Two posts at Hullabaloo on the ramifications of Thursday's Senate Judiciary hearings on the confirmation of Brett Kavanaugh and the testimony of Dr. Christine Blasey Ford.
First, from Digby, some comments on how privileged white males react to having their status questioned:
She also looks at Lindsey Graham's tantrum. She doesn't even really have to say anything: he did it all himself.
And from Tom Sullivan, a broader perspective on the reaction to things like women acting as though they were actually people:
That's privilege under assault speaking: how dare anyone question his right to have whatever he wants, whenever he wants it.
This is not the first time human society has undergone upheavals. This one, however, is aimed right at the root of the social structure. It's an assault that's implicit in our founding, by inference if not by outright statement: We are all equal.
Period.
First, from Digby, some comments on how privileged white males react to having their status questioned:
I'm not a lawyer but I would imagine that if one has a client who has been accused of sexual assault it would not be an obvious strategy to have him angrily yell and cry in red-faced fury denying that he could ever do something so terrible. Neither would it seem to be a good idea for a man in such a position to arrogantly behave as if it's an affront that someone with his elite credentials should ever even be asked to answer to such charges. One would think that any good lawyer would want her client to present himself as a sober, thoughtful, empathetic person, willingly answering questions and submitting himself to whatever inquiries would clear his name.
She also looks at Lindsey Graham's tantrum. She doesn't even really have to say anything: he did it all himself.
And from Tom Sullivan, a broader perspective on the reaction to things like women acting as though they were actually people:
We stand at the nexus between the world that was and the world that will be, observed Eugene Robinson on MSNBC. The dying one will not let go without a fight.
Make no mistake: The drama in the Senate today was about power. On one side, the power of men who harass or abuse women and get away with it, the power of privileged white men to entrench their power on the Court, the power of men to take away a woman’s control of her own body.
— Robert Reich (@RBReich) September 28, 2018
The privileged believe high status is theirs by birthright (or by virtue of highly superior genes, if one believes Donald Trump). The privileged rule according to race and gender. Challenged, they fight back. Viciously and loudly, as Brett Kavanaugh did through tears:
"This whole two-week effort has been a calculated and orchestrated political hit, fueled with apparent pent-up anger about President Trump and the 2016 election. Fear that has been unfairly stoked about my judicial record. Revenge on behalf of the Clintons. And millions of dollars in money from outside left-wing opposition groups."
That's privilege under assault speaking: how dare anyone question his right to have whatever he wants, whenever he wants it.
This is not the first time human society has undergone upheavals. This one, however, is aimed right at the root of the social structure. It's an assault that's implicit in our founding, by inference if not by outright statement: We are all equal.
Period.
