Romney: Sorry for the homophobic bullying

[Symmetry]

Romney admits, apologises for, homophobia

Mitt Romney issued an apology over his actions at high school after it was revealed that during his senior year he had played a leading role in a bullying incident against a fellow-pupil who was assumed to be gay.

After his campaign officials had insisted the presumptive Republican nominee for president had no recollection of any of the events detailed in the Washington Post story, Romney moved to limit the fallout on Thursday by using a radio interview to offer an apology to anyone hurt by what he referred to as "pranks".

While Romney told the Kilmeade and Friends show on Fox News Radio that he could not recall the specific bullying incident, he said: "They talk about the fact that I played a lot of pranks in high school and they describe some that, well, you just say to yourself back in high school well I did some dumb things and if anybody was hurt by that or offended, obviously I apologise but overall high school years were a long time ago."

The Post story came only 24 hours after Barack Obama drew a contrast with Romney by becoming the first sitting president to support same-sex marriages. Romney responded by reiterating his opposition, arguing that marriage should be only between a man and a woman.

Oh dear, Romney fans.

Original WaPo story: Here.

[Symmetry]

So anyway, seeing as last time I caught flack for putting my opinions in with the sources, this post is my take.

Essentially i see two basic ways to look at this.

1) Romney is telling the truth that he doesn't remember the bullying.
2) He's lying.

So taking 1) as given,

The questions to be asked are
1a) Why did he apologise?
1b) Is homophobic bullying so much a part of his life that he considers it forgettable?
1c) Does anyone really forget their "pranks" from high school?

I think you'll understand my scepticism about 1)

So, 2)

2a) Why lie?
2b) Does he seriously think anyone believes him?
2c) Why apologise if he knows that he's not acknowledging doing something wrong?

My take, of course, is 2), and the answers are that he's a homophobic politician who finds it easier to issue an empty apology than to admit wrong.

[BigBallinStalin]

I demand that Obama release his high school transcripts!

[AndyDufresne]

Eh, so the dude was a dick in highschool, and possibility homophobic / going with the crowd, 50 years ago? I don't really care. There are more interesting and recent critiques that deserve attention.


--Andy

[Symmetry]

I demand that Obama release his high school transcripts!

Why would Obama have Willard's transcripts?

[pimpdave]

No one seemed to care about GW Bush crashing cars while drunk and stuff, so I doubt this will actually hurt his bid for President.

That said, why the hell are these assholes using poor John Lauber as a pawn in their mud slinging? Unless he's the one who came forward with the story, I think everyone should just STFU.

[Symmetry]

Eh, so the dude was a dick in highschool, and possibility homophobic / going with the crowd, 50 years ago? I don't really care. There are more interesting and recent critiques that deserve attention.


--Andy

I'm less concerned with that, as I kind of tried to point out in my second post, than with what Romney is saying about it now, which is relevant.

[rdsrds2120]

I demand that Obama release his high school transcripts!

Why would Obama have Willard's transcripts?

Ah! But BBS makes sense here, since the antecedent switched from Mittens RMoney to Obama before his in the sentence. I'm done now.

Clever, though. Made me laugh.

-rd

[Symmetry]

I demand that Obama release his high school transcripts!

Why would Obama have Willard's transcripts?

Ah! But BBS makes sense here, since the antecedent switched from Mittens RMoney to Obama before his in the sentence. I'm done now.

Clever, though. Made me laugh.

-rd

Couldn't resist. I kind of expected the first response to be a "...but, Obama!" line from someone.

[rdsrds2120]

Me too. I wonder who I fastposted.

-rd

[pimpdave]

So apparently Lauber is dead. My previous problem with this story is resolved.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1002669904

Mitt Romney's a douche bag, let's bring this story up all the time!

[PLAYER57832]

So anyway, seeing as last time I caught flack for putting my opinions in with the sources, this post is my take.

Essentially i see two basic ways to look at this.

1) Romney is telling the truth that he doesn't remember the bullying.
2) He's lying.

So taking 1) as given,

The questions to be asked are
1a) Why did he apologise?
1b) Is homophobic bullying so much a part of his life that he considers it forgettable?
1c) Does anyone really forget their "pranks" from high school?

I think you'll understand my scepticism about 1)

So, 2)

2a) Why lie?
2b) Does he seriously think anyone believes him?
2c) Why apologise if he knows that he's not acknowledging doing something wrong?

My take, of course, is 2), and the answers are that he's a homophobic politician who finds it easier to issue an empty apology than to admit wrong.

Not going to get into the homophobia bit, per se, but the bullying is important.

Truth is that most bulllies don't remember the way those bullied do. Its pretty common that bullies won't even remember major slights. The reason is that they don't really see that what they did was all that wrong. This goes whether the now adult has changed opinions (as Romney declares) or hasn't about the person/action, etc.

Beyond that, I think any adult in today's society will admit to having done pretty stupid, even cruel things as a child... and most of us don't really remember all the slights. Its part arrogance and part just plain survival. If we remembered all the wrongs we do, we would have a hard time. And, for the most part, its better we don't dwell it, we need to go on and do better.

[Symmetry]

So apparently Lauber is dead. My previous problem with this story is resolved.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1002669904

Mitt Romney's a douche bag, let's bring this story up all the time!

Ruined a guys life, based on homophobia, and he either doesn't remember, or lies about it. Meh, people are still going to vote for him. Willard looks bad to me either way.

And dismissing homophobic bullying as a "prank". Willard shouldn't even be in charge of an office, let alone a nation.

[pimpdave]

It doesn't matter whether it was homophobic or not, it was bullying. He physically overpowered a younger, obviously weaker kid, for no other reason than to humiliate him.

[Symmetry]

So anyway, seeing as last time I caught flack for putting my opinions in with the sources, this post is my take.

Essentially i see two basic ways to look at this.

1) Romney is telling the truth that he doesn't remember the bullying.
2) He's lying.

So taking 1) as given,

The questions to be asked are
1a) Why did he apologise?
1b) Is homophobic bullying so much a part of his life that he considers it forgettable?
1c) Does anyone really forget their "pranks" from high school?

I think you'll understand my scepticism about 1)

So, 2)

2a) Why lie?
2b) Does he seriously think anyone believes him?
2c) Why apologise if he knows that he's not acknowledging doing something wrong?

My take, of course, is 2), and the answers are that he's a homophobic politician who finds it easier to issue an empty apology than to admit wrong.

Not going to get into the homophobia bit, per se, but the bullying is important.

Truth is that most bulllies don't remember the way those bullied do. Its pretty common that bullies won't even remember major slights. The reason is that they don't really see that what they did was all that wrong. This goes whether the now adult has changed opinions (as Romney declares) or hasn't about the person/action, etc.

Beyond that, I think any adult in today's society will admit to having done pretty stupid, even cruel things as a child... and most of us don't really remember all the slights. Its part arrogance and part just plain survival. If we remembered all the wrongs we do, we would have a hard time. And, for the most part, its better we don't dwell it, we need to go on and do better.

I think that's a fair point, and one of the better takes, but I don't see it as working here. Romney seems to be trying to cut this off in two directions- 1) By saying that he doesn't remember it, and 2) By apologising and calling it a prank.

The two are not easy to reconcile. If he knows it was a prank, then he remembers it. If he doesn't remember it, what is he apologising for?

[PLAYER57832]

If he doesn't remember it, what is he apologising for?

Uh, you have never been married ?....


Seriously, as adults, I think most of us have times when we apologize for the harm someone else thinks we did.. whether we remember or even necessarily think it was wrong. The point is that we are sorry harm was done.

[Symmetry]

If he doesn't remember it, what is he apologising for?

Uh, you have never been married ?....


Seriously, as adults, I think most of us have times when we apologize for the harm someone else thinks we did.. whether we remember or even necessarily think it was wrong. The point is that we are sorry harm was done.

I don't accept that in this case, but I do see your general point. Romney would have to have entirely forgotten a guy who he consistently victimised, over a long period of time, and where a large number of his classmates clearly remember his bullying.

I'm sorry, but this doesn't pass the smell test for me. Indeed, it stinks.

[Night Strike]

So what Romney did in high school matters but what Obama did in college doesn't matter? I thought we weren't allowed to talk about a presidential candidate's past.

[Symmetry]

So what Romney did in high school matters but what Obama did in college doesn't matter? I thought we weren't allowed to talk about a presidential candidate's past.

Since when? How has that ever been a principal applied to any of the presidential candidates? Why is it suddenly a rule for how we shouldn't talk about Romney?

I don't get it.

[Night Strike]

So what Romney did in high school matters but what Obama did in college doesn't matter? I thought we weren't allowed to talk about a presidential candidate's past.

Since when? How has that ever been a principal applied to any of the presidential candidates? Why is it suddenly a rule for how we shouldn't talk about Romney?

I don't get it.

We have spent 4+ years trying to find out what Obama did in college, yet his supporters keep saying that it's off-limits. If it's off-limits to talk about Obama's college days, why are we allowed to make political issues out of Romney's high school days?

[BigBallinStalin]

Again, where are Obama's high school transcripts?

Did he even go to high school???

HOW CAN WE KNOW?!

[Timminz]

If he doesn't remember it, what is he apologising for?

Uh, you have never been married ?

I laughed.

[Symmetry]

So what Romney did in high school matters but what Obama did in college doesn't matter? I thought we weren't allowed to talk about a presidential candidate's past.

Since when? How has that ever been a principal applied to any of the presidential candidates? Why is it suddenly a rule for how we shouldn't talk about Romney?

I don't get it.

We have spent 4+ years trying to find out what Obama did in college, yet his supporters keep saying that it's off-limits. If it's off-limits to talk about Obama's college days, why are we allowed to make political issues out of Romney's high school days?

I'm generally an Obama supporter, I didn't say it was off limits. I'm sceptical about fishing trips, but when the evidence is provided to you that Romney was a homophobic bully in high school via people who went to school with Romney, I don't get why you think Obama's high school records are important.

You have one of the most high profile Repubs here being a homophobic bully, and you don't think it's an issue. So, seriously, I'll pander to you on this point, what would bother you about Obama's record. It'd have to be something that none of his classmates had ever discussed (so, not homophobic bullying)...

What are you hoping to see that would be worse than Willard?

[rdsrds2120]

So what Romney did in high school matters but what Obama did in college doesn't matter? I thought we weren't allowed to talk about a presidential candidate's past.

Since when? How has that ever been a principal applied to any of the presidential candidates? Why is it suddenly a rule for how we shouldn't talk about Romney?

I don't get it.

We have spent 4+ years trying to find out what Obama did in college, yet his supporters keep saying that it's off-limits. If it's off-limits to talk about Obama's college days, why are we allowed to make political issues out of Romney's high school days?

I'm generally an Obama supporter, I didn't say it was off limits. I'm sceptical about fishing trips, but when the evidence is provided to you that Romney was a homophobic bully in high school via people who went to school with Romney, I don't get why you think Obama's high school records are important.

You have one of the most high profile Repubs here being a homophobic bully, and you don't think it's an issue. So, seriously, I'll pander to you on this point, what would bother you about Obama's record. It'd have to be something that none of his classmates had ever discussed (so, not homophobic bullying)...

What are you hoping to see that would be worse than Willard?

Little do most know, Obama while in college was actually involved in multiple pagan rituals involving blood sacrifice of that of a male land-owning WASP, only to be cleaned up by the original US Flag, sewn together by a necromanced Betsy Ross, herself.

-rd

[Night Strike]

What this story is trying to do is apply the modern day emphasis on bullying and homosexuality in schools to what happened involving Romney 50 years ago. There was no emphasis on bullying in schools then, yet some people are trying to make this into a major news story when it's not. People do dumb things in grade school and high school, so why are we using modern day focuses to indict them? Does the bullying as a high schooler indicate that Romney is a bully today?