Plenty of Blame

I'm trying to imagine what I would have done had I been the coach who caught Sandusky raping a child. I know exactly what my first impulse would have been. I would have been tempted to run out of the building, and keep running. Such would have been my shock, horror, and fear. (the key word is "fear", of which we are all full). The assistant coach who was forced into this situation is about six eight, two seventy, which makes a difference.

The honest to goodness truth is that I think I would have done the same thing the graduate assistant coach did, the same thing Paterno did, and the same things the Athletic Director and the University President did. All because of fear. Then, later, I would have wished I had done more. I would prefer to think I would have intervened heroically. Or at least, honorably.

We all agree on two things. One, Sandusky is a monster. Two,There are still more people at fault, more people to blame, for this horrible situation. The question is: how many? Who?

For one, Joe Paterno. That's been decided. Also, the A.D., and the Penn State president. Still hanging in the balance is the graduate assistant coach.  So the blame spreads. But how much further?

Highly educated "experts" on television are starting to blame the Penn State athletic department, and now, the entire culture of intercollegiate athletics. Like a fire blame spreads.

But why stop? Why not let the blame spread naturally, until it burns itself out?

I decree that we are all to blame. American culture is to blame. After all, there's plenty of blame to go around.