Maybe because I’ve seen every episode of Law & Order: SVU. Maybe because I’ve listened to women I’ve known and loved recount their experiences with sexual assault. Maybe because Dr. Ford has given me no reason not to believe her.
I watched a well-educated composed woman recount her story. I watched as she answered questions to the best of her ability with no evasion. She was consistent in her testimony and has not wavered from it since making her allegation. She spoke intelligently and never let her emotions consume her. I saw courage and bravery as she told her truth to the highest levels of power. While she was short on broader details of the event, the specifics of the incident itself she recalled in great detail. When asked if there were any doubt as to who assaulted her, she responded with 100% certainty it was Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh.
I watched a well-educated man plead his innocence to the Senate committee and the American people. At first he was sympathetic, choking up when he spoke of his family. Yet as the hearing progressed, his privilege, sense of entitlement, and bias against the Democratic Party began to show. He failed to reign in his emotions numerous times, he interrupted and spoke over senators asking questions, and was often evasive. Allegation aside, this kind of behavior is unfit a Supreme Court Justice.
She said.
He Said.
For convictions in criminal cases in this country, the accused must be proven guilty by things like facts, evidence, and corroboration. If tried in a criminal court, I do not believe there is sufficient evidence to convict Judge Kavanaugh. A lack of evidence doesn’t mean a crime didn’t occur which is often the case with sexual assault. It’s also one of the many reasons cases like these go unreported. But Kavanugh isn’t on trial, not in the traditional sense. The Senate doesn’t have to convict Judge Kavanaugh of any crime, they only have to determine if his record and his personal character are worthy of confirmation as a Supreme Court Justice.
There is no doubt that both political parties in this country are playing politics in this case. The Democrats are using every tactic they can to delay Kavanaugh’s confirmation. It’s also clear a full and thorough investigation would do just that. The Republican Party shows more concern for balancing the highest court in their favor than getting to the truth. But all of that is noise meant to distract from the heart of the matter.
He said.
She said.
Who are we to believe? Is the alleged crime significant enough to disqualify Judge Kavanaugh from the Supreme Court? I believe attempted rape, no matter how long ago the incident occurred, is sufficient enough for disqualification. Is the accuser credible enough to be believed? I believe Dr. Ford is credible.
We are left with many unanswered questions and we may never know the whole truth. While Judge Kavanaugh may be presumed innocent of this allegation, that presumption does not mean he should be confirmed as the next Supreme Court Justice. When it comes to the highest court in this country, those seated there must be beyond reproach. Dr. Ford’s allegation and Judge Kavanaugh’s response to it show he does not meet that standard.
I believe her.
End Transmission.
I had numerous adventures over the summer, many of which kept me outdoors and away from the keyboard. Now that life is returning to somewhat of a routine, I’d like to share some of them.
We made it safely back to camp and vowed we would do more practice trips before we endeavored such a long ride again. While the last few miles may have been a struggle, I was glad we did it and we plan on doing it again next summer.
For those of us who lived through the events on that fateful day in September, we remember. We remember what it was like at airports, amusement parks, and sporting events. Security check points were minimal or simply didn’t exist. We could go to Disneyland without passing through a metal detector. We could go to a football game with any kind of bag. We could say goodbye to our friends and family at the boarding gate.