Gov. Corbett: Flags at Half-Staff for JoePa

Marc Lombardi January 23, 2012 at 06:36 pm

And I apologize...it's Oswald. Must have Oswalt on the brain being a Phillies fan.

Janet Miner January 23, 2012 at 06:40 pm

Although I do know that Joe Pa has done a lot of great and generous things for Penn State and the students he has mentored I don't see the Governor flying the flag at half staff for all the Pennsylvanians that have been and will be killed during times of war or conflict. Why is Joe Pa more important than them?????

tedtaylor January 23, 2012 at 06:49 pm

It's all so sad. But Marc, saying ":if I were Paterno" as if you ever could be. And therein lies the problem. None of us are/were Paterno and we really have no clue what we'd do until confronted. To say otherwise is to be dishonest.

Marc Lombardi January 23, 2012 at 06:54 pm

I disagree. There is no dishonesty in saying I would have handled it differently. There's no dishonesty in saying HE should have handled it differently, either. Even Paterno himself said he wished he did more. I can say, without any shadow of a doubt, that I would have handled it differently. If I were in the same position as Paterno, I would have contacted the authorities on the spot. I do agree with you that it's all very sad, but sad doesn't make up for it.
You said: "But Marc, saying ':if I were Paterno' as if you ever could be" I think it's a wonderful thing that I am not Paterno. I would never want to do anything to sour my reputation like he did before his passing. Please don't confuse your own morality with mine. Just because you may not have done more doesn't mean that others wouldn't.

Marguerite Sexton January 23, 2012 at 07:01 pm

Nobody ordered the flags flown at half-staff for the victims of the disaster known as the "Penn State Sex Abuse Scandal". Thank you, Marc. Too bad Ted Taylor feels the need to be snarky and condescending.

tedtaylor January 23, 2012 at 07:37 pm

Snarky? Good one Marge. Nice to know you are still shooting arrows my way. What reputation is that you wouldn't sour Marc? Just wondering.

Marc Lombardi January 23, 2012 at 07:44 pm

Despite what disagreements you have to my opinions based on what comments I've made on Patch, Ted, I have a pretty good reputation at both of my jobs, in my community, with my friends and with my family. I was an honor roll student, I graduated from Central High and from Temple U, I've never been in trouble with the law, and I even have great credit. If you want to pay the money to do a background check on me, go right ahead. But you'll find that my reputation is quite good.
Or are reputations only available to "published authors" and college professors? (There's no big enough eye-roll for this one)

N.P. January 23, 2012 at 08:53 pm

He did serve our country in, I believe, the last year of WWII. He is a veteran! Do your research.

Josephine January 23, 2012 at 09:46 pm

right on knowing about a crime might still be called a conspiracy.

Donna Picotta January 23, 2012 at 09:56 pm

Marc: You have too much time on your hands. You either work for Corbett or you have barely ventured from your Broad Street educashun. Think of all the inner city kids Paterno turned around and made into good products in society. The Gov is just trying to get people like you to think he had nothing to do with this and he was using this as a good excuse to "detour" others from remembering he was the AG when all this started. He could have put an end to it almost 10 years prior. I hope you weren't on the payroll when you were writing your messages!!

Marc Lombardi January 23, 2012 at 10:06 pm

I can assure you, Donna, that I'm most definitely not on Corbett's payroll (in fact, I didn't even vote for him as Governor). You can attack my education all you want, but the fact of the matter is -- while Paterno did some great things to help make the lives better for children of ALL socio-economic backgrounds, there are ten specific children I have in mind whose best interests he ignored. What he failed to do in light of knowing about Sandusky is a terrible thing and I don't think someone who would do that deserves to have the U.S. Flag fly at half-staff in his honor.
I still have no idea where you are getting the idea that the governor is trying to get "people like me to forget he had nothing to do with this" when it's Corbett's actions that are bringing this to light once more. Your argument makes no sense. What do you mean you hope I wasn't on the payroll when writing my messages? Whose payroll? What messages? I know you're drinking from the Paterno Kool-Aid, but I also think someone spiked yours with something. Take a breath. Chill. It'll help make your comments make more sense.

Mary Keptke January 24, 2012 at 02:59 am

Marc I really wish you would read before you comment. Joe Paterno only heard about one child not 10 (and Mike Mcquery even said to the Grand Jury that he didn't tell Paterno everything). This is ignorance fueled by media designed to attract the lowest intellect in 40 second sound bites, stated as fact.

Azaz Leforte January 24, 2012 at 03:03 am

Seriously? He was a FOOTBALL COACH! I am a football fan - but half mast for the entire state? This is absurd considering as a state we do not lower our flags for the PA National Guard members.
It is true that JP was important to Penn State - and that is where the flags can be held at half mast. In the end, it is inappropriate... outside of a PennState campus.

Joe Ferraro January 24, 2012 at 03:06 am

How about this:
Tom Corbett - you know the guy who drags his feet on investigating this mess gets impeached for malfeasance when he only put 1 - count them 1 - investigator on the series of underlying crimes. Now that he is Governor he is looking to cover his tracks by getting his version of a Papal blessing for the HUGE mistake he made. I bet Tom is figuring - if people are looking at a half-mast flag - maybe - just maybe we get to forget about those kids a little quicker. JoePa got what he got in this life - the banquets and allocades. I don't want to think about what he gets in the next one.

Marc Lombardi January 24, 2012 at 03:37 am

And Mary, I really wish you would stop deifying a man just because he was a good coach. Even if he knew of only one child, the fact that he did nothing means it is one child too much. The thought that only one child suffered based on the inaction of Paterno and the rest of the PSU football community who knew about Sandusky is the idea fueled not only by ignorance but also fueled by blind allegiance. I understand that you are a fan of Penn State and Joe Paterno and that it's unlikely there's anything he could have ever done that would be seen as wrong in your eyes -- but face the facts. There's a reason Paterno lost his job. This reason alone means he didn't deserve the honor bestowed upon him posthumously.

Tammy Budd January 24, 2012 at 12:12 pm

Corbett is an ass! Why did he take away Joe's nomination for the Presidental Medal of Freedom and now when he passes away, "let's fly the flag at half staff". You know where Corbett can stick his flag pole!!

Mary Keptke January 24, 2012 at 02:06 pm

Marc, not a football fan, did not go to Penn State. Did you ever eat chocolate or coffee that wasn't free trade or clothing produced in countries that do not have child labor laws? I bet you have. Then you are not doing all you can do to protect children. If your going to paint JoePa with a brush, paint yourself with one also. Or is it because it is only "American" children?

Marc Lombardi January 24, 2012 at 02:12 pm

You're really grasping at straws on this one. Comparing me eating a candy bar to Joe Paterno turning a blind eye towards sexual abuse is astoundingly obtuse. Do you need any more hay for that straw man you're building?

Azaz Leforte January 24, 2012 at 02:54 pm

Funny, I think this has been summed up. Political affiliations notwithstanding, Corbett is an ass. This is a lame political move that is being made too late. Lest we forget, Corbett is on the BOT of Penn State.
Regardless of how good or bad a guy has been, this sort of honoring is not something done for football coaches - even those who essentially built and brought a university to prominence. To me, this rings hollow and too late to be meaningful...which makes insulting to those who have laid down their lives for the Commonwealth.

Joe Koenig January 24, 2012 at 03:11 pm

Funny Azaz, Corbett is an ass because he balanced the budget w/o raising taxes, he trying to allow an industry to get off the ground before taxing it out of existance, and he's not pandering to one of your favorite groups, the Teacher's Union, and holding our educational institutions accountable for their spending. I agree that flying the flag at half staff is lame, but gee whiz, your buddy Rendell never took politics into account when making decisions!!

Tammy Budd January 24, 2012 at 03:28 pm

Corbett didn't hold the Chester Upland School accountable for their spending when he got a lawsuit filed against him for taking away their funding he's now giving them a payout in the millions--he's a joke!

Azaz Leforte January 24, 2012 at 03:49 pm

Joe, you break my chops for nit picking. Let me elaborate. This action - half mast - is assinine. In this situation, he is being an ass.
The balanced budget...or the attempt there to is good work. However, in this case, he is an ass. This is about the flag lowering token coming from the guy who, as a member of the BOT, voted to fire Joe Pa. Corbett is making a weak attempt to make ammends for his decisions. Thanks for projecting my views, but you are completely off base. Teacher's unions are out of control (see Neshaminy) and accountability is a good thing. The Chester situation is more complex, but the state did fail in this case). Anyway, this is silly. Corbett should not have done it.

Joe Koenig January 24, 2012 at 05:24 pm

Azaz, thanks for elaborating.

Margie Hopf January 24, 2012 at 06:55 pm

Thank you Donna. My thoughts exactly regarding if Corbett would have done his job years ago, this whole situation could have been handled a lot differently. Corbett turned a blind eye to the allegations to further his political career. Since he has been governor he has continued to hurt the children of this state with all his education budget cuts. On the other hand, Joe Paterno did what he should have by reporting the allegation to his superiors. And Joe has contributed mllions of his own money to help Pennsylvania students. My daughters are students at Penn State and are always in the Paterno Library. Joe Paterno is and always will be PENN STATE. RIP, JOE!

Kathryn Petz January 25, 2012 at 01:44 pm

Perfectly put. Joe Paterno was a flawed human, like we all are, who did some good. However, his willful blindness resulted in ruined lives and that will always be a part of his legacy as well. I am saddened by his death, I am saddened by the pain felt by his family and to all who mourn him, but the Penn State board did what they needed to do. I think Tom Corbett is making a purely political move to cover his behind and atone to the angry Penn State Community. I can understand their anger even if I disagree. I cannot respect the spinelessness of the Governor who showed some of the same blindness as Attorney General.

Kathryn Petz January 25, 2012 at 01:49 pm

He did the legal minimum and when Sandusky started showing up with kids (in violation of the minor slap on the wrist that Penn State issued) he stayed silent. Sandusky was even on campus the week before the Grand Jury report was released. If Sandusky disappeared after Paterno made his report I would say Paterno did all he could, but Sandusky kept coming on campus with kids and no one said a word.

Victor B. Krievins January 25, 2012 at 08:19 pm

In all fairness to those who have received the honor of a flag being flown at half staff. the flying at half staff in this instance was inappropriate for the reasons previously discussed. There was certainly no reason why flags could not have been flown at PSU facilities instead,

tedtaylor January 25, 2012 at 08:25 pm

Victor, the flag horse is dead. Stop beating it. The half-staff flags were the PA State flags only. The man deserved that for all he did in his lifetime of educating young people - not a questionable moment that no one will ever understand. I hope I don't awaken another rash of anti-Joe sentiments or worse anit Tom Corbett rants. This has gone on long enough.

Sally June 23, 2012 at 02:18 am

stick to the topic

Sally June 23, 2012 at 02:19 am

it's so sad, i know