Three times over the past several months, I've written critically of Penn State University and the crimes against children that were committed on the State College campus and willfully covered up by University employees and administrators. But a recent open letter written by members of the current Penn State football team and forwarded to me by a friend and Penn State alumnus reminded me there are often different, and often valuable, perspectives in any given situation. I've decided to give this month's column over to those football players and their perspective.

In a sordid and sad situation, I found it refreshingly open, candid and honorable. Read on….

We understand what happened in this horrible tragedy. The situation this community has faced over the past eleven months serves as an example that no individual should have the power to transcend moral accountability and personal responsibility. If there is a lesson to be learned here, it is that football should never take precedence over ethical matters. Our entire team's hearts, thoughts, and prayers go out to each victim involved in these heinous crimes. We will never be able to understand their pain and we do not have the ability to give back what was taken from them.

That being said, we also understand the ability of our football program to have a positive impact on our university, community, and the public at large. Although we are frustrated in dealing with the sanctions that we have been dealt, we understand the severity of the events that transpired and we believe the entire world can learn from our situation. This is not about getting even; this is not about the settling of scores. This is about using our platform as Penn State football players to portray a positive image and promote sound moral values.

As innocent affiliates, we as players have a commitment to each other and our university to uphold the core fundamental values that were passed down to us by each and every man that has worn a Penn State jersey before us. In moving forward, we are using this situation as an opportunity to continue the proud tradition of our great university.

The bond that has been formed between our teammates and coaches has enabled us to treat the circumstances surrounding our program as an opportunity, not as a hindrance. We will stand strong in the face of adversity. The members of this team care about each other, trust each other, and are willing to fight for each other; in the end we want to do right for each other.

In enduring these times, our team could not be led by a better man than Coach O'Brien. In only seven months as our head coach, he and his staff have provided an exemplary role model of leadership and fortitude. Through events permeating with massive disappointments in leadership at many levels, it is comforting and reassuring to know that our football program is being run by men of such strong character.

We were blindsided by these events just like the rest of the world. We sat in our dorm rooms and college classrooms while we had our worlds turned upside down as each new bit of information was uncovered and reported by the national media. We have accepted the hand that we were dealt, despite our total absence of involvement to the causes behind it.

We are not looking back, we are moving forward. Instead of chastising and scrutinizing the players that remain in this program, we ask that the public would instead understand our situation and get behind a group of young men who are trying to make something positive out of such a negative situation.

While we will never forget what has happened here and the horrible crimes that were committed, we understand that the only way to move forward is to learn from these events so that they may never happen again. We feel that we have an obligation to inspire the public in the same way that the Penn State family has inspired us.

Our community's commitment and unwavering support through these trying times continues to motivate us to succeed on and off the field with pride in who we are and what we stand for.

At the end of the day, we're just college kids. We came here to get a degree, play football and have fun. Although we started with such a simple purpose, our cause has evolved into something much bigger than football. We are humbled and honored to use the platform we've been given to make an unprecedented impact playing the game we love.

- Written by proud members of the 2012 Penn State Football Team