We don't understand why Joe Paterno didn't do more and why all involved and yes I say as much as I don't like to say, involved because those who stand by and do little or not enough are involved. Like many I too loved Joe Paterno and what he stood for, as I did Penn State. This past week I'm not sure how I feel about him or the University. I do know yesterday when I put a shirt on, a Penn State shirt, suddenly I looked down with a feeling of being unsure. I said the hell with it. This is mine, paid for twice, once with my education and once at the Penn State store.
It was an old short sleeve white with Blue lettering, filled with stains from years of wear. So I had two little kids visiting, finished dressing and went to my local market run by nice country people with those back country roads accents. As I picked up a pre-ordered roast, I heard a voice, looked to what he was doing as he asked to people behind the counter, does anyone want a piece of the paper, Penn State or the cartoons. I felt a shame and my face redden. Was that remark meant for me because I had that shirt on or was I being paranoid?
Either way, the boys and I went home, put the roast away, sat and talked about what we were going to do when we went out for he day. Just as we were about to leave I said hold on guys, I have to change. I went in my room and grabbed any old top. When I came out the little guy asked, as he knew how much I loved Penn State, hey where's your Penn State shirt? With simple and plain honesty a little kid could understand I said, it filled with stains. I knew he thought I meant the spotted drips of time, but I didn't.
Yesterday we went out, basketball, hiking, a playground, the library, and art museum and eating out of course and I talked to them more in depth about that stranger danger stuff. They said they knew it all, and I try to teach any kids who I may work with about this. I asked, what if you were in the bathroom at the movies and some man comes up and touches you? One said, I don't know. He's ten. The other at twelve said, I'll yell at him, you're not my father or mother. So was he telling me something else in that statement I have to report-indeed I will. I will write in into notes, and report it to about and at least four people. Or was he simply telling me It's only in appropriate if anyone other than a parent touches you anywhere, as in washing a kids face etc?
I knew then both of these boys after talking to them have been very sheltered from and with words like molestation. Since they are visiting I felt at first it isn't my place to teach them, then I said the hell with it and told them. I educated them on these things this weekend that I'm sure some grown-ups will not like as these kids have been very spiritually educated and in that, have also been verbally protected and don't know how many predators are really out to harm such innocence.
Today we are going out into crowds and I will be close, but what happens when they go to the bathroom. I am giving them whistles and have told them to yell fire and yell don't touch me like that, as loud as you can, and keep on yelling. Yes you may think if a kid yells fire it gives an opportunity for kidnapping-true-but hopefully while others are running out, I will be running in to grab two sets of hands.
As far as Joe Paterno and the other's involved in it, brings me to the old adage, if you're not with me, you're against me. That stain doesn't wash away so easily. How long do you think it stays within the victims?
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