Tag: Joe Paterno

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someone is responsible

Wow, we are good at blaming other people.

 

Witness…

 

Celebrity news outlet, TMZ, is reporting that the first lawsuit is being crafted in the Aurora movie massacre.  It is being filed by Torrence Brown, a man who was in the theater but was not physically hurt, although a good friend was shot and killed. Brown now claims to suffer from extreme trauma.

 

So given his situation, he’s suing James Holmes, the shooter, correct?

 

Of course not.

 

According to TMZ and Brown’s attorney, Donald Karpel, Brown is targeting the following 3 entities or people:

 

  1. The theater.  Karpel claims it was negligent for the theater to have an emergency door in the front that was not alarmed or guarded.  It’s widely believed Holmes entered the theater with a ticket, propped the emergency door open from inside, went to his car and returned with guns.
  2. Holmes’ doctors.  Karpel says it appears Holmes was on several medications — prescribed by one or more doctors — at the time of the shooting, and he believes the docs did not properly monitor Holmes.
  3. Warner Bros.  Karpel says “Dark Knight Rises” was particularly violent and Holmes mimicked some of the action.  The attorney says theater goers were helpless because they thought the shooter was part of the movie.  Karpel tells TMZ, “Somebody has to be responsible for the rampant violence that is shown today.”

 

“Somebody has to be responsible…”

 

I can’t shake that line.  While “someone is responsible,” that person’s name is James Holmes.  Granted, James Holmes doesn’t possess near the bank accounts of the theater, doctors, and Warner Bros.  While certainly the question of what each could have done differently would be prudent, holding them responsible seems financially expedient.  They are easy to blame.

 

Also, last week we witnessed Penn State receive sanctions for the sexual abuse scandal involving assistant coach, Jerry Sandusky.  Sandusky was found guilty of 45 charges of child abuse over a 15 year span.  In an independent report, members of the university’s administration and athletic department were found to be negligent; they were not involved in the abuse, but the tough questions are what did they know and what then, did they do with that information.

 

“Somebody has to be responsible…”

 

Penn State certainly should have reported what they knew when they knew it to law enforcement authorities.  There should exist a harsh consequence for that negligience.  Yet one of the penalties levied against the Penn State football program is the decision to vacate 112 of the team’s wins over the past 14 years.  In other words, all the victories on the grid iron during the time something should have been reported no longer exist.  Also, vacating those wins means extracting them from not only head coach, Joe Paterno, but also from the 85 other innocent collegians who potentially played their hearts out that day.

 

Again, “someone is responsible”; that person’s name is Jerry Sandusky. Sandusky’s perverse activity gave Penn State no competitive advantage on the football field.  What he did was horrific, but it didn’t influence the outcome of the game.  However…

 

“Somebody has to be responsible…”

 

We tend to place blame where it’s easiest…

 

… on those who can’t defend themselves…

… on those who are financially expedient…

… on those who’ve gone before us…

 

If we can hold someone responsible — regardless as to if they are the person responsible — sometimes it makes us feel better; sometimes is also adds to the foolishness involved.

 

Respectfully,

AR

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i see dead people

Funny thing about dead people.  They can’t talk.

Funny thing about us.  We talk about dead people.

 

Remember the deceased can’t talk nor talk back.  They can’t respond to the words we say nor the impressions we have.  They can’t affirm what’s right nor correct what’s wrong.  Hence, I wonder what they’d say…

 

Thinking back over the years… what would John F. Kennedy say?  By most historical accounts, it seems an inspiring sense of optimism evolved via JFK’s leadership.  There was something contagious in how this charismatic, young politician spoke… how he dreamed… how he challenged…

 

  • “To whom much is given, much is required.” 
  • “Victory has 100 fathers and defeat is an orphan.”  
  • “Our most basic common link is that we all inhabit this small planet.  We all breathe the same air.  We all cherish our children’s future.  And we are all mortal.”

 

Yet after only an approximate 1000 days, JFK died in his political prime.  While for some this prompted increased reverence, romanticism, and historical rewrites, there’s much the public learned after Kennedy died.  There were reports regarding affairs with multiple women.  There were reports of serious health ailments and prescribed drug usage for those problems.  There were questions as to how the medications impacted his infidelity.

 

I wonder what Kennedy would say.  What was intentional?  What did his wife know?  What would you tell us if you could speak?

 

More recently, what would Joe Paterno say?  Among the NCAA’s winningest football coaches, Paterno led Penn State and contributed significantly to academic life, donating over $4 million to the State College campus.  There was something unique in how this career coach spoke… how he motivated… how he challenged…

 

  • “Success without honor is an unseasoned dish; it will satisfy your hunger, but it won’t taste good.”
  • “Losing a game is heartbreaking. Losing your sense of excellence or worth is a tragedy.”
  • “It’s hard for me to explain. I don’t have an ego. I’m going to work to give these kids a chance to win. If we win, it’s theirs.“

 

Yet after 46 years as the Nittany Lion coach, Paterno’s former assistant coach, Jerry Sandusky, was arrested on 40 counts of child sexual abuse over a 15 year span.  While Paterno passed away this past January, investigations continued at Penn State.  There are now reports of conspiracy and cover up.  There are questions as to what the coaching staff and administration knew.

 

I wonder what Paterno would say.  What did he know?  What other motivations were relevant?  What would you tell us if you could speak?

 

And finally, 3 days ago, Steven M. Covey died.  Covey wrote the The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People.  Unlike JFK and Joe Paterno, there is no residual scandal; hence, I think I know what he would tell us if he could speak…

 

  1. Be Proactive.  Take initiative in life by realizing that your decisions are the primary determining factor for effectiveness in your life. Take responsibility for your choices and the consequences that follow.
  2. Begin with the End in Mind.  Self-discover and clarify your deeply important character values and life goals.
  3. Put First Things First.  Prioritize, plan, and execute your week’s tasks based on importance rather than urgency.
  4. Think Win-Win.  Genuinely strive for mutually beneficial solutions or agreements in your relationships.
  5. Seek First to Understand, Then to be Understood.  Use empathic listening to be genuinely influenced by a person, which compels them to reciprocate the listening and take an open mind to being influenced by you.
  6. Synergize.  Combine the strengths of people through positive teamwork, so as to achieve goals no one person could have done alone.
  7. Sharpen the Saw.  Balance and renew your resources, energy, and health to create a sustainable, long-term, effective lifestyle.

 

Personally, I like #5 best.  We could all work to understand a little more…  especially understanding dead people… especially not assuming we know all.

 

Respectfully,

AR