Missed connections

The Freeh report about Penn State missed many vital questions.

While the investigative team did a nice job with the content of campus emails, we heard nothing from Louis Freeh as to what the connection was with the many police agencies around the state that responded to reports from the parents of the children.

This is shocking. Did the Freeh investigation team even investigate this activity? Throughout western Pennsylvania, police fielded reports or held meetings with hurt parents. Did any of these agencies contact Penn State? If so, who fielded those phone calls?

There was far more abuse happening under Sandusky off campus than in the locker rooms at Penn State. Did any police group contact Penn State officials?

When The Second Mile began to get concerned about Sandusky, did they reach out to Penn State? If such due diligence had occurred by these off-campus groups, it might not have made a big difference in how Penn State handled Sandusky.

These off-campus entities could have done more as well. Unfortunately, Freeh did not connect these dots.

Something comprehensive in scope needs a go forward — a procedural process that takes into account both on-and off-campus networking. Yes, Penn State’s officials are culpable but so are those who also knew but kept their reports in their respective offices throughout the commonwealth.

John C. Moser Wescosville

Symbol of silence

Situations like the systematic sexual abuse of children and its cover-up at Penn State are unfortunate demonstrations of human suffering. Not only are the innocent victims suffering; not only are the perpetrators of these horrific events now suffering; but external observers with strong opinions also demonstrate their suffering through their (often petty) arguments on discussion boards.

Imagine a world where, in lieu of bickering, everyone instead resolves daily to confront the sources of even the smallest instances of human suffering in others that they encounter throughout their day. This could be something as simple as helping a co-worker who is unhappy with their job to something as complex as standing up for victims of sexual abuse.

Such productive use of people’s talents would improve the world by addressing sources of suffering instead of contributing to them.

Matthew S. Davis State College

Time to take responsibility

How many more missteps can the Penn State board of trustees make?

During their news conference Thursday, Karen Peetz and Ken Frazier said the trustees are “deeply ashamed” and “assume responsibility.”

So what? When Peetz was asked by a reporter if she and the other board members were going to resign, she said no. If there are no consequences whatsoever, I’ll assume responsibility. The Freeh report clearly states “a failure by the board to exercise its oversight functions.”

I say we call Peetz and Frazier at their homes and tell them they are fired, much like they did to Joe Paterno.

Sheldon E. Levine Stormstown

Remove the statue

After reading the Freeh report concerning Joe Paterno’s silence, which contributed to the continued abuse of children at Penn State, will they please remove the statue of him from Beaver Stadium? It is a constant reminder that “silence encourages the tormenter, never the tormented” (Elie Wiesel).

The statue is not appropriate for victims to see.

Jerome Nipaver Shaler

Put statue in All-Sports Museum

In light of the Freeh report, one of the questions that has been raised is what to do with the Joe Paterno statue outside the stadium.

The answer is obvious. It needs to be taken down and moved into the All-Sports Museum inside the stadium.

For every one of us who still believes in Paterno’s good legacy, there is a naysayer. As we saw recently when a drunken student decided it would be funny to take the Paternoville sign, it is only a matter of time before someone decides to show their opinion by defacing the Paterno statue.

Let’s move it inside so those of us who still believe in all that Paterno stood for can pay our respects.

In the empty space, create a statue dedicated to the Nittany Lion mascot. We can put up plaques honoring all the students who took the time to be the mascot.

Paterno’s legacy need not be forgotten.

Eric Webb Bradenton Beach, Fla.

Sit out a season

The scope of the Sandusky abuse and cover-up tragedy is nearly beyond comprehending. How many lives and families have been forever scarred by one man’s perversity?

Every effort needs to be made by Penn State to identify and compensate every one of Sandusky’s victims. The school needs to publicly apologize to each victim and, at the very least, pay for the costs of therapy and related expenses for life if need be.

Everyone who knowingly participated in the cover-up is equally guilty by proxy and should be prosecuted for at least being accessories after the fact.

Penn State also should sit out at least one football season in apology to and honor of the victims. The innocent players, coaches and others in the football program should not be penalized in any way, but rather treated exactly as if the program was in full swing.

The money in the football program is enormous and it needs to be redirected to benefit the abuse victims. There needs to be a concrete commitment to the school’s apology, and one season forfeited would go a really long way to show the victims and the world that Penn State intends to run a clean athletic program.

Kathryn Freese Greencastle

The benefit of hindsight

If Joe Paterno had realized what “messing around in the shower” really meant, he would have immediately done something. He was a father, grandfather and mentor to so many young men and there’s no doubt in my mind that the deviate, heinous acts were not within his realm of knowledge.

He was of my parents’ generation, and they would have no idea what had happened. Even if it was spelled out, they wouldn’t have understood such atrocities.

I understand that ignorance is no excuse, but Paterno can’t defend himself and we can’t hear what he has to say. I bet he’d say that if he had known exactly what was happening, he would have reacted differently.

I’m proud of Joe Paterno and everything for which he stood.

Marian Cummings Kane