I think our obssession is based on two things:
1) I'm a college football fan. A HUGE college football fan. Eddie would rather watch NFL or - much preferable to him - basketball. But I'm a fan and therefore he is a college football fan by default. I grew up with a dad who hated Penn State so I guess some of that probably trickled down to me. Not that I necessarily hate the football program but the "Penn State Hate" was ingrained in me enough that I instantly scrunch my nose when I see them in the Top 25.
2) Most importantly, we are parents. We are parents to two little boys. And we are horrified by this. We are horrified that it happened. We are horrified that it was covered up for so long. We are horrified at the thought of how many more little boys were victimized because of the cover up. We are horrified that we actually agree with Sarah Palin on something. And we are horrified that so many people actually defended Joe Paterno and his actions concerning the cover up.
We watched the Sandusky interview with Bob Costas on Monday night. (Side note: I'm pretty sure it's a sign you're getting old when you're excited that a new news magazine show is coming on. And on Monday night -- when there's nothing else you want to watch on the tube! I love Dateline and 48 Hours and 20/20 and now NBC has gone and blessed me with Rock Center and thrown in a little bit of Brian Williams [hey there eye candy! Wait, What?])
I digress. We watched the interview Monday night and I don't know how anyone could have watched it and NOT come out with the conclusion that he is guilty as hell.
When Bob Costas asked "are you sexually attracted to young boys, to underage boys?" this was his answer:
::Pause::
Am I sexually attracted to underage boys? Sexually attracted, you know, I enjoy young people. I love to be around them. But, no, I am not sexually attracted to young boys.
Am I sexually attracted to underage boys? Sexually attracted, you know, I enjoy young people. I love to be around them. But, no, I am not sexually attracted to young boys.
(If you want to read the full interview with Sandusky and his slimeball lawyer, you can read it here. Also, the snarky side of me wants to point out that Sandusky did not know the meaning of culpable. That's a Penn State grad for ya . . . )
As soon as he said, "I enjoy young people" in that interview I wanted to throw up. I literally felt sick at my stomach. His answer seemed like total pedophile speak and it made me want to throw up. And to punch Sandusky, Paterno, and three Penn State sorority girls in the face. I cannot believe this man was caught preying on young boys and allowed to continue to do so. If he committed crimes in a place so open as the locker room showers, then what went on behind closed doors?
What bothers me the most, hands down, is the little boys who had their innocence stolen. It bothers me that this man thinks he can get away with saying "oh, it was just a shower and I wish I hadn't done it" or "oh, it was just naked horseplay and I promise I'll never do it again." You do not shower with children. My boys are 3.5 and 5 and that, in my opinion, is too old for me to continue to shower with them. And I'm their mother! And, please, don't get me started on the "it was just horseplay." Horseshit.
Believe me, all of that bothers me. Greatly. I'm heartbroken for those little boys and I'm heartbroken or their parents.
But it also bothers the parent in ME. It bothers me for my own children. It bothers me to know that society as a whole has developed an "I'm not going to get involved" attitude to the point that we would allow children to be victimized. Let's be real. Sandusky was forced to retire in 1999. He was caught, received a hand slap, and sent on his way. Anyone with half a brain can put two and two together and realize that. He obviously victimized another little boy in 2002. And, I'm sure, countless others after that. Can you imagine? Can you imagine being a parent to one of those boys who was raped after 1999? 2002? Can you imagine knowing that an entire football program KNEW about it and basically did nothing to stop it?
It's just scary! Every parent out there knows that no one cares about our children and their safety as much as we do. But we also like to think that based on the simple fact that they are children that other people can be trusted to step in and do the right thing when something is amiss. We like to think that people will meet their moral obligations and protect our children. And this case proves, if nothing else, that won't always happen. It proves that we live in a society where the reputation of a football program is more important than protecting the innocence of our children. This case -- and Joe Paterno and Graham Spanier and everyone else who knew what was going on and never went to the police - has shown that we are the only ones who are looking out for our own children. And that's just sad and disgusting and heart breaking.
