“The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.”- Martin Luther King, Jr.
In 1958, Martin Luther King Jr. delivered a sermon at the commencement exercises for Wesleyan University including this quote. In the height of the civil rights movement the year 1958 was a year filled with extreme despair in the mission of the civil rights leaders. From a church bombing in Birmingham, Alabama by KKK members to the schools in Little Rock, Arkansas being shut down in an effort to desegregate the schools. 1958 was a year filled with an immense amount of sadness and fear for people like Martin Luther King Jr. Yet throughout all the turmoil, Martin Luther King Jr. articulated his faith towards such devastating situations but his belief that one day, these situations would subside.
As I was scrolling through my instagram this past Saturday, I scrolled past a post from Planned Parenthood that read “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.” by Martin Luther King, Jr. In the following article, I will begin to unpack the Kavanaugh trial in the best way that I can possible begin to articulate why this heartbreaking decision impacts us so directly and so close to our hearts.
Fast forward to the year 2018. As a 19 year old female and college student in a time where #MeToo has been shouted globally, and at a time where one in three women and one in six men experience some form of contact sexual violence in their lifetime (nsvrc.org), I was overwhelmed by the Senate’s decision but also St. Lawrence Alumna, Senator Susan Collins decision regarding Brett Kavanaugh. I am filled with an overwhelming amount of despair that this decision impacts my lifetime and that as an alumna, a female, and someone who is highly regarded in my community; Susan Collins was able to completely disregard the opinions of others in her community and choose politics over moral integrity.
My initial reaction surrounding the Kavanaugh case, is disappointment in our nation. In a conversation with my brother, after watching Donald Trump mock Dr. Ford I was immediately filled with rage, I explained my frustration in feeling like we have back tracked so much as a nation during his presidency. My brother reminded me that these are not new ideas or that we have not backtracked at all. Instead these have been underlying themes all along and that the administrations misogynistic views have just been especially highlighted in light of this one case. This is true. In only two years it will mark only 100 years of women’s right to vote. Only 100 years have been granted in this nation’s history to give women a voice in politics. Although, there have been major advancements in these 100 years, we are at a point at a time where now it is our turn to speak about sexual violence more than ever.
Senator Susan Collins has swayed on many political decisions but the decision regarding Brett Kavanaugh is a decision I believe she is unbelievably incorrect about. Senator Susan Collins was in a position where her party was at line but rather than choosing the morally correct decision that so many believe is right, Senator Susan Collins chose to support the accuser in her political party. Her decision not only impacts his place in the Supreme Court but it contributes to a much larger picture. A bigger picture that sexual assault accusers still are able to maintain such hierarchy positions. Last year marked a massive advancement in women reclaiming power and speaking their voices against their accusers. It was a unifying time for women and men of sexual assault and it finally felt like an advancement towards some kind of success. Unfortunately, the Kavanagh hearing is a reminder that no matter what progress being made, the flaws in our system trap us from advancing in important and crucial ways. This hypothetical curve that Martin Luther King Jr. states is absolutely relevant towards survivors of sexual assault and as heart wrenching of a situation as this is, it is our job especially as young female women to have faith in the end of these devastating situations and to stand together to fight even harder.
Besides our evident flaws nationally, it is infuriating that the administration in our own community recently have issued a statement that they are still choosing to honor Senator Susan Collins after her decision about Brett Kavanaugh. Close to a thousand signatures of alumnus signed a petition within a matter of a couple of days asking President Fox to revoke her 2017 honorary award. In response, Mr. Duel replied to the petition with a statement saying, “St. Lawrence University is non-partisan and without political party affiliations. It does not take up political decisions on specific matters of the day. Instead, St. Lawrence is committed to student learning, which happens to include a commitment to encouraging rich and healthy rhetorical communication skills with our students, the campus community and St. Lawrence alumni.” If St. Lawrence University was committed to student learning it should realize that this situation stems deeper than supporting a political issue but rather supporting the comfortability and safety young women and sexual assault survivors should feel in this environment. The silence on campus surrounding the Dr. Ford and Kavanaugh bold. I am writing to say that this silence is not passable. It is not okay to continue the silence surrounding issues that impact us so directly. It is exhausting for a community that has been directly impacted by a fellow alumnus to continue to stay both silent and uninformed by such massive issues.
Bottom line, there are clear flaws in our government today and as much as we are riding this curve of moral justice it is pivotal that in 2018, as a female and as a scholar it is mine and our duties to stand up for what we believe in, whatever that may be. I believe that justice was not served correctly to Dr. Ford and that the Kavanaugh case is disgusting and morally wrong. I am embarrassed and saddened in both our justice system and the decision made here at St. Lawrence in continuing to honor Senator Susan Collins. Through all my anger, sadness and frustration, I also believe that this case was needed. It was needed to bring to light the continuous clear issues in our justice system. It is pivotal to unite, to vote and to prove to our immediate communities and to our country that equality will be attainable as long as we keep fighting.
Alumni Letter Calling for St. Lawrence to Revoke Susan Collins’ 2017 Honorary Degree:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfLck9mrX5dvcF2P_rFPhVEoKM5cl7a…
To register to vote:
https://www.vote.org/register-to-vote/