In the aftermath of Ford v. Kavanagh, as it relates to the messages a nomination and confirmation of the accused would send, separating connotations from denotations will be extremely difficult. To many, it will seem that the affirming senators will be saying that a woman’s credible testimony of allegations of sexual assault by a man of power have no chance of receiving justice. This appears to be true even in the face of the ABA calling for the Senate to seek an FBI investigation of Kavanagh.
Whether or not the affirming senators intend to send this message is another thing. But again, in this case, the connotations seem to stem from the denotation(s). The words and emotions both the accused and Sen. Graham displayed seem like the antics of creatures of hubris trapped in a corner rather than the leadership of men of humility demonstrating to the country their goodwill, innocence, judicial fairness, and integrity. They seem to be saying that there is no chance of even having a judiciary that will be fair and impartial to women’s cries for justice. It seems that they are telling the US citizenry that winning a seat on the court is more important than administering the fair and impartial justice we hope the accused would give if appointed to the court.
Why add another man to the court who has accusations of misconduct toward women flying over his head? We have enough justices in the country who have clean records and lives of integrity who are qualified to serve the high court such that we could nominate someone else.
Yes, people change. I am the first to scream for an infusion of grace and mercy mixed with justice when guilty people of changed lives come clean about their pasts. In fact, the guilty who do not come clean need advocates of grace and mercy, too, so that they might come clean about their pasts and presents. Jesus can change and clean anyone, and, for the sake of the victim and for law itself, we must serve justice, mingled with mercy, even to those who have changed.
