Folks, it is an Icky topic.
Most people when confronted with the mental images of this topic cringe. It is disgusting on so many levels, and for 99.999% of people, impossible to relate to any situation where you could/would abuse a child. And unless you have been abused, it is very hard to relate to what it may feel like to be put into such a helpless situation.
It is such an icky topic, that people simply either run from it, or try to rationalize it, or simply just drop it.
The supporters of Paterno don't get it. It doesn't seem like Paterno gets it.
There is only one right thing to do in these situations. Stop the abuser, protect the child, and call the cops.
Paterno and Penn State made a choice to protect their program and their image. Many people make the same choice to protect their marriage or the like. Does them make them devils? Sadly in many cases I find this makes them simply incredibly normal. People want to protect their own job, life situation, status etc.
Its take an extraordinary person who will risk their career, social standing, status etc, to intervene and possibly put their head above water, and draw attention to themselves, and take the risk to help a powerless person who has no ability to help themselves, especially when such help might be met with indifference at best or resistance at worst.
Most people when confronted with the mental images of this topic cringe. It is disgusting on so many levels, and for 99.999% of people, impossible to relate to any situation where you could/would abuse a child. And unless you have been abused, it is very hard to relate to what it may feel like to be put into such a helpless situation.
It is such an icky topic, that people simply either run from it, or try to rationalize it, or simply just drop it.
The supporters of Paterno don't get it. It doesn't seem like Paterno gets it.
There is only one right thing to do in these situations. Stop the abuser, protect the child, and call the cops.
Paterno and Penn State made a choice to protect their program and their image. Many people make the same choice to protect their marriage or the like. Does them make them devils? Sadly in many cases I find this makes them simply incredibly normal. People want to protect their own job, life situation, status etc.
Its take an extraordinary person who will risk their career, social standing, status etc, to intervene and possibly put their head above water, and draw attention to themselves, and take the risk to help a powerless person who has no ability to help themselves, especially when such help might be met with indifference at best or resistance at worst.