The Penn State Scandal

I am afraid that the pedophile scandal which has rocked Penn State, shocked the nation and led to the firing of a true college coaching icon is yet more evidence of our willingness to let sports overrule common sense, and yes the law.

We learned in horror through the findings of the Grand Jury that former Penn State defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky is culpable in alleged child sexual abuse, rape and sodomy cases at his home, in the facilities of Penn State and also at a local high school while coaching and also after retirement. Sandusky had emeritus status and thus access to the univeesity's facilities. Indeed he maintained an office there.

It seems sadly apparent that the charitable organization founded by Mr. Sandusky, The Second Mile, for wayward youth was his chief instrument through which the former coach could gain contact with young boys. These children were mostly from troubled homes and likely see as perfect targets for his predatory behavior.

It is tragic enough that Sandusky was able to prey on these children for so long; what is shocking was the apparent attitude of the immediate coaching staff and the school's administration, who knew of at least one witnessed rape, yet failed to report the incidents to police. There is a documented report in which an assistant coach actually saw Sandusky raping a 10 year old boy in a locker room shower. His response - he told his father! Why didn't he intervene, kick Sandusky's butt and protect the child by getting him out of there? And I don't buy for a moment that this coach was only a graduate assistant at the time. He was 28 years old!

Oh yes, he told Paterno the next day what he saw, and that went up the chain to the University president, but still no police report was made and Sandusky, then retired, was told to not bring young boys on campus again, following a university-led "investigation". Shameful, absolutely shameful.

Not once did any of these esteemed gentlemen I believe think about the well being of the child in question. It was apparent from the outset that their main focus was on the integrity of the Penn State Football program. This is the attitude which is endemic to our society. We don't hold successful athletes and programs responsible for their actions.

Time and time again we see athletes and athletic programs caught engaging in illegal or unethical activities. Rather than demand that these transgressions by punished like they would be if John Q. Citizen had committed them. we wrist-slap, or some cases let these acts go altogether. And we keep watching those games on TV and showing up at the stadiums. This is where we fail, because if the legal system misses the mark, we have the power to hold them accountable at the box office. But we don't. Just look at the students' reaction to the Paterno firing. A riot!

I don't know what coach Paterno knew and when; I don't even know if there is any legal culpability for anyone on his staff. I do know that it boggles the imagine that as late as 2002 nobody knew of the predatory behavior of Jerry Sandusky. And even when he was caught in the act, law enforcement was not involved in what can only have been construed as child rape. That they did nothing to me condemns the entire coaching staff and the school's administration. Everyone must go, and those who chose to sweep it under the rug have to be prosecuted. Justice calls for nothing less.