So what would you do if you saw your coach molesting a child?

[Argus]

I couldn't help noticing the glaring absence in all the coverage of the firing of Penn State's famous football coach Joe Paterno.

Everyone, including him, seems to believe he didn't do enough, that he had a moral obligation to do more than simply follow the university's regulations on reporting what was told to him up the chain of command. So he's been fired for it, note even allowed to retire at the end of the season. The university president was fired, too. And the two people who Paterno told, the athletic director and the school's vice president, have been both fired and charged for not doing anything.

But what about the grad student who told Paterno? By his own testimony, he heard a "slapping sound" and looked in the room to see coach Sandusky sodomizing a boy he thought was about ten years old. What did he do? Well, nothing. He didn't jump the coach. He didn't yell out something like "Hey, what are you doing?". He didn't make some noise so the coach would hear and stop. He didn't call the cops.

He tiptoed quietly away, apparently. And next day he told coach Paterno. And where is he now? He's a football coach with the same team. And he has not been fired. So what are we to make of Penn State's little morality play? You get fired for not utmost to prevent child molesting? Or you get fired for being controversial and blackening the school's name?

[dre]

The people at the top of the food chain are ultimately responsible. Firing the guy that was a grad student back in those days probably wouldnt even be legal.

[bush_cheney2004]

I couldn't help noticing the glaring absence in all the coverage of the firing of Penn State's famous football coach Joe Paterno.

Huh? It's not like Penn State is in Canada!

There has been plenty of media coverage in the US, and another thread here at MLW.

[olp1fan]

I don't think this is a big deal in Canada. Canadians probably just go "eh that is awful, reminds me of the catholic church"

and then we start talking about how much we hate Harper or about the hockey game we saw last night

[August1991]

But what about the grad student who told Paterno?

Well, he did.

I don't think this is a big deal in Canada. Canadians probably just go "eh that is awful, reminds me of the catholic church"

Well, Catholic Canadians said so.

There is a court trial in Kingston now. A Muslim man is accused of killing his daughters.

----

Argus, olp1fan: Don't be so jaded as to imagine nothing matters.

[olp1fan]

Well, he did.

Well, Catholic Canadians said so.

There is a court trial in Kingston now. A Muslim man is accused of killing his daughters.

----

Argus, olp1fan: Don't be so jaded as to imagine nothing matters.

why should us canadians give a damn? we have our own scandals and problems to worry about

its not like itd make the news in the U.S if it happened in Canada

U.S doesnt have to be the centre of the world if you don't want it to

so why care? what happened was awful and i hope justice is served

thats all that needs to be said

doesn't need to be the most discussed topic by canadians

Edited November 11, 2011 by olp1fan

[olp1fan]

Huh? It's not like Penn State is in Canada!

There has been plenty of media coverage in the US, and another thread here at MLW.

I guess the media only reports what it finds relevant to its country

I was shocked when cnn and foxnews failed to mention Jack Laytons death...he was leader of the opposition

of your biggest trading partner

that doesn't seem right

but it is what it is, canadian media is reporting this story ..we just don't have many pundits which is what really drives US sports...talk radio and pundit shows on cable

[August1991]

why should us canadians give a damn?

Because we should.

[olp1fan]

Because we should.

How does this U.S scandal affect Canadians?

[August1991]

How does this U.S scandal affect Canadians?

Give it a break, olp.

I simply think that when someone sees that something is wrong, she/he should say something.

I hope that Canada is a place where people are not afraid to (politely) say so.

[olp1fan]

Give it a break, olp.

I simply think that when someone sees that something is wrong, she/he should say something.

I hope that Canada is a place where people are not afraid to (politely) say so.

Yes, I should hope so too...I know I would say something

But we all know that is not the world we live in

Scouts Canada, Catholic Church is who we should be more concerned about because it affects Canada

[eyeball]

Give it a break, olp.

I simply think that when someone sees that something is wrong, she/he should say something.

I hope that Canada is a place where people are not afraid to (politely) say so.

Well, the very high number of unreported crimes being committed in Canada suggest people are afraid to. Personally I think far too many of us are afraid to call Harper on that bit of BS but that's another story. Or is it? Interestingly it's not reporting a crime that got Joe Paterno in trouble. Why? Because not reporting a crime is a crime. So what's Harper's excuse for not including some sort of legislation that cracks down on all the scofflaws that aren't reporting the crime wave Canada is experiencing?

In the meantime, I think if I saw a grown man buggering a little kid I'd probably try to put his head through a wall...two or three times at least.

[Bonam]

In the meantime, I think if I saw a grown man buggering a little kid I'd probably try to put his head through a wall...two or three times at least.

And spend the next few years mired in the legal mess surrounding the case? Even if you are recognized as having done a good deed (not guaranteed), you'll be interviewed by investigators, asked to court as a witness, etc. Your life will be disrupted for years to come. Much easier to report it to the appropriate channels and then go about your business.

A selfish outlook, yes, but that's what our legal system encourages.

That being said, it was the JOB of officials/coaches at the university, both in the athletics department and higher up (the president) to ensure these kinds of things weren't going on at their university. They should have done their jobs and reported the incidents to the police as well as immediately fired the offender, and, after he retired, prevented him from accessing campus. However, I don't think the grad student could have been expected to act much differently than he did.

Anyway, I'm sure Penn state will be in sorry shape for years to come as a result.

Edited November 11, 2011 by Bonam

[BubberMiley]

I don't think this is a big deal in Canada. Canadians probably just go "eh that is awful, reminds me of the catholic church"

and then we start talking about how much we hate Harper or about the hockey game we saw last night

It's not a big deal to the Conservative government. They will give you more jail time for growing more than six pot plants than they will for raping a child.

That's because raping children doesn't interfere with their means of generating income.

[bush_cheney2004]

I guess the media only reports what it finds relevant to its country

Canada has the same 24/7 news cycle to fill, and a lot less to fill it with.

I was shocked when cnn and foxnews failed to mention Jack Laytons death...he was leader of the opposition

of your biggest trading partner

Don't worry...US media did report a Canadian MP driving drunk in Hawaii (Gordon Campbell).

but it is what it is, canadian media is reporting this story ..we just don't have many pundits which is what really drives US sports...talk radio and pundit shows on cable

See above....and I suspect there are some Canadian graduates from Penn State. Canadians watch Americans through a one-way mirror.

[Guest Manny]

First of all I would stop him, not tiptoe away quietly. I would shout at him or whatever, and take the kid away. Bring the kid back to his parents. Then report it to the authorities.

[guyser]

And spend the next few years mired in the legal mess surrounding the case? Even if you are recognized as having done a good deed (not guaranteed), you'll be interviewed by investigators, asked to court as a witness, etc. Your life will be disrupted for years to come. Much easier to report it to the appropriate channels and then go about your business.

A selfish outlook, yes, but that's what our legal system encourages.

One needs to be mildly creative when doing it to avoid any prosecution.

I would like to think if I witnessed (important part) it, apart from immediately stopping the horrible assault, that some creative ideas would creep into my brain, say.....maybe a little curb stomp and a face wash..."Officer, we scuffled,he lost"

...any available weapon might inflict a little pain "Officer, he came at me with a rock!"

....a very swift hard kick in the nuts , twice..."Officer...yea I kicked him in the nuts" (bruising wont be attributable to my kick but the assault on the child.

Years (maybe) of a hassle....it would be worth it. That one kid saved would learn that men dont do this to kids, only sick shitheads.

Edited November 11, 2011 by guyser

[Shady]

It's now a criminal conspiracy, not just a child molestation. It may even morph into murder as well. A district attorney that was investigating the coach "disappeared" 5 years ago, and hasn't been heard from since. They found his computer at the bottom of a lake.

[Argus]

How does this U.S scandal affect Canadians?

It doesn't. It's a morality play, though, which is worth discussing.

[Argus]

Give it a break, olp.

I simply think that when someone sees that something is wrong, she/he should say something.

I hope that Canada is a place where people are not afraid to (politely) say so.

Politely tell a child rapist that what he's doing is impolite?

I'm just wondering at the morality of a grown man seeing that and doing nothing. And why no one seems to be condemning him as opposed to the system.

[Argus]

Well, the very high number of unreported crimes being committed in Canada suggest people are afraid to.

I don't think people are afraid to. I think people consider the downside of reporting - reports, interviews, possibly going to court, to not be worth the possible upside - someone actually being punished for what they did. If they had a certainty that the police would strive to find the assailant/thief, and that if caught the person would be punished I think far more Canadians would report crimes. The people I know who haven't reported don't say "What if they come back to hurt me?" they say "What are the cops going to do? Nothing."

In the meantime, I think if I saw a grown man buggering a little kid I'd probably try to put his head through a wall...two or three times at least.

And I think that would be the moral thing to do.

[guyser]

I'm just wondering at the morality of a grown man seeing that and doing nothing. And why no one seems to be condemning him as opposed to the system.

From what I have read, it appears the kid (he was pretty young still) was distraught about what he wintessed, was incredibly shaken and sought the advice of his father who in turn said 'we will go meet Joe in the morning" ...and they did.

But there were 2 janitors who witnessed much the same and were so worried about losing thier job if they said anything.

One of the janitors was so upset, the other thought he was going to have a heart attack.

Its a culture not to rock the boat on such a cash cow, to turn a blind eye to transgressions, and thats probably the entire other story in this.

The thing is, had one of the three above done something immediately, then none of this would have tarnished Penn to any degree that they now are.

[bush_cheney2004]

Politely tell a child rapist that what he's doing is impolite?

"Excuse me sir, but is your partner a midget of majority age?"

I'm just wondering at the morality of a grown man seeing that and doing nothing. And why no one seems to be condemning him as opposed to the system.

He could have shouted "FIRE!" and pulled the alarm. This Mike McQueary guy is getting death threats for the wrong reason.

Edited November 12, 2011 by bush_cheney2004

[Argus]

And spend the next few years mired in the legal mess surrounding the case? Even if you are recognized as having done a good deed (not guaranteed), you'll be interviewed by investigators, asked to court as a witness, etc. Your life will be disrupted for years to come. Much easier to report it to the appropriate channels and then go about your business.

Bonam, that's the coward's way out, the risk-free, don't-get-involved, not-my-business attitude which exempts you from any personal responsibility in protecting the child involved. The time to take action was then, right then, to stop the attack in progress. You could have called 911 or done a lot of other things. But tiptoeing away and telling someone the next day was, to my way of thinking, completely cowardly and immoral.

[GostHacked]

So no matter about the kids who were abused and stuff... the more important thing is .. how is this going to affect the football season? /sarcasm

I am not sure what I would do, but I'd probably end up going to jail for murdering the coach, or beating him within an inch of their lives.