" and they did what they were told. I am sure many were afraid of Joe and wanted to keep their cushy well paid jobs.

One thing is certain, they did not have a conversation to help the child and make an immediate report to the police. So, I do not think this powerful tough man, on this campus, has a defense.

Yes this is mainly a local issue because it mainly has concerns with the people of the State. Yet, this serious issues becomes very big, very quickly, especially when they are mishandled and when there is pervasive continual national abuse of sports and their power on educational institutions.

I also know that many students operate under a group think mentality; and many were at the riots, just as observers for the excitement and to say they were there and some are the obsessive football fanatics who care not for children. I went to college in the sixties will all the riots and It was the same--a few big mouths, some trouble makers, a bunch of drunks and in my very big University in NY, many arrogant pampered students from NYC.

Football people brag about the money college football brings. In this case, it is a big money loser when the Universities pays out millions in the settlements. The trustees know it and will defend as much as possible the wealth of the campus, as they should. However, will they encourage people to lie to do it, and then further expand the disgusting behaviors that we have seen. The nation will see and the people of PA are under the microscope. I think that the football program at this University will never again be run as a personal kingdom, and this tragedy will effect other colleges in all States.

Yes, this a big tragedy for the people of the Great State of Pennsylvania and I know most are angry, are grieving and sadden that their children were abused. I trust that the authorities in Pa will take care of this problem, as they have the intelligence and the morals of good people.

Livecontent

[SusqueHappy]

IsItMe, No problem, thanks for elaborating on the context of your post. Maybe the athletes of Nebraska and Pennsylvania should join forces

I think there are frequently people who are somehow complicit in these situations - usually through negligence, which is a chasm, not a crack, in our society.

[Avalon08]

As a mother of a son, I could cry every time I think of that poor little boy being left in the locker room with that (alleged) rapist, while McQueary ran to his daddy and they huddled over "what to do, what to do". Why didn't his father tell him to go get the kid.....why didn't the father and son go back to the building....why didn't they meet with Paterno that very night....how did they wait an entire night, knowing that poor kid was with that (alleged) pig.... I am sick, sick, sick. Every last one of them should be fired. They all wanted to bury their heads in the sand because they didn't want to believe it. How would they have felt if one of their sons was victimized because of their inaction?

[SusqueHappy]

Incest has been cited as the most common form of child abuse. Studies conclude that 43 percent (43%) of the children who are abused are abused by family members, 33 percent (33%) are abused by someone they know, and the remaining 24 percent (24%) are sexually abused by strangers (Hayes, 1990). Other research indicates that over 10 million Americans have been victims of incest.

The National Center for Victims of Crime - Library/Document Viewer (http://www.ncvc.org/ncvc/main.aspx?dbName=DocumentViewer&DocumentID=32360 - broken link)

Child sexual abuse is happening everywhere. What are we doing about it?