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The Media Lynching Of Joe Paterno


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Just because Joe Paterno was a major figure doesn't mean he had the responsibility to pull the switch, especially on a former friend. Listen he has said he should have done more. He certainly should have, but the self=righteousness of some of you makes me sick. So Henry, if you had a new employee told that told you he saw your father in the shower with young boy. You would immediately go call the police? Remember the authorities knew about this guy in 1998 and no charges were brought against him? How is that Paterno's fault? Why shouldn't you be wishing the prosecuting attorney and chief investigator burn in Hell.
Man you are so far off on this its incredible! There is no gray area here at all and I don't get how in the hell you see anybody here being self-righteous the issue is pretty cut and dry. There is a huge difference between the police knowing about the guy in 98 and having evidence/witnesses etc. Even the police did others failures to act properly is not an adequate defense for Paterno. Your example isn't the same when you bring the family aspect into the fold but yes the answer here should still be clear..
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I'm just sorry Paterno didn't live to see his reputation tarnished.

You're all sick bastards, you son-of-a-bitch.

Listen he has said he should have done more. He certainly should have, but the self=righteousness of some of you makes me sick. So Henry, if you had a new employee told that told you he saw your father in the shower with young boy. You would immediately go call the police? Remember the authorities knew about this guy in 1998 and no charges were brought against him? How is that Paterno's fault? Why shouldn't you be wishing the prosecuting attorney and chief investigator burn in Hell.
Well, my dad's been dead for a long time, so that would be really weird....The story I saw said Paterno took it to the college administrators who brushed it under the rug, and he didn't go to the police. If I had an eyewitness that I trusted who saw this happening, and my employer brushed it under the rug, yes, I would go to the police. Even if it was someone I previously respected and/or was friends with.If he had reported it to the police and they said "nothing to see", I'd still keep an eye on that person and pry around to make sure the kids were safe. I certainly wouldn't let somebody who was witnessed raping a child just continue on his merry way.
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How is it self-righteousness if even you are admitting he should have done more?
People stating matter-of-factly that if they were in the same situation that they would have acted perfectly.
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People stating matter-of-factly that if they were in the same situation that they would have acted perfectly.
There are situations in life that should be pretty straight forward as to what is right and what is wrong and this is one of those.
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Well, my dad's been dead for a long time, so that would be really weird....The story I saw said Paterno took it to the college administrators who brushed it under the rug, and he didn't go to the police. If I had an eyewitness that I trusted who saw this happening, and my employer brushed it under the rug, yes, I would go to the police. Even if it was someone I previously respected and/or was friends with.If he had reported it to the police and they said "nothing to see", I'd still keep an eye on that person and pry around to make sure the kids were safe. I certainly wouldn't let somebody who was witnessed raping a child just continue on his merry way.
So you would have put 24 hour survalence on the guy at you own expense? You are being unrealistic. There is only so much you could actually do. At some point the authoritiies are going to have to do their job. Based on the Grand Jury testimony, you can't draw a lot ot the conclusions you are drawing, even though I suspect you are right about at least some of them.
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No, you're totally right; just throw your hands up in the air and say, "Well, I told my supervisor, nothing else I can do." Especially since Paterno didn't have any power around the campus or anything like that. His hands were tied.
I know you know that I'm not as sold on this as you are, but I'm going to say it again anyway.We simply don't have all the information to say what Paterno knew and didn't know. I definitely think that the court of public opinion is way too far out in front of this because of the nature of the crimes. There is only guilt and no presumpsion of innocence with anyone involved, and I don't think that's totally justified. There is a very legitimate possibility that Paterno didn't ever see Sundusky on campus. There is a legitimate possibility that he thought after his 2nd followup that the situation was reported. If he never saw him, it would be easy to believe that your bosses had handled it. That being said, he should have been upset that his bosses didn't "handle it" publicly. I'm totally on your side about him doing very close to the minimum.
I'd love to see the media coverage be all about Sandusky and how that would go.Chris Berman: So it looks like Jerry San-"dusky in the Wind" raped a whole bunch of kids.Tom Jackson: Yes, Boomer, truly awful. [lowers head and shakes it slowly]Chris Berman: I don't think he'll be backbackbackback at Penn State anytime soon.Tom Jackson: I wouldn't think so, Boomer.Chris Berman: I mean he...could....go...all...the...way...to the slammer!Tom Jackson: I don't think this is appropriate, Boom.Anyway, there is universal consensus that what Sandusky did was just about the worst thing imaginable. There's nothing to debate or discuss there. Paterno knew about what happened and all he did was one step above nothing. It's inexcusable, indefensible, and he deserves the firing and the "media lynching."
Funny.
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The next morning, McQueary said, they went to see Paterno. And what did McQueary say? We don’t know. The grand jury presentment that has been given to the public, simply says that McQueary “reported what he had seen.” According to Paterno’s testimony, McQueary told the coach he had witnessed Sandusky “fondling or doing something of a sexual nature” to the boy. Two days after the report was released, Paterno issued a statement saying he wanted to correct the impression left by the presentment. Even though Paterno himself had told the grand jury that McQueary saw “something of a sexual nature,” Paterno said this week that he had stopped the conversation before it got too graphic. Instead, he told McQueary he would need to speak with his superior, Athletic Director Tim Curley, and with Schultz. That meeting did not happen for 10 days.

There is nothing in there that makes me think Paterno doesn't deserve the spotlight that is on him.

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So, two points to get out of the way:1. I think Joe Paterno had the responsibility as a leader and a man to stop the horrific rapes allegedly committed by Jerry Sandusky, and I believe he will have regrets about this for the rest of his life.2. Because of this, Joe Paterno could no longer coach at Penn State University.This is my feeling about it and as long as he was still the coach and saying things like, "they shouldn't spend one minute" thinking about me because I'll just retire at the end of the season, I was going to be "howling" against him. Now that's he's been fired, now that he can't be involved with the school in any way, I don't need the national attention on him anymore. I bet the public turns its angry glare to McQueary now and until he's out. But it won't be as intense because he's not a legend. I doubt many outside Penn State even knew about McQueary before this, but everybody knew Paterno.
Has anyone noticed this guy's name is McQueary? Oh, and apparently he is a pretty big ginger dude. To be honest, I think this drastically increases the level of responsibility he had to stop the assault when he saw it. Think about it - if you are some kid, and you remember this awful thing where you were getting raped in the shower by an old man...then some giant ginger named McQueary busts in to stop it...wouldn't you look back on that and just assume it was some crazy sick dream? The kid might need some therapy for that, but nothing he can't chalk up to puberty and being around Sandusky a lot.What?
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I think it's weird that McQueary apparently once broke up a knife fight (really? A knife fight? This is a real thing that happens?), but couldn't even muster up a "hey, stop that!" in this instance.
Hell, when the janiter witnessed Sandusky performing oral sex on kid pinned to shower wall, he couldn't stop shaking, they thought he was having a heart attack. These guys were frozen in shock. It is one thing to say you would be a hero, but no one really knows if they will be the one to jump on the grenade until it is laying pin-less in front of them.
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So you would have put 24 hour survalence on the guy at you own expense? You are being unrealistic. There is only so much you could actually do. At some point the authoritiies are going to have to do their job. Based on the Grand Jury testimony, you can't draw a lot ot the conclusions you are drawing, even though I suspect you are right about at least some of them.
I have not seen any reports that he reported anything to the police. It appears it was handled internally and covered up, and he knew that. That is not acceptable.If he reports it to the police and they say it's nothing and he is diligent from then on (being aware of rumors, watching this guy's interactions with kids, etc), I give him a pass. Right now, it looks like he intentionally looked away out of fear for the program.
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I have not seen any reports that he reported anything to the police.
He personally told Curley the very next day after McQueary told him about the situation. He called Curley and the other dude.. Schmidt?... and told them they both needed to come to his house on Sunday, and he told them there.Curley was the head of the University Police.
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Love Pos. Agree with some of this.....but:He is writing a biography of Paterno. He needs access. He is the one guy who professionally can't torch Paterno in print right now without ruining his potential book. Kind of decreases his credibility here a lot.
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Paterno failed in his responsibility, that's really all there is to it. Doing the minimum is simply not the standard to which a person in his position is held. His firing was deserved, but at the same time, if they are going to clean house, they can't just go after the big names. Anyone who had knowledge of the situation and failed to go to the police or follow up shouldn't be allowed to keep their job. Chain of command goes out the window with something like this. They are ALL at fault. Not just Joe.

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Love Pos. Agree with some of this.....but:He is writing a biography of Paterno. He needs access. He is the one guy who professionally can't torch Paterno in print right now without ruining his potential book. Kind of decreases his credibility here a lot.
Ridiculous. That article was very genuine.
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Ridiculous. That article was very genuine.
"And why? I’ll tell you my opinion: Because they were afraid. And I understand that. A kind word for Joe Paterno in this storm is taken by many as a pro vote for a child molester."Great article. Very true point about people being scared to stand up for Joe in all this. I saw a buddies facebook status that was complaining about how people were treating Paterno and the whole firing. I swear to god within 10 minutes of him changing his status, he had 10 different people basically accusing him of being pro child molester. Ridiculous.
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What I really can't understand is McQueary's immediate reaction to seeing a grown man raping a young boy. His reaction was...to go home (and then report it to his superior the next day). How does he not enter the shower and slam Sandusky's face into the wall and immediately find the nearest phone and dial 911? Or just the part where he dials 911?(???) He actually witnessed a horrendous felony, didn't call the police.P.S. Paterno obviously failed himself, his university, and humanity in general by not taking further steps as well.

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yeah I'm with all you guys here. If I was McQueary I would have busted in that shower and cracked Sandusky's neck right there. and if I was Paterno and McQueary had told me that stuff I'd have instantly put on my military fatigues and tracked Sandusky down and slit his throat on site. and if I was in the world trade center on 9/11 I would have crafted a parachute out of carpeting and jumped out of the window with a baby cause I'm a FUCKING HERO and I damn sure know precisely how I'd react in any given incredibly high stress situation even though I've never even come close to experiencing it before CAUSE I'M THE FUCKING MAN.

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Seriously though, even if seeing the RAPE gave him a near-heart-attack, he could have gone home, thought about it, and then drove to a police station to report it. That night he did make a logical decision to tell somebody, but somehow neglected to tell the police. That seems pretty fucked up.

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Seriously though, even if seeing the RAPE gave him a near-heart-attack, he could have gone home, thought about it, and then drove to a police station to report it. That night he did make a logical decision to tell somebody, but somehow neglected to tell the police. That seems pretty fucked up.
Yes, that was the janitor that saw Sandusky molesting a kid back in 2000. The Janitor actually told his super and a couple of coworkers(I think) but nothing in that case got reported to anyone. Sandusky was apparently seen driving through the parking lot several times that night, and into the wee hours of the morning. I wonder how scared the janitor was that he was going to be harmed in some way by Sandusky. Sandusky was obviously monitoring the situation.McCreary went home and discussed it with his father and then went to Paterno. This isn't just some stranger he walked in on. This was a big wig in the Penn State family. That is why I challanged Henry and others to imagine hearing that kind of news about a trusted family member. There is going to be a real shock and maybe even panic. That is what is so ****ed up about this. McCreary, a guy who once broke up a knife fight in the cafateria, goes in shock and leaves the situation and apparently is more concerned(at that time) with how to handle reporting on Sandusky than the safety of the kid. Like Tykoya Jackson said he suspects McCreary has been experiencing his own personal Hell since this happened. Again, that is another thing I don't really understand, the media goes wild about Paterno , but this guy McQueary actually could have intervened directly, but he hasn't been fired.
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Yes, that was the janitor that saw Sandusky molesting a kid back in 2000. The Janitor actually told his super and a couple of coworkers(I think) but nothing in that case got reported to anyone. Sandusky was apparently seen driving through the parking lot several times that night, and into the wee hours of the morning. I wonder how scared the janitor was that he was going to be harmed in some way by Sandusky. Sandusky was obviously monitoring the situation.
I was actually talking about McQueary, but the janitor thing is equally relevant. My point was that McQueary should have contacted the police, and that the necessity of doing so should have been independent in his mind of the necessity to tell JoePa and any other superiors, which is all that he apparently ever did about it. It's a bit surprising that he hasn't been fired yet. Interesting about Sandusky returning to the parking lot all night after the janitor saw him, I hadn't heard that yet.
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