The only way to get them to stop defending Paterno is to openly confront them on Facebook, Twitter and in real life, by first asking politely for them to reconsider, and when that doesn't work, employ other options, so that at least those around that person know he or she will be challenged in public for defending the indefensible.
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"There is a Catskill eagle in some souls that can alike dive down into the blackest gorges, and soar out of them again and become invisible in the sunny spaces... even in his lowest swoop the mountain eagle is still higher than other birds upon the plain, even though they soar." -- from Moby-Dick