Joe Paterno to be honored this Saturday... really? (1 Viewer)

[SystemShock]

I have a similar feeling about all of this. Paterno is being painted with a brush as if he was a child molester.

Not at all. Paterno is being painted with the "he knew but chose to Pilate it when he could certainly do something about it" brush.

Here is a different analogy that I think fits better.

It's like holding Switzerland accountable for genocide because they didn't act to stop Hitler.

Switzerland did not have the power to stop Hitler, or even curtail his efforts. Bad analogy.

 

[guidomerkinsrules]

Switzerland did not have the power to stop Hitler, or even curtail his efforts. Bad analogy.

i happen to like analogies that torpedo the point trying to be made

 

[LombardiGras]

Not at all. Paterno is being painted with the "he knew but chose to Pilate it when he could certainly do something about it" brush.



Switzerland did not have the power to stop Hitler, or even curtail his efforts. Bad analogy.

i happen to like analogies that torpedo the point trying to be made

It may not be a perfect analogy but it's far closer than the one I responded to. He compared Paterno doing nothing to Hitler actively killing people, which is in no way similar. In my analogy one party is being held accountable for not acting to prevent the crimes of another party. Switzerland even shot down allied planes crossing into their airspace. If you can come up with a better analogy feel free, although mine wasn't that far off.

 

[voodoo_blues]

Paterno had more pull than anyone in that university, town, even than any governor of Pennsylvania. He knew what was happening in his installation, he knew who was doing it, and he not only turned a blind eye to it, he covered up.

This is spot on. As a life long Pennsylvania resident I can tell you that Joe Paterno was in fact the most powerful figure in this state. It's almost sad to think that, but it's absolutely true. If he wanted something done, it would have happened.

 

[SystemShock]

It may not be a perfect analogy but it's far closer than the one I responded to.

For the record, I did not notice the analogy to which you responded before quoting yours. Point taken.

 

[Jackavelli]

Ppl can worship who they want. It's disgusting they choose him but life goes on.

 

[livefromDC]

If the mother of a serial killer knows that her son was the serial killer terrorizing the neighborhood for the past 2 decades, she's just as responsible as her son. If he kills your family next week, no one is going to say, "well, she did tell her husband".

He's responsible. He provided an environment for a pedophile to have a constant stream of victims. He knew about it and didn't put a stop to it. He took the road of least resistance while decades of our sons were abused by a sick *******. Have some damn empathy. If your child is put into the hands of someone that's sexually abusing them on a daily basis, you wouldn't be so forgiving on Paterno's non-action.

 

[Broknbusted]

I've lived in Pennsylvania most of my life. USED to be a Penn State fan myself. Joe was just shy of being a God in this state. Had he ever wanted to go into politics and run for Governor, he would have won by the largest margin of victory of any race EVER. People in this state loved JoePa.

That being said, regardless who he did or didn't talk to, he had clout. The fact he found out about Sandusky, reported it and, even though nothing became of it, and STILL allowed him into his locker room to continue abusing kids is what kills me. If you worked with someone who was accused of molesting kids in the company bathroom during breaks, was reported and nothing came of it, would you stand by and watch same person take a kid into the bathroom anytime in the future or would you barge right in there and make sure nothing could happen?

That is where my blame for JoePa lies. The fact that despite being told it happened and despite his reporting of it didn't produce any results, he allowed Sandusky to still parade kids into HIS locker room. And make no mistake about it, if Joe would have demanded that Sandusky not be allowed to bring kids onto the campus, his demand would have been met. Why that man didn't see that regardless if anything did or did not happen, a grown man showering with a young boy is wrong on ANY level is beyond me. Joe and Penn State SHOULD have made sure Sandusky was NEVER to bring young kids to the campus following the very first accusation. If for nothing more then to protect themselves. Cause they sure as hell didn't do anything to protect those kids!