Letters to the Editor
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Welcome to the Planet Earth!
News Flash: Life isn't Fair
Here is a list of things that are arguably unfair and yet, reality:
You can be judged forever by something you did when you were 23.
Some women get smacked around by their partners.
Some are sensitive (or over sensitive) about that fact for a long long time.
Some people think all spankings are bad.
Some people think its unforgivable/unprofessional so be videotaped being naked and talking about spankings
Bar Associations are strict
Law Firms Google their potential hires
That's reality. You make choices and there are consequences and often those are unfair but unshocking as well.
And whether its immature and stupid to appear in soft core porn before launching your legal career is up for debate I guess, but it is DEFFINATELY immature and stupid to think that nobody will ever see it.
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Let me get this straight...
...and I do mean "straight" metaphorically.
A supposed feminist, writing for Broadsheet, an ostensibly feminist column, is in favor of a women being punished economically for expressing her sexuality?
What is this? Neo-Next Wave faux-minism?
From forcing young girls to receive government-mandated vaccinations to punishing women with trangressive sexual tastes, it seems Broadsheet's "feminists" exhibit an intolerant, conformist, totalitarian edge.
Must be the times....
...sigh...
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Dear Michael Sullivan,
My sincere apologies. It wasn't my intention to "put words in your mouth." I was responding (too quickly, it appears) to the sentence, "Remember when the privacy of our bedroom with someone we love and trust was where we chose to share our fantasies?" which immediately followed your suggestion that we "exercise judgement and maturity in our lives..." I think I must have felt your reminiscing about how "we" used to have sexual fantasies judged not just her (definitely immature) belief that the video wouldn't be seen by many people, but the act itself. I promise to read slower in the future.
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Let's not do the ol' "blaim the feminists" thing!
"A supposed feminist, writing for Broadsheet, an ostensibly feminist column, is in favor of a women being punished economically for expressing her sexuality?"
Expressing her sexuality?
Expressing the patriarchy is more like it.
Expressing her acceptable role as a masterbatory visual aid.
I am sorry for this young woman, but not sorry enough to accept her poor judgement. If this story was about a MALE student who posted some gross-out tape (think: "Jackass" w/o pants) would anyone cry foul?
"Stupid is as stupid does." - Forrest Gump
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aikimoe
Thank you, and I ask that you also accept my apology for underserved snark in my response. It was more than I could ask for that you took it upon yourself to read past that ham-handed attempt at a comeback and demonstrate understanding and respect for another's point of view.
Best wishes,
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Magazine v. video and smart v. fair
Earlier on, someone referred to a different attorney who, despite having posed for Playboy magazine, seems to have done well in her career and is apparently highly regarded for her smarts. But at this point in time, posing for Playboy magazine is not considered all that scandalous a thing to do, and is in fact seen by many as an almost quaint way to be risque -- sort of like dancing the Can-Can. It's generally not a career killer, or even a career denter, though I guess it depends on your chosen career (probably won't help you too much if you're a nun trying to rise in the church hierarchy, for example).
Participating willingly in a soft-core-porn-type video that will be distributed publicly, even if it's produced by that very same Playboy organization that publishes the magazine, is just seen as tacky and dumb. It opens a person -- woman or man -- up to lots of ridicule. And it's just going to cast a shadow over any attempts at being taken seriously in a serious profession. Maybe this won't be the case in 20 years, but it is now.
Is this magazine v. video difference fair? Probably not. Is it even logical? Maybe not. But it is reality. And smart people recognize reality.
Stupid is as stupid does, indeed.
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I'd write a letter on this . . .
. . . but Michael Sullivan has beat me to it with every word.
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Legal Whoredom
The whoring done by corporate lawyers, K street lackeys, et al is much less destructive to the legal profession than this harmless tittie-lating. Tempest, meet teapot. Jeez. Grow up.
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re: bluecanary
"Anyone with an IQ over 40 knows you never, NEVER do anything even slightly over the line until your Moral Character & Fitness Application comes back approved. Get arrested at a protest, even for a good cause? NO. Pose nude and be videotaped getting spanked? NO. NO."
Anyone with an IQ over 40 can see that getting arrested at a protest implies illegal conduct whereas her appearing in the video is perfectly legal. To determine a legal activity with no ill effect on others as 'unfit' would be grave injustice.
Has anyone considered how a male lawyer appearing as the stud in some porn video would be treated in this regard? It wwouldn't even make the news. Deep down this is all about her being a woman with Abrahamic views on women's sexuality at the heart of it. There is no rational reason to disparage or censure this woman's conduct; it says nothing about her fitness a lawyer.
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It's not about morality
If it were, how would Exxon get any lawyers to represent it?
No, with all due respect, it's about common sense and general smarts. We all are entitled to our private lives, including our private sex lives. It's just not smart to distribute TMI (too much information) about said private sex lives. The overwhelming majority of employers and potential clients are going to consider you a joke if you do such a thing, fair or not. Alienating the overwhelming majority of the public just isn't smart, and it's not like this was a case of sacrificing some career gain for a noble cause.
Put it this way -- would you have confidence in this woman's advice to you about how to conduct your business? Lawyers are not expected to be moral paragons, but they are expected to give wise counsel.
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Seems like a lot to do about nothing, but then I haven't seen the video
Perhaps not the wisest choice for someone who would probably prefer to keep all options open, but it does sound like it would make yet another interesting episode on Boston Legal. No doubt we could get an Ashcroft-like figure following her around with a sheet to cover her up. Somehow though, I imagine she'll survive it. Thanks for the break from the Gonzales coverage.