As the nation watches, Dr. Christine Blasey Ford accuses Supreme Court Nominee, Judge Brett Kavanaugh of sexual misconduct against her one night in the early to mid 80’s, when they were both teenagers. Dr. Ford did not report it to anyone, and says she only recently decided to say something when she found out Judge Kavanaugh was being nominated to the U.S. Supreme Court. She wrote a letter describing her allegations to California Senator and Judiciary Committee Member Dianne Feinstein and requested that her identity remain confidential while investigations were conducted.
So much for that. Not only was her name outed to the press, but Senator Feinstein did not get anyone to investigate Dr. Ford’s allegations. Instead, she simply ignored the letter while attending meetings, interviews and an eventual confirmation hearing for Judge Kavanaugh. Never did the Senator – who supposedly cares so deeply for the pain experienced by Dr. Ford – bring up the allegations or demand an investigation into their validity. Not once.
Yet, all of a sudden, the night before the confirmation vote was to take place, the press received anonymous information about Dr. Ford’s letter. Are we supposed to believe the timing of this story was a coincidence and that Senator Feinstein cared about Dr. Ford’s wishes? Getting rid of Judge Kavanaugh by ruining his reputation and chances of being confirmed to the Supreme Court was obviously the goal. Destroying his family and Dr. Ford were unfortunate and acceptable costs to pay to stop the proceedings.
I want to be clear: unwanted sexual advances, misconduct, assault, and the like are offenses that should be taken seriously. In order to protect the rights of all involved parties, proof must be rendered to support any charges of anything before any action – legal or otherwise – can be taken. With these recent allegations of sexual misconduct, there are so many problems that it’s difficult to consolidate them all.
- Alleging Sexual Misconduct
Firstly, I do not know if Dr. Ford experienced any kind of unwanted sexual advances. This is why questions are asked and proof is needed. Just because someone says something happened doesn’t mean it did and just because someone has questions about an allegation doesn’t mean they are attacking the accuser. There have been times when men have sexually assaulted or harassed women and times when women have wrongly accused men, either purposefully or mistakenly. Period. To say that every thinking person who questions a woman’s claim of sexual impropriety is insensitive, taking sides, or victimizing the victim, is lunacy. In fact, without viable proof one cannot technically call the accuser a victim, as the claims have not been verified. Questions must be asked and proof must be brought forward. As it were, Dr. Ford claims something happened at the hands of the judge and Judge Kavanaugh unequivicably denies that anything happened or that he was even present at the gathering.
- Where is the Evidence?
There is no evidence – physical, circumstantial or otherwise. In fact, the people Dr. Ford listed as corroborating witnesses have come forward with legally binding statements contradicting and negating her claim. There is nothing in writing indicating that Dr. Ford had reported the incident, whether through a school counsellor, the police, a close friend, or the like. There seems to be notes from Dr. Ford’s counselor in 2012 indicating an experience with four boys behaving inappropriately with Dr. Ford; but nothing about Judge Kavanaugh. The burden of proof lies squarely and solely with the accuser. Without evidence, Dr. Ford’s burden of proof is unmet and therefore Judge Kavanaugh cannot be held accountable to her allegations. This would be true for anyone where wrongdoing was claimed. Proof must be present in order to give any claim validity.
- An Over 30 Year Claim – What Do You Remember Accurately?
Ask yourself: do I remember details about things that happened over 30 years ago? If so, are those details accurate? Have you ever journalled anything and read it years later wondering if you really wrote it because you had forgotten or didn’t recognize yourself? As you grow and change, so does your perspective. The accuracy of Dr. Ford’s memory is in question since she is unable to remember key details from the alleged event, including where and when it took place, and how she got to and from the event.
- The Claim States That Alcohol Was Involved
An unsupervised gathering of teens in a home with alcohol being consumed lays the groundwork for poor judgment, miscreant behavior, and compromised safety. Not only that, but it’s challenging to get clear and reliable facts based in sober reality from inebriated teens. Where were the parents? And if something did happen, should they be held accountable as well?
- What Has Happened Since Then?
Since the alleged incident, what patterns of behavior have been displayed in the life of the accused over the last 30 years? Is it safe to say that just because I was a mean, foolish teen who verbally bullied my classmates doesn’t mean I remained that way as an adult? We all know people from high school who as adults have either carried on their teenage character, behaviors, and traits or have matured and outgrown them.
Those who remain true to their high school personas have a trail of people and incidences to show for it; and by the same token, those that have grown and changed have evidence of that as well. Simply look at the adult life of Judge Kavanaugh. Investigators and reporters have done just that and have found hundreds of people coming forward to vouch for the positive character of the man. How many of us could get hundreds of people to take the time to speak out or write character references on our behalf? Does that not speak volumes about who Judge Kavanaugh is and has been?
Judge Kavanaugh has been a sitting judge since 2006. Why not bring up the allegations during that confirmation hearing? The judge was put on the president’s short list of possible Supreme Court nominees. Why not bring up the allegations then? The judge was nominated to the Supreme Court and vetted. Why not then? Then, Judge Kavanaugh underwent an intensive and grueling investigation of his past – including his sixth FBI background check, over 30 hours of public interviews during his confirmation hearings, and was presented with nearly 1300 written follow-up questions. Why weren’t the allegations brought up then? And why aren’t the allegations being brought to the police – the ones who take the statement and actually have jurisdiction over the claims – instead of bringing them to the Senate Committee and the press?
- Is High School 30 Years Ago the New Vetting Standard For Everyone?
This is so outrageous that it’s hard to tell where sanity ends and altered reality begins. People can do a lot of changing over the years. High school is a time when your brain is not even fully developed, your impulse control leaves something to be desired, and your ability to foresee the repercussions of your actions is limited. Is there anything you did back then that you regret? That you say to yourself: “what on earth was I thinking?” Would it be fair or even reasonable to wait over three decades and then ask you to remember the details and your state of mind when you said or did something, let alone ask you to somehow pay for it? People can do a lot of changing and maturing in 36 years, and most do. The way you know is by looking at their lives, talking to people who know them, and checking their lifelong track record.
- The Whole Matter Seems a Little Too Convenient
When Dr. Ford’s letter was leaked and was hastily regurgitated by the press, Judge Kavanaugh was on the very verge of being confirmed to the U.S. Supreme Court. The allegations have served as a hard slam on the breaks and have sidetracked the process altogether. The Senate Judiciary Committee immediately attempted to get Dr. Ford’s statement in whatever way was convenient for her, whether she came to Washington, they went to her, public or private, written or verbal. Yet, her lawyers dragged their feet for extension after extension trying to make a deal with the Committee. This only served to buy time for a three ring circus to gather across the internet, social media and the press.
Without a lick of proof, Dr. Ford was immediately embraced as a proven victim and Judge Kavanaugh the evil ogre out to re-victimize her. This is wrong. What a disservice this has been to the integrity of our judicial process and the ability for American’s to trust the motives of those that have clearly sought to impede this confirmation.
In light of the horrendous lack of fairness and justice, I can only say: Shame on those that orchestrated this! And I pray Judge Kavanaugh, his family, his reputation, the U.S. Senate, and the American people, can rebound from such treachery. Rejecting this truly unAmerican behavior and standing tall in the character and integrity that founded this great country can be accomplished at the ballot box this November 6th. Vote, America, vote!
#notafraidtothink #notsheeple #mediabias #innocentuntilprovenguilty
EmmSix 