Everyone is Talking
About the paltry sentence given to the Stanford Rapist – Brock Allen Turner.
Why do I care?
If you have daughters, this story is relevant. This latest story continues the conversation of rape on college campuses and sheds light on how one victim has gathered the courage to speak out very publicly to help others in the future.
Tell me more.
In January of last year, Brock Allen Turner was caught raping an unconscious woman behind a dumpster near Stanford University. He was successfully convicted of three felonies in the case, which would lead you to think justice was served. However, at sentencing, he was only given a paltry six months in county jail. He will not go to prison, and will likely only serve half of that six month sentence. Sure, he has to serve three years of probation, and register as a sex offender which will follow him for the rest of his life – but his combined incarceration and probationary period doesn’t meet the minimum recommended sentence of 6 years, and isn’t anywhere close to the maximum sentence of 14 years. Many are calling for a social prison to be created around his name, since the justice system failed to imprison him properly. But, hey, according to his father, “His life will never be the one he dream about and worked so hard to achieve. That is a steep price to pay for 20 minutes of action out of his 20 years of life.”
Um. No comment outside of agreeing with one blogger on Scary Mommy – how do we explain a 6 month sentence to our daughters?
To add insult to injury, the only imagery found online of Brock are flattering images. No booking photo is found, and all media outlets are using his Stanford photo to report, which is causing another sidebar conversation about privilege and crime in the United States.
The Kids are Alright
We can’t always protect our kids from the viciousness of the world, no matter what we do to prepare them. But, even in the worst of times, sometimes they come out with more courage than we could have imagined.
“And finally, to girls everywhere, I am with you. On nights when you feel alone, I am with you. When people doubt you or dismiss you, I am with you. I fought everyday for you. So never stop fighting, I believe you. As the author Anne Lamott once wrote, “Lighthouses don’t go running all over an island looking for boats to save; they just stand there shining.” Although I can’t save every boat, I hope that by speaking today, you absorbed a small amount of light, a small knowing that you can’t be silenced, a small satisfaction that justice was served, a small assurance that we are getting somewhere, and a big, big knowing that you are important, unquestionably, you are untouchable, you are beautiful, you are to be valued, respected, undeniably, every minute of every day, you are powerful and nobody can take that away from you. To girls everywhere, I am with you. Thank you.” – Victim of Brock Allen Turner, addressing the court.
Put Your Best Foot Forward
House logic put it best when it comes to a new study that links clutter and depression, “Clutter is a bummer – literally.” With this in mind, they offer up some useful tips and tricks to tackle your clutter so you can alleviate those downer emotions associated with the mess. Our favorite three tips from the post include:
- Rule of Five for the win. Every time you leave a space, choose five things to put away or throw away.
- Dish sink clean and clear. Clean out the sink as you go, each day, everyday. Never let a dish sit overnight.
- Do the one-year test. Fill a box (or boxes) with items you are struggling to part with and seal it up. Place it in a closet and if you don’t access those items in a year, it’s time to purge.
Menu Planning Mastery
Who loves a great Eggs Benedict for brunch?
Did you know it was over 1,000 calories to indulge? Us either.
Not awesome.
We found a recipe that offers you a way to adapt the recipe and cut the calories by over half. Let us know what time we can come over for brunch, M’kay?
Parting Thought
“Impossible is just a big word thrown around by small men who find it easier to live in the world they’ve been given than to explore the power they have to change it. Impossible is not a fact. It’s an opinion. Impossible is not a declaration. It’s a dare. Impossible is potential. Impossible is temporary. Impossible is nothing.” – Muhammad Ali, 1942-2016
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