New SCOTUS Judge

[sylvan8798]

For all those trying to hang their hats on the fact that other people at these events are denying any knowledge or carefully hedging their language ("I never saw him act like this."), a story:

Once upon a time (actually November, 1993), I was sitting in my consulting firm manager's office with him and the Human Resources manager, having an exit interview for a job I had just quit. A certain conversation took place regarding the circumstances which had lead to my quitting. Nearly a year later, I filed a discrimination complaint based, in part, on that conversation. I was ultimately savaged by the firm, and basically lost in the claim. The manager denied that the conversation ever took place, as did the Human Resources manager. She told me aside that she had kids and could not afford to lose her job because of someone else's problem. So it was 2 to 1 on the conversation. Did that mean it did not take place? Perhaps it was all a dream. Interestingly, they also claimed that since I didn't file a complaint for nearly A WHOLE FRICKING YEAR that the events in question did not take place. Meanwhile, by filing the complaint in the small local community in this profession, I basically burned my bridges. Fortunately, I knew that at the time and had no intention of ever working at that profession again.

The point is that there are plenty of reasons why these other people would deny these stories, including not wanting to be dragged into the mire, getting death threats, etc. Some of them might support Kavanaugh's nomination, so they don't want to be the ones to torpedo it. People savaged me and lied about me to preserve their jobs or to save a few thousand dollars that it would have taken to get rid of me.

 

[Skeptic Ginger]

No one anywhere is saying that "Rape is A-Ok," jesus christ.

"Potential rapist" is like everybody, yeah?

Anywhere? There are more than a few people who have publicly dismissed high school rapists because it's just kids partying. That includes judges deciding sentencing for convicted teen rapists.

 

[Minoosh]

Trump tweets

"Brett Kavanaugh and his wife, Ashley, will be interviewed tonight at 7pmE on @marthamaccallum @FoxNews. This is an outstanding family who must be treated fairly!"

Maybe it shouldn't work like this, but the very fact that he's doing a televised interview is enough to turn me off. It doesn't help that it's Fox, but I'm pretty sure I'd feel this way if he was on MSNBC as well instead. Judges should be above all that IMO. If not in actuality, in appearance. Let the Senate do its due diligence; Kavanaugh's job is to testify under oath.

But it doesn't help that he's on the one outlet Trump hasn't damned as "fake news."

Also any document he's ever touched should be public record. Only if it contains classified information should it be withheld - and even then, there's a strong case to be made that lawmakers should be able to see this.

Why does Trump want this guy in so bad? I don't think it's about Roe v. Wade.

 

[Stacyhs]

Maybe it shouldn't work like this, but the very fact that he's doing a televised interview is enough to turn me off. It doesn't help that it's Fox, but I'm pretty sure I'd feel this way if he was on MSNBC as well. Judges should be above all that IMO. If not in actuality, in appearance. Let the Senate do its due diligence; Kavanaugh's job is to testify under oath.

No, he goes on the one outlet Trump hasn't damned as "fake news."

Also any document he's ever touched should be public record. Only if it contains classified information should it be withheld - and even then, there's a strong case to be made that lawmakers should be able to see this.

Why does Trump want this guy in so bad? I don't think it's about Roe v. Wade.

It's not. Trump doesn't give a damn about R v W. He's only concerned about K's stand on investigating/charging sitting presidents.

 

[Ampulla of Vater]

A background check is an investigation. No criminal record? No one ever said he had a criminal record as Ford never reported it. Nor did Ramirez. Most victims of that kind of assault never do. I never reported the 3 men who exposed themselves* to me or the guy who attempted to get into my car and gave me a black eye.

Yeah, but I bet you remember where you were and about when it happened.

 

[Skeptic Ginger]

It's not. Trump doesn't give a damn about R v W. He's only concerned about K's stand on investigating/charging sitting presidents.

That and not wanting any hint of defeat to puncture his fragile ego.

 

[Babbylonian]

Remember the old days* when we were supposed to be encouraging women to come forward regarding sexual assault and harassment? Good times...

*Two months ago.

 

[Ampulla of Vater]

The point is that there are plenty of reasons why these other people would deny these stories, including not wanting to be dragged into the mire, getting death threats, etc. Some of them might support Kavanaugh's nomination, so they don't want to be the ones to torpedo it. People savaged me and lied about me to preserve their jobs or to save a few thousand dollars that it would have taken to get rid of me.

Or perhaps they just don't recall something like this ever happening.

 

[Skeptic Ginger]

Yeah, but I bet you remember where you were and about when it happened.

I was attacked walking home from my friend's house. It was night, I can tell you about where I was but I couldn't name the street or say if I was 13 or 14.

He tore my clothes including my bra. I screamed and people came out of their houses, the guy then ran off. I didn't call the cops or ask the people from the houses to. And I most definitely did not tell my parents.

 

[Babbylonian]

Or perhaps they just don't recall something like this ever happening.

I grew up in the same house as someone who was being sexually abused and never witnessed anything. So, who cares if these people "don't recall something?"

 

[Stacyhs]

Yeah, but I bet you remember where you were and about when it happened.

Ford remembers where she was: in a house. She doesn't know what house. I was on a train. Which train? I don't remember. Some town we were stopped at in Belgium.
On another occasion, I was on the Acropolis. Exactly where on the Acropolis? Some bench that I could not point out now. But that one is more memorable exactly for the very reason that it happened on the Acropolis and not some unimportant house.
The one when I was 12 happened on a dirt road where my friends and I were riding our horses. What road? I can't remember now. Somewhere near where we lived.

I can give you the years of when these things happened because they were during the two consecutive summers I spent backpacking in Europe and the incident when I was 12 occurred during the only year I lived in that state so it's easy to remember. So my circumstances are different than Ford's.

I can remember that the man jumped in my car in the parking lot of a club I had just left. Actually a disco. I don't remember the name of it or where it was. The San Fernando Valley is a big place. Nor do I remember how old I was. Old enough to drink but before I met my husband at 26. I'd guess around 23 but that's just guess.

 

[Minoosh]

It's not. Trump doesn't give a damn about R v W. He's only concerned about K's stand on investigating/charging sitting presidents.

I'm not sure even most Republicans want Roe v. Wade overturned. It's become a kind of virtue-signaling. Like vowing to repeal Obamacare and replace it with something better.

I hope he's asked under oath why he just happened to pick Fox News as his outlet of choice (though Democratic senators could probably screw the question up). If he's giving these kind of interviews to other outlets, part of my objection goes away. Is he? Has he?

He's compromised. Sorry. Douglas Ginsburg withdrew his name because he had smoked pot. Something that was not a problem when Clarence Thomas was nominated later.

 

[Minoosh]

Can anyone tell me where I could find a transcript of his testimony so far? I haven't been paying attention .

 

[Minoosh]

I'm aware of the statistic. However, the statistic doesn't mean you get a free do-over thirty years later.

Especially do-overs with strategically impeccable partisan timing.

This isn't exactly "free" for her. I won't argue from incredulity because I'm not in her head but do you really think she's doing this for the attention? Or maybe she's getting paid?

If this is just partisanship, why didn't anyone try this with Neal Gorsuch?

 

[smartcooky]

She never reported it to local police

So?

Anyone who thinks that it is unusual for women to not report that they have been raped is living is delusionworld. In the 1980's the reporting rate of rape was about 25%, and the conviction rate of those reported rapes was about the same..... 15 out of 16 rapists would get away with their crime. I'd bet the reporting rate and conviction rates were even lower for attempted rape.

Thirty years ago, reporting that you had been raped, or that someone has tried to rape you was not like reporting that your dog had gone missing. It was a traumatic, humiliating and harrowing process, where the people you report it to would almost certainly be men, were totally untrained in dealing with rape victims, would almost certainly disbelieve you.

To a certain extent, some of this is still true today, and I can see from your posts that the attitudes of some haven't changed much either.

 

[smartcooky]

I'm aware of the statistic. However, the statistic doesn't mean you get a free do-over thirty years later.

Utter garbage!

There is no time limit on survivors coming forward. Victims can report what happened to them any time they like, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60 years later if they so choose.

 

[Cain]

I was attacked walking home from my friend's house. It was night, I can tell you about where I was but I couldn't name the street or say if I was 13 or 14.

He tore my clothes including my bra. I screamed and people came out of their houses, the guy then ran off. I didn't call the cops or ask the people from the houses to. And I most definitely did not tell my parents.

There's an important lesson here, fellas: Women have terrible memories. Unless it's something you did back in 1994, like forget to take out the trash, then they'll be all over you like ugly on Chelsea. ******' bitchez, amirite?

Anyone who thinks that it is unusual for women to not report that they have been raped is living is delusionworld. In the 1980's the reporting rate of rape was about 25%, and the conviction rate of those reported rapes was about the same..... 15 out of 16 rapists would get away with their crime. I'd bet the reporting rate and conviction rates were even lower for attempted rape.

Some guy at a bar once told me that a cop told him that most rape accusations are total ********. Plus, I remember exactly what bar this was and exactly what he was drinking.

 

[Stacyhs]

I was attacked walking home from my friend's house. It was night, I can tell you about where I was but I couldn't name the street or say if I was 13 or 14.

He tore my clothes including my bra. I screamed and people came out of their houses, the guy then ran off. I didn't call the cops or ask the people from the houses to. And I most definitely did not tell my parents.

You must be confused. I'm sure the man merely tore you clothes and bra when his watch became accidentally caught on them as he was innocently passing you.

 

[Minoosh]

Oh, gag me. Kavanaugh says, "I have faith in God and I have faith in the fairness of the American people."

So remember, if he's confirmed - it's God's will!

ETA: Thank God there's also a Christian left .

 

[sylvan8798]

Someone in the letters to the editor of the local paper suggested that Blasey Ford should be prosecuted if she cannot PROVE her allegations. I'm not sure what he would prosecute her for, but he would "throw the book at her". So there you have it. If you report a sexual assault and cannot PROVE it, you should be prosecuted for something or other. Seems like that would further discourage people from reporting these things, since they can be notoriously hard to prove to the satisfaction of all. Not clear what her punishment should be for failing to prove an allegation which she did not even legally charge him with.