Mike McQueary's Inaction Dragged Penn State into Shame and Sorrow

It needs to be said that everything involving Penn State's scandal is just alleged right now. At this moment, nobody has been convicted of anything. 

People have opinions on the matter, but that needs to at least be kept in the minds of everyone as we hear new details emerge.

But the details are out there. If you're not familiar with Mike McQueary's involvement in the matter, read what Jake Kaplan had to say.

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According to the grand jury presentment, after allegedly witnessing the incident, McQueary went to his office and called his father, who told him to leave the building and go home. The next day, McQueary phoned Paterno and then visited the coach at his home, according to the grand jury presentment.

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The incident Kaplan is referring to is McQueary witnessed Jerry Sandusky in the shower, acting improperly with a young boy. 

If this is true, a few huge questions come to mind. 

If you are witnessing a grown man in the shower with a young boy, how is your response to run away call your dad?

At this point, I am not even going to deal with what was happening in that shower. In what world is it okay for grown men to be in the shower with a young boy?

Now, think about what was allegedly happening in that shower. Why do you not do something right then and there? McQueary was a 28-year-old man at the time. This is not a young coach or player. 

But I can actually make some sense out of it. I hate it and would like to believe that as a society, we're much better than that. But that's a split-second decision in the midst of a horrid act. We have to allow for a little bit of panic to enter into the head of someone.

But that doesn't excuse the next acts.

How do you not go to the police after witnessing the incident?

Honestly, not going to anyone makes more sense. Then, you can maybe make a case that he was just afraid for his job, or even more, and decided to keep his mouth shut.

But read that quote again. He went to his father, and then Joe Paterno. Clearly he wasn't too afraid to speak to anyone. 

This is not a split-second move. This is a more reasoned approach. Can I prove that? No. But it stands to reason that given some time, we'll all act more reasonably. 

The bottom line is that McQueary had at least two chances to do a lot more than he did. Each time, he failed. 

The scandal would be ugly no matter what. There is no way that you can have anything around child abuse and not have it be ugly. 

But had McQueary spoken up or been more proactive, it wouldn't be this bad. There's just no way that it would be.

The problem now is that these alleged offenses have been swept under the rug for so long. 

No, McQueary is not the only person responsible. Joe Paterno holds a great deal of responsibility. But just because he is the biggest name, it doesn't mean that he shoulders the most blame. 

If these offenses are true, the most responsible person is Sandusky. There is nothing that can happen or come out that would change that. The actual perpetrator is the most guilty party involved.

But after that, why don't we look at the responsibility of a grown man who apparently witnessed what happened first hand and did next to nothing?

Where would we be if something had happened right then and there? There is no way the world wouldn't be a much better place if adults would finally grow up.