While everybody is settling down into their course schedules and getting caught up in the drama of the death of Harambe (still), there is a more important issue that is being brought back to attention. That issue is that Brock Turner was released on September 2nd for good behavior. For those who followed the news a couple months back would know that there was a Stanford rape case where a swimmer assaulted a woman. This case would go to trial and he would be sentenced to six months of jail time with the possibility of being freed after only three for good behavior.

I am appalled that Brock Turner is being let out of jail after only serving for three months after being convicted for assaulting a woman. You read that right, he served only three months. He has become practically a household name since the trial was announced, but fortunately the Olympics happened to help get rid of the negative view of swimming. In my strong opinion on this issue, I truly believe Brock Turner should have received a heftier amount of jail time. There is simply no excuse to assault a woman no matter what she is wearing, if she is intoxicated, or if she 'looked' like she wanted it.

While the trial was going on, Turner was noted in saying that they were both intoxicated and that he should not be punished for his actions. He also said that if he was let go that he would travel around the country speaking about the dangers of drinking in college. Not only did he miss the entire point that he had assaulted a woman who has to deal with the psychological repercussions for the rest of her life, but that she will have difficulties with intimate relationships because of "just 20 minutes of action." I understand that it must be traumatizing for his family, especially his mother who lost all motivation to decorate her new home that was situated near the Stanford campus, but there is something wrong when you don't see a reason for him to be punished for his crimes. Did he have potential? Of course he did since he was at one of the top schools in America for swimming and academics, but what he could do and who he was as a person are two completely different entities.

What I am trying to get at is that Turner did have an opportunity upon arriving to Stanford to do amazing things. Instead of learning to grow as a person, he chose to become a creep and a predator. He chose a path that would label him for the rest of his life. Instead of going to college to create a positive legacy, his legacy will reign that he raped a woman and that is what he has to live with because there are no do overs in life.