Supreme Court Nominee

Should a person be judged on something done over 40 years ago?

  • Yes

    Votes: 59 39.1%
  • No

    Votes: 17 11.3%
  • Depends

    Votes: 75 49.7%

  • Total voters
    151
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  • #221
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  • #222
Well, if he doesn't get it, and loses his current position, ironically, he will be getting a fat job at some D.C. law practice, they won't be too picky. He would be snapped up in a heartbeat.
 
  • #223
  • #224
Sorry if this was posted already and I missed it.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/heavy.com/news/2018/09/james-roche/amp/

James Roche told the New Yorker that he has no trouble at all believing that Ramirez is telling the truth. He has not yet responded to a request for comment from Heavy.

Roche was Kavanaugh’s roommate when they were both in their freshman year at Yale. Roche told the New Yorker that he never saw Kavanaugh do anything sexually inappropriate — but he also said that Kavanaugh was “frequently, incoherently drunk.”​
 
  • #225
True story: I’m unable to tell you the address of my rapist’s house. I can’t remember it, although that’s where it happened. Can’t remember his brother’s name, exact year it happened, the name of the street the house was on. I can’t remember if there’s an “e” in spelling his first name. But I’ll never forget his name or what he did to me.

Personally speaking for myself only, it’s patronizing to tell victims “what you’ve heard that sexual assault victims should remember” as to discredit what a victim may or may not remember — it can come across as offensive and insensitive, imo.

This is what I know. Two rounds of in-depth PTSD treatment in the last 15-ish years. I’ve learned a lot.

Trauma can cause blanks in memory because, to a certain extent, you have to disassociate in order to deal with it.

It’s like a shooting pictures with a shallow depth of field or a macro lens. The things closest to you (the most traumatizing) are perfectly vivid, sharp-focused, clear.

Peripheral details aren’t captured with the same amount of detail in the traumatic snapshot of my memory. That’s how it works for me.

That’s what trauma does.

(I self-deleted a few other personal details here, sorry.)

MOO and all that, natch.
 
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  • #226
True story: I’m unable to tell you the address of my rapist’s house. I can’t remember it, although that’s where it happened. Can’t remember his brother’s name, exact year it happened, the name of the street the house was on. I can’t remember if there’s an “e” in spelling his first name. But I’ll never forget his name or what he did to me.

Personally speaking for myself only, it’s patronizing to tell victims “what you’ve heard that sexual assault victims should remember” as to discredit what a victim may or may not remember — it can come across as offensive and insensitive, imo.

This is what I know. Two rounds of in-depth PTSD treatment in the last 15-ish years. I’ve learned a lot.

Trauma can cause blanks in memory because, to a certain extent, you have to disassociate in order to deal with it.

It’s like a shooting pictures with a shallow depth of field or a macro lens. The things closest to you (the most traumatizing) are perfectly vivid, sharp-focused, clear.

Peripheral details aren’t captured with the same amount of detail in the traumatic snapshot of my memory. That’s how it works for me.

That’s what trauma does.

(I self-deleted a few other personal details here, sorry.)

MOO and all that, natch.

I am so sorry that happened to you.

Your description of the trauma and emory is very well documented in a Time magazine article from 2014 (Why Rape and Trauma Survivors Have Fragmented and Incomplete Memories). And is further supported by peer reviewed journal research papers (1 example: https://www.researchgate.net/profil...-of-womens-memories-of-child-sexual-abuse.pdf)
 
  • #227
Two Kavanaugh Allies Withdraw From Statement Disputing New Yorker Allegation

Two people who signed onto a statement sowing doubt about the New Yorker’s recent report of a second allegation of sexual misconduct against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh withdrew their names from that statement on Monday, emphasizing that they were “not present” when the alleged incident occurred and therefore “cannot dispute” allegations from Deborah Ramirez.

...

Louisa Garry and Dino Ewing, the former of whom starred in a recent Judicial Crisis Network ad supporting Kavanaugh (pictured above), initially signed onto a statement printed in the New Yorker report asserting that, as “the people closest to Brett Kavanaugh during his first year at Yale […] we would have seen or heard about [the alleged assault]—and we did not.” Ramirez, the statement added, “never described this incident” until this year.

The New Yorker said in an update Monday that the statement had been “provided by [Kavanaugh’s] attorneys.”

The New Yorker subsequently removed Garry and Ewing’s names from the statement, adding:

(Two students who initially signed the statement, Louisa Garry and Dino Ewing, approached The New Yorker after the publication of this article and asked that their names be removed from it. “I never saw or heard anything like this,” Garry said. “But I cannot dispute Ramirez’s allegations, as I was not present.” Ewing also said he had no direct knowledge of the allegation and considered it out of character for Kavanaugh, but emphasized, “I also was not present and therefore am not in a position to directly dispute Ramirez’s account.”)


(More at link)​
 
  • #228
I am so sorry that happened to you.

Your description of the trauma and emory is very well documented in a Time magazine article from 2014 (Why Rape and Trauma Survivors Have Fragmented and Incomplete Memories). And is further supported by peer reviewed journal research papers (1 example: https://www.researchgate.net/profil...-of-womens-memories-of-child-sexual-abuse.pdf)

Thank you, @kaen <3 <3 <3

ETA: That Time article is spot-on. Thanks again for the links. I’m reading the ResearchGate one next. Huge hugs to you, too, lady.
 
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  • #229
EuTuCroquet, I am deeply sorry that you had such a terrible experience, and doubly saddened that this is bringing back some very painful memories.

As far as we know, Kavanaugh did not rape anyone (yet).

Sometimes I think that it is important to look back at the time, before we judge people. For example, would anyone want to say they were friends with a slave owner? Yet, our constitution, and government was designed by men who owned slaves. Does that mean our constitution is junk? And should be discarded because it was developed by slaveholders?

The 1980's were a time when there was a casualness banter, perhaps inappropriate, but women were objectified. I remember my boss gave me a skimpy outfit for work, at 16, I was wearing hot pants and a halter top, with roller skates, serving ice cream at the Tastee Freeze. And no one thought that was inappropriate. The out fit rivaled, "Hooters", for poor taste.

So, things were far different, no one had discussed date rape, and college was a time before we had classes on sexual harassment. Just wondering if some of his behavior is looked at without the context of the time.
 
  • #230
Wait, what?

Kavanaugh is accused of sexual assault.

What happened to me was sexual assault. It was also rape. I was sexually assaulted and raped in the 80s.

It wasn’t OK then, either. If Kavanaugh did do what he’s accused of, he knew it was wrong. Absolutely. Normal people didn’t just walk around slapping young women with their privates at parties. Or pinning them to beds and forcefully attempting to undress them, or covering their mouths when they tried to scream.

That’s never been “OK,” nor has it been acceptable or the actions made by responsible, law-abiding humans.

Sexual assault has ever been “OK” in this country, regardless of what era anyone grew up in. Yes, it’s joked about. Yes, it’s inappropriately joked about. Yes, women are still victim-blamed for it far too often.

But that doesn’t mean sexual assault is or was “normal” behavior. Because it isn’t.

Kavanaugh’s been accused of committing criminal acts.

Full stop.

And completely, wildly OT, but our Constitution bans slavery because that’s never been OK, either. Same with child labor and indentured servitude.

Moving on.
 
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  • #231
EuTuCroquet, I am deeply sorry that you had such a terrible experience, and doubly saddened that this is bringing back some very painful memories.

As far as we know, Kavanaugh did not rape anyone (yet).

Sometimes I think that it is important to look back at the time, before we judge people. For example, would anyone want to say they were friends with a slave owner? Yet, our constitution, and government was designed by men who owned slaves. Does that mean our constitution is junk? And should be discarded because it was developed by slaveholders?

The 1980's were a time when there was a casualness banter, perhaps inappropriate, but women were objectified. I remember my boss gave me a skimpy outfit for work, at 16, I was wearing hot pants and a halter top, with roller skates, serving ice cream at the Tastee Freeze. And no one thought that was inappropriate. The out fit rivaled, "Hooters", for poor taste.

So, things were far different, no one had discussed date rape, and college was a time before we had classes on sexual harassment. Just wondering if some of his behavior is looked at without the context of the time.

I agree. Different time. Constitution junk based on the behavior of the men who framed it? No, however, they were not always honorable men. In Chernow's book on Washington, it is noted that Washington struggled the slavery but couldn't get himself beyond it. However, men like Lafayette did and created places where slaves could be free on lands that he owned. Doing what is right is more than a mindset. It is taking responsibility and making amends.

Yes, the 80s were wild and crazy. The behavior you experienced was abusive then as it is now. I am willing to bet the man who gave you the outfit would never have had his daughter in an outfit like that. I am sure there were people who thought it inappropriate--maybe not at the business but there were many people distressed about the clothing and the behaviors of the 80s---many .

Harassment and rape attempts occurred all over the place--especially when alcohol was involved, I agree this is also true. And, it was wrong. What makes the alleged Kavanaugh behavior so abhorrent is that it appears that it was wider spread in a certain time frame (high school to early college) fueled by drunkenness. If Mr. Kavanaugh fessed up to having had an alcohol problem, I would have some softness for his plight. I would still see him as disqualified but at least he would be taking some small measure of responsibility. I may not have been in the room or known Mr. Kavanaugh as a teen but the clearest thing that continues to come up is that he had a problem with alcohol or used alcohol to allow himself to have relations (i.e. attacks) with young women he did not know well.

When one of my family members began to work the program in AA, there came a time when our family members were invited to hear them speak at a meeting. Much of this person's life within our family was spent in blackout drunken episodes with no recall. At that AA meeting, this person took responsibility for those blackouts and offered that they were responsible for the horrifying things that had been done even with no recall. No measure of excuses, just an acknowledgement of the experiences that people had with them. For so many in my family, the actions the person took were repulsive, however, it allowed many to begin a small healing process that grew.
 
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  • #232
Part of what intrigues me about Kavanaugh is his seeming denial of so manny otherwise verifiable facts. Both in his perjury before the Supreme Court committee about his past.

Has anyone else here seen his yearbook entries from around the time in question?

Kavanaugh’s Yearbook Page Is ‘Horrible, Hurtful’ to a Woman It Named

The word “******” appears at least 14 times in Georgetown Preparatory School’s 1983 yearbook, on individuals’ pages and in a group photo of nine football players, including Judge Kavanaugh, who were described as the “*****” It is a reference to ****** then a student at a nearby Catholic girls’ school.

Two of Judge Kavanaugh’s classmates say the mentions of Renate were part of the football players’ unsubstantiated boasting about their conquests.

“They were very disrespectful, at least verbally, with " ******,” said Sean Hagan, a Georgetown Prep student at the time, referring to Judge Kavanaugh and his teammates. “I can’t express how disgusted I am with them, then and now.”​
 
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  • #233
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.ne...e-boys-club-that-protects-brett-kavanaugh/amp

The Boys’ Club That Protects Brett Kavanaugh

Kavanaugh managed to avoid testifying on whether he snuck a few beers past Jesus. But, as has been widely reported, the inside jokes on his high-school yearbook page list him as the treasurer of the “Keg City Club” and a member of the “Beach Week Ralph Club,” and make reference to “100 Kegs or Bust.” Close readers of his yearbook page have debated whether “Have You Boofed Yet?” refers to the practice of anally ingesting alcohol or drugs.

According to many graduates of Washington prep schools, the party culture described in yearbooks often created occasions for sexual harassment and assault.

More than a thousand women who attended Holton-Arms, the girls’ school from which Ford graduated, have signed a letter that describes the alleged assault as “all too consistent with stories we heard and lived while attending Holton. Many of us are survivors ourselves.”​
 
  • #234
I agree, if Kavanaugh had stated that in his past he may have acted inappropriately as a callow youth, blah, blah, I would have also given him a pass. His unequivocal denial is interesting. I would buy it if he had attended my own Alma Mater, BYU. Possibly. So, either he is an altar boy, being hounded or he did do these things and won't fess up...
 
  • #235
These terms have been around for decades, btw.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/heavy....-kavanaugh-yearbook-fffffffourth-of-july/amp/

Brett Kavanaugh & the ‘FFFFFFFourth of July’: What People Are Saying About it

Avenatti tweeted a cryptic message on September 23, explaining what he believed was the real meaning behind Kavanaugh’s “FFFFFFourth of July” shoutout in his yearbook page, as well as hinting of a knowledge towards other lines, too.

Here’s what you need to know about the speculation surrounding this strange phrase.

Avenatti tweeted, “Brett Kavanaugh must also be asked about this entry in his yearbook: ‘FFFFFFFourth of July.’ We believe that this stands for: Find them, French them, Feel them, Finger them, F—- them, Forget them. As well as the term ‘Devil’s Triangle.’ Perhaps Sen. Grassley can ask him.”

Urban Dictionary confirms that “FFFF” often is an acronym for “Find ’em, Feel ’em, F—- ’em & Forget ’em.”

What’s more, Kavanaugh also references “boofing” in his yearbook page, which is defined by Urban Dictionary as the “abuse of any licit or illicit substance via insertion into one’s rectum.”

As for the “Devil’s Triangle” term in Kavanaugh’s yearbook that Avenatti also references, Urban Dictionary defines it as “inserting your [penis] into all three holes,” or alternatively, “A threesome with 1 woman and 2 men. It is important to remember that straight men do not make eye contact while in the act. Doing so will question their sexuality.”​
 
  • #236
I agree, if Kavanaugh had stated that in his past he may have acted inappropriately as a callow youth, blah, blah, I would have also given him a pass. His unequivocal denial is interesting. I would buy it if he had attended my own Alma Mater, BYU. Possibly. So, either he is an altar boy, being hounded or he did do these things and won't fess up...

I tend to waver toward believing what’s documented about his past, including his own words from that time and peer experiences (his yearbook, peer circle, etc.), and then weighing it against what he says about it.
 
  • #237
"Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh put forth an alibi Monday to try to shoot down claims that he sexually assaulted one woman while in high school and another while attending college: At the time of both alleged incidents, he was a virgin.

“We’re talking about allegations of sexual assault,” Kavanaugh told Martha MacCallum of Fox News during a joint interview with his wife, Ashley Estes Kavanaugh. “I’ve never sexually assaulted anyone. I did not have sexual intercourse, or anything close to sexual intercourse, in high school or for many years thereafter…”

MacCallum then followed up on Kavanaugh’s assertion.

“So you’re saying through all these years that are in question that you were a virgin?” she asked.

“That’s correct,” Kavanaugh replied."

Kavanaugh floats virginity defense amid sexual assault allegations

Interesting to me........putting your penis in someone's face is not sex, nor is holding someone down to grope them and try and remove their clothes. If he was so drunk at these instances how would he know if he had sex? Why did the interviewer not ask about taking his penis out while drunk? Why did the interviewer not ask the question about shoving a girl in a bedroom and holding her down but not having intercourse? Specific questions would have been appreciated by me--so if he is seated on the court, he could be impeached for lying.
 
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  • #238
These terms have been around for decades, btw.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/heavy....-kavanaugh-yearbook-fffffffourth-of-july/amp/

Brett Kavanaugh & the ‘FFFFFFFourth of July’: What People Are Saying About it

Avenatti tweeted a cryptic message on September 23, explaining what he believed was the real meaning behind Kavanaugh’s “FFFFFFourth of July” shoutout in his yearbook page, as well as hinting of a knowledge towards other lines, too.

Here’s what you need to know about the speculation surrounding this strange phrase.

Avenatti tweeted, “Brett Kavanaugh must also be asked about this entry in his yearbook: ‘FFFFFFFourth of July.’ We believe that this stands for: Find them, French them, Feel them, Finger them, F—- them, Forget them. As well as the term ‘Devil’s Triangle.’ Perhaps Sen. Grassley can ask him.”

Urban Dictionary confirms that “FFFF” often is an acronym for “Find ’em, Feel ’em, F—- ’em & Forget ’em.”

What’s more, Kavanaugh also references “boofing” in his yearbook page, which is defined by Urban Dictionary as the “abuse of any licit or illicit substance via insertion into one’s rectum.”

As for the “Devil’s Triangle” term in Kavanaugh’s yearbook that Avenatti also references, Urban Dictionary defines it as “inserting your [penis] into all three holes,” or alternatively, “A threesome with 1 woman and 2 men. It is important to remember that straight men do not make eye contact while in the act. Doing so will question their sexuality.”​
Can't like this but thank you for the post.
 
  • #239
  • #240
If that don't beat all...the virgin defense.LOL
Wasn't expecting that one at all.Desperate times. IMO
 
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