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On the one hand I think bullying really should be taken far more seriously, and greater recognition given to the longterm impact...
On the other hand, I do think it needs to be seen in the context of a 1965 school environment.
Yes, he caved under pressure from the Xtian right and allowed his spokesperson to step down undefended. But he also hired the guy in the first place which suggests at least an openness to pragmatic acceptance.
Don't get me wrong, I think it is quite likely that he still holds some horrible views about gay people. But they may well have softened along with the views of the world around him across several decades. And yes, sometimes being a bully as a young man can be seen as an early indicator of a particularly nasty mindset...but not necessarily.
I don't think it's entirely fair to bring in schooldays behaviour from decades prior and apply it to the adult now.
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