Secret Service called after threat painted on PSU lion shrine

Pennlive.com (Harrisburg) ^ | 11/13/2003

[dirtboy]

The Associated Press
11/13/2003, 11:26 a.m. ET

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) — The FBI and U.S. Secret Service were notified about an act of vandalism on the Penn State University campus that appeared to include a threat against President Bush.

University police received a call Wednesday telling them about the vandalism. The words "Bush dies 12-10-03" and "Iraq" were found painted on the Nittany Lion shrine, a stone statue that depicts the university's mascot, university police supervisor Bill Moerschbacher said.

Acts of vandalism are rare at the shrine, and usually are associated with football games.

In 1966, Joe Paterno's first year as head coach at Penn State, his wife, Sue Paterno, and the wives of two assistant coaches poured water-based orange paint over the shrine two days before a game against Syracuse, hoping to frame the Syracuse fans and enrage the Penn State students. Later that night, some Syracuse fans were arrested for pouring oil-based paint on the shrine.

"This is the first time I've heard of the shrine being used for a political message," Moerschbacher said.

No witnesses or suspects have been identified.

[Robe]

"the shrine"????????

[Blue Screen of Death]

No witnesses or suspects have been identified.

If the threat was spelled correctly, it must be someone from off campus.

[Tijeras_Slim]

From a lib its "a political message."
From a conservative it would be "hate speech."

[StatesEnemy]

First a 2-8 start, and now THIS???

Talk about your insults being salted on injuries!

[nuffsenuff]

Who the hell marked up the shrine?

Someone needs a serious beat down.

I know it wasn't any fraternity members. We were all pretty conservative back when I was there.

[BenLurkin]

Is Michael Moore back in the States?

[Digger]

I don't believe that this university is all that conservative today. Of course how many really are.

[squidly]

I'm pretty sure that Dubya didn't have anything to do with the loss to Northwestern.

[ml/nj]

What kind of a school did you attend?!

ML/NJ

[Armed Civilian]

Is there no webcam of the shrine to the lion? This is a college campus, where is the webcam?

[lafroste]

I know it wasn't any fraternity members. We were all pretty conservative back when I was there.

I know it wasn't fraternity guys either, but when I was there and in a frat, we were much too preoccupied.. well (ahem).. discussing the merits and qualities of varieties of malt beverages and botanical specimens with our esteemed feminine peers.

yeah, that's it.

[zook]

My office is a block away from the Lion. My preference would be for a group of students to find the perp and beat the crap out of him.

[nuffsenuff]

That too.

[jla]

fyi

[nuffsenuff]

I was only referring to the circles I hung around in.

I'm sure there are some hard core libs... in fact I KNOW there are some hard core libs on that campus.

[socal_parrot]

Is this it?

[LikeLight]

You got it . . . Hail to the Lion . . .

[nuffsenuff]

There it is alright.

Beautiful sight.

To think some smelly lib felt the need to deface it... sad.

[sonsofliberty2000]

In 1966, Joe Paterno's first year as head coach at Penn State, his wife, Sue Paterno, and the wives of two assistant coaches poured water-based orange paint over the shrine two days before a game against Syracuse, hoping to frame the Syracuse fans and enrage the Penn State students. Later that night, some Syracuse fans were arrested for pouring oil-based paint on the shrine.

I had never heard of this. Any reason behind the date 12-10-03?

Patriot Paradox