Penn State Riots Do Not Represent Current Students and Alumni as a Whole

You can hear anyone from current and former students to fans and supporters yell the same battle cry that rallies them together about the school that they love and support:  

“We Are!” 

“Penn State!” 

It’s why the disrespectful acts from the rioters last night after the announcement of the Joe Paterno firing does not represent the millions of respected and proud alumni and the 40,000 and more undergrads who currently go to Penn State.  

The mass of alumni know that what was documented in the grand jury report does not represent what their university is about. They know that what had to be done, had to be done, in that coach Joe Paterno had to be fired.  

The alumni realize that Joe Pa had a responsibility to tell someone—anyone else—rather than what he thought he was doing right in telling the athletic director and no one else.

The alumni of Penn State realize that whatever the decision was from the board of trustees last night was going to be the right move.  

Were they upset that the person who represented their university was going to see his legendary career end this way?  

Of course they were. Joe Pa was the face of this university, and when people ask about Penn State, the first thing that is brought up is Joe Paterno.  

Were the alumni of Penn State going to take to the streets to riot in protest the decision?  

Of course not.  

Before the decision was made last night, the alumni and current students knew that something bad was coming. They could tell that a decision was coming down that would cause a negative reaction.  

Tweets were sent out from the alumni like this one,  

But you still have the idiots who went out into the cold Wednesday night on the Penn State campus to tip over a news van, break street lights and get pepper sprayed by cops in riot gear. They made the Penn State University get thrown into an even bigger mess.  

Penn State has a huge problem that it may never be able to recover from. They are taking the right steps on Saturday, as they are encouraging everyone to wear blue to help raise awareness for child abuse. They will pass out blue ribbons and will show support to those victims who were brave enough to come out in the original grand jury report. 

Those people who support the victims—and not the coaching staff and administration who helped cover up this up or the students who took to the streets on the Penn State Campus—are the people who represent the great community of Penn State students, alumni and supporters.  

They are the good people that make Penn State the great school that it is. 

They are, Penn State. 

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