Most boys were not predators in high school
Dear Republican women,
As a former high-school student “with testosterone running high” I must inform you that not once during my freshman, sophomore, junior or senior years did I push a teenage girl into a room, pin her down on a bed, try to remove her clothes and put my hand over her mouth when she attempted to scream.
“What boy hasn’t done this in high school?” one of you asked.
Just about ALL high-school boys have NOT done this.
None of my testosterone-fueled friends did such a thing.
Not once.
Not even close.
Never.
The truth is, if my buddies and I had heard of any other high-school boy of our acquaintance doing such a thing, I believe that — in the parlance of the day — we’d have beaten the crap out of him.
So I admit to being a bit stunned to see a panel of Republican women making excuses for the kind of behavior that Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh has been accused of by Christine Blasey Ford. (And another woman, supposedly from his college days.)
The Republican women, who appeared on CNN, blamed Blasey Ford for not having come forward sooner and for still being troubled by what she said happened to her many years ago.
Or, as a woman named Irina Villarino told CNN, “But in the grand scheme of things, my goodness, there was no intercourse. There was maybe a touch. Really? Thirty-six years later she’s still stuck on that, had it happened?”
As if trauma simply disappears with time.
Then there was the notion that even if Kavanaugh did what he’s accused of having done, it wouldn’t trouble them, with Lourdes Castillo de la Peña saying, “As long as that’s an isolated incident, yes ... If the person made a mistake and they’ve moved on and they have been a good human being, who are we to judge?”
We’re the citizens who are considering him for a lifetime appointment to the Supreme Court.
Before he gets to judge us, we must judge him.
And, worst of all, there was Gina Sosa, saying, “I mean, we’re talking about a 15-year-old girl, which I respect. I’m a woman. I respect. But we’re talking about a 17-year-old boy in high school with testosterone running high. Tell me, what boy hasn’t done this in high school?”
As I said, just about ALL boys in high school have never done this. And those few young thugs who done such a thing are, you know, criminals.
It turns out that the women who spoke with CNN aren’t simply ordinary voters, either, but Republican activ-
traffic in the neighborhood.
After the meeting, Sepanek said he was frustrated.
“I’m sad,” he told
“I’m going to be sad when these people show up with their sad faces. They’re going to come around the corner and it’s a black house.”
He said that staff from the Neighborhood Services and Street Transportation departments asked him to tell tour buses to not park on the street, suggested he hire people to direct traffic and told him to stop giving away free hot cocoa and cookies.
City spokeswoman Tamra Ingersoll told at the time, that staff did not say those things. She said the city never said the couple couldn’t have a light display.
The only possible legal question appeared to be over whether the couple was selling food and drinks, which would have been a violation of city ordinance.
Complainants said they were selling items; Sepanek maintained he was giving the items away, but accepting donations.
The couple was not issued any violations during the meetings; however, they said they were still discouraged.
“I got disheartened. I walked in my house told my wife, ‘We’re not going to light up this year.’ Because I got no encouragement from them this year,” he told
After protesting — and leaving their house dark last Christmas — the Goldwater Institute stepped in.
“Of course, it should not require a team of lawyers for the city to give assurances to one of its citizens that he can decorate his home for the holidays and offer refreshments to visitors,” said Goldwater Institute’s Director of National Litigation, Jon Riches in a blog post.
Sepanek sent a letter to the city in July asking what requirements he must follow to have a display.
Assistant City Attorney, Paul Li, in a letter sent Tuesday to Riches, said the city does not control lights displayed on homes.
“The City does not regulate Christmas lights displayed on homes. It never has,” Li said in the letter. “But since your client’s display attracts so many visitors, it would be considerate for him to take into account how the display affects the neighbors.”
Li informed the couple’s attorney that there is a regulation regarding the selling of food and drinks from mobile and retail vendors in neighborhoods. The ordinance applies to selling items from a stand or a display.
The city said the couple is allowed to give hot cocoa away, but not sell it.
“Mr. Sepanek may enjoy his Christmas lights and offer hot cocoa and accept donations,” wrote Li. “We encourage him to discuss his display with his neighbors.”
Sepanek said they step at a time when neighbors’ concerns.
“Last year was kind of a bummer for us,” he told “We are excited to be back on the light map.” will take it comes it one to the