‘A bunch of do-gooders’ responsible for banner calling for the removal of Paterno’s statue
State College was atwitter Tuesday morning as a small plane flying a curious banner circled the Penn State campus.
"TAKE THE STATUE DOWN OR WE WILL"
The statue in question, of course, is the one of Penn State legendary coach Joe Paterno. The fate of the bronzed coach has caused quite the debate after Paterno was implicated in covering up child sexual assault by former assistant coach Jerry Sandusky.
This past weekend, ESPN reported that Penn State's Board of Trustees had voted to keep the statue despite calls for its removal. The board issued a statement countering the report and saying no decision had been made.
[Dan Wetzel: NCAA should allow PSU players to transfer without restrictions]
But the "WE" behind the flying banner is trying to force some sort of action to be taken.
According to BuzzFeed.com, it came from National Sky Ads, an aerial advertising firm based in Long Island, N.Y. The firm's owner, Ted de Reeder, said the banner was paid for by "a bunch of do-gooders" who didn't necessarily have ties to Penn State.
"I know they have hired me many times when something wrong has been done," he told the website.
This is the same group that paid for the banners that were used to target golfer Tiger Woods during the 2010 Masters after his sexual exploits made national headlines.
National Sky Ads hired Air America Aerial Ads to fly the banner, which circled the campus for two hours before landing back at Ridge Soaring Gliderport in Julian, Pa.
Penn State spokesperson Lisa Powers told the Centre Daily Times the school was aware of the plane but powerless to do anything to stop its flight or its message.
"Any restrictions would, of course, have to come from the [Federal Aviation Administration]," Powers told the paper. "There's not much action we can take related to this expression of opinion, but we are monitoring it."
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