Kavanaugh appointment exposes some ugly truths
Andy Douglas
So, now we have two probable sexual abusers on the highest court in the land.
As we unpack the recent Judiciary hearing on the appointment of Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court, and take some deep breaths as a nation, a few things stand out.
Dr. Ford is still receiving death threats.
The document describing the findings of the FBI investigation did not exonerate Kavanaugh, and in fact, revealed there was no full investigation.
Outside the Supreme Court, protestors rallied, some wearing shirts with slogans like 'I Believe Women', and 'I am a Survivor and I Vote.'
We're finally learning how prevalent sexual violence is. The MeToo movement, like Black Lives Matter, is bringing to light offenses that should have been brought to light years ago. One in three women have been victims. This is a shocking statistic.
Or, if you choose, like President Trump, to ignore women's stories, not so shocking.
The hearing was a hoax, a smear campaign against a good man, Trump says. This kind of language is meat to members of his base, one of whom wrote to the Waterloo Courier, "We have so many pointing fingers and screaming at the accused. Seems like a similar story that happened 2000 years ago in Jerusalem when a person challenged the Roman authorities."
Umm, okay. Kavanaugh compared to Christ? You wonder about the rationality of some Trump supporters.
Other Trumpers, though, seem coldly rational. They've calculated that throwing their lot in with a corrupt president, who radiates brazen self-interest and callous exclusivity, will advance their own interests. The appointment of a conservative Justice was too important to be derailed by anything as spurious as the truth.
Some say, if Kavanaugh did do what he's accused of as an irresponsible teenager, perhaps he's changed. I'm all for acknowledging that people change, but the imbalances of power complicate the picture. And change is not the issue here. The issue is honesty. And accountability. And character.
In the hearing, Kavanaugh was aggressive, entitled, and offensive. He lied several times under oath.
And Republicans lined up to discredit a woman who would rather not have been there, but saw it as her duty.
There will be repercussions over this confirmation, and there should be. When Senator Susan Collins voted to confirm, so many people logged into a crowdfunding website to raise money for her as-yet unknown opponent, it crashed.
One of the most distressing aspects is the politicization of this issue, at the cost of overlooking real pain. Hard lines are being drawn everywhere these days, the country divided in ways that will be difficult to repair.
Survivors don't often come forward. They don't want to relive the trauma. And they're afraid they won't be believed. Seeing how Dr. Ford was treated proves the point. To deny her - a patently credible voice - her story, and then to use the denial as a political tool, is reprehensible.
Polarizing from the pulpit, Trump says American boys are in danger in this era. Anyone can be accused, and their lives destroyed. Even I, Trump says, have been accused! Imagine that.
I agree that boys are in danger. They're in danger of growing up in a soulless society that doesn't teach them how to listen, to cooperate, to respect.
It's time that men understood the problem. The problem is us. We need to work on ourselves, our relationships, our outlooks. Men, your penis is not the center of the universe. Nor is your ego. Sexual needs are not non-negotiable.
"Manliness" is a concern for many men. Wouldn't this mean being the best men we can be? Men of sensitivity and self-control, acknowledging our privilege and working for inclusivity.
This is not about ' bringing men down,' but about creating safe, fair environments for everyone. It's about believing women.
Writers Group member Andy Douglas is the author of "The Curve of the World: Into the Spiritual Heart of Yoga."