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Forums - General - Rioting in State College, PA. Occupy? No: it's Football

HappySqurriel said:
sapphi_snake said:
HappySqurriel said:
I'm not going to say that either side is right in this case because it depends heavily on Joe Paterno's side of the story, which he hasn't told yet ...

What we know is that Joe Paterno was told by one of his coaches that he witnessed another coach abusing a child, and then Joe Paterno informed his superior of this incident. While Joe Paterno should have gone to the police, I don't believe he was trying to cover it up, and it is plausible that he believed his superior was going to handle the police and begin an investigation. Regardless of this, the coach who witnessed the abuse had an obligation to report it to the police.

While I can see the justification of firing Joe Paterno, I don't understand how either the athletic director or the coach who witnessed the abuse still have their jobs; because, as far as I can tell, their obligations were far more clear than Paterno's were and were certainly not met.

You never ever ever 'go to your superiors' when witnessing an illegal activity at your work place. You go straight to the cops, because corporations don't like whistleblowers, and always try to cover up thigns like this.


That's fine, and I agree (in general), except you're angry at Joe Paterno for not reporting a crime he wasn't a witness to ...

But a crime he heard was commited. And a very serious crime. It was his duty to urge the person who saw it to report it to the police, else report it himself. Sorry, he just wanted to wash his hands of it, and go on leading a nice cozy little life as a hothot coach or whatever his job was, with no paedophilia scandal or anything at his workplace. What did he care that a 10-year-old boy was being raped? He deserved what he got.



"I don't understand how someone could like Tolstoy and Dostoyevsky, but not like Twilight!!!"

"Last book I read was Brokeback Mountain, I just don't have the patience for them unless it's softcore porn."

                                                                               (The Voice of a Generation and Seece)

"If you cant stand the sound of your own voice than dont become a singer !!!!!"

                                                                               (pizzahut451)

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sapphi_snake said:
HappySqurriel said:
sapphi_snake said:
HappySqurriel said:
I'm not going to say that either side is right in this case because it depends heavily on Joe Paterno's side of the story, which he hasn't told yet ...

What we know is that Joe Paterno was told by one of his coaches that he witnessed another coach abusing a child, and then Joe Paterno informed his superior of this incident. While Joe Paterno should have gone to the police, I don't believe he was trying to cover it up, and it is plausible that he believed his superior was going to handle the police and begin an investigation. Regardless of this, the coach who witnessed the abuse had an obligation to report it to the police.

While I can see the justification of firing Joe Paterno, I don't understand how either the athletic director or the coach who witnessed the abuse still have their jobs; because, as far as I can tell, their obligations were far more clear than Paterno's were and were certainly not met.

You never ever ever 'go to your superiors' when witnessing an illegal activity at your work place. You go straight to the cops, because corporations don't like whistleblowers, and always try to cover up thigns like this.


That's fine, and I agree (in general), except you're angry at Joe Paterno for not reporting a crime he wasn't a witness to ...

But a crime he heard was commited. And a very serious crime. It was his duty to urge the person who saw it to report it to the police, else report it himself. Sorry, he just wanted to wash his hands of it, and go on leading a nice cozy little life as a hothot coach or whatever his job was, with no paedophilia scandal or anything at his workplace. What did he care that a 10-year-old boy was being raped? He deserved what he got.

How do you know that he didn't urge the person who reported it to him to go to the police? How do you know that when he reported the incident to the Athletic director he wasn't told by him that he would inform the police?

While I admit that he should have probably contacted the police, I can understand how someone could make that mistake. On top of that, while you can debate whether he should have done more, it is quite clear that the Coach who abused the boys, Coach who witnessed the abuse, the Athletic Director, and the President are much more to blame (because of their actions or inactions) and yet people are fixated on Joe Paterno.

It may be entirely justified to fire Joe Paterno, but there is no justification for keeping the Athletic director and witness coach employed while letting Paterno go ...



HappySqurriel said:

How do you know that he didn't urge the person who reported it to him to go to the police? How do you know that when he reported the incident to the Athletic director he wasn't told by him that he would inform the police?

While I admit that he should have probably contacted the police, I can understand how someone could make that mistake. On top of that, while you can debate whether he should have done more, it is quite clear that the Coach who abused the boys, Coach who witnessed the abuse, the Athletic Director, and the President are much more to blame (because of their actions or inactions) and yet people are fixated on Joe Paterno.

It may be entirely justified to fire Joe Paterno, but there is no justification for keeping the Athletic director and witness coach employed while letting Paterno go ...

If the police had been informed, you can be sure that he would've seen them, he would've been questioned, and it would've been in the media. Sorry, he was knowingly playing dumb (unless he actualyl is extremely dumb, as in that blonde girl from Glee dumb). He got what he deserved.



"I don't understand how someone could like Tolstoy and Dostoyevsky, but not like Twilight!!!"

"Last book I read was Brokeback Mountain, I just don't have the patience for them unless it's softcore porn."

                                                                               (The Voice of a Generation and Seece)

"If you cant stand the sound of your own voice than dont become a singer !!!!!"

                                                                               (pizzahut451)

What I don't understand is why the hell was Sandusky still even allowed on campus (and allowed around young boys) if there was an incident before the one in 2002 with the 10 year old. He retired in 1999, but still had access to all of the facilities at the university. Is it Paterno's job to make sure to revoke his privileges or is it the university president's job to do that?



sapphi_snake said:
HappySqurriel said:

How do you know that he didn't urge the person who reported it to him to go to the police? How do you know that when he reported the incident to the Athletic director he wasn't told by him that he would inform the police?

While I admit that he should have probably contacted the police, I can understand how someone could make that mistake. On top of that, while you can debate whether he should have done more, it is quite clear that the Coach who abused the boys, Coach who witnessed the abuse, the Athletic Director, and the President are much more to blame (because of their actions or inactions) and yet people are fixated on Joe Paterno.

It may be entirely justified to fire Joe Paterno, but there is no justification for keeping the Athletic director and witness coach employed while letting Paterno go ...

If the police had been informed, you can be sure that he would've seen them, he would've been questioned, and it would've been in the media. Sorry, he was knowingly playing dumb (unless he actualyl is extremely dumb, as in that blonde girl from Glee dumb). He got what he deserved.

Why would he be interviewed? He is not a witness, or a suspect, and there is no reason to believe he had any knowledge of the crime outside of what he was told ...

What you don't seem to get is that Joe Paterno was (probably) fired for the same reason you're upset with this case in general; he was let go to protect the football program. He is an old man who was about to retire at the end of the season (6 weeks away), the college has already lined-up a replacement, and letting him go would be the quickest way to generate a resolution which took this story out of the news. He was (most likely) given a massive severance to keep quiet and, due to his age, it is likely that he won't be around long enough to testify in trial about his part in this ...

Without his side of the story the athletic director can say (pretty much) whatever he wants about what and when he was informed of the incident and probably avoid any consequences for covering it up; and the witness coach can remain on staff, and the coaching line-up will remain exactly how it would for next season.



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HappySqurriel said:

Why would he be interviewed? He is not a witness, or a suspect, and there is no reason to believe he had any knowledge of the crime outside of what he was told ...

What you don't seem to get is that Joe Paterno was (probably) fired for the same reason you're upset with this case in general; he was let go to protect the football program. He is an old man who was about to retire at the end of the season (6 weeks away), the college has already lined-up a replacement, and letting him go would be the quickest way to generate a resolution which took this story out of the news. He was (most likely) given a massive severance to keep quiet and, due to his age, it is likely that he won't be around long enough to testify in trial about his part in this ...

Without his side of the story the athletic director can say (pretty much) whatever he wants about what and when he was informed of the incident and probably avoid any consequences for covering it up; and the witness coach can remain on staff, and the coaching line-up will remain exactly how it would for next season.

He'd get interviewed because (I'm quite sure) they'd interview several people working there to find out if anyone else new/saw anything. And even if he wouldn't have been, had the police lauched an investigation, you can be sure they would've been quite visible on campus, a lot of noise would've been made, and it would've been all in the media. My point about him playing dumb still stands.

Anyways, the person who saw the guy in the shower with a 10-year-old was a graduate assistant, not a coach. And he's testifyign in court against the paedo. The athletic director and the president are already under investigation, and things aren't looking very rosy for them, sicne they had been clearly covering this up for quite some time. This guy should've been under investigation too, and it's a shame that he isn't.

It would also be nice if people boycotted the team, and possibly the entire university, instead of this stupid protest.



"I don't understand how someone could like Tolstoy and Dostoyevsky, but not like Twilight!!!"

"Last book I read was Brokeback Mountain, I just don't have the patience for them unless it's softcore porn."

                                                                               (The Voice of a Generation and Seece)

"If you cant stand the sound of your own voice than dont become a singer !!!!!"

                                                                               (pizzahut451)

RolStoppable said:

It wasn't just about his workplace, it was also about his religion. He was Christian, just like the guy who commited the crime. There were plenty of reasons to cover up.

You are a funny man.