This'll probably escalate quickly

[88GT]

Of course, Governor George Romney's privileged son wouldn't see any repercussions for assaulting gay students.

Just when you thought Mitt couldn't get any more unrelateable to most Americans. He is the posterboy for embodying negative Republican stereotypes.

Actually, i think he does represent most of the self-identified conservatives in this nation. I think the number of people who view freedom through the lens you do are far fewer than you think.

 

[iwearcowboyboots]

Just as a reference point, I was a freshman in High School...1964. Upperclassmen initiated freshmen with total abandon. I was de-pantsed twice, face painted with lip stick and rouge, paddled and my hair was cut whole walking home on the first day. I lived through it as did all my classmates. We expected it and embraced it as a right of passage. Those who resisted really got the treatment.
Pranks were far different then than now. Not saying he was right, just saying take a walk in the real world and see whats up.

Kids got hazed/initiated in school when I was a kid. That's not what I'm saying. I'm talking about the comparison that was being made to breaking the rules of chewing gum in class.

It's not anything that is going to cause me to dislike Romney as a person. People did stuff like that to each other when I was in school too (well, not exactly but the pantsing or wedgies or whatever other forms of school yard humiliation) but I just can't quite wrap my head around the mentality that we are supposed to our pants over "Obama ate a dog!" (I know a person in Indiana who does that) "Obama did drugs" (that's not exactly an extreme rarity in our culture - or even among our presidents) but then anytime the left their pants over some nonsense like this that we have to talk it down (comparing it to chewing gum in class) as much as possible.

 

[Stschil]

Digging up what someone did in high school almost fifty years ago? Really?

Really?

It took three years to get a birth certificate for O, and we still don't have his college transcripts. And he ate a dog.

If this is the worst thing they can dig up on Mitt, he rolls in November.

Well there was that wedgie Mitt gave to some kid in college who was presumed to be Indonesian, but the MSM is saving that one for an October surprise.

 

[iwearcowboyboots]

On the other hand, hardly anyone can relate to Obama. I mean really, how many have eaten dog? How many have lived in Indonesia? How many find the chanting of Muslim clerics in the morning beautiful? There is nothing American about Obama. But stupid pranks are so typically American even if we are somewhat ashamed of the ones we pulled that we can identify with that and it makes Romney more typical of us.

Thank god that Mittens and Obammer gots different ethnic/cultural backgrounds, cuz looking that their policies you'd barely be able to tell these polar opposites apart.

 

[strahd71]

Im 40. I was born in 1971 this was like 6 years before i was born who cares...... i think we've all treated people like crap at some point this isnt news

Jake

 

[churchmouse]

Kids got hazed/initiated in school when I was a kid. That's not what I'm saying. I'm talking about the comparison that was being made to breaking the rules of chewing gum in class.

It's not anything that is going to cause me to dislike Romney as a person. People did stuff like that to each other when I was in school too (well, not exactly but the pantsing or wedgies or whatever other forms of school yard humiliation) but I just can't quite wrap my head around the mentality that we are supposed to our pants over "Obama ate a dog!" (I know a person in Indiana who does that) "Obama did drugs" (that's not exactly an extreme rarity in our culture - or even among our presidents) but then anytime the left their pants over some nonsense like this that we have to talk it down (comparing it to chewing gum in class) as much as possible.

I get that part. Hell man, If I was hungry I would eat dog. I try not to let any of the fact digging, mud slinging, he is a bad guy because of idiocy get me over heated. I grew up in a fog of weed during the flower child era. Doesn't make me a Nazi. Each and every person on this planet has something or things to be ashamed of. It is part of the human experience. I am not sure that anyone could pass the Media litmus test if it was focused on them.

 

[.45 Dave]

Thank god that Mittens and Obammer gots different ethnic/cultural backgrounds, cuz looking that their policies you'd barely be able to tell these polar opposites apart.

I wasn't talking about their policies although I disagree with you, I'm talking about their backgrounds. Obama is about as American as a Saudi Prince. Sure he speaks English fluently, but his childhood formative years, if the truth was told, is such that very few Americans could understand it. His politics are pure left wing extremist, yes, but that was cemented into his beliefs later.
But this thing with Romney is not about politics, nor his policies. It's about a stupid stunt in high school, which we all have done.

 

[steveh_131]

Long ago our society knew the distinction between a high school prank and a crime. Perhaps some day we will again.

Pranking =/= Bullying

 

[IncendiaryGunner]

This could not have happened.

As far as I understand, the youth of America was well behaved and respectful in the good ol' days. Obviously, Romney must have simply been helping the young man remove chewing gum from his hair.

On a more serious note, the fact that none of his high school friends seem to be willing to step forward and defend him conveys more about his character than an incident that happened when he was a teenager forever ago.
Romney Friend Stu White Says Campaign Wants Him to Counter Prank Accusations - ABC News

Someone did something hurtful in high school, and they apologize for it! OH NO! THE HUMANITY!

None of your high school buddies are willing to vouche for your character when you are running for president... that is actually pretty rough...

 

[GodFearinGunTotin]

Hey look over there! A distraction!

 

[steveh_131]

Almost anyone on this forum would shoot and kill any person that tried to do this to them or one of their children.

But since Romney did it, it's just a harmless prank.

 

[churchmouse]

Hey look over there! A distraction!

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^Good Point^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 

[rambone]

I posted a story a few years ago about a teacher cutting off the hair of a student in class. I don't recall people brushing it off as a "prank." Of course, this teacher wasn't running for president as a Republican, either.

I called it assault, like it is. Unwelcome chopping of your body parts with a cutting instrument.

Imagine your wife or child getting "pranked" by a gang of fully-grown prep-school delinquents. Would it be assault then? Explain the difference.


Wisconsin teacher disciplines a 1st-grader by chopping off her hair

 

[mrjarrell]

If you can bring up something Obama did as a kid, (eating dog, which is no big deal) then Romney's assault and bullying should be fair game. According to the guy they assaulted he still remembers it and it obviously had a long lasting effect on him. Romney's fair game.

 

[churchmouse]

Things from our past. Scary.
If this were done to my kids it would be ugly and whomever was attempting it better have a lot of friends. If it were accomplished (doubtful) retaliation would be ugly.
As to my wife, well, just leave it at shot by the road dead.
That said, no it is not right if this was actually the way this act came down and Mitt should have his a$$ kicked and get a rude haircut. Or at least look the person up and make it right.

 

[J_Wales]

If you can bring up something Obama did as a kid, (eating dog, which is no big deal) then Romney's assault and bullying should be fair game. According to the guy they assaulted he still remembers it and it obviously had a long lasting effect on him. Romney's fair game.

Evidently fearless leader had no long lasting impact on anyone in his younger years... nobody seems able to recall him.

That said, the impact the bastard has today will be born by our children and their children.

fearless leader can go to Hell.... No need to let him drag the republic with him.

 

[Panama]

Romney is fair game.
Obama is fair game.
Anyone who throws their hat in the ring is fair game.

The way I see it is, this story, it might last a week or two.
Unempoyment, that is in honest double digit numbers will likely last past the election in November.

Which do you think will influence the vote more?

 

[Kutnupe14]

Almost anyone on this forum would shoot and kill any person that tried to do this to them or one of their children.

But since Romney did it, it's just a harmless prank.

I tend to agree. If this was prank, then I assume his friend would have used the word "hilarious," or the phrase "all in good fun" or "boys will be boys." He says none of that. What he does say, was that it was "VICIOUS." There aren't too many positives associated with that word.

The thing that Romney can't even defend is the claim that this may have been related to the victim's believed homosexuality. That's what's going to damn him in the eyes of many, true or not.

 

[.45 Dave]

I tend to agree. If this was prank, then I assume his friend would have used the word "hilarious," or the phrase "all in good fun" or "boys will be boys." He says none of that. What he does say, was that it was "VICIOUS." There aren't too many positives associated with that word.

The thing that Romney can't even defend is the claim that this may have been related to the victim's believed homosexuality. That's what's going to damn him in the eyes of many, true or not.

I sincerely doubt it. No one is going to remember this in a few weeks. They are going to say what every sane person would, "This was 50 years ago and he was a kid. Let's worry about here and now."

 

[J_Wales]

Watching these jackasses is like watching a ship that has lost its compass.