How long??

Can anyone be judged by the actions they committed over 10 years ago? Aside from murdering someone, how long can the "getting drunk in college stories" or "being a little too friendly with the opposite sex while in college" affect your life today?

I know that if you are running for office your past "character" comes up all the time. Since Bush and Clinton smoked pot in college are we to assume they are still doing it know? Or maybe that they are deviant because of it?

I like to think that people can change (I am not talking serial murderers here). I am just saying that, for me, if someone got drunk and was a little too wild in college their actions should not affect their lives today. They should not be judged for their past actions specially if the are the complete opposite today.

Yes, there is a point to this rant. The other day I was at a party and we were telling stories about the birthday person. When my turn came I recalled a very nice getting drunk story that occurred over 10 years ago. The story just said that this person got drunk, threw up all over the place and then passed out. Your normal college story, so I thought.

A few days later this person gets in touch with me and tells me that they did not appreciate me saying that story at the party, specially because her boss was there. She also told me that she did not want her boss judging her and that would hate for her boss to recall that story when the time comes for a promotion. I was stunned! All I could say was it happened over 10 years ago. I apologized, but told her I did not understand.

How long is too long?