Letter to the editor: Penn State taunts persist for a reason
Regarding Chip Minemyer’s op-ed “Tired Sandusky taunts further insult victims of abuse” (Dec. 31, TribLive): Chants and chirps by opposing fans about the Penn State child sex abuse scandal are aimed at calling out the Penn State community for continuing to worship people, i.e. Joe Paterno, who played a prominent role in covering up Jerry Sandusky’s putrid crimes, or at the very least failing to use their power to stop him.
Look no further than a favorite chirp, one Minemyer even pointed out: “Joe knew.” The reason this chirp persists lies within its truth: Paterno knew that Sandusky molested at least one boy, after graduate assistant Mike McQueary reported it to him (maybe more, according to the Freeh report) and failed to do anything meaningful about it. By utilizing this chirp, fans of Penn State’s opponents are simply shining a light on a reality that the Penn State community has attempted to whitewash and/or forget.
The reality is that the man Penn Staters consider a saint is a pedophile enabler. I feel this is especially true since many Penn State students are unaware of the sex abuse scandal and its cover-up. The roommates and friends of a Penn State student I dated were unaware of the entire scandal.
The reason these chirps persist is due to opposing fans’ disgust and bewilderment toward the Penn State community for supporting Paterno, even in the face of overwhelming evidence that he enabled Sandusky’s crimes.
Wesley Luke
Chambersburg
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