In Defense of Joe Pa

Sigh.

I wouldn't normally feel the need to post on here, as I haven't in a long time, but I am in a ranting mode right now. With the recent treatment of Joe Paterno, you would think that he was the one molesting children. I would like to remind everyone that he was not. Maybe he didn't do enough to change the situation and maybe he did. I don't know, and don't act like you know. Unfortunately, it doesn't matter either way, because the ignorant masses have spoken. People think that by sympathizing with Joe Paterno, someone is sympathizing with Jerry Sandusky, and to a further extreme, the people who sympathize with him are, by the transitive property of insane, pedophiles and child molestors themselves.

 We live in a society which, while allegedly encouraging rugged individualism, actually wants no individual thought whatsoever. For example, Bill James, a well known baseball statistician, dared to claim that Paterno should not be getting the vitriol he is getting and in fact was not in a position to do much about the situation. The Red Sox released a statement claiming this is not the opinion of the Red Sox and the opinion of an individual and are shying away from it. Because James is a consultant for the Red Sox, he is not allowed to have an opinion of his own without people assuming it is the opinion of the "organization". I wasn't aware corporations could have opinions, but after all, they are people, so I shouldn't be surprised.

Too bad Joe isn't alive to defend himself, another reason why he is allowed to be defamed the way he has. I know the Freeh report was released earlier, but I guarantee most of those bashing Paterno have not read one sentence of it. And yet I read a comment on an article telling someone defending Paterno to "read the article". Yes, because of course, the person has read every sentence. Not hypocritical at all.

This is the world we live in, a punitive world where people are guilty until proven innocent, minority opinions are childishly dismissed without offering any rebuttal by those in the opinion of the majority, and the loud, obnoxious, punitive, police state, easily influenced by sensational things like this masses fuck everyone else over and marginalize their opinions. Sandusky got 600 something years in prison. He is not coming out. Are you satisfied? Of course not. Everyone else must suffer and be guilty of what one man did because that is how this society works. There is no due process of law anymore and everyone is guilty by association.

To those out here reading this, I know it is not fun to have an opinion that goes against what others say, but I encourage you to keep it and think critically. The powers that be do not want you to think, but you should do it. Fight that good fight. Stick to your arguments. It can be depressing to have an opinion that others shun, but if we can't have that, what kind of democracy are way? I believe in value outside of money, and I encourage others to do the same. Even if it doesn't always bring you happiness or traditional success, it will give you peace of mind.

Have a nice day.

-jduff