I was working from home today, and in between tasks, I was following the reactions from the Judiciary Hearings. I’m completely regusted at the lot.
From the Democratic side, I’ve seen nothing but support for the folks making the accusations. I heard about the Republicans constantly interrupting Democratic speakers and women. I heard about Kavanaugh acting like a child, crying and shouting. Certainly not judicial temperament. Everything that I’ve seen about this is a clear demonstration that the man doesn’t have the temperament for the Supreme Court, let alone respect for the judicial, evidentiary, or legal processes. We’ve seen the Republicans treat women who accuse men as if they were dirt, and I hope the voters remember come November.
As for my Republican friends: Well, they’ve been sharing memes that slut-shame. They’ve been blaming the women for any attacks received. They’ve had nothing for praise for Kavanaugh and the Republican leaders. They didn’t care about the outburst. They don’t want any investigation; they don’t care about any evidence that contradicts the story they’ve been fed. They believe these women are doing this solely out of political motivation and to besmerch Kavanaugh’s good name. They’ve made up their minds, and they will hold the vote and confirm him, despite what they’ve heard and seen. Oh, and anyone who comments with a different view is attacked mercilessly and mocked.
I had an evangelical friend yesterday write about “Three words”. He was complaining about the three words “He assaulted me. He raped me. He groped me.” and their impact on men’s lives. He proclaimed the women were lying, using the example of Joseph and Potiphar’s wife. In his view, all women were deceitful and temptresses. I didn’t have the energy to point out to him that the Bible was written to support the view of the patriarchy, to build a society where men were in power and to justify that power. This is what led to both the evangelical as well as the Orthodox Jewish view of women and the notion of Complementarianism (which you should understand — it is fundamental to why the toxic masculinity culture is what it is). I didn’t have the energy to point out the impact of three actions: raping, groping, and assault, on women.
The interesting question is: Why? What did Kavanaugh do to be rewarded so handsomely, besides his record of torpedoing anyone with the name of Clinton? It is his Belief that the President is above the law? More likely, it his position on abortion.
I have seen evangelicals touting the fact that Kavanaugh’s appointment to the court will protect the deaths of unborns. They care more about their interpretation of Christian theology and forcing that on everyone no matter what their religious views. What we have in this country is a compromise between the view that life begins at conception, and the view that human life begins at birth (a more Jewish view). We’ve compromised on the point where the foetus can be viable outside the womb on its own, perhaps with some life support. That is a compromise. However, in order to enforce their view, they are willing to put one of their own on the court, no matter what it takes. Never mind his temperament. Never mind his past. Never mind that he really isn’t Supreme Court material — that he’s going in to push one ideology.
All this comes from the notion that Trump was selected by God. A while ago, I posted a great article on why evangelicals love Trump, even with his behavior. Read it. Understand it. Be scared.
The divide in our country is growing. Intolerance and hatred is growing. I fully expect that if the blue wave arrives, we’ll see impeachment of Supreme Court justices on top of the President. I don’t know what can be done to stop it (the hatred and partisanship, I mean. I’m all for the impeachment.).
