"Italians aren't surprised at all."

Maybe I’m more Italian than American. I am sorry to say that the Penn State report doesn’t surprise me a bit. Just as in the devil-dominated Catholic church, the men at the top of the Penn State hierarchy cared most about their institution and its reputation. Concern for the abused children was totally absent, just as it has been in the long, sad story of priestly pedophilia.

The above quote came from a 2007 piece Morning Edition re-aired today (“A Tale of Two Cities: Author Donna Leon's Venice”). Sylvia Poggioli interviewed the American living in Venice and writing crime stories set in her adopted home. Leon said

The Italians that I know are pretty cynical about any chance of justice in this country. People in other countries are surprised when people do bad things and get away with it. Italians aren’t surprised at all. This is the way things are.

As I said, I’m not surprised. The most absurd thing I have ever read was written by poor Anne Frank; they are the last words in her famous diary: “I still believe, in spite of everything, that people are truly good at heart.”

Maybe those words didn’t stretch credulity back in the 40s as much as they do now. I believe that, because of everything I’ve seen and read, most people are selfish, power-hungry, driven individualists who want what they perceive to be best for them and their concerns, and to hell with everyone else.

Joe Paterno, hero to many, was yesterday shown to be a sham. His actions were deceitful and unprincipled, as were those of his cronies in the Penn State halls of power.

Is anyone surprised? Really?