Sunday, January 22, 2012

Death of a Salesman

Well, it's official, Joe Paterno is dead.

Theres a lot of back and forth on the internet about what his legacy is, and hows the last years' revelations will consequently alter that legacy. So I give you, my faithful readers, the long and the short.

This is in fact a blog written by an atheist so, many of the "He's getting his judgment now by God" arguments, don't really apply here. This blog does not subscribe to the usual koolaid consumption that the masses partake of. Having said that, I'm kind of at a loss on this one.

If there is a kind and everloving God out there in the vast universe waiting to judge us on our human, imperfect choices, then I doubt that he'd be willing to overlook something as profound as a person overlooking the abuse of children.  Here are some things that we  DO know about Paterno:

He was aware of the exploitation of his university's athletic program to abuse participating children.

If I'm the almighty, there isn't shit all else you could say, If I'm the almighty I'm gonna look him in the eye and ask him how this is possible.

Paternos life literally cannot be judged based only on the athletic accolades that he received and championships won. No matter how many lifes changed for the better under his guidance - that number became completely inconsequential when he knowingly covered up the sexual abuse of children by his own staff,  If Paterno truly regarded the university as he said he did, in no way would he have allowed something so grotesque to take place on it's grounds. He'd have not allowed for the university to be the catalyst to such a thing, and he'd have not covered it up.  He'd have used the clout earned him through years of hard work and loyalty, to bring these men to justice and would have been a champion for these victims.

Paterno is dead. We can all play the "coulda, shoulda, woulda" game till we go blind. Or...we can look at the sad excuse for a man that Paterno was and vow to never, ever, allow atrocities like this to take place under our own roofs and remain silent. We can vow that, while athletics are a great and powerful resource -  we will not be sold on the ideals that, athletic fortitude begets you an all access pass at treating the world like you yourself are the God. Let Paternos life be a constant reminder of what not to do.

Don't buy the logic, that that weak old pedophile enabler was peddling.