‘Getting the full college experience’ is more important than jail time – even if you rape women

Going off to college is one of the most thrilling experiences an 18-year-old has. There’s no parents lurking around the corner or calling you to come home because it’s past your curfew again. You’re on a campus with other great minds while you strive to expand you own.

There’s all-nighters in the library, frat parties, the bars that will accept that shitty fake ID, football games and other sporting events and so much more. You’ll be making new friends, hooking up with people in your dorm and be seen in last night’s outfit on more than one occasion most likely.

While all of this is great and part of a typical full college experience, but is it enough to prevent the course of proper justice?

David Becker from East Longmeadow, MA, sexually assaulted two unconscious girls after a party.

Becker digitally raped the two girls after they all fell asleep in the same bed. The victims told the court they awoke to him assaulting them both. “David the Rapist” as he was nicknamed at his high school, made sure to state that he was drinking the night of the rapes.

The judge on the case, Thomas Estes, sentenced Becker the rapist to two years of probation.

His attorney said: “Putting this kid in jail would have destroyed this kid’s life.”

“The goal of this sentence was not to impede this individual from graduating high school and to go onto the next step of his life, which is a college experience.”

Um, yeah. That’s what he should get for being a rapist. He should fear for his life in jail for two years, not be told to avoid drugs and alcohol and go right off to college and get a “full college experience.”

His attorney also made the remark that everyone makes mistakes in their later teen years, but that “we should not be branded for life with the felony of being a sex offender.”

Really? So if a teenager goes out and kills someone, they should get a slap on the wrist of a few years of probation because “we all make mistakes at 17, 18, 19 years old?”

Hell no.

By the time you are 18, you can drive, vote and go off into the military and defend the country. When you’re that age, you know the difference between right and wrong and that certain choices have consequences that come with them. Mommy and daddy aren’t doing everything for you anymore.

At 18, you’re an adult and can go to jail for crimes you commit, rape being one of them. Becker was legally an adult when he was found guilty of raping unconscious girls. He is accountable, regardless of whether is alcohol involved.

The victims admitted that they had all been drinking the night of the rapes. Why does this matter?

It doesn’t.

Alcohol has nothing to do with this other than the fact that Becker is not of age to drink.

This convicted criminal is getting a slap on the wrist, told to go off and be a good boy and enjoy his college experience.

Every article discussing the case has managed to mention that Becker was a star high school athlete. This article from MassLive even makes mention of how he completed tons of community service hours.

So, because this guy was a star athlete and did community service, he gets two years of probation while his victims suffer for the rest of their lives? Well now I understand completely.

Except I don’t. How can terrible crimes like rape get such tame sentences, just because the rapist was an athlete or viewed as a “good kid?”

Had Becker been a D-student, or Black, or – crucially – not a sportsman, you’d have to wonder how his sentencing would have gone. We kiss the ground athletes walk on and think they can do no wrong in their right minds.

Anyone can go out and do community service and be good at a few sports but that doesn’t make them a good person.

With sentences like this, someone like David Becker could be coming to a college near you.