Dang. We're talking about Penn State here at work, and Chatty!Co-worker said he understood how the GA could have walked away without calling the police or making waves about seeing Sandusky rape a child.
I asked what is there to understand in that situation, beyond an adult man raping a child in front of you?
Chatty said the GA grew up in that town (I have no idea if that's true), and was part of the Penn State Football Culture, and the idea of speaking out and destroying what he loved was just too big.
I said, well, I *don't* understand anyone for whom goddamn football, even the Big Football Culture you grew up with, trumps the welfare of a child being raped.
Chatty said, "I don't know what I would do if I were in that locker room -- there's no way to know how you would react in that situation."
I gaped for a minute, and said, "You have a SON. Are you KIDDING me?"
He said no, he can't know how he'd react in a situation like that.
I said, "I do."
He said, "It must be nice to have such moral certainty," really sarcastically. (Perhaps because I'm known for being an amoral jackass? I don't know.)
And I squinted at him for a moment again, and said, "It is nice."
I'm kind of stunned and a little sick to my stomach.
Jesus, Steph. *I* would have jumped the guy and screamed my head off, and I'm five feet four inches of no muscle tone. And it's not just because I have kids, although that plays into it.
Chatty sounds like someone I don't want to know.
I do believe that the grad student grew up there, though, and was a former player. I don't understand how that enabled him to walk away, but I guess that's between him and his conscience.
Chatty said the GA grew up in that town (I have no idea if that's true)
It is true.
Okay, thanks. I haven't read a lot of articles about it because it just makes me sick.
Chatty sounds like someone I don't want to know.
He's got a really surprising attitude of moral relativism about pretty much everything.
The man has a SON, and doesn't know how he'd respond if he saw an adult raping a boy his son's age? Seriously?
(Which is not to say that it's okay if childless people would say they wouldn't know how they'd respond. I just feel like having a kid kicks it up a notch.)
I like Chatty less every time I hear a story about him.
I can't really speak about Penn State because my rage is so off the charts. Frankly, I think that the whole football program should be shut down. If the culture is so fucking warped that that damn game is more important to these people than the hell those children went through and will continue to have to deal with, then I think that culture should be torn down.
If the culture is so fucking warped that that damn game is more important to these people than the hell those children went through and will continue to have to deal with, then I think that culture should be torn down.
Actually, I think you said it very well.
This is incredibly relatively trite, but OMG, Doctor Who totally used that Omelas plot and I didn't remember.
I'm glad I'm not at the office and not sitting near to the chatty cannibal. I'm sure he'd have something to say that would incite a conversation that would anger me about Penn State, even if it wasn't his opinion that bothered me. He just talks about everything.
I'm taking another sick day today. I'm totally at a loss. Although I do have to choose benefits.
eta:
If the culture is so fucking warped that that damn game is more important to these people than the hell those children went through and will continue to have to deal with, then I think that culture should be torn down.
It's impossible because it's so true.
Interestingly, in light of the Penn State fiasco, we just got an email from admin reminding us of our legal responsiblities for reporting suspected abuse to DCFS. I suspect that's a reminder none of us really need right now, but I suppose it's always a good thing to keep in mind.
Here's part of the email:
As you likely know, part of the controversy at Penn State has to do with adults having knowledge of the allegations, but not fully reporting that knowledge. Based on Pennsylvania state law, now ex-Penn State head football coach Joe Paterno satisfied his legal reporting responsibility when he reported the abuse to his superior. Conversation regarding Mr. Paterno now circles around whether or not he fulfilled his ethical obligations.
Here is where Illinois law differs from Pennsylvania law: In Illinois, if you are a mandated reported, then you are responsible for making the report to DCFS or ensuring that a report is in fact made if you have reason to suspect abuse or neglect.
This also makes me wonder: are college teachers/admin/coaches considered state mandated reporters like Pre-K-12 teachers?
