Backlash Against Franco Harris is Unwarranted

The fallout from continued to spread this week and now threatens to take down another famous Nittany Lion.

But this time around, it’s the immaculate reputation of legendary Steelers running back Franco Harris that’s under fire as he doggedly defends his former college football coach, Joe Paterno.

Franco said he disagreed with the immediate firing of Paterno, despite the common belief that JoePa didn’t do enough to report an accused child molester to authorities. However, his point is that it’s time to set aside raw emotions, put down the pitch forks and .

And I think he’s right. New information about this case is coming out every day, and we’ll know even more facts when it goes to trial.

Words have consequences, but Franco isn’t defending an accused child molester. He’s defending his coach and mentor.

But the hammer immediately dropped on Franco as with him as a spokesman. And now, some are calling for Franco to resign as chairman of the Pittsburgh Promise scholarship board.

Has he really said anything that is so outrageous? He's not the bad guy here.

But with the firestorm apparently red hot, why don’t we march over to Pittsburgh International Airport and tear down the Franco Harris statue in the terminal? If he's so unfit to represent a casino, do we really want him welcoming incoming visitors to our city?

While we’re at it, maybe it’s also time for George Washington’s statue to go. He did, after all, participate in the barbaric killing of the French military officer Jumonville in 1754. And, of course, he chopped down that cherry tree (allegedly).

With the graphic details of the alleged molestations made available to the public, the mobs are understandably out for blood. But we should focus our anger toward the man accused of these disgusting crimes, not against those who merely express an opinion.

It’s time to let the authorities (finally) do their job and explain what exactly happened and how things went so terribly wrong. That’s the very least we owe to the kids who were victimized.

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