by Julian “J.Kwest” DeShazier
A thinking man’s desperate search for solid ground in a sad and infuriating story.
It is a scandal that rarely belongs on the Sports page – the stadium is for retreat and hope. As in October 2001, when in the thick of post-9/11 perplexity, the New York Yankees nourished the nation in a collective daydream. Or in February 2002, when the New England Patriots won Super Bowl 36. Save the conspiracy theory: these and other moments of the Arthur Ashes, Jackie Robinsons, and Hank Greenbergs of the sports world provide humanity with an opportunity to recess (in the truest sense) and affirm the goodness, or at least the possibility of goodness in a broken world.
In other moments, sports reveal more broken images of humanity. As in October 1988, when holier-than-thou Notre Dame played then-troubled Miami University, in a game marketed by Notre Dame students as “Catholics vs. Convicts.” Yuck. Or worse: when the stability of a college football program is justifiable reason to cover up the sexual abuse of multiple children over multiple years.
Let’s be clear: there is nothing GOOD about this story. As an advocate for child rights, I cringe at every new detail. But whether any good comes out of this story depends on how much we pay attention. Even the worst story has a few good lessons. I’ll tell you what we won’t learn.
We won’t learn what students actually learn at Penn State. Not from the thousands of kids rioting and destroying their own property in the name of a coach who was complicit in the abuse of multiple children. I’m worried about the lapse in critical thinking that allows college students to be so reckless. That’s formidable ignorance.
We won’t learn about the college football program those students love so dearly. As you may already know, the NCAA is already involved in a vapid hypocrisy around the (unfair?) treatment of college athletes. It goes like this: colleges make a LOT of money, student athletes make none, and can face harsh violations if they even accept a free lunch. I know college: I’m taking all free lunches.
Penn State is yet another cog in a wheel that needs destroying. They protected a known sexual predator (yes they knew; we’ll get to that), and for obvious reasons. Think now: Penn State’s football program brings in $50 million a season – on a bad year. That income stream depends upon the stability of TV contracts and bowl appearances. Gotta have a good team for that. Gotta have good players for that. Gotta win recruits for that. What do you think would happen if a recruit found out that the defensive coordinator of the football team was a child molester? A lot of greasy palms get dry very fast. Can’t happen. So when a family comes forward – in 1998, mind you – with allegations of abuse against Jerry Sandusky, Penn State allows him to retire, quietly and comfortably, with emeritus status. District attorney decides not to pursue charges, police drop case, Sandusky keeps an office at Penn State. In 2010, Jerry leaves the charity he founded – “The Second Mile” – citing “personal matters” he needs to handle. Here’s what’s personal: another child came forward, told the charity, and they flipped. The only reason they didn’t call CNN immediately? Penn State. It’s not that they want to protect Jerry Sandusky, but they have to protect Penn State football.
In doing this, the university has placed a value on children’s safety – a cardinal sin that occurs daily outside of sports – and Penn State football just made my “Not a Fan” list (your list might be named something different). The bitter irony in all this protecting and shadowing is Penn State didn’t even win a National Championship from 1998-2010! They can’t even do wrong right.
We can’t learn much from Jerry Sandusky, except for how to pass “Go” many times before heading to Jail (his higher power will deal with our frustration – check Matthew 18). You don’t wanna be Jerry Sandusky.
Neither are the innocent children in the scope of our learning. All they have are my prayers for a fulfilling life to overcome the dark days ahead.
That leaves Joe Paterno, the legendary football coach and resident idol of College Station, PA (“icon” is too soft a word). He is at the center of all this. Remember those riotous college students? The college football cover-up? The continuous flow of children that Sandusky had access to because nobody wanted to spoil the pot? Keep pulling that string: Joe Paterno is holding the other end.
He’ll have you to think he’s a victim – gotta love those campy, front-lawn press conferences – but let’s be clear: the ONLY victims are the young boys (now men) who must live in shame of being exploited in their vulnerability. Everyone else here is a casualty of the cowardice of Joe Paterno. Let me explain.
When families came forward in 1998, the president and board of Penn State turned to Joe Pa, and he took no decisive action. When a janitor and coaching assistant found Sandusky in the showers performing sexual acts with boys, the first person they told was Paterno. Did they forget that sexual abuse is a criminal act? More than that: How powerful are you that if someone is being raped, people call YOU before the police? Try to grasp that.
The teachable moment is yes, absolute power corrupts (and Joe Pa was bigger than the sheriff and the president – pretty absolute), but also that genuine leadership means the power and permission to change or destroy lives. If you have enough authority to save a life, you can probably ruin one as well.
Those are the conversations we need to be having, before and during college, in the aftermath of this tragedy. For America has an unquenchable entrepreneurial spirit – we are training leaders and affirming the use of power and influence to make this world better. But there is such a thing as integrity, and justice, but for a few years the most powerful man in the state of Pennsylvania lost sight. Look what happened.
Future leaders: take notice.
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Julian “J.Kwest” DeShazier is a big brother, scholar, activist, and dreamer hailing from Chicago, IL. Like you, J is also on the path to Better: a better world, a better self… I’ll settle for a better bowl of cereal! Follow MrKwest as we journey towards better together. From school to relationships, money, spirit, and everything in between, nothing is off the table.
@mrkwest[/box_dark]
