Last night I was thinking about the PSU Child Rape Scandal. One of these days I’ll stop thinking about it, but I don’t know when that will be. One of the things that has stood out to me in this case is that there are multiple people who made mistakes and/or were involved in a cover-up. Any time this happens at a large institution that will be the case, but much of the focus here and elsewhere has been on Mike McQueary, the assistant who witnessed the anal rape of a 10 year old in the shower in 2002. Of all the guilty people involved, it’s quite likely that McQueary is the least guilty of them. But he’s also the guy who had the best chance to stop Sandusky.
Everybody has heard from their parents or from older journalists how we are a more violent society today. People will say in the 1950s we were such a loving community that had tremendous respect for one’s property that they left their doors unlocked. The problem is, this is not true. I think most people are aware of this. Certainly the younger generation has more than debunked this myth. Bill James did so in his recent book, Popular Crime. We are not a more violent society today than we were in our parents or grandparents generation. If anything, we are a less violent society.
The reason people can feel safe in their incorrect assumption is the amount of media coverage today highlighting every sickening act that takes place across the earth. The acts of goodness aren’t highlighted as much and they don’t sell newspapers or get people to watch the local news or national news coverage on the several news channels everybody has access to today. These stories are told in a matter of a few seconds, perhaps there is some commentary about it and then we move on to the sick and disgusting.
The reason our parents and grandparents felt safe was that there was practically no media coverage. Compared to today, there was almost no news coverage then. The readers only read about the news that the journalists deemed worthy of writing or commenting on during the tv news. The tv news, by the way, was also practically non-existent compared to today. The viewers were told what the newscasters wanted them to hear. They chose what was news. Often times, a horrible news story would be written or discussed, but they didn’t have the money to send their own reporters to the scene and they’d often just let the larger newspapers tell that story.
Today, everybody has access to news like never before. The idea that this generation is uninformed has always seemed laughable to me. There has never been a more informed generation on this planet than this one. Each generation will probably be more informed than this one. Unlike past generations, we have far greater control over what stories are written about or discussed on the 24-hour news channels. That our parents and grandparents slept with the doors unlocked is an example of how uniformed they were compared to people today.
By the way, people could still sleep with their doors unlocked just as frequently as they did many years ago. It’s not like once a week someone is coming up to your door trying to get in. The only thing that has changed is perception. The same sickos out there today were out there 50 years ago. People just didn’t read it about in the newspaper or hear about it for hours on CNN. When you think about it, we’ve gone from being naive in thinking that we’re safe to being overly worried about our security. People slept without their doors locked in the 1950s and today they sleep with them triple locked and state of the art alarms. There’s less violence today yet we’re more worried about our security. Bill James wrote a bit about this in Popular Crime.
Stories like the PSU scandal happened in the past. I don’t believe I have to link to a bunch of examples to prove this. We know that a socially accepted part of Ancient Greek culture was adults having sex with young children. The clubhouse manager of the Boston Red Sox sexually abused children in the 1970s.
I was talking to my dad about the Donald Fitzpatrick (Red Sox clubhouse manager) sexual abuse and he reminded me that it’s important to consider how the views of society towards child sexual abuse has changed dramatically over the last 30 to 40 years. Prior to the 1970s child sexual abuse was not often discussed. It remained secretive. It wasn’t until the 1920s before studies on child sexual abuse were written. In 1948 the US published the first report estimating the number of children being sexually abused. Six states didn’t even require doctors to contact police in these cases. In 1974 the federal government created the National Center for Child Abuse and passed the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act.
This led to a huge increase in the amount of victims stepping forward. Less than a decade later the day-care sex abuse hysteria began. I only have vague memories of this, but I do recall the numerous victims that stepped forward that proved to be false accusations. It began in 1982 with supposedly 60 victims resulting in at least 36 convictions. 34 of those would later be overturned. This led to many copycat incidents throughout the 80s and into the early part of the 90s.
People became more skeptical any time claims like this were made. People still are skeptical. I think part of that is because the crimes are difficult to imagine any human being doing even though we know it’s been done for many centuries. Part of the skepticism, at least for people who remember the 80s, are all of these false accusations that ruined hundreds of lives and cost the government millions of dollars in what was nothing more than wasteful. The copycats didn’t stop in the United States. They spread around the world too. While society began to take serious child sexual abuse in the 1970s, the sex abuse hysteria in the 80s made it more difficult for us to take the accusations seriously.
Relatively speaking it has not been very long that we, as a society, have openly discussed child sexual abuse. I think the fact that the Fitzpatrick case remained hidden for so long is evidence that we have not yet been discussing these crimes for very long.
Shortly after learning that Sandusky had been arrested, many of us were not only obviously angry at what he had done, but angry about the coverup that had occurred. Some were angry that McQueary had not done what we think was appropriate for, well, for any decent human being. I remain convinced he should have done more. I remain convinced that along the way he made not one, but many mistakes in that he never followed through to make sure the necessary and immediate actions were taken to ensure that Sandusky could not endanger other children. I realize it’s not necessarily that simple, but I am also convinced that along the way he made conscious decisions to trade the safety of the children for his career.
What would I have done? It’s easy to say what I would have done, but in all honesty I don’t have the foggiest damn clue what I’d have done. I’d like to think I’d have put a stop to what was happening, but I don’t know that I would have. I can’t say for sure. What I can say for sure is that I would have made very different decisions than McQueary did.
Thinking about this case and how our society has evolved from not talking about these things to finally taking action just 40 years ago make me think about the first time I knew this type of stuff was just plain wrong. I’m certain I knew before 1987 when I was 12 years old. In fact, I’m positive I did, but in the summer of 1987 I know I knew.
I was 12 years old and at a sleepover at a friend’s house. There were three of us and we were going to sleep outside in a tent. Two houses down lived a 12 year old girl and she was also having a sleepover and sleeping outside in a tent. I can’t even remember why both groups of 12 year olds were sleeping outside in a tent and it’s not relevant to the story.
At about 10 pm the parents went to sleep and we went down to the girls tent. I think the six of us hung out for about an hour before we went back to our tent. We couldn’t sleep. The house was near the end of a cul-de-sac. At about 1 am we could see lights turn onto the street. Those lights immediately turned off. We’re 12 years old, but we already knew this wasn’t normal. The car slowly drove to the end of the cul-de-sac. By this point we had already gotten out of the tent and thank to a nearby light were able to get the license plate. It appeared as though that was a waste of time as the car drove off. The lights turned on at about the same location they went off the first time.
Down the hill from the tent, probably about 200 yards or so, was another street. There were no houses in between. Within 5 minutes we saw a car pull onto that road. The lights went off. We’re scared to death. Something isn’t right. What happened after this is a blur. I remember the son went inside to wake his parents while the two of us nearly peed in our pants outside. I do remember we felt like we had to keep eye on the girls tent so the two of us stayed outside. The back light came on the father came out to get us. They called to wake the other parents who went out and got the girls.
The parents called the police, they gave them the license plate number that we had gotten (LQA 507) and we then tried to go to bed. I can’t remember if we slept. Really, most everything that happened after we saw those same lights turn off down the road was a blur. We knew something not right was going on. I remember we were mostly afraid the girls would be sexually abused, but I’m not sure any of us thought that the targets could have been us. This isn’t something I’ve thought about many times in my life, but as I was writing this it was the first time I realized the potential victims could have been us. In 1987
I do know that not long after the police were notified a car with the license plate of LOA 507 was found and I seem to remember whoever was driving it had warrants for his arrest. I can’t remember what they were. We had five of the six letters/digits on the plate correct. The ‘O’ looked like a Q to us. We must have described the car in some way. I don’t remember that.
What I do remember is that when we saw those lights on the cul-de-sac go out we immediately felt like something was up. So I know that by the summer of 1987 I already knew that child sexual abuse was a serious issue. It wasn’t something I wasn’t aware of or hadn’t heard about. I was well aware of it by that time and in a situation that very well could have ended up horribly, we took some actions to see that it didn’t happen.
I can’t say that this is comparable to what McQueary saw. It’s not. What he witnessed is much worse than the potential crime that we may or may not have stopped in 1987. My only point with this story is that by 1987 society was openly discussing child sexual abuse. I can’t accept that by 2002 a 28-year old educated adult thought the most efficient way to handle the horrific crime he just witnessed was to just send it up the ladder. As I’ve said in other comments, if you wanted to ensure a cover-up would take place, that’s precisely what you do. I don’t believe that’s what McQueary wanted. I’m just saying sending that up the ladder makes it many times more likely that nothing is done. This wasn’t a young student we’re talking about. It was a 28-year old adult.
But he didn’t do anything other than the bare minimum, which was what everybody else did. So we’re asking ourselves how something like this could go on for so long. Let’s not kid ourselves here. You don’t become a child rapist overnight. One usually doesn’t wake up at the age of 50 (Sandusky’s age in 1994), roll out of bed and then compile a to do list that looks something like this:
1. get cleaned up
2. Eat breakfast
3. Walk dog
4. Rape child
5. Teach football
6. Eat dinner
7. Watch tv
8. Go to bed
I’m going to guess that damn near every single person who puts raping child on his to-do list at the age of 50 has been doing so for many years. I’d even guess that he’s been doing so since he was a young adult. Trying to figure out when it’s likely an offender begins raping children is difficult, but not impossible. Sandusky has shown interest in children as young as 10 years old. He clearly suffers from pedophilia. This reserach (pdf file) indicates that 40% of pedophiles begin to molest much younger children by the time they are 15 years old. The majority are molesting children before they are 20.
Perhaps Sandusky was one of the few who didn’t begin by the time he was 20, but if you were going to bet money you’d be wise to bet a lot of money that he began much earlier than 1994. Pedophiles prey on the less fortunate, the weaker, those who are craving for attention, and those who aren’t likely to fight back. Is it any wonder that a pedophile started a charity dedicated to “helping” those who came from broken homes?
To a pedophile this is like Disneyland. It’s like a child staring at his big bag of Halloween candy. It’s similar to a crack addict entering a crack house. Jerry Sandusky, more than likely, created his own sick version of Disneyland and somehow managed to trick people, get them to cover up for him, and even found powerful and rich people to donate money to his charity.
It’s easy to be baffled right now. I know I am. I don’t know if any of the answers are within the babbling nonsense I just wrote or not, but I don’t know if we’ll ever have answers to any of this. Ever.
Comments
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/guest-voices/post/penn-state-my-final-loss-of-faith/2011/11/11/gIQAwmiIDN_blog.html
GBTSQuote Reply
http://espn.go.com/espn/otl/story/_/id/7226363/lawyer-says-joe-paterno-law-team-try-use-potential-legal-loophole
BerseliusQuote Reply
[quote name=Berselius]http://espn.go.com/espn/otl/story/_/id/7226363/lawyer-says-joe-paterno-law-team-try-use-potential-legal-loophole[/quote]That loophole is an ass. How can they say that it’s not rape if a kid participated in it without being forced. I thought any sex with a minor is statutory rape.
Suburban kid 22Quote Reply
[quote name=Suburban kid 22]That loophole is an ass. How can they say that it’s not rape if a kid participated in it without being forced. I thought any sex with a minor is statutory rape.[/quote]
I don’t understand that either, SK. The whole thought behind these laws is that children can’t give consent.
Aisle424Quote Reply
The 80s were big on awareness of sexual predators thanks to Gordon Jump.
Aisle424Quote Reply
[quote name=Berselius]http://espn.go.com/espn/otl/story/_/id/7226363/lawyer-says-joe-paterno-law-team-try-use-potential-legal-loophole[/quote]
Comments:
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mb21Quote Reply
[quote name=Suburban kid 22]That loophole is an ass. How can they say that it’s not rape if a kid participated in it without being forced. I thought any sex with a minor is statutory rape.[/quote]The courts have decided that children can’t give consent. I don’t see any loopholes. I think that article is nonsense.
mb21Quote Reply
Nobody can argue that Sandusky received consent from any of his victims. He went after kids who not put up a fight. He carefully selected his victims. By the time he had selected them they had no option to consent.
mb21Quote Reply
Jesus Fucking Christ. Are you fucking serious with this shit, Penn State? Fuck everyone in that fucking stadium.
http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/2011/11/12/2557434/penn-state-protest-child-abuse-signs-beer-story
Aisle424Quote Reply
Wow. I know “it was only a few” out of the 107,000 in attendance, but just WOW.
mb21Quote Reply
http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2011/11/jerry_sandusky_autobiography_t.html
mb21Quote Reply
[quote name=mb21]Wow. I know “it was only a few” out of the 107,000 in attendance, but just WOW.[/quote]Only because the rest of the stadium didn’t see him. I’m sure just about everyone who saw him probably harassed him.
Aisle424Quote Reply
Yeah, probably. I remember Melissa saying something about how almost ever Cubs fan at Wrigley gave her or her sister shit for wearing a Soriano jersey. Definitely not the same, but if one was doing it it’s likely most there gave him some kind of shit.
mb21Quote Reply
http://deadspin.com/5859075/
Judge Who Set Unsecured Bail For Jerry Sandusky Is a Second Mile Volunteer
BerseliusQuote Reply
The unsecured bail never made any sense. What other person alleged to have raped multiple boys would be given that kind of treatment?
mb21Quote Reply
I don’t really get bail. So if you are a rich criminal you can get off until you are tried but if you don’t have any money you have to suffer in jail until you go to court, whether or not you are guilty?
WaLiQuote Reply
http://t.co/scYpM3d5
BerseliusQuote Reply
[quote name=Berselius]http://t.co/scYpM3d5[/quote]
That seems like a very strange practice. What the heck. If you are going to have a perimeter, why make it clear?
WaLiQuote Reply
And since when do coaches shower with the players. I just played High School football, but I don’t remember the coaches doing that. I didn’t really take showers in the locker room either since I didn’t live too far away. I guess maybe it is different in college.
WaLiQuote Reply
I thought that comment was strange in that I don’t have any idea how someone could look at the coaching showering together and later think that’s worthy of discussion in a child rape scandal. No, it’s not common that coaches shower together, but who cares?
A lot of what I read in that article is typical comments we get from someone who knew someone who did something awful. Everybody has done strange shit before. If I was arrested for being a serial murderer today, some people I worked with 20 years ago would have a story about i did something bizarre. “There was this one time he flipped someone off for cutting him off on the highway and proceeded to get very angry. I thought it was bizarre.”
mb21Quote Reply
I meant to quote this earlier. I don’t believe Paknis one bit. I think he’s lying to get attention.
Either that or he’s stupid. Sandusky says he hated Joe. Well, what the fuck happened right before it? Did Paterno just overrule him? Did he chew him out for last week’s defensive performance? If Sandusky hated him so much he could have left and gotten a head coaching job elsewhere. I don’t believe it.
mb21Quote Reply
[quote name=mb21]I thought that comment was strange in that I don’t have any idea how someone could look at the coaching showering together and later think that’s worthy of discussion in a child rape scandal. No, it’s not common that coaches shower together, but who cares?[/quote]
I thought the relevance was that Sandusky showered with the players (other than the victims).
But yeah, I agree he is just talking to get attention. And he seems to have a lot of resentment to Paterno for some reason. I don’t follow PSU at all, but I haven’t heard anyone speak ill of Paterno (other than doing nothing) until I read this.
WaLiQuote Reply
I thought it said that the coaches showered together, but not necessarily with the athletes.
I guess I don’t really know what that means. Even if they showered near the athletes, I don’t care. Those guys are 18 and older. There would have been a hundred people around so it’s not like anything was going to happen. If Sandusky was in there grabbing ass and cock then we have problems.
mb21Quote Reply
I think there have been a lot of really good articles written about this case, but it’s unfortunate that cases like this cause journalists to seek out any story at all. Know Sandusky for 3 minutes? The media wants your input.
The reality is that now that we know what happened things are going to seem a lot more bizarre than they once did. Grabbing an athlete by the shoulder and leaning in close will seem stranger yet on every Saturday we see college football coaches grab players, lean in and say something. There’s nothing whatsoever that’s strange about that behavior. We see it in MLB dugouts. The pitching coach will go up and whisper something in the pitcher’s ear. The manager will go up to a bench player and lean in telling him to get ready and then even pat him on the ass.
If we learned that some manager was a child rapist we’d look at all the ass pats and whispers and find it bizarre, but at the time it wasn’t. It’s not now. It wasn’t then. The only thing that makes those actions bizarre is what we know now.
mb21Quote Reply
McQueary was 13 years old in 1987. He wasn’t even a star player at PSU until almost a decade later. He didn’t return to PSU until 2000.
mb21Quote Reply
The corruption may extend outside the university: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/45286426/ns/us_news-crime_and_courts/#.TsFDz_KN3wU
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
It’s fucked up, isn’t it, MO?
mb21Quote Reply
[quote name=mb21]It’s fucked up, isn’t it, MO?[/quote]Seems like every day is a new, worse revelation. As depressing and taxing as this story is, I feel like people need to keep talking about it. The people the created this mess want it to go away. They’re trying to wait it out. We can’t let that happen.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
[quote name=Mercurial Outfielder]Seems like every day is a new, worse revelation. As depressing and taxing as this story is, I feel like people need to keep talking about it. The people the created this mess want it to go away. They’re trying to wait it out. We can’t let that happen.[/quote]I definitely think people need to keep talking about it. I could do without the Paksis shit though.
mb21Quote Reply
[quote name=mb21]I definitely think people need to keep talking about it. I could do without the Paksis shit though.[/quote]Yeah, that’s shitty journalism.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
Apparently, authorities in Texas and Florida, in concert with the FBI, are preparing charges against Sandusky, as he transported some of his victims across state lines.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
We really need some sort of Ass Pats Above Replacement to quantify anything, but I think what this guy was saying was that all this shit happened a lot more than what you would usually think. I definitely agree that he’s not the greatest source. He’s just one guy, but it would be interesting to hear from more people about how the management of the team was structured. I guess anyone who would speak up about it wouldn’t be in the organization and thus probably has an axe to grind like this guy clearly does though.
BerseliusQuote Reply
I don’t understand that, MO. If he transported them across state lines in FL and TX, didn’t he almost have to do so in several other states? What’s the basis for the charges?
mb21Quote Reply
I guess my problem with what that guy wrote is that how do we know he really thought there was an issue long ago? Maybe he thought all this stuff was weird at the time. I certainly don’t know, but my guess is that after hearing the news he started looking back.
To me, it’s just not that odd to see a coach lean in to talk to one of his players or grab him in a certain way. Imagine what some of the offensive line coaches look like when they’re showing the QB how to get a snap. That, without any context looks really fucking sick, but put on the football uniforms and it makes sense.
Put suits on the MLB players, take the field away and watch Lou pat Zambrano on the ass and we’re going to think something ain’t right. Put the uniforms on them and put them back on the field and it’s just funny.
mb21Quote Reply
[quote name=mb21]I don’t understand that, MO. If he transported them across state lines in FL and TX, didn’t he almost have to do so in several other states? What’s the basis for the charges?[/quote]Texas and Florida because he took a victim to bowl games in both states.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
Oh, that’s right. I had forgotten about that. Thanks.
mb21Quote Reply
2nd Mile CEO has stepped down.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
[quote name=mb21]I guess my problem with what that guy wrote is that how do we know he really thought there was an issue long ago? Maybe he thought all this stuff was weird at the time. I certainly don’t know, but my guess is that after hearing the news he started looking back.
To me, it’s just not that odd to see a coach lean in to talk to one of his players or grab him in a certain way. Imagine what some of the offensive line coaches look like when they’re showing the QB how to get a snap. That, without any context looks really fucking sick, but put on the football uniforms and it makes sense.
Put suits on the MLB players, take the field away and watch Lou pat Zambrano on the ass and we’re going to think something ain’t right. Put the uniforms on them and put them back on the field and it’s just funny.[/quote]
I don’t think it’s very newsworthy, but I don’t have a problem with someone saying that someone else skeeved them out. Coming up with those examples is just a vague way to express his emotional/subconscious/whatever reaction.
BerseliusQuote Reply
[quote name=mb21]Oh, that’s right. I had forgotten about that. Thanks.[/quote]In an odd coincidence, this is the same federal statute used to prosecute Jack Johnson.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
Really? That is odd. I’ll take it this time. Jack got fucked over. Can’t say the same about Sandusky.
mb21Quote Reply
[quote name=mb21]Really? That is odd. I’ll take it this time. Jack got fucked over. Can’t say the same about Sandusky.[/quote]Yeah. But I will really, really be pissed if they can’t make it stick for this sick fuck.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
Sandusky spotted this morning at LaGuardia. Why is he allowed to travel?
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
What exactly is the law? Do they have to prove he molested the child while in the state? That might be difficult.
mb21Quote Reply
[quote name=Mercurial Outfielder]Sandusky spotted this morning at LaGuardia. Why is he allowed to travel?[/quote]Who knows? Wouldn’t be surprised if he bolted.
mb21Quote Reply
[quote name=Mercurial Outfielder]Sandusky spotted this morning at LaGuardia. Why is he allowed to travel?[/quote]Because his Judge was a Second Mile volunteer? I don’t know. He had an unconditional bail.
WaLiQuote Reply
If I had money, was out on bail, was certainly going to jail, despised by everyone in the country, I’m leaving. it wouldn’t even be a difficult decision. It would take all of 8 seconds to figure it out. Gone.
mb21Quote Reply
^^^ going to jail for a LONG time
mb21Quote Reply
Coach K:
Is he saying that Joe is old enough to remember a day when people raped kids all the time and it was no big deal?
I mean, even considering the time line that MB outlined above on how child sexual abuse became more a part of the social consciousness, Joe was in his mid-50s in the middle of the 80s and part of an institution of higher learning. Let’s not pretend that Joe had never been exposed to the thought of a rape against children until he was too old to know how wrong it was.
Aisle424Quote Reply
[quote name=mb21]If I had money, was out on bail, was certainly going to jail, despised by everyone in the country, I’m leaving. it wouldn’t even be a difficult decision. It would take all of 8 seconds to figure it out. Gone.[/quote]
Yeah, I’d be so far gone it wouldn’t be funny. I’d be down there sanding that boat in Mexico from the end of the Shawshank Redemption.
Aisle424Quote Reply
[quote name=mb21]What exactly is the law? Do they have to prove he molested the child while in the state? That might be difficult.[/quote]It’s called the Mann Act. It prohibits the transportation of persons across state lines for illegal activity, especially illegal sexual activity.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
[quote name=Aisle424]Coach K:
Is he saying that Joe is old enough to remember a day when people raped kids all the time and it was no big deal?
I mean, even considering the time line that MB outlined above on how child sexual abuse became more a part of the social consciousness, Joe was in his mid-50s in the middle of the 80s and part of an institution of higher learning. Let’s not pretend that Joe had never been exposed to the thought of a rape against children until he was too old to know how wrong it was.[/quote]
As Emerson once said, “The louder he proclaimed his virtue, the quicker we counted our spoons.”
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
[quote name=Aisle424]Coach K:
Is he saying that Joe is old enough to remember a day when people raped kids all the time and it was no big deal?
I mean, even considering the time line that MB outlined above on how child sexual abuse became more a part of the social consciousness, Joe was in his mid-50s in the middle of the 80s and part of an institution of higher learning. Let’s not pretend that Joe had never been exposed to the thought of a rape against children until he was too old to know how wrong it was.[/quote]
The only thing that makes vague sense there is maybe that Paterno thought that the people “above” him would handled it properly and honorably. That makes a lot less sense as years and years go by though. Still, there is no one above Joe Paterno on that campus, whatever the org chart says.
BerseliusQuote Reply
[quote name=Berselius]The only thing that makes vague sense there is maybe that Paterno thought that the people “above” him would handled it properly and honorably. That makes a lot less sense as years and years go by though. Still, there is no one above Joe Paterno on that campus, whatever the org chart says.[/quote]
Exactly. He knew what he was doing. If he wanted that cleaned up right then and there, nobody else had more power to do so.
Aisle424Quote Reply
It would be like if Darth Vader simply reported that Rebels were attacking the Death Star to Grand Moff Tarkin and then just got in a shuttle and left.
Aisle424Quote Reply
[quote name=Aisle424]Coach K:
Is he saying that Joe is old enough to remember a day when people raped kids all the time and it was no big deal?
I mean, even considering the time line that MB outlined above on how child sexual abuse became more a part of the social consciousness, Joe was in his mid-50s in the middle of the 80s and part of an institution of higher learning. Let’s not pretend that Joe had never been exposed to the thought of a rape against children until he was too old to know how wrong it was.[/quote]I think what Paterno did is awful, but I think what Coach K is saying that he grew up in a time when child sexual abuse (child abuse for that matter) was kept secretive. It doesn’t absolve Paterno of any blame at all, but I do think it at least in part explains why he did nothing.
The interesting thing to me about all of this is that I just hadn’t been able to wrap my head around any of it until I started writing this post. I still can’t fathom what Sandusky did, but the actions of Paterno make more sense to me after I looked into the history of this type of abuse. McQueary is our age and he knew early on this shit had to be reported so I still can’t grasp that.
None of this is to say that Paterno is any better a person. He’s not. Old people who are racists are still racist even if they grew up in a time when racism was more socially acceptable. Paterno is still a waste of space even though he grew up in an era when this stuff just wasn’t talked about.
If I had to guess, I’d bet that there are two main reasons Paterno did nothing. I don’t know which one was more of a factor, but I think the other one that I haven’t mentioned is that he was close with Sandusky and considered him a valued friend. That, along with the era he grew up, made it more difficult for him to do what was right.
I’d also guess that Sandusky knew that’s how Paterno was and that’s why he never took a head coaching job elsewhere even when it became apparent that JoePa was going to coach until the day he died.
Doesn’t make any of this any better of course, but I don’t think anything will.
mb21Quote Reply
I’m guessing that if your grandparents are still alive they probably don’t talk about child sexual abuse. I’d guess they even get uncomfortable if the topic is discussed on the news. Although Paterno certainly knew this was wrong and there were certain actions required of him, I can’t help but think that being from that time still made him uncomfortable.
I don’t know. It’s the best explanation I have and I’ve actually been able to stop thinking about this on occasion since I wrote this article. It’s just so hard for us to comprehend because we grew up in an era where child sexual abuse wasn’t just wrong and disgusting, we treat it like we do murder. It’s the most serious offense there is. I know that’s how I feel about it. If I had to choose between a murderer being set free or a child rapist, I’d rather see the murderer walk free. Not a difficult decision for me.
mb21Quote Reply
Or at least until the day it was revealed he was covering for a child rapist
BerseliusQuote Reply
There seems to be some debate whether the “Jerry Sandusky” at LaGuardia was actually Jerry Sandusky.
Aisle424Quote Reply
[quote name=Aisle424]There seems to be some debate whether the “Jerry Sandusky” at LaGuardia was actually Jerry Sandusky.[/quote]I’m surprised we haven’t seen a story about how someone saw Sandusky at Toys R Us.
mb21Quote Reply
http://www.tmz.com/2011/11/14/jerry-sandusky-laguardia-airport-dunkin-donuts/#.TsGLyU9n_Hc
mb21Quote Reply
[quote name=mb21]http://www.tmz.com/2011/11/14/jerry-sandusky-laguardia-airport-dunkin-donuts/#.TsGLyU9n_Hc[/quote]
Yeah, people are saying that isn’t him. I kind of thought that it might not be, but I figured TMZ is actually pretty reliable on shit like this.
Aisle424Quote Reply
Hard to tell if it’s him or not. It certainly looks like him, but there are probably a lot of people who do.
mb21Quote Reply
[quote name=Mercurial Outfielder]It’s called the Mann Act. It prohibits the transportation of persons across state lines for illegal activity, especially illegal sexual activity.[/quote]
Which is what Chuck Berry got busted and sent to jail on in the late 50s, to continue our citation of laws formerly used to bust famous African American men who consorted with white women being mobilized against sick fucks.
UrkQuote Reply
[quote name=Urk]Which is what Chuck Berry got busted and sent to jail on in the late 50s, to continue our citation of laws formerly used to bust famous African American men who consorted with white women being mobilized against sick fucks.[/quote]It’s about time the Mann Act was used for good.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
so, this was fun
http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/7233704/the-brutal-truth-penn-state
BerseliusQuote Reply
[quote name=Berselius]so, this was fun
http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/7233704/the-brutal-truth-penn-state%5B/quote%5DI couldn’t get very far into it. Was it about more than it started out being about?
mb21Quote Reply
[quote name=Urk]Which is what Chuck Berry got busted and sent to jail on in the late 50s, to continue our citation of laws formerly used to bust famous African American men who consorted with white women being mobilized against sick fucks.[/quote]
The Mann Act is a law I recently enjoyed being enforced.
Aisle424Quote Reply
TMZ has taken the “Sandusky” thing down.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
Sandusky is on TV with Costas tonight. 10/9c on NBC
BerseliusQuote Reply
[quote name=Berselius]Sandusky is on TV with Costas tonight. 10/9c on NBC[/quote]
Costas is still quite boyish. He should watch his ass.
Aisle424Quote Reply
[quote name=Berselius]Sandusky is on TV with Costas tonight. 10/9c on NBC[/quote]So NBC paid a child molester to come on national TV and tell “his side” of the story of how he spent 30 years raping boys while others covered for him. Yay.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
[quote name=mb21]I couldn’t get very far into it. Was it about more than it started out being about?[/quote]
I agree with the point the guy led off with. I don’t like it when teams/orgs/whatever wrap themselves in religion or the flag or both (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/God_Bless_America). Commit to getting to the bottom of this shit, not waving blue ribbons. The message was obscured by shitloads of spleen though (dying laughing).
BerseliusQuote Reply
[quote name=Mercurial Outfielder]So NBC paid a child molester to come on national TV and tell “his side” of the story of how he spent 30 years raping boys while others covered for him. Yay.[/quote]
Hey, they’re The Biggest Loser network. They have to do something to get ratings (dying laughing)
BerseliusQuote Reply
[quote name=Mercurial Outfielder]So NBC paid a child molester to come on national TV and tell “his side” of the story of how he spent 30 years raping boys while others covered for him. Yay.[/quote]My thoughts exactly. NOBODY should be giving this guy the time of day. Let him tell his story in court. That’s the only place it should be told for now.
mb21Quote Reply
What does NBC think Sandusky is going to say? This is like those 48 Hours Mysteries where they ask the guy, “did you do it?” What do they expect? “Yes, in fact I did commit these awful crimes.”
mb21Quote Reply
[quote name=mb21]What does NBC think Sandusky is going to say? This is like those 48 Hours Mysteries where they ask the guy, “did you do it?” What do they expect? “Yes, in fact I did commit these awful crimes.”[/quote]
He’s going to say “Hey guys, I just gave you your one non-Sunday Night Football ratings win of the year. Give me money”
BerseliusQuote Reply
I just don’t understand how NBC could do this. I know it’s about money, but that’s exactly why I don’t understand how they can do it. This is ridiculous.
mb21Quote Reply
[quote name=Berselius]He’s going to say “Hey guys, I just gave you your one non-Sunday Night Football ratings win of the year. Give me money”[/quote]
I might be underestimating the power of MNF though. ESPN must be pissed that they finally don’t have another Baltimore-Jacksonville or Tampa-Indy game and see their thunder stolen by this
BerseliusQuote Reply
[quote name=mb21]I just don’t understand how NBC could do this. I know it’s about money, but that’s exactly why I don’t understand how they can do it. This is ridiculous.[/quote]It’s revolting. Letting that monster get on tv and say what he’s going to say is basically letting him rape his victims all over again.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
[quote name=Mercurial Outfielder]It’s revolting. Letting that monster get on tv and say what he’s going to say is basically letting him rape his victims all over again.[/quote]Exactly. I’m done with NBC.
mb21Quote Reply
[quote name=mb21]Exactly. I’m done with NBC.[/quote]
Don’t worry guys, they’ll make up for it with a Very Special Episode of Law and Order: SVU in a few weeks
BerseliusQuote Reply
[quote name=mb21]Exactly. I’m done with NBC.[/quote]Yep. This is so disgusting and cynical I’m just sitting here hoping Sandusky’s attorney’s tell him it’s a terrible idea and it doesn’t happen. This will be an absolute horror show for his victims.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
[quote name=Mercurial Outfielder]Yep. This is so disgusting and cynical I’m just sitting here hoping Sandusky’s attorney’s tell him it’s a terrible idea and it doesn’t happen. This will be an absolute horror show for his victims.[/quote]
I think it’s already taped. It’s NBC’s lawyers that you have to hope for.
BerseliusQuote Reply
[quote name=Berselius]I think it’s already taped. It’s NBC’s lawyers that you have to hope for.[/quote]I don’t have high hopes.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
[quote name=Mercurial Outfielder]I don’t have high hopes.[/quote]
Someone needs to call Jeffrey Wienerslav, stat!
/30 Rock
BerseliusQuote Reply
you cannot make this stuff up
http://www.nypost.com/p/news/national/sandusky_lawyer_impregnated_teenage_7jKwQMCeBlm9RSdr9zeutK?utm_source=SFnewyorkpost&utm_medium=SFnewyorkpost
h/t Julie
BerseliusQuote Reply
Unreal.
It’s like I said the other day, if this was a movie people would get up and walk out. It’s just not believable. Nothing about it is.
mb21Quote Reply
Birds of a feather. One of the documented behaviors of child molesters is that they have a tendency to “hive” with one another.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
I just watched the Sandusky interview. Wow. He admitted to showering with and touching boys. Denied any “sexual attraction” or being a pedophile but to me touching naked boys=pedofilia. Just a mind blowing ordeal all over.
Snyds01 22Quote Reply
[quote name=Snyds01 22]I just watched the Sandusky interview. Wow. He admitted to showering with and touching boys. Denied any “sexual attraction” or being a pedophile but to me touching naked boys=pedofilia. Just a mind blowing ordeal all over.[/quote]He’s a lying, manipulative piece of shit. Classic abuser. Haughty, unrepentant, and always controlling the situation. He went on tv and re-violated all his victims tonight and NBC let him do it. They got played by a man who has been allowed to hone his skills over 30 years while he was being protected at PSU.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
[quote name=Snyds01 22]I just watched the Sandusky interview. Wow. He admitted to showering with and touching boys. Denied any “sexual attraction” or being a pedophile but to me touching naked boys=pedofilia. Just a mind blowing ordeal all over.[/quote]He admitted that on national television? That’s infuckingsane.
mb21Quote Reply
MO, I agree he’s a lying piece of shit, but if he said what snyds said he just convicted himself so I’m thrilled.
mb21Quote Reply
[quote name=mb21]He admitted that on national television? That’s infuckingsane.[/quote]It’s sheer hubris. He’s so used to existing in a world where he was protected that his preservation instincts are all off.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
[quote name=mb21]MO, I agree he’s a lying piece of shit, but if he said what snyds said he just convicted himself so I’m thrilled.[/quote]Perhaps, but now I’m even more concerned. If he’s this confident, it means he’s used to being protected. Who was doing that? Those people are just as responsible for every child he’s raped while they knew what he was doing. Sandusky will go down. But I want the names of his enablers. I want them to go down, too.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
I wouldn’t say they’re just as guilty, but I also want them to pay a price. I certainly feel they share some responsibility in some way, but I keep having to tell myself these guys did not rape the kids. I think many of them are pieces of shit, but I think there’s a bit difference between a cover up and actually raping a child.
That’s why this whole thing sucks. What some of these people did is just unthinkable and it’s hard not to be hateful toward many of them.
mb21Quote Reply
Anyone have a link to this interview? I’m off to bed, but would like to watch it in the morning.
mb21Quote Reply
It’s not just a cover up. It’s a group of people who knew what he was doing and allowed him to continue to do it. They didn’t cover up an instance of child rape. They actively encouraged and permitted the rape of children by their inaction.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
[quote name=mb21]Anyone have a link to this interview? I’m off to bed, but would like to watch it in the morning.[/quote]MSNBC will have it online by then, if they don’t already.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
I realized that what Sandusky said was about the same damn thing i remember Michael Jackson saying. I didn’t follow that case very closely, but is that right? Could Sandusky be setting up a similar defense?
mb21Quote Reply
[quote name=mb21]I realized that what Sandusky said was about the same damn thing i remember Michael Jackson saying. I didn’t follow that case very closely, but is that right? Could Sandusky be setting up a similar defense?[/quote]Oh, yeah. The difference here is that we have an eyewitness corroborating the testimony of the victims, as well as documented incidents. And no jury will be as sympathetic to this creepy old fuck as they were to Jackson.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
I just watched the interview. McQueary is going to be even more hated than he has been. Any chance for some of those PSU fans to believe this wasn’t as bad as it was and that God didn’t deserve to be fired is something many will cling to. This is not good for McQueary.
mb21Quote Reply
I was watching the news this morning and the CNN guy said exactly what you’re saying mb. All the students he talked to said that if they had doubts before, not so much now.
BerseliusQuote Reply
I just watched it. That was surreal.
When asked if he was sexually attracted to young boys, he said no. Took him 20 seconds to explain it, but he said no. Thanks for clearing that up, Jerry.
GBTSQuote Reply
NBC should be ashamed.
mb21Quote Reply
Bob Costas: http://www.danpatrick.com/2011/11/15/bob-costas-talks-about-jerry-sandusky-interview-and-what-didnt-air-on-nbc/
mb21Quote Reply
What do you guys think is the maximum amount of time you should take to say the word “no” if someone directly asks you, “Are you sexually attracted to young boys?” Is it 0.5 seconds? Or is it one second?
GBTSQuote Reply
[quote name=GBTS]What do you guys think is the maximum amount of time you should take to say the word “no” if someone directly asks you, “Are you sexually attracted to young boys?” Is it 0.5 seconds? Or is it one second?[/quote]
if you are Sandusky the answer is about 5 or 6 seconds…
Snyds01Quote Reply
So, I do not have a link because I watched it on TV this morning, but McQuey has been emailing people (his friends etc) saying the whole story is not out. paraphrasing “you know me, you know I would not run away without stopping what I saw. When I left, it was stopped”
I sure hope for his sake, that is accurate. That has been one of the biggest knocks against him has been that run and hide image. If he really stopped it and went to authorities, even if he didn’t call the police, I view him in a little less hateful light.
Snyds01Quote Reply
I hope it’s accurate too, snyds.
As for how long it should to answer that question, about as long as it says to say No. It’s not a question that requires thought. Do you like baseball. Yes. Do you rape farm animals? Well, I’ve had pleasant encounters with farm animals. We used to go out tipping cows and would pinch their nipples. Do I rape farm animals? No, I do not. Wrong answer.
mb21Quote Reply
[quote name=mb21]I hope it’s accurate too, snyds.
As for how long it should to answer that question, about as long as it says to say No. It’s not a question that requires thought. Do you like baseball. Yes. Do you rape farm animals? Well, I’ve had pleasant encounters with farm animals. We used to go out tipping cows and would pinch their nipples. Do I rape farm animals? No, I do not. Wrong answer.[/quote]
Here’s how it should have gone:
Bob: Are you sexually attracted to underage….
Jerry: No.
Aisle424Quote Reply
[quote name=Aisle424]Here’s how it should have gone:
Jerry: I’m not going to rape these little boys from broken homes.[/quote]
.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
[quote name=Snyds01]So, I do not have a link because I watched it on TV this morning, but McQuey has been emailing people (his friends etc) saying the whole story is not out. paraphrasing “you know me, you know I would not run away without stopping what I saw. When I left, it was stopped”
I sure hope for his sake, that is accurate. That has been one of the biggest knocks against him has been that run and hide image. If he really stopped it and went to authorities, even if he didn’t call the police, I view him in a little less hateful light.[/quote]I hope this is true.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
http://larrybrownsports.com/college-football/mike-mcqueary-emails-teammates-did-right-thing/98650
Found it…
Snyds01Quote Reply
Hate to say this, but Rosenbloom is spot-on here: http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/rosenblog/chi-sanduskys-interview-damaging-20111115,0,1727010.column
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
NAMBLA fan is back: http://www.insidethebook.com/ee/index.php/site/comments/bob_costas_journalist/#1
mb21Quote Reply
[quote name=mb21]NAMBLA fan is back: http://www.insidethebook.com/ee/index.php/site/comments/bob_costas_journalist/#1%5B/quote%5DWTF is with that guy?
GBTSQuote Reply
The disturbing Google search phrases that lead here have started: “Donald Fitzpatrick pedophile”
Aisle424Quote Reply
[quote name=GBTS]WTF is with that guy?[/quote]dude is all out NAMBLA
mb21Quote Reply
[quote name=mb21]dude is all out NAMBLA[/quote]
The internet is like an old dark basement. You know there are all sorts of gross, disturbing bugs and rats in there, but you hardly ever actually see them unless you purposefully go to where they nest. But every now and again one will be right out in the open and scare the living hell out of you.
Aisle424Quote Reply
It’s been shocking to see those comments on The Book Blog. I’m even surprised they haven’t been removed. While we may get people searching for Sandusky and child rape, wexler has said some things that would lead to some very disgusting people reaching that site.
mb21Quote Reply
He’s just protecting their civil rights, mb. Canadians never discriminate against anyone.
BerseliusQuote Reply
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/15/opinion/brooks-lets-all-feel-superior.html?_r=1
According to David Brooks, intervening and stopping a 60 year old man from raping a child, or making one phone call to the police reporting such rape is equivalent to one man stopping the Rwandan genocide. It’s just so tough!
GBTSQuote Reply
Did Alvin write that?
mb21Quote Reply
Mike McQueary’s life ——–> like a snow globe
That is the extent of CBS’ exclusive interview. Seriously.
Aisle424Quote Reply
That already happened? Online yet/?
mb21Quote Reply
Apparently he did talk with some police along with the chief of University Mall Cops
BerseliusQuote Reply
Why the fuck didn’t this show up in his grand jury testimony? It makes him look better but a decent lawyer can cast all sorts of aspersions on his credibility if he didn’t mention it before.
BerseliusQuote Reply
What I gathered from twitter is that he talked to university police and inferred that was the same as real police. He did more than any of us thought so I’m glad about that.
mb21Quote Reply
[quote name=GBTS]http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/15/opinion/brooks-lets-all-feel-superior.html?_r=1
According to David Brooks, intervening and stopping a 60 year old man from raping a child, or making one phone call to the police reporting such rape is equivalent to one man stopping the Rwandan genocide. It’s just so tough![/quote]
You’re right GBTS but reading that article made me remember something I witnessed and did nothing about, because it wasn’t normal and I guess I couldn’t compute what I was seeing until it was too late to do anything.
I was sitting in my car in a downtown area at night (waiting to pick up my son from a concert). It was late on a weekend night, but it was the center of the city and there were plenty of lights, and cars, and people around. I saw some cretin walk up to two young women and whip out his hideous giant schlong and started flapping it right there in front of them. The women hurried away, and I couldn’t tell if they were upset or laughing (because it was very pathetic as well as shocking). I watched the guy slip away into the night and only THEN realized I should have done something or called someone. During the incident, which was so abnormal, I didn’t “shut down and pretend everything is normal” and I didn’t pretend I didn’t see it. But I did sort of just witness it and let it happen before engaging any sort of judgmental filter. I’d like to think witnessing a child rape would not have the same effect. I don’t know. But I didn’t like Brooks’ overall tone in that piece, feeling superior about people feeling superior.
Suburban kid 22Quote Reply
Sometimes it’s just hard to figure out what the hell is going on. I agree with that. it sounds like McQueary did stop it and then reported it. Perhaps he should have reported it in a different way, but I’m OK with how he handled it at this point.
mb21Quote Reply
(dying laughing) http://awfulannouncing.com/2011-articles/january/cbs-pulls-epic-bait-and-switch-with-mike-mcqueary-qinterviewq.html
mb21Quote Reply
[quote name=mb21](dying laughing) http://awfulannouncing.com/2011-articles/january/cbs-pulls-epic-bait-and-switch-with-mike-mcqueary-qinterviewq.html%5B/quote%5D
(dying laughing)
(dying laughing)
GBTSQuote Reply
[quote name=mb21]Sometimes it’s just hard to figure out what the hell is going on. I agree with that. it sounds like McQueary did stop it and then reported it. Perhaps he should have reported it in a different way, but I’m OK with how he handled it at this point.[/quote]Not me. He still sat silently by for the next 9 years (!!!!!!!!!) while that sick fuck roamed the campus and the football facilities and said nothing. He gave silent assent to an act he wants us to believe he stopped, and he did so for 9 years.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
That’s a good point, MO.
mb21Quote Reply
http://mobile.nytimes.com/2011/11/16/sports/ncaafootball/in-july-paterno-transferred-ownership-of-home-to-his-wife-for-1.xml
BerseliusQuote Reply
$1 plus love and affection for his house.
mb21Quote Reply
http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/tue-november-15-2011/jerry-sandusky-phone-interview
GBTSQuote Reply
Something’s up:
http://www.thepostgame.com/blog/dish/201111/joepas-real-estate-move-raises-suspicious-eyebrows
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Tooting my own horn: http://thenonsequitur.com/?p=3252
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
Great job, MO. I posted a new thread on Unobstructed Views with a link to that. Hope you don’t mind: http://obstructedview.net/unobstructed-views/general/still-blogging-about-jerry-sandusky-on-a-cubs-blog.html
mb21Quote Reply