The past will often attack the present with the pain of your memories
- Seiichi Kirima
Sure, most of us wouldn't want to be judged now based on what we were like in high school. I cringe when people expect me to have the same opinions and attitudes that I had in high school! People do evolve!
- Seiichi Kirima
Sure, most of us wouldn't want to be judged now based on what we were like in high school. I cringe when people expect me to have the same opinions and attitudes that I had in high school! People do evolve!
But your wrongful actions do cause psychological harm to others that don't always go away.
This is why some politicians (usually Republicans with the assistance of some Democrats) have supported life or death sentences for teenage criminals who committed heinous crimes.
You don't become less dead just because the person who killed you was a teenager.
But the Republican supporters are now saying that Brett Kavanaugh (currently a Supreme Court nominee) shouldn't be disqualified for the Supreme Court over a youthful indiscretion.
But what youthful indiscretion are they talking about?
Cutting class? No!
Smoking a joint? No!
Being rude to a teacher? No!
Shoplifting?No!
Attempted rape? YES!
The trauma and stigma of rape (or even attempted rape) doesn't go away just because the attacker was a teenager.
The same so-called conservatives who are quick to demand life-with-no-parole sentences for black/brown teenage rapists are now pleading for forgiveness towards an Anglo alumnus of a private school who attempted to rape a female peer because "you can't punish an adult for what they did in high school".
Yet, there are middle-aged adults who are still serving time for crimes committed when they are in high school.
Even worse, those who are defending Kavanaugh by saying "you can't punish an adult for what they did in high school" are nearly silent about a 12-year old (in other words, TOO YOUNG FOR HIGH SCHOOL) Tamir Rice being killed by the police for holding a FAKE gun!
But those same so-called conservatives are claiming liberal mothers and teachers are "feminizing our boys" by not allowing them to play with FAKE guns, yet those same so-called conservatives make excuses for police officers who killed a 12-year old African-American boy playing with a FAKE gun!
Learn more about the Republican hypocrisy about age and youthful indiscretions at
Michelle Goldberg, “Boys Will Be Supreme Court Justices,” New York Times, September 17, 2018,
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/17/opinion/columnists/christine-blasey-ford-brett-kavanaugh-supreme-court-republicans.html
Chauncey DeVega, “Brett Kavanaugh Is a Blend of Toxic Male Privilege and Affluenza: a Perfect Fit for Donald Trump,” Salon, September 19, 2018,
https://www.salon.com/2018/09/19/brett-kavanaugh-is-a-blend-of-toxic-male-privilege-and-affluenza-a-perfect-fit-for-donald-trump/
Also, isn't it a great idea to tell our teenagers their actions can have lifelong consequences? Wouldn't it be great to tell them that if they commit rape, that would severely affect their ability to access opportunities to achieve their dreams?
Yes, some teenagers might think twice if they know that if they force themselves sexually on others, their opportunities will drastically decline!
What's wrong with telling them that?
Punishing a 53-year old man for committing an attempted rape when he was 17 gives a VERY POWERFUL MESSAGE TO OUR YOUTH! It tells them
- your actions will come back to haunt you
- just because you're not being punished right away, that doesn't mean you won't get punished later
- just because your victim is too scared to be called a "snitch" now, that doesn't mean he/she will forever be afraid to be called a "snitch"
- Your punishment might come when you have a lot more to lose.
By sending those message, you will save people from being victimized! You might even save a life!
======
And now these so-called conservatives are calling Democrat senator Cory Booker a hypocrite for demanding an investigation of Kavanaugh's attempted rape allegations.
Those so-called conservatives are pointing an article that Cory Booker wrote for his college newspaper in 1992, talking about how he has evolved since high school when it comes to treatment of women. His article mentioned that he groped a female classmate and that he later apologized to her!
learn more about Cory Booker's forthcoming on youthful sins at
Isaac Stanley-Becker, “In 1992, Cory Booker Wrote of ‘groping’ a High School Friend as They ‘fumbled Upon a Bed’ and Issued a Call for Sexual Respect,” Washington Post, September 21, 2018,
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2018/09/21/in-1992-cory-booker-admitted-to-groping-a-high-school-classmate-and-issued-a-call-for-sexual-respect/1
As far as I'm concerned, Cory Booker did the honorable thing by admitting his actions and expressing remorse! And he did that when he was in his early 20's, he didn't wait until he was already a rising political star when bad news about his youthful sins could eventually become public. He admitted it early and expressed remorse early!
As for me, I did some things in high school that I regret, though nothing like what Brett Kavanaugh is being accused of.
However, I already did write multiple blogs about my past regrets and about how I evolved in my actions and attitudes over time.
Check out the following blog posts written by me about past regrets
"Outgrowing Inappropriate Humor"
http://pablowegesend.blogspot.com/2016/10/outgrowing-inappropriate-humor.html
"comments on #metoo (social awkwardness edition)"
(note: this one involved sexual harassment and inappropriate humor)
http://pablowegesend.blogspot.com/2018/02/comments-on-metoo-social-awkwardness.html
"private locker room stalls"
http://pablowegesend.blogspot.com/2016/05/private-locker-room-stalls.html
"stop taunting your enemies based on physical features"
http://pablowegesend.blogspot.com/2018/05/stop-taunting-your-enemies-based-on.html
You may not be able to change the past, but you can definitely be honest about it, express remorse, and discourage the younger generation from making the same mistakes you made.
=====
And for those who claim Cory Booker or me are hypocrites for discouraging the younger generations from making the same mistakes we did, check out this post by Gabby Padilla
"Just because you did something wrong in the past doesn't mean you can't advocate against it now. It doesn't make you a hypocrite. You grew. Don't let people use your past to invalidate your current mindset."
GROWTH
A concept. Embrace it.
(note: post from https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=2164678653804987&set=a.1378680662404794&type=3&theater)
