The Lesson in the Penn State Scandal
No one can fail who seeks to reach the truth.
I am as enraged as everyone else over the Penn State tragedy. There is no reason to recount the details here as they are being covered on every major media outlet.
There is a lesson in this for us all. Approximately 1 in 58 children in the United States is abused. It is adult bystanders that allow men like Jerry Sandusky to continue to abuse children. Did Joe Paterno, Mike McQueary, and all the other individuals involved in these horrific incidents neglect their responsibility as adults? Yes.
Children were being abused and no one was doing anything about it. Perhaps they didn’t want to jeopardize their jobs, or they didn’t want to create a controversy, or it was easier for them to stay silent, or someone told them to stay silent.
We have already seen the silence of adults, school officials, and children end the lives of our youth in the recent bullying incidents in Ohio and NY. Children have killed themselves because ADULTS weren’t doing what they were SUPPOSED to do in a CRITICAL situation. We, as a society, are letting our children down.
I think we can all look at an incident in our lives, whether it big or small, when we should have said something and we didn’t. This is our opportunity to decide to never let that happen again. Don’t let another day go by without helping someone you KNOW is in need.
No one can fail who seeks to reach the truth. If something seems strange to you, it probably is. Act in love, with your best intention.
On a different note: I (possibly more than anyone) can understand how big of a role football plays in some people’s lives. However, it made me incredibly sad to hear that the first question asked by the media at the press conference announcing Joe Paterno’s firing was, “Who’s going to coach the team on Saturday?”
It is extremely upsetting that some of the football media and the fans of Penn State are not able to understand the intensity of this situation. To turn these events into a story about Joe Paterno and his legacy as a head coach is not only inappropriate but also insulting to the victims and their families.
My heart goes out to the boys and men that were abused. I pray that they receive the support they need. I commend them for their courage in speaking up and I know that they have inspired others to do the same.
2 Comments for The Lesson in the Penn State Scandal
Great post, Stephie! This is – finally! – an instructive and sensitive assessment of what has happened. The cover up is appalling and the concerns for the Penn State football legacy are perhaps an even bigger disgrace. It’s great how you’ve pointed out a lesson here; it’s sickening that so many people are determined to defend the esteem these men clearly have not earned. I’m amazed by what fans are willing to overlook so they can avoid feeling disillusioned by sports heroes they thought they knew. Everyone so eager to tally up JoePa’s number of victories should do a quick accounting of the number of assaults he could have prevented. Thank you, Stephanie, for a productive perspective on all this!
What a smart post. I am with you all the way. I hope it opens up communication between parents/kids as well as making everyone feel more personally responsible to speak up.