Latest Post – Kavanaugh and Blasey Ford – The Death of Truth

Emotions are running high. Emotions have taken over the asylum.

Perhaps we should have known. Emotions trump truth every time. Emotions are more powerful in the public square than truth can ever be. Because the reality is . . .

No one knows the truth!

And that’s not even controversial. This is so reminiscent of the OJ trial. I still remember where I was when I heard the verdict on that case. And back then, we actually knew a whole lot. Nevertheless, the U.S. split along race lines.

This time, it’s split along party lines. Republican vs. Democrat. How odd that those who believe Blasey Ford are Democrats and those who believe Kavanaugh are Republicans? Hello, can we please bring in some reality here?

Outside the main protagonists, no one knows the truth!

We’ve been presented with two versions and . . .

No one knows which is right or even if neither is right.

We do know that Christine Blasey Ford can’t remember when the assault took place, or how she got home that night, because she told us. But then again, she can’t remember many of the details. That doesn’t mean the assault didn’t take place. It just means . . . well, it just means . . . repeat above sentences.

Sadly, the Me Too movement will pay a severe price for this. When a woman comes forward with an allegation, her testimony should be investigated. In most cases. But this isn’t a straight case of alleging sexual assault. This is an historical case steeped in politics.  She was immediately in touch with Diane Feinstein, for goodness sake!

So, now a movement championing justice for women has become deeply politicised. Bogged down in party politics of the worst kind. It’s awful to watch it play out. Getting at the truth in an even-handed way, well, that’s the casualty. And Me Too will suffer for it, by openly supporting a stance which, on the face of it, seems to embrace party politics.

I’m afraid the ‘why accuse him right now?’ retort is a legitimate question. Which is awful, because it’s possible, quite possible, that Blasey Ford was assaulted. By whom we don’t know. And then again, maybe she wasn’t. We just don’t know.

Getting that yet? We don’t know. Time for a big word. This is about epistemology. How we know things.

So onto the investigation.

An FBI investigation of a 36 year-old ‘he-said-she-said’ case? In one week. No court of law would hear such a case. Do you remember details from one night 36 years ago? Any response is tainted, as the conclusion of the investigation will be. Talk about a rock and a hard place for the FBI.

And I don’t see a way out from that.

So why is this happening? It’s hard to avoid the conclusion that it’s because this appointment will tilt the Supreme Court to the right. And possibly do it for a generation. That’s important for unborn children. It’s important for immigration and race relations and all sorts of issues. Some I feel strongly about, some I don’t. But they all have a huge impact on human life. And that matters.

To the women who are stating ‘you’re saying I don’t matter,’ my reply is ‘on the contrary, all human life matters, including yours.’ That’s the whole point of this hoo-ha. The Supreme Court matters, because its decisions can determine life and death and everything in between.

Sadly, the soap opera has been embraced by the nominee. Brett Kavanaugh made a big mistake by accusing the Democrats. HUGE. Because a justice on the Supreme Court is supposed to be impartial, interpreting the Constitution without a clearly expressed political agenda. Having said that, Kavanaugh is overtly political, having supported Republican causes throughout his career. But to respond in the way he did during a nomination process? That’s never done. Until now.

And that’s why, in the end, his combative response to questions may sink him more than the accusations.

Click here for an interesting perspective on the politicisation of Supreme Court appointments.

So, just one final question. And here my cards are placed clearly on the table.

Should a possible crime committed 36 years ago, and which can never be proved in a court of law, be sufficient to destroy this nomination?

In all the uncertainty, I think we do know the answer to that question.