The unspeakable question: Does it matter what Kavanaugh did in high school?

They say there are no correct answers to questions of opinions and feelings. This is actually not entirely true when it comes to certain things such as bigotry, abuse, and sexual misconduct. In today’s society, there’s a correct answer to the question of whether Brett Kavanaugh should be confirmed if accusations of sexual misconduct are true. That answer is a resounding “NO”… at least publicly.

To me, the answer is “No” whether I’m in public or private. I believe if Christine Blasey Ford’s story is true, then Kavanaugh should not be a Supreme Court justice. With that said, I also understand the other argument, the one that nobody is making in public. That argument can be made by answering one question…

Do the aggressive actions of a high school student follow them all the way through to their 50s?

By “aggressive actions,” I mean specifically Ford’s accusations. The most recent accusation that paints a picture of a kid at parties in the 80s “grinding” on girls and playing with their clothes is what drunk teens do. I also see absolutely no credibility in the accusation that he exposed himself at a college party. Ford’s is the only accusation that matters to me, and as I said, if that is true then he is disqualified in my books.

But I still understand other perspectives. Privately (they’d never say it in public), a group of friends discussing it put me in the minority. Three women, two men, and I were discussing whether or not his alleged act of sexual abuse in high school 36-years-ago is enough to keep him out of the Supreme Court. I was a little surprised to find that only I and one of my male friends thought it should.

The argument they made against holding him accountable now is that we all did stupid things in high school, especially when drinking. Should he have been punished then? Yes. Should he and the nation be punished now for the drunken actions of a high school student? Four of the six in my little group said no.

This is going to be played out in the political arena. The court of public opinion has no real say until the midterms. How will each side leverage their position if they do or do not confirm him?