By: Lucy Terry | News Editor
October 11, 2018
Brett Kavanaugh was officially appointed onto the Supreme Court on October 10, 2018, after weeks of strife and deliberation of his innocence concerning sexual assault allegations by Dr. Christine Blasey Ford. Even though there has been so much conflict leading up to his appointment, the worst is yet to come under Kavanaugh’s extremely conservative plans as a Supreme Court Judge.
Kavanaugh’s appointment sets a precedent for our country, and possibly the world, that boys and men can get away with sexual assault. With the results of the judiciary committee came a large demographic of people who claimed that men were under attack by women. While it is easy to mock the people spreading #MenToo, this quasi-movement is far more dangerous than it appears. The way that the judiciary committee and the FBI investigation dismissed Dr. Ford’s story degrades the credibility of assault victims and erodes their faith in the court system. More and more women and men will feel alienated and that they will never get justice for the crimes committed against them. This absolutely devastating appointment doesn’t just put the lives of women and victims at risk, but also our rights. Kavanaugh poses a looming threat to significant court cases, especially Roe v. Wade. It is easy to stay naive and believe he will hold true to his half-hearted promise to not overturn this court case, but since when has the word of an attempted rapist ever meant anything?
Karina Repaire, 12, is personally enraged by the appointment and the consequences it will have. “Having a man with sexual assault charges against him on the Supreme Court is very dangerous for American women as it only further institutionalizes misogyny and sets a precedent for how survivors of sexual assault are treated in this country. Many people are worried about Kavanaugh’s potential role in removing the ruling made in Roe V. Wade, and frankly they have reason to be. Kavanaugh and many of the other men in that hearing showed no respect for the female Senators in the room or for Dr. Ford herself, and with these men influencing policy and court rulings about what women can do with their bodies, it’s at best a precarious and infuriating situation for American women.”
It is so ironic now, in the sense that Donald Trump is proclaiming that Democrats were acting “wacko” during the hearings. It is almost as if he forgot how Senator Lindsey Graham had an enraged, emotional outburst on the public stage, the culmination of Kavanaugh’s uproarious behavior throughout the hearings, and how the Democrat senators were the most composed officials in the room. However, it is not all that surprising, and we can expect nothing less of this partisan bashing from Kavanaugh. During his testimony, Kavanaugh mentioned how Dr. Ford was part of a left-wing conspiracy created to avenge the Clintons. Not only are accusations like these entirely false and damaging to Dr. Ford’s experience and reputation, but they are also detrimental to the state of our democracy. Paige Campbell, a junior at SCHS, believes this makes Kavanaugh an unfit Associate Judge. “His behavior during the hearings was really disrespectful and emotional,” Campbell said. “I feel like even if you don’t consider the sexual assault allegations, his actions still prove him to be unqualified to be on the Supreme Court.” We have never had such a dividing politician serve on the Supreme Court, and it is the American people who will ultimately pay the price.
Many are asking, how do we move on from this injustice? What can we do now? First of all, we can head to the polls. The November midterms are coming, and it is our duty to register to vote and make our votes count. This is the most effective way to hold our government accountable for the desecration of the sanctity of the Supreme Court and our democracy. If you can’t vote, make your voice be heard. Go to protests, get involved in local political campaigns, or spread awareness on social media. Now is not the time to be docile and passive. Don’t just hold onto your rage; use it.
It might just be me, but this seems quite slanted towards the view of Kavanaugh being guilty. I do believe if he did commit these acts- he should be defamed and taken off the court. However, he had no evidence brought up to indict him on a charge. There was no further investigation or a lawsuit from the accuser thus showing us that this entire case was a political slander job hired by those who oppose Trump. Justice does need to be served, but you cant accuse somebody with no proof.