SueDonJ
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It is interesting and instructive on how quickly the attention of the media and most people has turned away from the victims and to the "football program and how innocent students, athletes, etc. etc. will be hurt".
That is exactly the kind of thinking that allowed Sandusky to operate his disgusting pedophile operation at Penn State and his "charity to help kids'. The first thing Paterno and everyone else at Penn State was concerned about was how Sandusky's dirty little operation would hurt Penn State. Not his child victims.
Sandusky was a depraved child molestor. He hurt many many children. Paterno and Penn State helped him. There is no punishment that can be too severe. If "innocent" students and athletes are harmed it is because of what Paterno and company did to cover up the actions of a hideous person. That made them hideous people as well.
The NCAA doesn't want to see this happen again. Based upon everything I read and see in the media they are fighting a losing battle. AFTER ALL, it is almighty football that is the important thing. I mean we have to be able to watch our football team. Why should WE be inconvienced and miss some really good games? Why should players be inconvienced and have to move to another school to play a game? Why should the record books be changed ? Its just not fair to US! What a stupid sick society we live in.
This is why I was so much in favor of Penn State football NOT taking the field to finish out their season last year following the Grand Jury report, why I was so completely disgusted with the governor decreeing that flags be flown at half-staff in PA with Joe Paterno's passing, why I thought that statue should have been removed the day the Freeh report came out, why I still think that it's wrong to allow Penn State football to take the field in front of an adoring crowd who now believe themselves to be martyrs for their misguided cause ...
There isn't much history for a pedophile scandal of this magnitude but what is available should have been used as a barometer for Penn State and wasn't. The history tells us that when such a scandal is first unearthed, erring on the side of caution with the child victims in mind is so important at every step of the way, both because to do so validates the victims' plights but also because it stops dead the culture that fed the monster. The people who are ingrained in that culture had their martyrdom validated by those moves and all the others that took priority over the victims' distress.
I love your rant, completely agree that the reactions of some are sickeningly so over-the-top in their rejection of any punishment that hurts anybody connected to Penn State excepting Sandusky and McQueary. But, IMO it is possible to remain focused on the victims while at the same time discussing the ramifications of how this scandal affects innocent bystanders with collateral damage. It should be possible for the media and the rest of us to explore all angles while still validating that the victims should always be the number one priority. The way I see it, the problem lies with those who would misplace their priorities so wrongly that the collateral damage is considered a higher priority, not with anybody who's now discussing how some folks are being punished for something not of their doing. It DOES stink that the current players at Penn State have just had their insular worlds turned upside-down. Acknowledging that doesn't equate to saying that they should not suffer as collateral damage or that their suffering is equal to that of the victims.
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