Thursday, November 10, 2011

Paterno and Cain and Accountability


The firing of Joe Paterno and bad publicity Herman Cain has received are not likely to result in any permanent changes in the U.S., if early reactions mean anything.
 
   Penn State students rioted Wednesday night to protest Paterno's dismissal for failing to reveal the alleged sodomization of children by a foundation run by one of Paterno's former assistants.
 
   Thousands of students gathered shouting "F* the trustees" and "We want Joe," reported the school's Daily Collegian. Two news vans were overturned.
 
   As allegations that Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain sexually harassed women grow so do his standings in most polls.
 
   Paterno, known as "Joe Pa" at the university for bringing them winning teams without breaking NCAA rules, has won more games than any other coach in NCAA history. It is alleged he was told by a coaching assistant about the sexual abuse of youngsters by former assistant coach Jerry Sandusky at the university-supported foundation. Paterno reported passed the information on to the higher ups but did nothing when no action was taken.
 
   There are unconfirmed reports that Sandusky was forced to retire as a coach after a witness reported seeing him sodomizing a 10-year-old. The university retirement date was not clear. He is charged with sexually assaulting children from 1994 to 2009. Sandusky retired from "The Second Mile Foundation," which he founded, last year.

   The foundation declined to make anyone available to comment. Sandusky's lawyer says he is innocent.

   The Collegian said Sandusky's non-profit organization was given $399,000 in donations the past six years. He said he founded the group to help under-privileged and at risk children.

   The Detroit Free Press published the Penn State grand jury indictment: http://www.freep.com/assets/freep/pdf/C4181508116.PDF
 
   At least five women have accused Cain of sexually harassing them. Although he concedes some were paid settlements that nothing happened and it was not him who paid them. He said the Natonal Restaurant Association, which he formerly served as president and CEO, made the payments.
 
   Cain says Democrats launched the attacks. Some radio hosts have attacked the accusers, the usual pattern when women accuse powerful men of sexual assaults.
 
   The FBI says the vast majority of sexual assault claims are valid.
 
   Top university athletic teams have frequently been accused of breaking recruiting rules.
 
   The University of Southern California, winner of 11 national football titles, was stripped of one earlier this year because it violated recruiting rules to get star running back Reggie Bush.
 
   NCAA athletics generate hundreds of millions of dollars, and they have never been more crucial than now as states have had to cut funding because of economic crisis.
 
   A joke has widely circulated for years, any of the top teams could put be put here, Blank University's football team has made the university something students can be proud of.
 
 
 

2 comments:

  1. What a morally bereft group of students that would put the caress of pigskin before protecting children. This example of American football culture ranks right up there with Michael Vik and his brutalization of puppies.

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  2. It has gotten out of hand - loyalty to a team is not the same of loyalty to community, family, humanity.

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