Happy Valley is No Longer Happy: A Penn State Alum Speaks Out

November 10, 2011 5:00 pm     Posted in College, News, Reality  Ariel Abramowitz g+ page

Image taken by Eric Weiss

Disgust.


By Ariel Abramowitz

I can not think of another word to describe the constant gut-wrenching feeling I have had in the pit of my stomach since Saturday morning when the alleged sexual assault case involving former Penn State defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky became national news.

First, and foremost, I am disgusted that my university — a place that I spent the best four years of my life learning and growing and maturing into the person I am today — would let this one man ruin the reputation we have worked so hard to build. Members of our administration were informed of Sandusky’s actions that occurred NINE years years ago (and on OUR CAMPUS no less) and felt the proper course of action was to cover this up. And then when confronted, they continue to do something; to say nothing. Not even to apologize to the victims and their families that had the strength to come forward after all of these years of abuse and turmoil. Pure and utter disgust.

I have continued to be disgusted by the national media who has made this about Joe Paterno (a man has not even been formally charged with anything and followed protocol according to the Pennsylvania attorney general). Instead of asking for the resignations of our Athletic Director Tim Curley and Gary Schultz, the Senior Vice President of Finance and Business and the overseer of the University Police (who are both charged with perjury and failure to report), they went for the sensationalism. Go after the octogenarian who has spent the last 46 seasons building and rebuilding Penn State football, who has placed such an emphasis on academics in State College that the library is named after him, who has been a leader, a role model for athletes and students alike. Do I believe Joe could have done more? Yes, absolutely. The man has even admitted this himself. We all knew that even Paterno could not survive this scandal unscathed. But do I believe he earned a better ending to his career than being fired OVER THE PHONE by the Board of Trustees? You bet your ass I do. And that disgusts me.

I am even more disgusted with the hundreds of current Penn State students who used last night as a way to misrepresent the entire study body and alumni association. Instead of every present news outlet focusing on the respectful, somber demonstrations at the Paterno statue near Beaver Stadium or the football players gathering together at the Lasch building or the candelight vigils being held for the victims of Sandusky’s abuse, I was watching CNN broadcast students flipping over a local news van and tear down lamp posts on a street I was proud to call my home for two years. You continued to embarrass the Penn State name. May no act of ours bring shame? You brought not only shame; you brought me disgust.

It will be a long time before Penn State recovers from this scandal. There will be even more firing and resigning as new facts continue to unfold and further action is taken to ensure everyone involved in this scandal is removed from our University. This is not an easy path and these are some of our darkest hours. But I know my university and I know we will not let the actions of a few men define the phrase “We Are… Penn State.” This feeling of disgust will pass. We will continue to remind the world that we are bigger than this. We will continue to remind people to focus on the victims and we will never let something of this nature happen on our campus ever again. We will continue to bleed blue and white.

Fight On, State.

Ariel Abramowitz is a recent graduate of the Penn State College of Communications, as well as a former writer for OnwardState.com. She has some very strong opinions but they are all her own. Feel free to let her know what you think by commenting or tweeting her @arielsam924.

17 Comments on "Happy Valley is No Longer Happy: A Penn State Alum Speaks Out"

  1. Sara says:
    Thu, 10th Nov 20115:40 pm 

    Although I go to Texas Tech, I’ve been a Penn State fan my whole life. Both of my parents went there. I’ve grown up hearing about what a great person Joe Pa was. It makes me so sad to hear about the entire situation. It kind of feels like finding out Santa’s not real. I know that I don’t know the whole story. I just wish they would focus less on Paterno and more on Sandusky and McQueary who is still coaching.
    My school went through something like this a few years ago on a much smaller scale. I know that it feels terrible watching the school you love torn apart by the media.

  2. Molly - UNL says:
    Thu, 10th Nov 20116:10 pm 

    Could not have put it better myself.

  3. Sara says:
    Thu, 10th Nov 20116:36 pm 

    Although I go to Texas Tech, I’ve been a Penn State fan my whole life. Both of my parents went there. I’ve grown up hearing about what a great person Joe Pa was. It makes me so sad to hear about the entire situation. It kind of feels like finding out Santa’s not real. I know that I don’t know the whole story. I just wish they would focus less on Paterno and more on Sandusky and McQueary who is still coaching.

  4. StaceyMaisch says:
    Thu, 10th Nov 20116:36 pm 

    I am also a Penn State alum and a mom of three children, two of them young boys. I share your disgust and I mourn the loss of innocence of all of those victims. I also mourn the loss of our icon, Joe Paterno. Paterno was more than a football coach. For decades, he embodied how to lead with respect, honor and high standards. Unfortunately, now he must be judged himself by those same high standards. I agree with the board’s decision, but I do not applaud it. There is nothing here to cheer about. I am deeply saddened by all aspect of this ordeal.
    To see more of my 2 cents on this situation, read my blog post from this morning: http://awhineintime.wordpress.com/2011/11/10/mour…

  5. Alana says:
    Thu, 10th Nov 20117:12 pm 

    I completely agree. I have a lot of friends and family who either currently attend or have graduated from Penn State, so this is being discussed a lot by the people around me. The problem is that most people don’t take the time to learn all the facts. JoePa could’ve done more, but legally he did what he was required to do. It makes me so sad that all the attention is put on him, when there are several other people who could’ve reported it to the police, namely McQueary. It’s such a shame that Paterno had such an incredible career and now it is tarnished because of this. As you said, we need to continue to focus on the victims and pray for them.

  6. Susanne Abramowitz says:
    Thu, 10th Nov 20117:20 pm 

    Once again I have never been so proud of my daughter. We are Penn State!

  7. Polly says:
    Thu, 10th Nov 20117:30 pm 

    I agree and I disagree with your article. As a current Penn State student I am thoroughly disappointed in the administration for covering this up. I am embarrassed by the actions of my peers, although not surprised remember when the Phillies won the world series? But I disagree with giving Patero a pass. I think PSU students and alumni have this strange commitment to Paterno and he's almost as guilty as the others for not making a bigger effort to expose this. I say that all who knew and didn't try to put a stop to it deserve what ever comes to them.

  8. StaceyMaisch says:
    Thu, 10th Nov 20117:33 pm 

    I am also a Penn State alum and a mom of three children, two of them young boys. I share your disgust and I mourn the loss of innocence of all of those victims. I also mourn the loss of our icon, Joe Paterno. Paterno was more than a football coach. For decades, he embodied how to lead with respect, honor and high standards. Unfortunately, now he must be judged himself by those same high standards. I agree with the board’s decision, but I do not applaud it. There is nothing here to cheer about. I am deeply saddened by all aspect of this ordeal.
    More of my thoughts as a Penn State and mom who agrees with Paterno’s dismissal here: http://awhineintime.wordpress.com/2011/11/10/mour…

  9. Ariel - Penn State says:
    Thu, 10th Nov 20117:46 pm 

    Polly, I never said I felt Paterno should have gotten a pass. I just felt as our football coach for 46 seasons, the Board of Trustees could have handling his firing differently. A phone call did not do him justice and was an insult to everything he's done for this university.

  10. Deb S. says:
    Thu, 10th Nov 201111:38 pm 

    I not only attend Penn State, but I was born and raised in State College. I feel like for locals, it is particularly horrifying and shocking because there are many of us who know the families involved and literally grew up with these great football figures.

    It's still a very difficult process processing it all.

  11. thefunkyjunkie says:
    Fri, 11th Nov 20118:51 am 

    I'm a PSU alum as well as a State College native myself, and I am disgusted at the way the media has misrepresented the town and the people in it. My husband and I stayed up watching the CNN coverage the other night, and it was surreal seeing our home town being ripped to shreds by idiots in the name of school spirit. When was the last time we actually heard Sandusky's name on the news? From the outside looking in, if you watched the news you would think it was Joe who did the molesting. It's all so sad.

  12. Dana says:
    Fri, 11th Nov 20119:03 am 

    the more I think about it, the more I can't understand how McQueray saw that happening and just walked away. How could he not break that up?

  13. Polly says:
    Fri, 11th Nov 20114:32 pm 

    I understand. But what bother's me by what you said and what I hear from my classmates is that its as if you all keep putting Paterno on a pedestal and I don't believe he deserves that. I agree that firing over the phone was extremely distasteful but realistically he is not a victim and I find it almost insulting to the actual victims to paint him as such. Frankly, as you have already said I think the media and the student body just needs to take the spotlight off of Paterno, I don't understand why my classmates would go out rioting over Paterno getting a firing over the phone but not over the fact that their own school was covering up several incidents of child abuse. The more I think of it the more disgusted I become with my generation, their values are in the wrong place. Nevertheless, it's been nice reading the opinions of an alumni I especially enjoy hearing from those associated with the PSU community.

  14. TruthHurts says:
    Fri, 11th Nov 20118:54 pm 

    Dear author, your article makes no sense, there is no way that Joe Paterno can be held unaccountable for his actions, despite the figure or role model he has been portrayed as. Being knowingly aware of abuse against a child and not going to the police nor ensuring the abuse was permanently stopped is spineless in my opinion. At the end of the day, it's quite obvious that Penn was trying to save its reputation, which is why it will be fitting for that same reputation to be marred forever in light of the truth.

  15. Deb S. says:
    Thu, 17th Nov 20111:22 am 

    I posted something on my Tumblr about how upset I was about the scandal and it's effects on my hometown (I'm from State College as well,) and people were messaging me saying that Joe Paterno was the abuser, and they had never even heard of Sandusky. It's absolutely crazy!

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