After a 50-48 vote by the Senate, Brett Kavanaugh is now a Supreme Court Justice.
It really is a scary time for girls in America, for women, for victims of sexual assault, and for people who have been wronged. Saturday, October 6, 2018 was a mournful day for many people across America.
Many people will talk about the political aspect of this decision: that as a Supreme Court justice, Kavanaugh will be serving for the rest of his life, and that his addition to the court also means more conservative votes in the Supreme Court. But these political details, I believe, are not the only reasons victims have chosen to speak against him. They also want to speak out about a very traumatic event that happened to them for the whole world to see.
Dr. Christine Blasey Ford did not choose to come forward with her allegations as a petty means of bringing down Kavanaugh. Less than 10% of victims of sexual assault lie about their testimonies, making the arguments that Dr. Ford is lying unlikely. Her decision to come forward with this confession, I believe, is a decision she made that she hoped America would take as a warning: a man that may have assaulted her is being considered as a nominee to the Supreme Court. Taking in such a man in our higher courts says a lot about what our country believes or doesn't believe in.
The investigations following the initial allegations were unfair, limited, and rushed. Senators who voted in favor of Kavanaugh talked about how Dr. Ford's statement was not believable enough, or that there just wasn't enough evidence to support her testimony. This argument can be made about both the accuser and the accused. The rushed investigation meant many potential sources of evidence were skipped over, and as a result, a better picture of the whole incident could not be made.
Such a serious allegation deserves more time to be investigated before being able to make further decisions. Republicans, including the president, have described the reaction of protesters to be of "outrage" and have made inappropriate comments about Dr. Ford and her allegations. Partisanship aside, making mocking remarks about a sexual assault victim's recollection of events is both a misdemeanor and disrespectful towards victims everywhere.
I stand with the victims who feel unheard and shut down after the news of Kavanaugh's confirmation. I stand with my fellow women and sexual assault victims who feel defeated and exhausted after protesting for a cause that 'lost'. I stand with girls everywhere who are still afraid of the many possible wrongs that could happen to them but feel like no one would believe them if they come forward. I stand with the people of America who feel as if a common value has not been upheld in the recent events.
Despite his appointment to the highest court in America, allegations brought against Kavanaugh will not disappear and will remain for the rest of the world to see. Despite his 'win' this past Saturday, the battle to let the voices who have been silenced be heard is still ongoing. It's not over yet.
These recent events will serve as a reminder for the future of our country. With Kavanaugh being sworn in, any changes we want to see can be achieved with our involvement in the government by voting. It's time to show that people should be afraid when they've done something wrong.
