Last week’s selection was my all-time favorite movie, Goodfellas (1990). I fully recognize that The Godfather (1972) was released well before Goodfellas, and may indeed have set the gold standard not just in terms of melodramatic depictions of mafia families, but the highest level of cinema as a whole. Be that as it may, I still believe Goodfellas would have been made all the same, for several reasons. However, I am not going to focus my discussion on that comparison tonight.
Instead, I want to be completely blunt here. Let’s be honest; There are plenty of child rape cases out there and they do not garner anywhere close to the kind of attention that the Penn State one has. In fact, most are conveniently swept under the rug by the media unless there is some compelling subtext to the story. The reason why the Penn State child rape scandal has gone viral is because of the prominence of the football program and the multi-year cover up. Both of those aspects of the scandal can be blamed squarely on head football coach Joe Paterno.
As early as 1998, and certainly by 2002, Paterno knew that his vaunted defensive coordinator, Jerry Sandusky, was a sexual molestor of minors. We know that Sandusky committed the rapes, so why even talk about Paterno? Because he not only held himself out as the patriarch of the Penn State football family, but also that region of Pennsylvania in general. Instead of calling the police and doing the right thing, he tried to solve the problem his own way. Because I think Paterno knew back in 1998 about Sandusky’s actions, it is not surprising that Sandusky retired in 1999. I believe Paterno gave Sandusky the option of either retiring or reporting the rapes to the police. As a result, Sandusky continue to rape little, vulnerable boys for at least the next decade. Paterno was constantly praised for molding young men at Penn State into gentlemen with character, integrity, and honor. And yet, when faced with a decision that was clearly the right thing to do (going to the police), he opted not to tarnish the beloved reputation of his “famiglia.” Surely, a former defensive coordinator being exposed as a child molester would have put an immeasurable stain on the legacy of “JoePa.”
True, this is America and Sandusky will get his day in court if he does not take a plea bargain, but my point is more centered around Paterno. Personally, I think child rapists should be eligible for the death penalty, possibly a topic for another post. For the purposes of this post, though, the story about Paterno acting as the criminal patriarch implores you to watch or re-watch The Godfather. There is no doubt in my mind that this is a case of life imitating art, solely with respect to Paterno assuming the role of Don Corleone in attempting to handle a criminal issue “inside the family” as though he, himself, were completely absolved from the law and its repercussions. Paterno may or may not have broken any criminal laws, but he knew Sandusky clearly had committed one of the most heinous crimes imaginable. For that, “Don Paterno” will be remembered by most as more of a mafia boss than an esteemed leader of young student-atheletes.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gtYjdEwa8GA&feature=related
It’s like the Catholic church, with joepa as pope.
YES
Joe P dedicated much of his time helping and assisting kids and has contributed tons of money to the school. Yes he could have done more, but it still hurts to watch him getting kicked to the curb after 46 years of service to the students of the school.
Good points. But when he was faced with the biggest decision of his life he failed miserably to do the right thing.
Good post Chess…. I agree with every word.
This really is sad commentary…even Penn St.
Penn St. for Gods Sakes? Nothing makes sense anymore.
They were always overrated, sorry to say.
Agree.