Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION

Letter of the Day

Breaking trust forever

Re: $60-M fine; no playoffs; Paterno's wins erased (July 24). I always considered Joe Paterno to be a saint with extraordinary wisdom, a true American in the best sense.

But I was a 12-year-old football lover in Kansas when I was sexually abused by a minister. That event has always coloured the way I look at the world, people and the church.

I see a world where, for too long, leaders have been forgiven for their "little indiscretions" like rape, fondling and sexual abuse of male and female minors. The "good things" leaders did were always supposed to outweigh their misbehaviour.

We all put trust in our leaders and expect them to perform with the highest ethics and standards. Paterno had my trust and the trust of millions of others. But when he blatantly disregarded the safety of young boys from the sexual molestations by one of his coaches, he forever broke that trust.

There is no pardon for such actions. There is no pardon for a school that supported Paterno's lack of willingness to stop the sexual assaults. Severe punishment for Penn State sends a strong message society will not tolerate such horrific actions.

KEN REDDIG

Pinawa

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition July 25, 2012 A11

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