Amazingly well said. OP: Eventually the narrative will shift to "I was young and stupid, and it was a long time ago," which is exactly what you want. By contin

Amazingly well said. OP: Eventually the narrative will shift to "I was young and stupid, and it was a long time ago," which is exactly what you want. By continuing to defend what you did, you're actively delaying the time until you can begin using that line. Frankly, whether you believe you're right or not is beside the point; no hiring manager is going to care, and your current attitude towards it presents as toxic.