Artist paints over Paterno's halo on Pa. mural

This combination of two photos shows a detail of a mural by Michael Pilato in State College, Pa. depicting a halo over the late Penn State football coach Joe Paterno on Monday, Jan. 23, 2012, left, and the halo removed by the artist on Saturday, July 14, 2012. Pilato had put a halo over Paterno's image after the beloved coach's death in January, but said he felt he had to remove it Saturday after a report that Paterno, former university president Graham Spanier and others buried allegations of child sex-abuse against ex-assistant Jerry Sandusky. Paterno's family denies the claim. / Abby Drey, Nabil K. Mark,AP Photo/Centre Daily Times

(AP) STATE COLLEGE, Pa. - An artist has removed a halo from a mural of Penn State football coach Joe Paterno amid the school's child sex-abuse scandal.

Michael Pilato had put a halo over Paterno's image after the beloved coach's death in January, but said he felt he had to remove it Saturday after a report that Paterno, former university president Graham Spanier and others buried allegations of child sex-abuse against ex-assistant Jerry Sandusky. Paterno's family denies the claim.

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Pilato added a large blue ribbon, instead, on Paterno's lapel symbolizing support for child abuse victims, a cause the artist said Paterno had endorsed.

Pilato earlier removed Sandusky from the downtown mural. He said he hasn't made a decision on Spanier's image. Spanier has not been charged. Sandusky has been convicted and is awaiting sentencing.

[Semprasectum]

Should have added the HORNS. ... covering up a child RAPIST for over a decade is just evil. . . Paint the horns . . .

[dman6015]

His mural, his choice. Shouldn't have painted it there in the first place. NO ONE is a saint, not even the "official" ones of the Catholic Church.

[BigAlinTX]

paint over paterno

[waynenipper]

The man was an ignorant fool ...

[joe1022joe]

The artist painted over the halo (which was a little over the top anyway), but added a blue robbon to Joe's chest. The headline left that out. I wonder why?

[cathfrommn]

Enough already, paint over all of him. He has no place on that mural.

[hypnotoad72]

The artist could have put in pointy ears and a beard, but the removal of the halo is probably the best and most poignant example... he has the support of MANY.

When a leader figure is found to be in a key role of a disgrace, to continue propping them up as some form of saint or role model is the most vulgar thing anyone can do.

[joe1022joe]

But the artist also added a blue ribbon on Joe's chest.

[sepa2]

it is interesting, in many academic institutions, the influentials are non-academics

[hypnotoad72]

Irony is cool... unlike administrators, it's usually those in the peanut gallery who have to remind them of that. So irony isn't cool. The admins merely aren't doing the relevant portions of their JOB...

[cuffhead]

This painting sums up how a sports figure is idolized. They treat people in this industry like gods. Their only concern is winning the game.

[hypnotoad72]

But competition is good!

The trouble is, we separate aspects of reality and only advocate other aspects. "Winning the game, at all costs, regardless of what happens to others" and other thoughtless, inconsiderate mindsets. The sports industry is no monopoly, but they are often one of the first looked at over this unevolved mindset.

[Rat_Fink]

And therein lies the folly of canonizing humans.

[hypnotoad72]

Agreed.

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canonize
verb [ with obj. ]
(in the Roman Catholic Church) officially declare (a dead person) to be a saint: he was the last English saint to be canonized prior to the Reformation.
* regard as being above reproach or of great significance: we have canonized freedom of speech as an absolute value overriding all others.
* accept into the literary or artistic canon: [ as adj. ] : a familiar, canonized writer.
* sanction by Church authority.