Help Joe Paterno receive a nomination for the Medal of Freedom

Please help Coach Paterno receive his nomination for the Medal of Freedom. Our goal is 100,000 signatures. Enclosed is a letter I drafted to Pennsylvania's governor:

Governor Corbett,

It is with a heavy heart that myself, as well as many others, have contacted you over the past couple of days regarding the passing of Coach Joe Paterno.

First and foremost, I extend my gratitude for your decision to lower flags to half mast in this time of mourning. It is a rare occurance that one man not only symbolizes the face of a university, but Coach Paterno easily eclipsed that point in his lifetime.

It's been said through the years that you can not put a price on education. While this may be true to an extent, I think we all know that in order to have just about anything is this world it does take some monetary help. That's what Coach did. He helped.

An interesting article caught my eye on Pennlive.com that just happened to be posted minutes after I started typing this letter. According to the article, Coach Paterno and his wife have raised close to a billion dollars over the course of his tenure at Penn State. The same article goes on to mention another $200,000 that was donated to the Paterno library just weeks after his termination. I don't know about you Governor, but I know Joe Paterno is a much bigger man then myself. I would find it quite difficult to donate my money to the same employer who fired me in the wake of a scandal. It's easy to hold a grudge. It takes a heart of gold to continue supporting a school that released you in a moment of a panic.

The reason for my letter today is to ask for your assistance. Assistance which I myself wish I could play a bigger part in. I, and I'm sure many more, must request that Coach Paterno's nomination for the Medal of Freedom be strongly reconsidered. I can go on with a list of many reasons as to why, but I know that you are a busy person. However, it's wrong that a man who was a true inspiration to both Penn State and the state of Pennsylvania, loses out on one of our country's greatest honors due to morals. The media has been quick to criticize, but who are they to really question someone's morals when 99% of them are nowhere near Coach Paterno's legacy?

So again Governor, I request a nomination not only for Coach Paterno, but for the sake of his family. . "We Are..." not just the hundred thousand plus that fill Beaver Stadium every Saturday.  "We Are..." more than just an institution. "We Are..." united as one, as a family, thanks to Joe Paterno.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,
Ryan Baffone

For the latest updates and status follow the movement on twitter @JoePasMedal
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