Kavanaugh & The Failed Nation

This post was due weeks ago. It was due at the height of the Kavanaugh situation....or so I thought. I started this post and then stopped for a bit. During that break there was a number of people who expressed their clear disagreement with the government and the decision made to confirm Kavanaugh. When I learned about the results on Kavanaugh, I was disappointed. This was some of the most disappointed political news I had read in a while. News worse than when Trump had won the election. As a woman, I felt as though I had been failed. As a constituent, I felt as though, despite many calls to Thom Tillis, I had been failed. This was the opportunity for American leaders to show us the integrity we think they often lack but they just proved us to be right. I want it to be clear that all people, both men and women, were/are upset, angry, confused over the ordeal. In the fight of politics, the people that are supposed to serve and protect all of us have failed us. The immoral system built by white males still thrives today. If a nation that strives for liberty and justice for all denies that to one or more groups of people, it has failed. The system wasn't built for the equality of all. It was built to keep power in and shut down the voice of the minorities. Morally speaking, America is a failed nation.

It is 2018 and accused sexual predator, Brett Kavanaugh has been sworn in as an associate justice of the U. S. Supreme Court filling the seat of the retired Justice Anthony Kennedy. The votes to confirm Kavanaugh fell along party lines with a 50-48 count. The president voted for Kavanaugh along with 48 Republicans and 1 Democrat. One Republican was absent and one that would have against Kavanaugh has abstained. There are plenty of things that should be taken away from the situation. We should first acknowledge that this was a party battle and despite efforts to take morals into full consideration, it was not done. We should also acknowledge the clear privilege of some in this country. If anyone had any question about the privilege of a male, this is the clear example that could be used. If anyone had any question about injustice in this "great" nation, this is one of many examples that could be used. Three women came forward about assault that they faced and the first action wasn't to consider the accusations, but to immediately attack their character and to wonder if they're prominent enough in society to take these accusations seriously.

This situation set the tone for the treatment of women in this nation. People say that women are completely free here, but are we? I've mentioned before in "The Encounter" about how telling women to be quiet or if they don't like something to go to another country they deem to be worse is just as worse as being in an oppressive state. I say this because it teaches women and girls a couple things like they shouldn't speak up, what they have to say doesn't matter because they're in America, and if what they say is taken into consideration it's only done so by the liberty of a man. If a woman does speak up, her voice may be minimized and disregarded. She could be attacked or shunned in some way. Women are equal? People came away from this Kavanaugh situation worried for their sons. They weren't worried for their daughters, but they were worried that their sons would be accused of sexual assault. We see the President attacking the women involved and apologizing to Kavanaugh. America has clearly failed it's women.

One can only hope that society can learn from this situation....and that Bret Kavanaugh is impeached from his seat. Men have to learn and be taught as boys that sexual assault in any form is not okay. Men have to held accountable for all actions. We shouldn't make excuses for their actions and those who support them especially in such a fragile situation. The same energy is not given out to women? If we aren't holding our leaders accountable then how can we expect for any one else to be held accountable for their actions? Until all accountability is held, America will remain a failed nation.

If you have been affected by sexual assault, know that you are not alone and there are resources there  for you. You matter, your voice matters.
National Sexual Assault Hotline
Call 1-800-656-4673 (Available 24/7)

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