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Doing the Right Thing: If You Are Truly Great it is NOT Optional

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Real Estate Agent with Long and Foster Real Estate VA License # 0225089470

Doing the Right Thing:  If You Are Truly Great it is NOT Optional

The child sex scandal of Penn State has absolutely turned my stomach.  Alumni, students and fans of the Nittany Lions were outraged when the statue of Joe Paterno was removed from the Penn State Campus.  Why?  This guy was an awesome coach.  No one would argue his skill.  As a human being, he was sorely lacking.  He put his football program above the safety of children after witnessing an incident of child sex abuse by his assistant coach.  

There are no number of football games a person could win, or college football players turned great that you coached, that make turning your back on an incident of child sex abuse okay.  Doing the right thing, to a person who is truly great, is never an option.  There is no weighing of options when you witness the powerless or weaker among us being abused.  

We all can take a lesson from the Penn State scandal.  Stand up for what's right.  Don't let things that ultimately don't matter, take precedence over people who need your help.  Keeping your mouth shut when you know something criminal is happening is wrong.  Don't let your legacy be one of being a selfish coward.  

Comments (9)

Leslie G. Rojohn
MoonDancer Realty - Sylva, NC
GRI, ABR ~ MoonDancer Realty

You are absolutely correct.  Our culture has become obsessed with sports.  You can slaughter your wife and an innocent friend, but if you were a football star, you get away with it.  You can rape a girl, but if you're a rich powerful basketball player, you can intimidate or have your fans intimidate the victim until she backs down.  And now we see you can be a child molester and an entire power structure of a school will cover it up and turn a blind eye so as not to damage a college football program.

When and why did college sports become about big business instead of school spirit. Enough.  Sports are a game.  Get out in the yard and play it with each other, but quit sitting on your fat lazy butts and elevating people to God status cause they can play a game.

Jul 23, 2012 10:45 AM
Chris Ann Cleland
Long and Foster Real Estate - Gainesville, VA
Associate Broker, Bristow, VA

Leslie:  I'm really pleased to hear about the NCAA's action against Penn State since the problem was institutional with Paterno turning the blind eye.  They are facing HUGE sanctions.  

Jul 23, 2012 10:54 AM
John McCormack, CRS
Albuquerque Homes Realty - Albuquerque, NM
Honesty, Integrity, Results, Experienced. HIRE Me!

Totally agree.  Between you and Leslie you it has been summed it up well.

Jul 23, 2012 11:13 AM
Carla Muss-Jacobs, RETIRED
RETIRED / State License is Inactive - Portland, OR

What he symbolizes is a PEDOPHILE and an entire system of things that looked the other way. Why keep a statue of this CONVICTED PEDOPHILE??    

Jul 23, 2012 11:14 AM
Scott Godzyk
Godzyk Real Estate Services - Manchester, NH
One of the Manchester NH's area Leading Agents

Good Morning Chris Ann, VERY WELL SAID, it is awful that so many grown men overlooked the abuse of children to win football games. You say it very well in your closing paragraph. I wish they could have punished teh school without punishing the atletes, students and a whole community but there was no easy way.  Have a great Tuesday

Jul 23, 2012 11:15 PM
Kathryn Maguire
GreatNorfolkHomes.com (757) 560-0881 - Chesapeake, VA
Serving Chesapeake, Norfolk, VA Beach

I have really been perplexed how people can just set aside how the machine surrounding this football enterprise put the sport above the abuse of children.  Your post is well stated.

Jul 24, 2012 12:45 AM
Chris Ann Cleland
Long and Foster Real Estate - Gainesville, VA
Associate Broker, Bristow, VA

John:  It's shameful that sports has this much power.

Carla:  I didn't think Paterno was convicted, but his assistant coach.  Either way, he knew about and looked the other way for the sake of the football program.  That doesn't deserve a statue.

Scott:  Ultimately, protecting the football program by keeping their mouthes shut backfired.  I just think the only thing that would've been better is for Joe Paterno to have lived to see the fall out.

Kathryn:  I certainly don't get it.  It's a GAME chosen over the welfare of children.  

Jul 24, 2012 08:24 AM
Greg Miller
Ruoff Home Mortgage - Sarasota, FL
Florida Home Loans - Conventional,FHA,USDA,VA

Well said Chris Ann, I just don't understand how anyone that knew about this, could think that he would stop abusing children. I related to your comment"It turns my stomach". Very sad for all those that were victims.

Jul 24, 2012 08:59 AM
Chris Ann Cleland
Long and Foster Real Estate - Gainesville, VA
Associate Broker, Bristow, VA

Greg:  And a lesson to any professional sports or college sports organization that throwing things like this under the rug can come back and KILL what you tried to save by stuffing it to begin with.

Jul 24, 2012 09:31 AM