Saying Goodbye to Joe Paterno

Before I start this, I want to say that I am sorry.  This post was hard to write, because I couldn't find the words to express what I was trying to say.  It doesn't give Joe Paterno or his memory justice.  But still, I am going to try...

We all took part in saying goodbye to Joe Paterno, in one way or another.  Whether it was in going to his viewing, his procession, or his memorial service, all of Penn State participated.  Going to his memorial service, I saw thousands of people who paid their respects to the man with the rolled up pants.  I think that there is a lot of rhetoric in that.

Thousands of people came to mourn the death Joe Paterno.  Despite the allegations, despite the recent bad press, it showed the world that he was still a hero.  The community of Penn State, which encompasses the decades of students who have attended the school, stood in unity to honor his memory.  It showed the sheer number of people he impacted, and the true nature of people's feelings for him.  Joe Paterno once said, "Losing a game is heartbreaking.  Losing your sense of excellence or worth is a tragedy."  He never lost the latter though.  He believed in himself as much as he believed in others.  He truly had a clear conscious.  And obviously, many people agreed with that statement, as the amount of support shows.

Joe Paterno, despite the fame he got, was a humble man.  The fact that he made as big of an impact that he did speaks volumes.  It shows that you can still be a genuine, every day guy, and still touch thousands.  At the memorial, many of the men who spoke talked about how Joe befriended their parents.  But most importantly, he kept in contact with the players long after they left his team.  There are countless stories that display his sincere care for the people.  He remembered all of his players, from the team of 1969 all the way to 2011.  He never took credit for accomplishments, always giving the boys the glory. 

Many ask what Joe Paterno's legacy will be.  I think it is the rhetoric that his life assumed.  He believed in teamwork.  He pushed everyone to their limits.  He strived for academic excellence.  He brought together an entire world into a small community - Penn State.  His example affects us all.

So in the end, what do I think all of this rhetoric shows?  I think that you don't have to be a Kim Kardashian or a Brad Pitt to be famous.  All you have to do is work hard, believe in others, and live with the motto: Success with Honor.

Teen Mom: Message, or Warning?

Recently, I was watching the 2012 Miss America Pageant.  One of the girls, Miss California, was asked what her views on Teen Mom were.  "glorifying teen pregnancy."  "does glorify" "definitely an apetite for reality tv and it is the responsibility of viewers to understand that we want to live our lives different from these reality stars"  our responsibility to take responsibility for our own actions"  Her reply was that there is currently an appetite for reality television in America, but that it is the "responsibility of the viewers to understand that we want to live our lives different from these reality stars."  She ends by reminding everyone that we are the only ones responsible for our own actions.  Watching this really made me think though, does Teen Mom really "glorify teen pregnancy" as the judge stated?  What exactly is the rhetoric of this show?

My own analysis of Teen Mom is a bit different from "glorifying teen pregnancy."  I mean, I suppose the fact that the network made a television show about it and pay women for it could be considered supporting teenage pregnancy.  After all, their lives as mothers are thrown up on the TV screen for all to see.  But as viewers watch it, they see the troubles involved: the fights, the drama, the custody agreements, etc.  They see how hard it truly is to raise a child.  By airing out all of these problems, is this show really "glorifying" teen pregnancy?

Rather than glorifying, I think Teen Mom does the opposite.  I think that by showing viewers what it is like to have children (though I am sure the show is very distorted, I mean come on, I would hope girls are a bit wiser than these ones) it deters the women from wanting to get pregnant in their teenage years.  It shows that having a child isn't all fun and games.  I have said, many times, that the best birth control for me was when my sister had her children.  I think that for the bigger population of America, watching Teen Mom can have the same effect.  I think that the show makes an example of these women, so that other people will think twice about making the same accidental mistake.

In addition to all of this, I think that Teen Mom has rhetoric involved because it brings discourse into teenage pregnancy.  Teenage pregnancy has been a taboo: no one talks about it.  It is treated as if it does not exist.  But it obviously does.  We all KNOW that it does, but people up until this point refused to talk about it.  Then 16 and Pregnant, with its branch Teen Mom came along.  It announced to America that yes, this is a prevalent problem, and yes, we do need to talk about it.  I think the best way to prevent a problem is to recognize and talk about it.  Now that teenage pregnancy is out in the open, I believe that discussion over it will lead to a decrease in the amount.  Even in the show, there is ads that offer advice for teenage pregnancy and sex.  It gives a website for information.  It shows that it is ok to talk about or seek guidance on this topic. 

In the end, I agree with Miss California.  Whatever message people may think that Teen Mom is trying to send,  it is up to the individual to be responsible for his or her own actions.  I just hope that people will learn from watching this show and think twice before they decide on having a child or not.



The interview I mentioned previously is in this clip, from 4:27-5:23.  I got this from YouTube, and it is from the 2012 Miss America Pageant.

Teen Mom 2 image is from http://teenmomtalk.com/teen-mom-2-season-2-debut-announced/