We believed her, then and now

Anita Hill was not the first woman we heard speaking openly of sexual pressure and abuse from a supervisor.  She probably was the most prominent and important woman to put her job on the line, to tell an important truth. But the supervisor to watch out for was common knowledge among all the working women of most any establishment, from the factory floor to the offices with windows.

We all recognized her words, and thought and said, “Tell it, Anita!” The disappointment at the confirmation of her misogynist “superior”, Clarence Thomas, to the Supreme Court of this country was our gut wrenching reminder that little had changed, except a brave woman had stepped forward. 

Thank you, Anita, for helping the trickle turn to a brook, a river, the loud thunder of #metoo.

The current administration has unprecedented opportunity to load the Supreme Court with lifetime appointments of men who believe only white men have rights. Brett Kavanaugh has a dodgy past and a proven present of antipathy to tolerance. We need an in depth look at his stands on abortion, guns, climate.

And from the not so distant past of Mr. Kavanaugh’s high school days, a fellow student is brave enough to tell the congressional committee considering Kavanaugh’s appointment, “this man sexually assaulted me!”

The congress should stop at this point and consider the accusation carefully and closely. I don’t know what will become of it, but it must be aired. The man’s inflammatory remarks on matters that concern women must be examined. Birth control as “abortion inducing drugs” must be examined.

I believe Anita Hill. I believe Christine Blasey. I believe their testimony should disqualify the candidate, then and now.