![\"\"](\"http:\/\/stateofthenation.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Merrick-Garland-1-640x480-1.jpg\")
Drew Angerer\/Getty Images<\/p><\/div>\n
KRISTINA WONG
\nBreitbart.com<\/p>\n
President Joe Biden\u2019s attorney general nominee Merrick Garland as a college student at Harvard University wrote in a review of a musical that a song about rape was one of the play\u2019s \u201chilarious group numbers.\u201d<\/p>\n
In a Harvard Crimson article published January 22, 1976, he wrote in a critique of the play (emphasis added):<\/p>\n
A combination of factors, however, keep the vocal problems from becoming disastrous. Most important are the Jones-Schmidt songs themselves, simple and engaging melodies with a few tender ballads like \u201cTry to Remember\u201d\u00a0and some hilarious group numbers like \u201cit Depends on what You Pay,\u201d which provides a shopping list of rapes for sale (e.g. \u201cthe military rape\u2013it\u2019s done with drums and a great brass band.\u201d)<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n
The play was \u201cThe Fantasticks,\u201d performed by an all-freshmen cast. It is about a nearly 20-year-old college student and a 16-year-old girl, who are young lovers.<\/p>\n
The article was submitted to the Senate Judiciary Committee on January 26, 2020, as part of a questionnaire Garland filled out for consideration by the committee next week.\u00a0Question 12 asks the nominee to list published writings \u2014 books, articles, reports, letters to the editor, etc. \u2014 and public statements.<\/p>\n
The song about rape has come under public scrutiny in the past for its lyrics, which include:<\/p>\n
We\u2019ve the obvious open schoolboy rape,
\nWith little mandolins and perhaps a cape.
\nThe rape by coach; it\u2019s little in request.
\nThe rape by day, but the rape by night is best.<\/p>\nJust try to see it.
\nAnd you will soon agree, se\u00f1ors,
\nWhy
\nInvite regret,
\nWhen you can get the sort of rape
\nYou\u2019ll never ever forget.<\/p>\nYou can get the rape emphatic.
\nYou can get the rape polite.
\nYou can get the rape with Indians:
\nA very charming sight.
\nYou can get the rape on horseback;
\nThey\u2019ll all say it\u2019s new and gay.
\nSo you see the sort of rape
\nDepends on what you pay.
\nIt depends on what you
\nPay.<\/p><\/blockquote>\nThe song\u2019s lyricist, Tom Jones,\u00a0made changes to the song in 2006<\/a>\u00a0when the play was revived in 2006.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor years I didn\u2019t think and then gradually it began to seep into my consciousness. My consciousness was raised. I really began to think, you know, rape isn\u2019t funny,\u201d Jones\u00a0told<\/a>\u00a0NPR in 2006. The word \u201crape\u201d was later changed to \u201cabduction.\u201d<\/p>\n
The issue could present a problem for the Biden administration.<\/p>\n
Although the play first debuted in the 1960s, and Garland\u2019s article was written in the 1970s, progressives have recently pushed for the banning of the cartoon character Pepe Le Pew \u2014 who first appeared in 1945 \u2014 for perpetuating \u201crape culture,\u201d and the banning of Dr. Seuss for books written in the 1930s.<\/p>\n
Breitbart News reached out to the White House Sunday evening for a comment but did not receive an immediate response.<\/p>\n
Sources familiar with the matter told Breitbart News that Senate Republicans are likely to push Democrats to hold a second hearing for Garland to question him about it.<\/p>\n
Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee are already unhappy that Democrats rushed Garland\u2019s nomination through \u2014 without a normal 28-day-period between the committee receiving his questionnaire and the start of his confirmation hearing on February 22, and a customary one-week period after the hearing before voting on confirming him.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is beyond problematic,\u201d a Senate GOP aide told Breitbart News.<\/p>\n