Dr. Christine Blasey Ford

Political Party rules for women in judgement of Kavanaugh

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Dr. Christine Blasey Ford’s sexual assault allegation against Supreme Court nominee, Brett Kavanaugh, has sparked polarized reactions from women on both sides of the political spectrum.

“I totally believe her,” said Courtney Watson, 53, of the East Village. “I think he was blackout drunk and it’s totally conceivable that he doesn’t remember. But just because he doesn’t remember doesn’t mean it didn’t happen.”

Watson, who is the same age as Judge Kavanaugh, said that among her generation it was uncommon for women to come forward about being sexually assaulted. Girls at that age couldn’t confide in their parents because they were expected to be virgins.

“It was unthinkable to tell your mother if something happened to you because if she found out that you were at an unsupervised party and drunk, you’d be in huge trouble,” Watson said.

But while women have become more open to sharing their stories, the accusations have a brought a sense of fear to mothers of teenage boys about the current rape culture and bro culture in the United States that isn’t much different from when Dr. Ford and Judge Kavanaugh were teenagers.

“Most women my age with teenage boys are very concerned about a culture of toxic masculinity in the United States, where men are expected to have conquests and drink excessively,” she said.

Watson is worried about what kind of message this sends to boys if Kavanaugh is appointed. She fears it will say that can get away with anything when they’re teenagers and still obtain high positions of power when they’re older. But she is optimistic that if he is appointed there will be tons of backlash, which “will only strengthen the blue wave that is coming.”

Lisa Bloomstein, a mother of teenage boy from Dix Hills, Long Island, said she hopes Kavanaugh is not confirmed.

“He has shown himself to be partisan and is obviously biased by the way he presented himself in his opening statements where he accuses the left wing and the Clintons of taking revenge,” she said. “How can you rule on things in a fair and unbiased manner when he has shown himself to be the contrary?” said Bloomstein.

But Christy Hurt, a middle aged Republican, from Glen Oaks, Long Island, called the hearing a “disgrace.” Hurt, like the majority of Republican women support the confirmation.

“This is all a setup by the Democrats in attempt to stall President Trump from appointing another Supreme Court Justice.” Hurt said. “Why would you sit on this (the sexual assault allegation) for over 30 years ago and now come forward?”

Hurt said she doesn’t think that something that happened in high school, whether or not the allegation is true, should come into play now.

“The person that I was in high school doesn’t reflect the person I am now,” Hurt said. “People change and to judge someone based on what they did in high school is hypocritical.”

Natalie Korn, an NYU student, agreed that Kavanaugh should still be appointed, even though she believes Dr. Ford’s testimony.

“I don’t even think there should be a question of whether or not you believe a woman that testifies for being sexually assaulted,” Korn said. “But I do think it is suspicious that she’s coming out with this information at this very point in time when he’s been in public office for so long.”

Korn believes Kavanaugh’s moral character is not an issue.

“All politicians’ characters are compromised,” she said. “He is a qualified politician and has been in office for quite some time.”

New Yorkers march against the nomination of Judge Kavanaugh

Protesters held up signs as they marched through Midtown Manhattan Monday night. They were protesting the nomination of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court. Photo by Mikaela Gegelys

The streets of Midtown Manhattan were flooded with protestors Monday night, as thousands gathered to march against Judge Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination to the Supreme Court.

“It is important to show up to have these conversations,” said New York University student and protestor Sylvie Wilk. “We need to center the focus on those who are most vulnerable to this newest assault on the justice system.”

Kavanaugh has been accused of sexual misconduct by Dr. Christine Blasey Ford, Deborah Ramirez, and Julie Swetnick. But it was the testimony of Blasey Ford on Thursday and the rush to confirm the judge that led to New Yorkers marching. The march began at Madison Square Park, then stopped in front of the Yale Club, a private club for Yale alumni and faculty, and ended with a rally at Grand Central Station.

Morris Rakner, a graduate of Yale University and an attorney, is strongly against Kavanaugh’s nomination.

“I watched the hearing, I thought that Judge Kavanaugh handled himself very poorly and I think he was truly offensive,” said Rakner. “I think he would potentially be way too partisan to judge issues that had a political bearing.”

Samantha Schwartz attended the march to fight the gender double standard.

“I think it’s really disappointing that men get to grow up with this idea that their actions don’t have consequences,” said Schwartz. “With Kavanaugh in a place of power it shows young men that their actions don’t have consequences and it can get them into a place of power.”

In addition to Kavanaugh’s alleged sexual assault, some protestors believe that Kavanaugh should not be nominated because they think that he lied in his testimony. Dr. John Heon, an education consultant, did not believe that Kavanaugh was honest in the hearing.

“This (Kavanaugh’s hearing) is truly an indication that we are in the post-truth era,” he said. “Kavanaugh has such a record that we can’t say at this point exactly what happened, but there is enough evidence that things did happen that were reprehensible and we have to take it seriously.”

Heon also believes that Republicans should propose an alternative for Kavanaugh in the nomination.

“If the Republicans can’t come up with someone who is untainted by sexual assault, then there is a problem,” said Heon.

 

Protesters march against Judge Kavanaugh

By Alexandra Mathew

Hundreds of people marched from Madison Square Park, to the Yale Club and Grand Central Station last night in protest of the nomination of Judge Brett Kavanaugh.

“They don’t get no peace, if we don’t get no justice,” they shouted as the members of the private club for Yale alumni and faculty shut their blinds.

The protest came in the wake of Dr. Christine Blasey Ford and Judge Kavanaugh’s highly charged hearing with the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday. Despite Blasey Ford’s powerful testimony of being sexually assaulted by Kavanaugh, the committee pushed through his nomination. But they have agreed to allow a one week long FBI investigation into the allegations against Kavanaugh.

For the protesters at the Yale Club, this wasn’t enough.

“They’re just trying to ram the nomination through still,” said Susan Ryan, 48. “They’re pretending to appease the public and adhere to procedure, but in actuality this is a Republican interest agenda, it’s a corporate agenda. That’s all they care about.”

Many of the protesters shared their anger at how the treatment of Blasey Ford during the hearing was a direct example of how women are treated in America.

“We are being confronted with misogyny everywhere,” said Katie Cooney, 37. “Our radar for trouble is always on, we are always on guard and we see the direct psychological effects of how sexual assault ruins your life with Dr. Ford. We need to change the culture.”

The credibility of Blasey Ford’s statements 36 years after the alleged assault is what was most commonly called into question by Republicans during her hearing. But other sexual assault survivors said lapses in memory are common for survivors.

“She was 100 percent credible in her statement,” said Kathy Hayes, 44. “Being a survivor of sexual assault I remember what she remembers. I remember the laughter.”

Ryan expressed her anger at how sexual assault victims are left as the one’s suffering while their assailants never face repercussions for their actions.

“He thinks he’s entitled to this position,” said Ryan. “And it doesn’t matter what he did, it doesn’t matter that he lied under oath, their going to push him through. It just speaks so clearly to how we blame victims and don’t take their allegations seriously as a country.”

Wave of activism hits NYC streets over Judge Kavanaugh confirmation

Outraged and unapologetic protestors gathered outside of Yale Club in New York to rally against Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination to the Supreme Court. Photo by Casey Dawson

The allegations against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh have incited a wave of activism and conversation in New York.

Hundreds gathered at Madison Square Park, marched to Yale Club, and then rallied at Grand Central on yesterday.

Among the chanting of “Hey-Hey, Ho-Ho, Kavanaugh has got to go,” Sarah Whitman, 34, said she was frustrated by the process that might lead to the confirmation of Kavanaugh,  despite the sexual assault allegations against him.

“They don’t care about humans,” Whitman said, speaking about politicians who support Kavanaugh. “They specifically don’t care about women.”

She believes he will be confirmed.

“I don’t know why anyone would think otherwise,” she said “Looking at history, looking at what happened in the judiciary committee hearings, and looking at the motivations behind the Republican majority, it feels very clear that he’s going to get confirmed. If they were not going to confirm him, they would have already pulled his name.”

 

Protestors rally at Grand Central Station. Photo by Casey Dawson

On a much smaller scale, a quiet group gathered in Washington Square Park to show solidarity to victims of sexual assault. Many spoke of their own experiences and reasons for not reporting at the event organized by women’s activism group, “I Will Not Be Quiet.”

One woman, who wished to remain anonymous, spoke about her reactions to the allegations against Kavanaugh.

“I am absolutely disgusted by it, but I’m not surprised by it.” she said. “Like a lot of the women here, I’ve tried to report rape. It’s a commonplace thing for authorities to either think we’re lying or say, ‘well, you know you wanted it, you provoked it’.”

 

An event in support of victims of sexual abuse, organized by women’s activism group “I will Not Be Quiet” was held in Washington Square Park. Photo by Casey Dawson

Many of Kavanaugh’s supporters cite the lack of physical evidence and the time gap between the date of the alleged assault and when Dr. Christine  Blasey Ford decided to come forward. But supporters of Dr. Ford argue that negative and often accusatory reactions are exactly why victims of sexual assault are hesitant to report.

The pending decision was also heavily discussed on New York University’s campus.

Alison Biedron, an NYU sophomore gender studies major at NYU, recognizes the problems that people have with the 36-year-old time gap, while still echoing her support for victims.

“There is such a doubt, for men all around, even liberal people, to believe survivors,” Biedron said. “There is, in the US, ‘innocent until proven guilty.’ But, you shouldn’t be shamed for coming forward and immediately be called a liar. I think that students, especially male students, have a hard time with that.”

Biedron is sympathetic to victims, especially in Dr. Ford’s case, where many feel that her motivations are pure.

“[Victims] know that there’s nothing in it for them, except for closure,” Biedron said. “There isn’t a reason for [Ford] to come forward other than to tell the truth.”

Passersby walk by signs that read “Believe Women” near Washington Square Park. Photo by Casey Dawson.

While women staunchly defended Dr. Ford and other victims of sexual abuse, many were resigned about the outcome.

“It’s not really a matter of whether they believe her at this point, it’s whether they care,” Lena Friedman, a sophomore at NYU, said. “And I don’t think they do.”

Hannah Whitaker, a sophomore at NYU, believes that the discourse revolving around Kavanaugh and Ford is having an impact.

“I think it’s really redefining how we see consent, especially with the #MeToo movement,” Whitaker said. “Some people still see it as a bad thing. But times are changing.”

Whitaker said that it is unfortunate that men grow up in an environment where inappropriate behavior with women isn’t discouraged.

“That’s why the rest of us have to scream in protest, and really put an effort in to change people’s views, minds, and just change the people that are in charge,” she said.