Penn State Riots: Just or Just Idiocy?

Over the weekend my good friend alerted me to the news of the riots at Penn State. On November 10th a riot broke out at Penn State. For background information, it's helpful to read "Penn State Students Clash With Police in Unrest After Announcement" from the New York Times. Basically, Joe Paterno, the former football coach, was fired. His former assistant coach has been arrested for sexually abusing young boys. Paterno was fired because he didn't go to the police when a witness came to him about an incident of sexual abuse by the assistant coach in 2002. Students took the downtown streets in a mad riot to protest the firing of Joe Paterno. The students protested saying the board of education "tarnished a legend" and "is an embarrassment to the school."

Jon Stewart provides a comical, opposing viewpoint:

The Daily Show with Jon Stewart
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He draws a connection between religion (Catholicism) and football at Penn State. The Pope is much like the Coach and the services are the games on the weekends. This is pointing towards the sex abuses scandals that plague the Catholic Church. However it also illuminates the obsessive love of competition and sports in America.

Americans thrive on the Sunday football games. It's an American past time! These students that protested at Penn State show how deep that love is. They turned over media trucks and jumped on cars simply because their football coach was fired, thus jeopardizing their season. The riot exemplifies the crazy adoration Americans have for sports and competition.

How does competition affect your life?