Penn State Student Riots: Rally for Joe Paterno Misguided in Wake of Scandal

Joe Paterno has been ousted as head coach of the Penn State Nittany Lions. That fact has caused thousands of students to rally to Paterno's cause. The word misguided comes to mind. 

Here is what makes me sick in my stomach. And believe me, this is not hyperbole. I am physically affected by what I am seeing out of Happy Valley at the moment. 

MyFoxPhilly reports students are gathering all over campus and in the streets surrounding it to support a fallen hero. I don't agree with it, but I understand. 

Thousands of students are meeting to stick up for a man that apparently did not protect the helpless. A man that was the second-most powerful person on campus for decades is being treated like he is a victim. 

Now, I am all for due process, innocent until proven guilty and a grown man having his say. I am also for young boys being allowed to live their youth in the wonderful naivete of innocence. 

I will go with gross assumptions at the moment. I will assume that the grand jury report asserting that Joe Paterno at least knew that something sinister was going on and did little then told his superiors, none of them the police. 

I will assume that the board of trustees that met for hours on Wednesday are acting in the best interest of the University, one that has been around far before Paterno came to coach there, and will remain standing long after the ripples of this decision cease. 

When I say I understand though, it is simply because Joe Paterno was more than a man to sports fans. This was a coach that exuded honor and typified goodwill. 

It is near impossible to switch gears and believe the same man would approach allegations of the sort with such apathy. 

Now we see youthful energy sticking up for a man that didn't stick up for others. Where is the rally for the victims? Where is the outpouring and emotion for the little boys that lost their innocence and had their lives ruined by a monster?

The real villain is of course Jerry Sandusky, but Paterno seemingly did the absolute least with the knowledge at his disposal. That sort of apathy is unconscionable, unforgivable and worthy of a firing. What it's not worthy of is an outpouring of support.