Penn State thoughts

Oh boy.  

It's been a roller coaster week for anyone who knows and loves Penn State.  I am honestly surprised at how hard this whole thing has hit me- especially since I never really wanted to go to Penn State, and swore up and down I would never be one of those crazies that bleeds blue and white.  

I was in tears when I was talking to Randy last night on the phone.  I am just so mad.  Sad. Angry.  Devastated.  Betrayed.  Disgusted.  Confused.  Hurt.  Overwhelmed.  Embarrassed.  

I think what disgusts me the most is that children were hurt.  These boys were deeply betrayed by someone they trusted.  Someone that they idolized.  And that person used his position of power and trust to molest these children.

  Somehow that is being lost in the debate and finger pointing.

I've heard a lot of people say that if you don't have children, you can't possibly understand why this is such a disturbing situation.  Well, I don't have any children, and I am positive that I am just as bothered about this situation as any parent is.  I worked with kids for 4 years.  I know how much those children look up to the adults in their lives.  I've seen what an impact a simple hug or a kind word can have on a child.  I know how much children trust.  


It horrifies me.  It's as simple as that.  It makes me so angry.  It makes me so mad that so many adults knowingly chose to do so little.  How?! How could adults in such positions of power turn a blind eye to abuse?  I know that the second I had witnessed abuse, or the moment a child came to me in confidence to say that they were being mistreated, I would have been running to the authorities.  That's all there is to it.  Regardless of whether or not my job was at stake or at risk.  It is my responsibility as a human to be an advocate for those that don't have a voice- or can't have a voice- regardless of the "chain of command"


There has been a lot of talk about the head coach- and at this point he has announced that he is going to "retire" at the end of this season.  He says that he wishes he had done more when he initially was told about the situation.  Some people defend him- saying that legally, he did what he was supposed to.  He told his superiors.  But morally, he did NOT do enough.  Nobody that had any knowledge of these events did enough.  More children were hurt and preyed on while these adults were legally doing the bare minimum, if anything at all.  It breaks my heart.  That's all there is to it.

I am a Penn State alum.  I know that ultimately, those that harmed these children will be prosecuted, and those that took no action will be dismissed from the university.  I know that we as a Penn State family will move on from this, and make some good come of these terrible injustices.  I hope that we can redeem the university that we are so proud to be a part of- and I hope those that have been hurt and betrayed by this terrible man, and let down by so many others  can now begin to heal and move forward.