Tuesday, November 15, 2011

What is the proper perspective on Penn State?

Things not so Happy in Happy Valley...


 Ironic isn' it? Penn State is located in Happy Valley. I haven't visited PSU in a few years, but I bet Happy isn't a word you hear very often now. Like you, I have listened and watched this Jerry Sandusky scandal unfold. Sickening is a mild term for what Sandusky is accused of, and probably what he probably did. I have to say that the great uproar directed at Penn State is somewhat confusing to me. 


There is a lot of blame to spread around in this mess, and it has ruined the perception of Joe Paterno. If Joe Paterno didn't understand that not having this man arrested was the proper thing to do he is simply not a man.  Not only has Jerry Sandusky hurt a lot of young boys, not even grown men, directly. More than that the story has reopened the a lot of horrid memories.  So many people have re-lived their personal trauma once again. The number of people who have come forward to share their stories on the radio and television is astounding. It also is inspirational. When we talk about profiles in courage these Americans are at the top. 


Penn State is not responsible for what happened. Individuals who work for Penn State, District Attorneys, and others are culpable. They are also culpable in the eyes of God I'd bet. However; Penn State is more than a place. To suggest that Penn State is responsible for what happened is unfair to the 99.99999% of those associated with the school who did nothing wrong. The football team did nothing wrong. Most of the coaching staff did nothing wrong. 


What about all the graduates? Those people are also Penn State. Penn State is not only a school but a family. A few bad apples shouldn't spoil the barrel.  Hundreds of thousands of people who have walked on the campus and graduated to live good lives. They are more upset about this than we can ever be. Penn State is an idea, a memory, and is a dream for the future of many young Pennsylvanians. My hope is that all people who report on this sex pervert need to remember that most people at Penn State are blameless. I understand that Sandusky is looking at 400 years if convicted and he has to serve his time consecutively. The only way that Sandusky will ever leave prison is in a box. The chance of Sandusky living a year is unlikely if he is placed in the general population. You think we are mad about all this? Prisoners hate perverts more than we can ever understand. A high percentage of prisoners were victims of perversion themselves. 


The number of years that Sandusky will serve really doesn't matter. Someone will become a hero wherever Sandusky is placed, will sank him after he received what he did to others. When that happens no one will know or have seen anything surrounding the man. I have represented numerous child molesters. I got appointed to do so. The one thing all these people have in common is they will never admit they are guilty and will never stop their behavior. Perhaps we should lock all the sex offenders on an Island and let them sort out their own problems. Of course, we can't do that. We are not that type of nation. Sandusky will receive the fairest trial of any person in Pennsylvania history. There will be no grounds for a retrial. If you think that he could be found not guilty I have some beachfront property to show you in North Dakota.


I suspect that other people will  have some criminal liability in this matter as well. The victims will be compensated by Penn State, but they can't give these children back their innocence. We need to remember that Penn State is a lot more than a few coaches and administrators. Penn State graduates and students are good and decent people. Let's remember to separate one from another. Penn State is still a special place. It always has been special and always will. Good will prevail over evil. The students at Penn State will be better people after this is over. The Penn State football program won't fall apart. It may wobble as all this mess is sorted out. But in the end Penn State will be Penn State. As horrid as all this is it should make us all better people. 
It should make us think about our social contract we have with our brothers and sisters.


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