• This is a political forum that is non-biased/non-partisan and treats every person's position on topics equally. This debate forum is not aligned to any political party. In today's politics, many ideas are split between and even within all the political parties. Often we find ourselves agreeing on one platform but some topics break our mold. We are here to discuss them in a civil political debate. If this is your first visit to our political forums, be sure to check out the RULES. Registering for debate politics is necessary before posting. Register today to participate - it's free!

Should Joe Paterno stay or go?

Should Joe Paterno stay or go?

  • He should stay, he wasn't involved.

    Votes: 3 5.8%

  • He should stay, he did what his part by reporting it to somebody.

    Votes: 8 15.4%

  • He should go, he didn't do enough.

    Votes: 36 69.2%

  • He should go, he's ultimately responsible no matter what.

    Votes: 4 7.7%

  • I have no clue. Fill me in.

    Votes: 1 1.9%
  • Total voters
    52
I think he did what he was required by law to do. Whether he stays or goes makes no difference to me, he did what he had to do, arguing that he should have done more is a judgement call, not a legal call.
 
Cephus said:
I think he did what he was required by law to do. Whether he stays or goes makes no difference to me, he did what he had to do, arguing that he should have done more is a judgement call, not a legal call.
Click to expand...

you can argue that he should step down for moral reasons but you cannot argue that he should be fired because he "didn't do enough"
 
OscarB63 said:
you can argue that he should step down for moral reasons but you cannot argue that he should be fired because he "didn't do enough"
Click to expand...

I can argue that he ought to step down, simply because he's 85 and it's time to retire already. Has nothing to do with this case.
 
I must say that I agree with Oscar in some ways here...

I've been wondering how the guy who apparently SAW AN INCIDENT OCCUR did not at least TRY to intervene.

HOW IS THAT ****ING POSSIBLE.


Hell, I'm only like 5'6", and in that situation I'd be sorely tempted to try beating this insult to pond scum Sandusky to a pulp.

I might fail.

But...damnit, I'd try.
 
The Mark said:
I must say that I agree with Oscar in some ways here...

I've been wondering how the guy who apparently SAW AN INCIDENT OCCUR did not at least TRY to intervene.

HOW IS THAT ****ING POSSIBLE.


Hell, I'm only like 5'6", and in that situation I'd be sorely tempted to try beating this insult to pond scum Sandusky to a pulp.

I might fail.

But...damnit, I'd try.
Click to expand...

Agreed, if I saw someone anally raping a 10 year old in the shower, I'd put a stop to it, if I had to grab a baseball bat and swing for the stands with his head. I wouldn't sit there watching, then report it. If someone came to me and told me that's what they'd done, I'd immediately be suspect of the story, normal people don't work that way. Now I wasn't there, I don't know what was said, I might have done the same thing, especially not being an eyewitness and not having anything but second hand accusations to report to the police. I'd have recommended that the eyewitness go to the cops though.

I think people are blowing this whole thing out of proportion by reacting emotionally rather than thinking it through.
 
Fact is Paterno was told and he did the absolute minimum. He is the one with the most power on campus and the highest paid employee. He doesn't work for them. They work for him and adore him, he calls the shots. Technically it was his job to pass the info on to the athletic director, but he had a moral responsibility to do so much more. That's as simple as it is.

He should have advised McQueary to go to the police immediately and he should have made sure he did. I would've told him to get in my car and take him there myself. Once the report was made to the Police he should have then informed the athletic director.

I would not have let something like that go. Ever. I would've been all over it. Constantly in contact with the Police/Authorities to see where they were at. I would have insisted that the accused be supsended (with pay) while the investigation was underway. I would have threatened to go to the media unless that was agreed with.

He had ALL the power and there was so much more he could've done and yet he chose not to.
 
Cephus said:
I can argue that he ought to step down, simply because he's 85 and it's time to retire already. Has nothing to do with this case.
Click to expand...

true .
 
To all you people who see blood in the water and want to lynch Coach Paterno, argurely the greatest coach in the history of NCAA football (409 wins) he should definitely stay....He committed no crime.....He reported the abuse to the AD which is what is required of him...The AD or his superior notified the police in 1999....If anyone is guilty it is the Police who did nothing.
 
Last edited:
Navy Pride said:
To all you people who see blood in the water and want to lynch Coach Paterno, argurely the greatest coach in the history of NCAA football (409 wins) he should definitely stay....He committed no crime.....He reported the abuse to the AD which is what is required of him...The AD or his superior notified the police in 1999....If anyone is guilty it is the Police who did nothing.
Click to expand...
I thought the reported incident took place in 2002...
 
Navy Pride said:
To all you people who see blood in the water and want to lynch Coach Paterno, argurely the greatest coach in the history of NCAA football (409 wins) he should definitely stay....He committed no crime.....He reported the abuse to the AD which is what is required of him...The AD or his superior notified the police in 1999....If anyone is guilty it is the Police who did nothing.
Click to expand...

that's what I don't get. people saying that because he did not personally call the police, he did nothing. or he tried to cover it up.
 
Navy Pride said:
To all you people who see blood in the water and want to lynch Coach Paterno, argurely the greatest coach in the history of NCAA football (409 wins) he should definitely stay....He committed no crime.....He reported the abuse to the AD which is what is required of him...The AD or his superior notified the police in 1999....If anyone is guilty it is the Police who did nothing.
Click to expand...

He actually arguably violated 3 criminal laws. Did Penn State's Joe Paterno break law in Jerry Sandusky case? - Michael McCann - SI.com

While Pennsylvania Attorney General Linda Kelly says that her office won't file charges against Joe Paterno for not reporting the alleged child sexual abuse by former Penn State defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky, the 84-year-old coach could eventually face criminal charges for perjury, obstruction of justice and violating the state's Child Protective Services Law. Paterno could also become a defendant in civil lawsuits filed by Sandusky's alleged victims. Those lawsuits could allege that Paterno negligently failed to prevent a third party with whom he had a supervisory relationship (Sandusky) from committing abuse.


​
Click to expand...
 
OscarB63 said:
you can argue that he should step down for moral reasons but you cannot argue that he should be fired because he "didn't do enough"
Click to expand...
Your posts sound to me as if you are in favor of protecting a guy who did little to protect children from a pedophile. Do you really believe that he did enough? If so what would you do if someone told you they saw a child being raped? Would you just have another beer and call it a day?
 
katiegrrl0 said:
Your posts sound to me as if you are in favor of protecting a guy who did little to protect children from a pedophile. Do you really believe that he did enough? If so what would you do if someone told you they saw a child being raped? Would you just have another beer and call it a day?
Click to expand...

I'd ask them why they didn't stop it instead of telling me about it.
 
This case is so violently disgusting to me.

I can't imagine anyone witnessing such an act or being told of such an act and then DECIDING it didn't matter. Then happily going about their lives never giving a **** - fame and fortune! Who gives a **** - just a kid?

****ing pigs.
 
Aunt Spiker said:
This case is so violently disgusting to me.

I can't imagine anyone witnessing such an act or being told of such an act and then DECIDING it didn't matter. Then happily going about their lives never giving a **** - fame and fortune! Who gives a **** - just a kid?

****ing pigs.
Click to expand...

apparently Paterno thought it mattered, since he reported it to his boss, who thought it mattered enough to report it to the authorities.

the real villian in this is the guy who actually saw it happen and did nothing to stop it.

but since he isn't famous it wouldn't be as sensational a news story so....it doesn't matter
 
Last edited:
OscarB63 said:
apparently Paterno thought it mattered, since he reported it to his boss, who thought it mattered enough to report it to the authorities.

the real villian in this is the guy who actually saw it happen and did nothing to stop it.

but since he isn't famous it wouldn't be as sensational a news story so....it doesn't matter
Click to expand...

When I see something as egregious as a child being raped I'd take immediate physical action AND I'd immediately call the authorities.

NO ONE reported this to the authorities . . .they handled it privately in their 'school' upper-chain which means they did nothing. . . and there's not much mention of who first witnessed it - other than that it was a graduate assistant. Unless I'm missing some news on this.

Regardless: to know that there are people out there who wouldn't take immediate steps to prevent said activity are disgusting. . .did this child's parents ever know their child was abused? Poor kid - needed help and no one gave a damn.
 
OscarB63 said:
apparently Paterno thought it mattered, since he reported it to his boss, who thought it mattered enough to report it to the authorities.

the real villian in this is the guy who actually saw it happen and did nothing to stop it.

but since he isn't famous it wouldn't be as sensational a news story so....it doesn't matter
Click to expand...

His boss did not report it to authorities. That was in 2002. A college kid is the scapegoat? No. I do not agree...although it's unfortunate he didn't at least say, "WTF is going on!!!????"

Oh, and it's not one boy, BTW. Latest I see in print is that eight have come forward. On the radio, I heard 17. What a disaster.

And Paterno's legacy? He'll always be famous as the guy who, along with his bosses, had a horrific moral lapse. Yeah, tell the boss. Then forget it.
 
Aunt Spiker said:
NO ONE reported this to the authorities . . \.
Click to expand...

I know this is an emotional issue, but that is no reason to resort to falsehood. Paterno told his boss the AD who reported it to the authorities.

to state that NO ONE reported this is simply untrue
 
So far, there are at least four people under scrutiny for failure to report, all of whom work at the university: Paterno, the head of the athetic department to whom he reported the incident, the dean of the university who also had the incident reported to him, and an assistant coach, who was the original witness. The university board is furious with all of them, and I suspect all of them will soon be out of a job, if not formally charged with a crime.

As it should be.
 
OscarB63 said:
I know this is an emotional issue, but that is no reason to resort to falsehood. Paterno told his boss the AD who reported it to the authorities.

to state that NO ONE reported this is simply untrue
Click to expand...

From this article - para 5 - in the OP it in fact states:
Sandusky was neither disciplined nor reported to authorities
Click to expand...

If this is a falsehood then by all means - post a new article or factoid with new information so we can correct this egregious error.

Reporting something 5, 7 or 10 years later is NOT 'reporting it when it happened' - and shouldn't be confused as such.

This article States:
Nearly two weeks after the incident, Curley and Schultz met with Sandusky and told him he could no longer bring any Second Mile children onto the campus. But the officials did not alert the police, and Sandusky continued to work as a welcomed member of the Penn State football family.
Click to expand...

And on and on - how many other articles do you think I'll find that states that Sandusky wasn't reported to the authorities immediately upon exposure of his acts?

That's the whole issue, here - is that these other people are in trouble because they never reported it to the authorities.

If they had reported it within a reasonable time frame they wouldn't be in trouble for not reporting it.

So - are you trying to throw them a bone that - well - 'now we know he molested children so they're all exonerated from keeping their mouths shut?'
 
OscarB63 said:
I'd ask them why they didn't stop it instead of telling me about it.
Click to expand...
But you would not notify the Police. I guess the University made the decision easy by firing Paterno. I think that makes a statement about how inept he was in handling the information that he received. I wonder how many other children suffered from his and others neglect in not making this situation known to authorities?
 
OscarB63 said:
apparently Paterno thought it mattered, since he reported it to his boss, who thought it mattered enough to report it to the authorities.

the real villian in this is the guy who actually saw it happen and did nothing to stop it.

but since he isn't famous it wouldn't be as sensational a news story so....it doesn't matter
Click to expand...
He might still have a job and a glowing reputation had he notified the police instead of his boss who handled it just as poorly.
 
Aunt Spiker said:
When I see something as egregious as a child being raped I'd take immediate physical action AND I'd immediately call the authorities.

NO ONE reported this to the authorities . . .they handled it privately in their 'school' upper-chain which means they did nothing. . . and there's not much mention of who first witnessed it - other than that it was a graduate assistant. Unless I'm missing some news on this.

Regardless: to know that there are people out there who wouldn't take immediate steps to prevent said activity are disgusting. . .did this child's parents ever know their child was abused? Poor kid - needed help and no one gave a damn.
Click to expand...

You bring up a point that needs to be discussed. I firmly believe at least a few of these parents knew what happened to their boys. It probably wasn't the anal rape incident although it could be, but some of the parents were aware that their boys were being groped or touched inappropriately and did nothing. I am positive Sandusky's wife was aware on some level as were other people close to him. Also, the eight victims in the indictment are just the tip of the iceburg. I am sure his abuse goes much further back and will involve dozens of kids. I think what we should be trying to do is come to an understanding of the dynamic that causes good, honorable people not to follow through and do the right thing. These aren't bad people. Many are probably usually people of action. We need to learn something here and crucifying everyone around Sandusky is not the best way to get at the answers.
 
jambalaya said:
You bring up a point that needs to be discussed. I firmly believe at least a few of these parents knew what happened to their boys. It probably wasn't the anal rape incident although it could be, but some of the parents were aware that their boys were being groped or touched inappropriately and did nothing. I am positive Sandusky's wife was aware on some level as were other people close to him. Also, the eight victims in the indictment are just the tip of the iceburg. I am sure his abuse goes much further back and will involve dozens of kids. I think what we should be trying to do is come to an understanding of the dynamic that causes good, honorable people not to follow through and do the right thing. These aren't bad people. Many are probably usually people of action. We need to learn something here and crucifying everyone around Sandusky is not the best way to get at the answers.
Click to expand...

In the handling of Penn State's response (lack of it), what difference does it make what the parents did or did not know? And how can anyone extrapolate from what's been reported that some parents knew and did nothing? You've taken a giant leap in logic here...and there's no net.
 
He's past the age of retirement anyway, it's not like he didn't live his life's dream, where's the punishment in that? Will he get retirement money from them?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom