Kavanaugh vote postponed. Judiciary Committee hearing on Sexual Assault complain Monday.

[Anonymous]

Could you allow that it's possible that some girls, faced with the same circumstances, perhaps made a different decision? Or are you insisting that every. single. girl who has been assaulted would have told someone else at the time? In other words, you're 100% sure that all girls would have exhibited exactly the same behavior in that situation? Despite some here (self included) sharing their stories and saying that they didn't tell anyone?

Sure, if you will concede that it is not fair to assume that Kavanaugh is guilty because she says so.

I have asked a number of my friends--including those the same age as the accuser. Most think they would have told. Things like this are not usually secrets among teens.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Mid terms are lost cause. They will try to annihilate her to get him on SC.

I agree, it's very possible that GOP will ram this through because there won't be a lot of near-future opportunities to put someone on the bench even if Dems take house and senate in midterms, and even if there's a Dem pres in 2021. Also maybe this solves a lot of the GOP's Trump problem -- ram in conservative Kavanaugh, hand Dems both chambers, impeach and remove Trump, get Pence and go back to their establishment Republicanism.

They will just confirm someone else during the lame duck session. At this point, Kavanaugh pulling his nomination would probably help Republicans, as it will motivate their voters for the mid-terms, and McConnell will have no hesitation confirming Barrett or someone like that before the new Senate is sworn in.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Surely Ms Ford told at least her best friend when this happened.

Just stop. You have no idea what you’re talking about. It’s clear you are male by this comment. You don’t know the shame that is attached to sexual assault victims. The blame that society heaps onto girls/women. In sexual assaults the victim is always blamed.

I'm a woman-- older than Dr, Ford. I was assaulted by a date and terrified. I was able to get him to stop. I did wonder later what I had done to encourage this, but I also told my friends right away. No way would I have kept quiet. I have posted earlier on this. I would not have told my counselor. I would not have told my mom, but I DID tell my friends. Not telling anyone? NO. Especially, for a teen.

Okay, that’s you. My best friend in college was raped by a boy in high school. She did not tell anyone. I don’t think she really had a best friend in high school, which is maybe why. She blamed herself for going to his house (thinking his parents were home). She told me in college because we were talking about “our first time.”

Also, you probably know this but the vibe back then was not “oh I was date raped”—it was “oh, shit, I did something stupid and put myself in a bad place.” I was nearly date raped in the mid “80s. (I screamed until someone came and told us to stop making so much noise, and the guy took off. Luckily we were in a semi public place.). I didn’t consider what happened to me an assault until a couple years later when I was watching an Oprah episode on date rape. Thank you Oprah! By the “90s, people were talking about it, but not in high schools in the 80s.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why would Grassley exclude Judge from testifying under oath? Seems like an actual eye witness (or not) would clear up a he said/she said pretty quickly.

I think you know why. Grassley doesn't really want the truth. He wants to put on a show as though he does, but we all know that no matter what happens on Monday, GOP will declare it unimportant and they will move it forward. I think they will expend a LOT of political capital doing that, but they will. Because SCOTUS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Could you allow that it's possible that some girls, faced with the same circumstances, perhaps made a different decision? Or are you insisting that every. single. girl who has been assaulted would have told someone else at the time? In other words, you're 100% sure that all girls would have exhibited exactly the same behavior in that situation? Despite some here (self included) sharing their stories and saying that they didn't tell anyone?

Sure, if you will concede that it is not fair to assume that Kavanaugh is guilty because she says so.

I have asked a number of my friends--including those the same age as the accuser. Most think they would have told. Things like this are not usually secrets among teens.

Given the content of Judge's book, I think it's fair to assume that Kavanaugh is unlikely to have any recollection of whether or not this occurred. Given all the circumstances, there is little reason to doubt the veracity of her story.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Mid terms are lost cause. They will try to annihilate her to get him on SC.

I agree, it's very possible that GOP will ram this through because there won't be a lot of near-future opportunities to put someone on the bench even if Dems take house and senate in midterms, and even if there's a Dem pres in 2021. Also maybe this solves a lot of the GOP's Trump problem -- ram in conservative Kavanaugh, hand Dems both chambers, impeach and remove Trump, get Pence and go back to their establishment Republicanism.

They can’t do,that, their base are Trumpers, there is no support for establishment republicans.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Could you allow that it's possible that some girls, faced with the same circumstances, perhaps made a different decision? Or are you insisting that every. single. girl who has been assaulted would have told someone else at the time? In other words, you're 100% sure that all girls would have exhibited exactly the same behavior in that situation? Despite some here (self included) sharing their stories and saying that they didn't tell anyone?

Sure, if you will concede that it is not fair to assume that Kavanaugh is guilty because she says so.

I have asked a number of my friends--including those the same age as the accuser. Most think they would have told. Things like this are not usually secrets among teens.

It is always possible that her accusation is false. But that only occurs in about 2-5% of assaults. Figure a 5% chance she is lying, and a 95% chance he is. Where do you put your money?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why would Grassley exclude Judge from testifying under oath? Seems like an actual eye witness (or not) would clear up a he said/she said pretty quickly.

I think you know why. Grassley doesn't really want the truth. He wants to put on a show as though he does, but we all know that no matter what happens on Monday, GOP will declare it unimportant and they will move it forward. I think they will expend a LOT of political capital doing that, but they will. Because SCOTUS.

Or, Grassley wishes to avoid an Anita Hill spectacle. At least somewhat.

[Anonymous]

Makes zero sense for her to make this up. She has lots to lose and nothing to gain except abikity to live with herself going forward.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why would Grassley exclude Judge from testifying under oath? Seems like an actual eye witness (or not) would clear up a he said/she said pretty quickly.

I think you know why. Grassley doesn't really want the truth. He wants to put on a show as though he does, but we all know that no matter what happens on Monday, GOP will declare it unimportant and they will move it forward. I think they will expend a LOT of political capital doing that, but they will. Because SCOTUS.

I hope if they do, women organize a mega protest right before election, turn the house and senate blue and impeach Trump, Clarence Thomas and Kavanaugh. That would be justice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The GOP is going to shred Ford like they did Hill. They will stop at nothing to discredit women.

They have every right to assess the credibility of claimants. Very weird that you seem to think otherwise. Do you favor star chambers?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The GOP is going to shred Ford like they did Hill. They will stop at nothing to discredit women.

They have every right to assess the credibility of claimants. Very weird that you seem to think otherwise. Do you favor star chambers?

Hatch has already declared her to be "confused." Is he prepared to assess her credibility? Doesn't seem so.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Makes zero sense for her to make this up. She has lots to lose and nothing to gain except abikity to live with herself going forward.

Exactly. Not only is she already getting dragged by various media, people online (including Donald Trump Jr), and even Senators themselves, there are apparently people outside her house and workplace constantly, she's received threats, and so on.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Could you allow that it's possible that some girls, faced with the same circumstances, perhaps made a different decision? Or are you insisting that every. single. girl who has been assaulted would have told someone else at the time? In other words, you're 100% sure that all girls would have exhibited exactly the same behavior in that situation? Despite some here (self included) sharing their stories and saying that they didn't tell anyone?

Sure, if you will concede that it is not fair to assume that Kavanaugh is guilty because she says so.

I have asked a number of my friends--including those the same age as the accuser. Most think they would have told. Things like this are not usually secrets among teens.

Given the content of Judge's book, I think it's fair to assume that Kavanaugh is unlikely to have any recollection of whether or not this occurred. Given all the circumstances, there is little reason to doubt the veracity of her story.

I agree that it's unfair to say conclusively that Kavanaugh did it. However, given what we know about the prevalence of false rape/attempted rape claims--a PP cited something like 2-5% of rape claims are false--I'd say that it is highly likely that she is telling the truth.

Further, you can't reasonably conclude that all girls would have told someone after taking a poll of a few of your 50-something friends about what they would have done 40 years ago.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Surely Ms Ford told at least her best friend when this happened.

Just stop. You have no idea what you’re talking about. It’s clear you are male by this comment. You don’t know the shame that is attached to sexual assault victims. The blame that society heaps onto girls/women. In sexual assaults the victim is always blamed.

I'm a woman-- older than Dr, Ford. I was assaulted by a date and terrified. I was able to get him to stop. I did wonder later what I had done to encourage this, but I also told my friends right away. No way would I have kept quiet. I have posted earlier on this. I would not have told my counselor. I would not have told my mom, but I DID tell my friends. Not telling anyone? NO. Especially, for a teen.

Exactly. I'm am sorry about what happened.

We must do better to protect our kids and stop the insanity that leads boys to think that they're entitled to have anything they want, just because they find themselves in some position of power.

Perhaps it's the "do whatever it takes" mentality we think is so noble?