I slept with you (and you know who you are) and it was consensual).
I once dressed as Sandra Day O’Connor for Halloween. I understand that this is misappropriation on a a number of levels:
1. I am not a woman
2. I am not a Republican (one of my best features)
3. I have never sat on the Supreme Court
4. I would have ruled differently in Bush v. Gore, but I would concur in the other cases.
5. I never would have given up my seat if I knew it would go to Samuel Alito.
I occasionally adopted African-American idioms when in high school.
I have used the word “fag,” but only in the context of Tom Brown’s Schooldays.
I have a Soviet flag on my desk and have since 1978. I also have several sets of Russian nesting dolls.
I have a friend who is African-American and he dressed up as Generic Man in college where he wore white-face. The party proceeded without incident.
I’m sure there are other examples and please remind me of them if you have a recollection
None of these keeps me up at night the way too much barbecue sauce does these days, but the issue is obviously a national social concern. Clearly, there are lines that no adult should cross and we should not tolerate reprehensible behavior related to harassment, assault, sexism, racism and other obnoxiousness.
But I am also a great fan of redemption, personal growth, reckonings, sincere apologies and, of course, context. And I also look at the direction a person’s life has taken. Doing something offensive early in life, but growing and learning and making up for it with words and/or deeds will, in my mind, earn you some redemption. Continuing to be offensive throughout your life shows you to be the unrepentant, ignorant person that you really are.
Which is why, and I’m really a broken record here (and obviously old because I’m using that reference), nobody should resign until the president does. He has shown himself to be growing as a racist, sexist, misogynist, Islamophobe, xenophobe, and homophobe rather than recognizing that his words and actions are harmful for this country’s reputation. When he is held accountable, then we will have made progress. But as long as he can spew his hatred and vitriol, then we can’t have justice.
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