[Butterflies Are Free]

I grew up in PA although not near Penn State. I keep up with my minister's wife from college(20 years ago) and they went to Penn State. I happened to read her most recent Facebook post about all of this and am tempted to write her a very nice letter about a Survivor's point of view. I am not sure what to say or if I will get triggered in real life conversations about this. I would be grateful for suggestions.

[skeksi]

I've read this twice but haven't replied because I don't have good advice! I guess it depends on how personal your conversations with her have been in the past.

My feeling is, people who think the NCAA sanctions are unfair and who feel Paterno's name is being disparage, they simply don't get it. They don't understand that the safety and well-being of children was sacrificed to protect the money and fame of the football program. I'm not sure that anyone who doesn't get it can really be swayed. If you have a close relationship with her, then I think it makes sense to bring this up as a topic of discussion. Otherwise, I'm not so sure.

[PurpleFlyingMonkeys]

If I were you, my letter wouldn't be so "nice and friendly" about the wrong ones. Not necessarily mean toward her but I wouldn't sugar coat it. It's sickening what happened and what was allowed to happen. Makes me want to cry and vomit at the same time. But I've got a bit of a temper when it comes to these things. And I don't think that any one of them were punished fairly, the abuser should be in general population but he wont be and the rest of the ones who covered it up should all face 20 years minimum for contributing to the abuse by not doing what they were responsible to do and fixing the problem before it got this far. Screw them all!

[Gr3tta]

If you are an adult person, and you know that a child has been or is being hurt, and you do nothing about it, then you are a horrible person. Everyone who worked together to allow so many children to be horribly hurt and irreparably changed for the rest of their lives deserves to be punished in every way possible.
I understand your not wanting to attack or be mean to a woman who is your friend, but anyone who imagines that money, sports, and entertainment are more important than the well being of children needs to be corrected.

[Butterflies Are Free]

Thank you for all of the replies - I agree. I think that some people who are not survivors just don't "get it" and society as a whole needs a huge wake up call. The fact that some people are more upset over football and the reputation of Penn State is something I will never understand. I work with several male teachers/sports fans who actually think the punishment wasn't severe enough so I cannot understand how a pastor/his wife feel the opposite. I think I am going to write that letter...