In my introduction, I mentioned that the topics will vary greatly from my outdoor adventures to my thoughts and opinions on current events. Today’s post is the result of everything I’ve read about the Brock Turner case – namely, the letter from the victim, the letters from Brock’s parents, and the complete lack of accountability that Brock has exhibited.
The letter that the victim wrote was incredibly upsetting to millions of people (for good reason), as has become evident by the public outcry all over social media, Joe Biden’s open letter, and multiple demands for the recall of Judge Persky. What is most horrific to me about that letter is that she discusses the fact that Brock has shown absolutely zero remorse for his actions. He has blamed alcohol, he has blamed his friends from the swim team, and he has blamed the general party culture of college campuses. Where does it end? Where does accountability for one’s actions begin?
This needs to be addressed immediately. Party culture? That does not equate to rape. Brock Turner violated another human being. He lacks the most basic respect for another human being. His parents should be ashamed of their son and the job that they did raising him. Instead, they are perpetuating the problem by coming to his defense. YOU ARE DEFENDING A RAPIST. Brock has not shown remorse for his actions because he has been coddled and protected from the consequences of his actions for his entire life. This is evident after the first words of both his father’s letter and his mother’s letter. It would not remotely surprise me if the reason that precious Brock has “no demerits” on his school transcripts because at some point in his life, his mommy got into a fight with a teacher for him.
Brock’s parents are crying to the judge about how he can no longer continue his dream to swim as a member of the US Olympic team, his pristine record, his Stanford education, his ability to enjoy a steak (?!), his potential to impact society as an orthopaedic surgeon – all of it, gone. Excuse me, do you people hear yourselves? In what world do you live? Brock sexually assaulted a woman who was completely defenseless. And you are concerned about his inability to eat a piece of meat? There are people that are literally starving on our streets, not to mention a victim who is going to be scarred for life, and you have the audacity to say that?
His mother states that they are not wealthy and recently downsized their home because of school payments; that he does not come from an entitled home as so many are claiming. Clearly she is confused by what entitlement means. While money can be one factor resulting in an attitude of entitlement, values and actions speak a lot higher. Entitlement is the belief that you are deserve special treatment, that you are special in some way. Which, by the way, is exactly what both letters say. Suggesting that he should not receive the same punishment as anyone else who committed the same crime because he was a good boy who studied hard and who has a lot of potential IS THE DEFINITION OF ENTITLEMENT.
Someone who isn’t entitled would be sitting in jail facing years, not months, in prison for the same actions. His childhood introversion has literally nothing to do with his actions, and the resulting damage that they caused. The letters that Brock’s parents wrote are very telling as to why he has not admitted guilt. Judge Persky’s sentence based on those external factors enables such entitlement.
Brock has not once apologized for his actions. He has not admitted guilt. He was literally caught in the violent act of assault and he still cannot accept that he did something wrong. That is entitlement. He has apologized for drinking too much, and not for assaulting a woman. Again, excuse me?
The truly terrifying part of this case is that he is asking for an even lighter sentence than the joke that he received. That is entitlement.
You want to be seen as the “good person” that you are, Brock? Admit your guilt and accept the consequences of your actions. While you are still scum, people will be more likely to respect you if you hold yourself accountable for your actions first, above anyone else. If you say, “What I did was wrong,” people will pause. Right now, everyone in the world feels that you are a danger to society. You don’t understand that consequences of your actions and how they impact others. Everyone around you has reason to believe that you will commit the same crime again, because you don’t see anything wrong with what you’ve done. If you open yourself up, truly reflect on what you did, realize how wrong it is, and learn from it, you will have a better change of being welcomed back into society – slowly, to be sure, and you’ve earned that slow crawl back from the very lowest crater. If you recognize that what you did was wrong, admit it to yourself, accept that you did this, apologize, you will help your victim heal. Does that mean nothing to you?
Brock and his parents worried about his future, and yet they are digging a deeper hole and destroying it more with every letter and statement. Prove that you can accept the consequences of your actions. Prove that you can learn from what you have done. Prove that you are not entitled. Because right now, you are only setting a dangerous precedent that your actions are acceptable because it was an isolated incident. You manipulated a judge – who has no place in a courtroom after his decision – to say that assault is ok if it’s the first time. You are flipping off the entire country right now. Let this be very clear: it is NEVER ok. Not even once.
Entitlement in our society is putting everyone at risk. There is an incredible opportunity to change this. Now. Be part of that change. Do not accept the current model. Do not stop until there is change. Do not stop until every person who commits the same crime receives the same punishment. Do not stop until entitlement stops.
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