Paterno and the Curse of Self-Righteousness
In light of former FBI Director Louis Freeh’s report, which found that the late Joe Paterno allowed child abuse by Penn State assistant football coach, Jerry Sandusky, to go unreported, Commentary’s Jonathan S. Tobin argues that Paterno “seemed to have believed that preserving [his] legacy was more important than putting an end to the abuse being committed by his friend and colleague.” Highlighting the Watergate break-in and the Monica Lewinsky affair, Tobin notes that the same desire to preserve legacies also led to presidential cover-ups and scandals. “Paterno should stand as a warning to anyone in a position of authority that their self-image as good guys can never justify cutting moral corners,” Tobin writes.