Letter: Who wants what they did at 17 made public?

I don’t know the Banjo CEO, Damien Patton, but I am feeling some sympathy for him.

The stories about him have revealed he had aligned himself with a white supremacist groups when he was 17 years old. Seventeen, for heaven’s sake. Most of us would not want our background known as to what we were doing at 17.

Forgiveness is a basic Christian tenant. How many times does the guy have to acknowledge his mistake? He has worked hard to disavow his association with that organization for more than 30 years.

“I did terrible and hateful things … that today I find indefensibly wrong and feel remorse for. I have worked most of my adult life to make amends for this shameful period in my life.”

Since when do we dig so far into people’s pasts to drag them over the coals in public? This is why so many good people do not run for public office. Few could stand up to such scrutiny, especially if you go back to before they were adults.

Now his spying app for the state may be questionable. That is what should come to light. We all agree that there is no tolerance for racism or bias.

Marilyn Marshall, Magna

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