National Divide

         On the heels of the NFL black balling Colin Kaepernick, and the tension between law enforcement and African American men resulting in fatalities, the country is taking steps in the direction of national divide.                        

          With a President known to some ethnic groups simply as “45”, the United States has been hit with yet another national controversy that threatens the unity of the country.

           Born in Washington D.C., Brett Kavanaugh attended Georgetown Preparatory School, a Catholic all-boys institution in Bethesda, Maryland. In addition to being preeminent in academics, Kavanaugh played football and basketball in high school. He graduated in 1983.Kavanaugh moved on to the collegiate level where he excelled at Yale University. He graduated with a degree in American History. From there, he transitioned to Yale Law School.

           Kavanaugh has an outstanding and very impressive educational background. An acquaintance from his past has an equally impressive educational resume.Christine Blasey Ford attended the Holton-Arms School, a private all-girls school in Bethesda, Maryland. She moved to the next level and earned an undergraduate degree in experimental psychology from the University of North Carolina. Ford received a master’s degree from Pepperdine University, and a Ph D from University of Southern California. The array of academic accomplishments led Ford to a career as a Professor of Psychology.

           Both Kavanaugh and Ford’s journey to excellence began as high school students in Bethesda. They traveled different routes, but ultimately followed their paths to success. An encounter from their past would be documented in 2012 when Christine Blasey Ford was in couples therapy with her husband. Ford alleged she was sexually assaulted by students “from an elitist boys’ school”. Ford failed to mention the boys by name, but she did state that the boys went on to become high ranking members of society in Washington.

           Conversations in reference to this attack which took place in 1982 remained private between Ford, her husband, and the couples’ therapist. In 2013 Ford shared the details of the attack with her individual therapist. Kavanaugh wasn’t linked by name to the allegations until July 2018 when Christine Blasey Ford noticed press reports stating Kavanaugh was on President Trump’s Supreme Court short list. According to Ford she felt it was her civic duty to make the incident public.

           Christine Blasey Ford went on record and shared the damaging allegations that Judge Brett Kavanaugh was a participant in the sexual assault that took place. According to Ford, during a party in 1982, a drunken Brett Kavanaugh pinned her on the bed, groped her, and covered her mouth to prevent her from screaming. 

           Ford went on to verbalize, “It was hard for me to breathe and I thought that Brett was going to accidentally kill me. They had the music turned up loud. Both Brett and Mark were laughing and drinking during the attack. They seemed to be having a good time. During the assault, Mark came over and jumped on the bed while Brett was on top of me. The last time he did it we toppled over, and Brett was no longer on top of me. I was able to get up and run inside a small bathroom,” Ford said.

           Kavanaugh didn’t see things the way Ford saw them. He denied the sexual assault allegation. He also stated he was willing to refute the allegations to the Senate Judiciary Committee.

“I am willing to talk to the Senate Judiciary Committee in any way the Committee deems appropriate to refute this false allegation from 36 years ago, and defend my integrity,” Kavanaugh said in a statement provided to reporters from the White House. 

           Donald Trump defended his Supreme Court Nominee Brett Kavanaugh, claiming the sexual assault allegations were a hit job by political opponents. Trump also posed the question why Kavanaugh’s accuser didn’t call the F.B.I. 36 years ago? In a series of tweets, Trump continued to emphasize Ford’s failure to report the incident decades earlier.

           On September 27, 2018 Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, and his accuser Christine Blasey Ford, testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee. The nine hour event consisted of high political drama. Ford told the committee she was 100 percent sure Kavanaugh was the man who sexually assaulted her at the party in 1982. Kavanaugh repeatedly denied Ford’s sexual assault allegation. An emotional Kavanaugh, accused Democrats of a search and destroy tactic to destroy his nomination.                                      

           “Your coordinated effort to destroy my name and my family will not work,” Kavanaugh stated. Kavanaugh continued his emotional testimony as he described his family, how the allegations destroyed his life, and how the effects of this process would linger forever. Prior to his comments, Christine Blasey Ford stated she was 100 percent sure Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her when they were teenagers. When it was his turn to speak, Kavanaugh angrily declared he was 100 percent sure he did no such thing.         

           Ford began her testimony to the Senate Judiciary Committee by stating her name, occupation, and educational background. She confirmed her marital status, and the fact she is a mother of two children. She admitted she was terrified, but felt it was her civic duty to share her traumatic experience. Ford went on to state the graphic details as she addressed the committee.

           “Brett’s assault on me drastically altered my life. For a very long time I was too afraid and ashamed to tell anyone the details. I never told the details to anyone until May 2012, during a couples counseling session. After that May 2012 therapy session, I did my best to suppress memories of the assault, but over the years I went through periods in which I thought about Brett’s attack,” Ford stated.

          Donald Trump gave Kavanaugh a strong vote of confidence following his testimony before the Judiciary Committee.”Judge Kavanaugh showed America exactly why I nominated him. His testimony was powerful, honest, and riveting,” Trump posted on Twitter.

           After the emotional testimony from both Ford and Kavanaugh, the Senate voted 50-48 to confirm Kavanaugh. The 53-year-old took the oath with his wife, children, and parents in attendance on October 6, 2018. Protesters crowded the U.S. Supreme Court building holding signs, and chanting “we believe survivors” and “hey ho Kavanaugh got to go.” Protest against the confirmation led to a total of 169 arrest. They were arrested for crowding and obstructing.

           Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh arrived for his first day on the bench with an unprecedented all-female class of law clerks. As a result for the fist time in American history, more than half of the Supreme Court’s law clerks will be women. Some see this move as a good gesture and others see it as damage control.

           As Kavanaugh slides into his new role, women activist are outraged. They’re outraged due to the fact they thought Christine Blasey Ford was credible and the process was a complete sham. Some have summarized what they witnessed to be political theatre. With the women having bitter feelings towards the results of the Kavanaugh situation and all of the other controversies that have taken place since Donald Trump has taken office, such as immigration laws, and racial tension, is it premature to say the unity of the country is weakening, and national divide is rising?