Another week, another tragedy. For those of you out there who have been under a rock, as of October 5th, 2018, Judge Brett Kavanaugh has been confirmed to be a judge in the highest court of America. After numerous allegations of sexual assault, testimonies regarding it, and “he said,” “she said,” testimonies, we now have a majority conservative within the Supreme Court.
So, let’s get into it, shall we?
Who is Brett Kavanaugh?
Credit: Politico
If you don’t know, that’s totally okay. Honestly, the news has been rough this past year and I understand hiding from it. Judge Kavanaugh is President Trump’s nomination for the Supreme Court. He has been seen as a rather conservative judge. During his years of being a federal judge, he has called Roe v. Wade “settled precedent,” been an avid proponent of the Second Amendment, believed that religion has a say in government, and to say the least, has not been impartial. Yet, he was nominated to serve on the highest court of America to interpret the laws in a bipartisan way. And now, he has the position as a Supreme Court Justice of America.
So… why is he a big deal?
That one is in the eye of the beholder. To many, Kavanaugh being held up in Senate Committee headings is due process as the Senate is taking its time to be thorough and to check all credibility of the Judge. To Senator Lindsey Graham, he’s “in hell. This is hell.” Okay, Lindsey, we’re being a little dramatic now, aren’t we?
While going through due process, Kavanaugh’s past came to haunt him. Allegations of sexual assault in high school, college, and the workplace came from three different and distinguished women who felt as though he was unfit to keep his position. In fact, the main reason Kavanaugh is a big deal is that someone decided to speak up.
Someone wanted to make a change. And that someone was Professor Christine Blasey Ford, the woman who spoke and who should forever remain a part of history. Professor Ford from Palo Alto, California, found out about Kavanaugh’s confirmation and wrote to California Senator Dianne Feinstein about her concerns.
Credit: People News
Two weeks had passed with no response, so she went public. Ford told everyone about how Kavanaugh had sexually assaulted her when they were in high school, showing his character as unfit and not worthy of the highest court of America. She spoke up, something that many women can’t even fathom. She went even further and testified in front of the Senate Committee about what had happened and saw her assaulter once again years later. Ford remained poised, told her story and answered any questions she was asked. She was strong. And we believe her. She’s the reason that, for once, an alleged sexual assaulter was questioned and reviewed.
Credit: KOMO News
That’s why Kavanaugh’s hearings were a big deal.
Now the story changes. He isn’t just a nominee anymore… he’s a Supreme Court judge. That makes him have the power.
What does that mean for women?
That means a lot of things. For one, at the national level, someone was accused, there were testimonies and still, it was disregarded. It shows a flaw in the system. The “Good ‘Ol Boys Club” wins yet again.
Credit: CNBC News
It also shows that women have a new and unique fear: the law. It was against us years ago when we couldn’t vote, couldn’t speak unless spoken too, couldn’t be educated, and couldn’t be on our own. Now, that fear is back because someone in power doesn’t believe that we should have “settled law” protecting our bodies. Another man dictating how we are allowed to be or what we are allowed to do. It’s a tantalizing fear that one day I’m going to watch the news and find out that I can’t dictate what happens to my own body. It’s a fear that now half of America has.
Credit: United Methodist Insight
The Kavanaugh hearings also showed us something else. It showed us that politics have finally managed to cloud our moral compasses. We live in a world of conflicting opinions, a world where no one agrees and it’s seeming to be almost impossible to see eye-to-eye with anyone. And we finally let our conflicts get in the way of justice.
What can we do?
To Republicans and Conservatives: due process is a system you advocated for and your founding fathers created. You should want someone who is okay with that system, who believes in that system, and who is worthy of representing your ideologies. You don’t want someone who is being alleged of doing heinous crimes to women to represent your name. It’s okay to listen to the other side because sometimes, you have to remember that you have an obligation to yourself — to be truthful and honest. Listen and critique. Be open to discussion. It’s hard but not impossible. Let go of your politics and start talking. You want a better America, maybe the opposing side does too.
To Democrats and Liberals: you fought a hard battle. You are advocating for the right thing in a politically difficult time but you can’t always believe that slandering the opposing side is going to win. After the presidential election, you should know. You were smart — you helped her and you stood by her. You wanted that investigation, and you got it. But you forgot one thing — everyone lost their morale the moment Trump received the presidential nomination. So what are you going to do now? You’re going to take a step back and figure out how to get people to understand you and give your voice something more than hatred towards the other side. Listen and think through your words. Give details and fact and show the other side that you are willing to listen to them too.
A combined society is a republic and together, you advocate for a true democracy — for the people, by the people. You can’t do that by hiding behind your political beliefs.
Remove the politics, and work together to make the America we all know is possible.
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