After spending half my life resenting and feeling superior to the large portion of State College, PA consumed by football worship and hooliganism, I can’t take offense at people quick to dismiss the area as nothing more than that, especially when they’re reacting to such a horrifying story. Sure, I and other alums can note that the young, drunk and densely populated “Beaver Canyon” area has erupted into riots for far less explicable reasons than the unceremonious firing of the most legendary, idolized person in the history of the town, but all that really does is confirm what I’ve smugly said for years: downtown State College, sandwiched between the school and the frats, basically becomes Lord Of The Flies after dark. All the grown-ups are in the outer townships, if not specifically at Wegman’s.
I can also point out that idiot youth and criminally self-protecting hierarchies are rampant everywhere, and that the tragedy of State College is that nothing aside from those two elements has any cultural presence, despite the fact that Penn State is one of the top research schools in America, a “public Ivy.” But I’ll never forget a grad student pal telling me that she’s never seen a town so indifferent to, if not contemptuous of, its academic stature. And I can’t say she was wrong. State College being my hometown - having spent high school, college, and a few years of post-collegiate ennui there - just means I have a more complex, detailed, and likely sadder relationship to it than people who just heard that This American Life episode, saw photos of the riots and read the grand jury report on Sandusky (who I’m 90% sure was my high school graduation commencement speaker - being oblivious to his stature, I remember finding it ridiculous some assistant coach got the nod).
So while my inner adolescent rolls his eyes at the fact that about 10,000 people sang Coldplay’s “Fix You” at Old Main last night (even though the song may be great for all he knows), I’m so, so glad that so many people turned out for this. That so many people listened to speakers talk openly about sex abuse and heard a graduate say “We’re Penn State, we’re hurt, and we’re sorry.” That Sandusky’s victims may be encouraged by this emotional display, rather than threatened by the one from a far smaller group on Wednesday. That my hometown spoke up for itself.
My sister (who couldn’t leave town fast enough after high school) and I have spent some time talking about what our mother (a pretty big wheel in the Communication Disorders department, let me tell you) would have made of this nightmare had she lived to see it, agreeing she would have been heartbroken and angry. I would have told her that, hopefully, this trauma would inspire State College to mature, even as I worried that, following massive budget cuts from an anti-education governor, the town could simply collapse. She would have been so grateful for what happened last night, and really, we should all be.
(Photo: Centre Daily Times)
