Aurora: the stupidity continues

Shorter Rick Scarborough: "God caused that AR-15 to jam so I can play the demagogue more effectively on another issue." After all, he was so fair-minded on the issue of AIDS over a year ago...

And just think, he'll be able to engage in yet more deeply reasoned theology at Weepy's upcoming theocratic gang-bang at Texas Stadium on the 28th. .

(For a more inclusive list of other nutcases pontificating on things they know nothing about, head here. Just don't blame me if you have to go out for some anti-nausea medicine after you read what you find there.)

PSU: the distinct possiblity that there's something in the water

Well, how else do you explain these reactions to the NCAA sanctions? 

OTOH, if you're a member of the Paterno family, you can just whine about it:

Sexual abuse is reprehensible, especially when it involves children, and no one starting with
Joe Paterno condones or minimizes it.

Two problems: referring to a deceased individual in the present tense as if he was still capable of condoning or minimizing anything is a bit creepy. As to everything else, the Freeh report says otherwise, says it repeatedly, and says it in such a way that there can be no real ambiguity about the matter.

The horrific acts committed by Jerry Sandusky shock the conscience of every decent human being. How Sandusky was able to get away with his crimes for so long has yet to be fully understood, despite the claims and assertions of the Freeh report.

Wrong again. The Freeh report is quite clear about how he got away with it. Pull the other leg, please.

The release of the Freeh report has triggered an avalanche of vitriol, condemnation and posthumous punishment on Joe Paterno. The NCAA has now become the latest party to accept the report as the final word on the Sandusky scandal.

Nope. Just wait until law enforcement and prosecutors start throwing subpoenas around, guys. That will probably qualify as the final word, not that you'll like that alternative any better than the current one.

The sanctions announced by the NCAA today defame the legacy and contributions of a great coach and educator without any input from our family or those who knew him best.

Translation: "parties that have a vested interest in maintaining the inaccurate saintly image of JoePa (like the Paterno family, and - feel sorry for him, if you can - Franco Harris) are beginning to find out what it's like to end up on the short end of the stick. Therefore, it's now time to become petulant about the matter and start tossing out words like "legacy" and "educator" as if the mere evocation of those words will somehow change anything uncovered by the Freeh report."

Later on in this mass emailed screed, we get this gem:

The point of due process is to protect against this sort of reflexive action.

Unfortunately, this isn't a courtroom. If it were, the point about "due process" of some sort would be valid. But this was a decision handed down by a private organization that's supposed to oversee college athletics, which makes the issue of "due process" rather irrelevant.

Still, wait until actual subpoenas start getting tossed around like live grenades. Then the real fun starts.

Joe Paterno was never interviewed by the University or the Freeh Group.

Largely because it's difficult to interview dead witnesses, but hey...

His counsel has not been able to interview key witnesses as they are represented by counsel related to ongoing litigation.

Tough. Feel free to wait until those cases are finished like everybody else would have to do.

We have had no access to the records reviewed by the Freeh group.

The Paternos can issue subpoenas of their own, now? News to me...

The NCAA never contacted our family or our legal counsel.

Because they don't have to, you idiots. This is an issue between the NCAA and Penn State, not between the NCAA and the Paterno family.

And the fact that several parties have pending trials that could produce evidence and testimony relevant to this matter has been totally discounted.

Boy, you people really do want to see those subpoenas flying, don't you? Not if they reveal something suspect about certain business deals that JoePa and board members of the Second Mile Foundation were about to make serious money on, I'll bet.

Unfortunately all of these facts have been ignored by the NCAA, the Freeh Group and the University.

Unfortunately, all of these "facts" are largely irrelevant, are intended to whitewash JoePa's now thoroughly tarnished reputation or are merely out and out lies. 

While some of you who read this might be tempted to tell the Paterno family to go hoist a nice big mug of Shut The Fuck Up, keep in mind that you can find the actual Freeh report here or (if you're pressed for time, since it is some 267 pages long) read the press release for it here. And keep in mind the following paragraph from the press release:

Taking into account the available witness statements and evidence, it is more
reasonable to conclude that, in order to avoid the consequences of bad publicity, the
most powerful leaders at Penn State University – Messrs. Spanier, Schultz, Paterno and
Curley – repeatedly concealed critical facts relating to Sandusky’s child abuse from the
authorities, the Board of Trustees, Penn State community, and the public at large.
Although concern to treat the child abuser humanely was expressly stated, no such
sentiments were ever expressed by them for Sandusky’s victims.