LAST WEEK, amid accusations that he failed to respond adequately to cases of child sexual abuse that allegedly occurred within his own locker room, Joe Paterno was abruptly fired from his post as Penn State's head football coach, which he had held for 44 years. According to various sources, a graduate assistant on the team witnessed an assistant coach raping a child in the showers; he relayed the crime to Paterno, who in turn did nothing more than tell the university's athletic director. Little action regarding the matter took place after this - legal authorities did not hear of the incident until sometime afterward.
Paterno has faced nothing short of a public pummeling. Bystanders could not believe the coach had apparently disregarded the molestation of underage individuals in order to maintain his program's shining image. As the media made details of the incident available to the general population, even those with only the slightest knowledge of collegiate athletics began calling for his immediate ousting. Was this a result of the disturbing nature of Paterno's wrongdoing or was it rather because of the fact that Paterno is a college football icon and celebrity?
The answer seems to be the latter. If an ordinary citizen demonstrated the same lapse in judgment as Paterno, a countrywide outcry would not likely await him. Our nation possesses an atmosphere in which the citizenry punishes celebrities too harshly for their missteps and fails to realize that these people deserve the same trial process as the rest of us.
Paterno's situation elicits memories of similar instances in which public icons quickly fell out of favor. One might consider Tiger Woods. Once details of his marital unfaithfulness were unveiled, he became the butt of sex jokes, had his figure humiliated in tabloids and saw his adored image forever stained.
Or perhaps the fallout at Penn State will remind you of Michael Vick. After being convicted of maintaining a dog fighting ring, the NFL quarterback became the target of animal rights groups across the United States and had to endure the nickname "Con-Vick." In each case, a famed sports figure committed a wrong and received criticism far beyond what his action merited. Overlooking sex crimes, adultery and animal cruelty all constitute moral and often legal violations; no form of reasoning can deny that the perpetrators of these acts deserve to meet the consequences the law demands.
But tarnishing their images extends far beyond due punishment. If an average Joe cheated on his wife, he certainly would not become the abomination of a nation, as Paterno, Woods and Vick have become. Each day, hundreds of thefts, rapes and murders go unpublicized, ignored by a population that does not concern itself with such occurrences.
We all possess our particular strengths, yet few of us exhibit abilities that reach the limit of human possibility. Those who do carry such talents become the idols of their surrounding communities. By admiring such special skills, we "commoners" are lavishing these figures with our sense of respect and awe. Paterno, Woods and Vick have demonstrated to us the possibilities of what we ourselves might accomplish through unyielding effort.
Furthermore, watching these famed sports figures excel has given us hope that in a world so often brought down by human conflict our species can transcend its petty barriers. When these stars exhibit any sense of indecency, some of our greatest aspirations come falling down; no longer does the possibility of perfection remain. This manifestation of imperfection fills us with an additional feeling of betrayal, as if we were to say to these icons, "I put all of my faith into you, and this is how you respond?" At this point, emotions overcome us, and punishing these figures to the greatest extent possible is the easiest and most gratifying option.
Despite being drawn to retaliation, we must recognize the injustice such vengeance constitutes. Paterno, Woods and Vick did not ask to be idolized; it is we, the average citizens, who put them on a pedestal. Dealing out severe retributions punishes the celebrities for being in a situation in which we placed them. This is undoubtedly unfair. Uniformity in punishment is imperative, lest we desire the cultivation of a society in which crimes receive arbitrary degrees of discipline.
I would never suggest that Paterno's actions are dismissible. The inaction displayed by Paterno and his colleagues sickens me. I cannot imagine, however, any situation in which I would argue that an ordinary citizen ought to be condemned by the entire country for doing as the head coach did. We must learn to be objective in our distribution of punishment, or future talents may be too fearful to ever show themselves on our terms and for our benefit.
Cameron Seib's column normally appears Tuesdays in The Cavalier Daily. He can be reached at c.seib@cavalierdaily.com.
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