I haven't been with OBNUG for very long and I know that most of you don't know me. I would NEVER share something this personal, but I can't hold it in any longer and I don't know where to vent. As a child I was the victim of sexual abuse. When I brought the abuse to the attention of a trusted adult I was utterly shocked to be met with disbelief. It made me feel even worse because as a 7 year old boy, that confirmed to me that it was my fault it happened. No one ever did anything.

I've always been a Joe Paterno fan. He used to represent family values and commitment to me. No one can deny that overall he is a good person. But it is mind boggling that he did virtually nothing to protect future victims of Jerry Sandusky. Put the "Law" aside. Joe Paterno knew that his long time friend was caught sexually abusing a young boy and all he did was pass the information on to his boss. Nothing more. Didn't it make him sick to see Jerry Sandusky day after day on campus? Shouldn't he have wondered what came of the boy? Yet he didn't make a single follow up on the situation. Mike McQuerry is even worse in my opinion for having seen it first hand and doing the same as Joe. I'm frustrated with the assertion that Joe Paterno had no control of what happened once he passed the information along. Joe Paterno is the most powerful man on campus. One request to remove Jerry Sandusky from campus would have worked. No request was made. Joe remained a Jerry Sandusky friend.

Right now in the Penn State community many are angrily rallying in support of Joe Paterno and many are angry with the president of the university for suggesting that Joe might not be allowed to continue to coach. I'm ill. Seriously ill. How did football become more important to these people than the lives of young children. Whether they like it or not, every time they minimize Joe's involvement, or try to point a finger in other directions they help those young children and young adults feel the same way I did (and sometimes still do) about what happened to them. It says that they were so inconsequential compared to the great legacy of Joe Paterno that their cry for justice is an affront to Penn State fans who are in deep, deep denial about the immorality of Joe's actions. His actions may have not been illegal, but they were reprehensible. Yes, there are others who share a larger portion of the blame, but Joe cannot be allowed to continue at Penn State without solidifying the opinion that Penn State got into this situation because of a very apparent culture of protectionism. Any comment would be appreciated. Sorry for the personal nature of this post.