Russ Cantu (Home)

Penn State Alma Mater. 

Due of recent accusations, Penn State is now in the thick of its own waste. At the center of the mess is the most revered college football coach of all time, Joe Paterno. A former assistant was caught fondling a young boy naked in the shower. This was witnessed by another assistant who then told Paterno. Paterno then told his up-ladder. Is this where the buck stops? Is this where we stop protecting children? As the most powerful man on campus, did Joe Paterno do enough?

A lot of discussion circling the web centers on the “ifs” of the case: Did Joe know about it in detail? Did Joe follow up with his up-ladder? Did Joe do enough? Not all the details are out, and I will definitely hold off judgment for now. 

However, if this happened under my watch as a pastor and one of my staff members ever did anything to hurt a child under my care, I would do everything I could to make sure it never happened again, and that the offender was prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Let me repeat that: I would do everything I could. Everything. 

Children are helpless. Defenseless. They. Are. Children. We are the adults. We are the ones who should protect them. In this case, the only one protected seems to be the accused. Is this right? No. Will there be justice? I sure hope so. 

“May no act of ours bring shame” is now a song that cannot be sung loud in the hallowed halls of what was once a proud and prestigious university. The shame that is now clouding the school, bringing a darker shade of grey, will only be lifted when the truth is identified and the helpless find help.