Sounds like father, mother and son are lamenting getting caught more than they are willing to acknowledge what junior did that night.
If a sense of right and wrong were not instilled in the young man by his parents certainly after two years in ROTC he should have known that he was in the wrong place at the wrong time with the wrong “friends” engaged in an illegal and destructive activity.
Whether he knew this and persisted or was ignorant of the expectations of a future officer makes no difference. He does not deserve either the ROTC scholarship or the honor of a commission.
Because what his son "didn't do" was caught on videotape.
The kid was not treated harshly by the justice system. They let him plead a felony down to a misdemeanor.
His real beef is with Penn State, which suspended him and led to his being kicked out of ROTC.
This wasn't some split second mistake. This guy left his apartment, drove downtown and purposefully joined a riot in progress. That is not the kind of judgment I want in an Army officer.
There is no excuse for his actions; and, I hope he and the others have to pay for the damage.
But....I would like to interject some things about the mob mentality.
I was a plebe at West Point in 1988, and the week before the Navy game was pretty crazy. Some wings of the mess hall would erupt into enormous food fights (looked like a locust storm). My company was known for initiating a ‘Jock Strap Rally’, which consisted of running around at night in nothing but tennis shoes and the supporter (yes, I participated).
And one night, a mob formed outside (after we were supposed to be in our rooms), and flipped over a car. This was a junk car, which had been placed in the area, to show us what a DUI accident looked like...but it was still a car. I was outside that night, and I could feel the ‘mob mentality’ in the air....and I saw first hand how very normal people (most of whom went on to become officers) can do stupid things in a mob. I saw lesser versions of this for my remaining 3 years there.
So, this guy did act criminaly...and this riot was a little more ‘dangerous’ (I saw rocks and bottles being thrown)...and there is no excuse. But what would I do with him as far as ROTC is concerned? Maybe make him repeat a year of the program, and perhaps make him give instruction to others on the subject.
We had people get DUI’s at West Point, and some were allowed to repeat a year, and still get a commission...because nobody can be perfect all of the time.
Army Officers get paid to make THE RIGHT split-second decision.
On the bright side, the guy can look back upon his life, knowing he destroyed it while rioting for a guy that protected a pedophile, for his own personal gain.
Karma can be a real b**ch
You're 21, son. Act like you've got a pair.
Akin. This guy is just a younger Akin.
Will it matter if (when) it is found that Joe Paterno didn’t know there was a monster in his midst; that he was fired without cause, and that the students had a right to be angry? When the Freeh report is exposed for its unsubstantiated conclusions? When McQueary admits that he didn’t tell Joe exactly what he said he did?
Will it matter to the dead coach whose legacy is in shambles?
Will it matter to this kid?