"I now believe that, contrary to its original intention, coach Paterno's statue has become a source of division and an obstacle to healing in our university and beyond," university president Rodney Erickson said in a statement. "I believe that, were it to remain, the statue will be a recurring wound to the multitude of individuals across the nation and beyond who have been the victims of child abuse."
As the sun came up, the Joe Paterno statue began coming down.
By 7:45 a.m. this morning, jackhammers rattled behind a metal fence covered by a blue tarp. The statue was tied to a forklift. The fence shielded the statue, covered in clear plastic and protective packaging materials.
The statue was removed at 8:24 a.m. The forklift carried it into the stadium's Gate A as about a dozen workers followed.
A moment later, a man in the crowd started a "We are Penn State" chant. After it finished, another man yelled, "We love you, Joe."
Gone are the words describing Paterno as a humanitarian. An hour after workers removed the statue, they removed all plaques and lettering from the wall behind where the statue stood.
In this country we do not build shrines to pedophiles or their enablers. The evidence clearly shows Joe Paterno was an enabler.
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