AIBU in thinking a drunken 18 year old boy should not be called to account for behaviour 35 years later?

[longwayoff]

I'm conflicted. Brett Kavanaugh, nominated by Trump as a Supreme Court judge, has been accused of locking Dr Christine Blasey Ford in a bedroom and sexually assaulting her. This happened in the early 1980s when they were teens at a party and he was very drunk, she hadnt been drinking. She says she is 100 percent certain he did this. He says wasn't me guv.
Her televised evidence was upsetting and convincing. I believe what she says and feel she should have whatever she needs to help her. BUT. Drunken 18 year old boy/man. All these years later? Is that fair? To wreck his career now? Personally, I loathe Trump and all his works, so politically I'm glad to see a fail. But this is not sitting well with me. I feel I should feel better about this. Convince me please.

@karyatide
Beautiful post. Genuinely.
Coherent and well-argued. (I also think you have a flair for writing).

It doesn't apply to this specific case though, when the pitchforks are already being carried.

I did not victim blame. hmm I asked what happened.

No you didn't ask what happened.

You stated what you thought she'd done, and asked why she'd done it.

If you were asking what had happened you'd have said something like 'What happened?' not 'Why did she do xxxx?'

I’m confident he will be confirmed, but yes it’s a disgrace and yesterday’s hearing was grotesque.

America just seems to have gone too far down the partisan road and it is turning the Republican Party particularly vile. Seeing that Trump supporting lady on the news yesterday, with her two young girls, saying that if the allegations against Kavanaugh were true they are not big deal, was particularly sad.

The bloke behaved like a cunt.

I don’t get the bleating by Americans. There’s nothing new here, is there? The country has always been run (until Obama) by privileged white men who make the rules they judge everyone else - but not themselves - by. There’s a train of thinking that Trump got elected BECAUSE Obama got elected. They can’t stand it. They can’t stand anyone - one of their victims, a black man, a white female career politician - unseating them. They were founding FATHERS. All white men, who got where they got off the blood, sweat and tears of people they still institutionally regard as less than them. It’s engrained in the psyche of the ruling class. Changing it would be an endeavour equally long (at least) as the centuries that have passed since the country was born. Kavanaugh is just the latest in a long line. Hence the whining indignation: why meeeee?? This is my birthright!! [he honestly thinks this] Who the fuck are you to question me like this??

How do we know she is telling the truth? Why do we believe her and not him?

Because she seems extremely credible.
Because he appeared to lie during yesterday’s hearing.
Because there are records of her discussing the incident with her psychologist a few years ago.
Because there are witnesses saying she specifically named Kavanaugh in describing the assault before he was shortlisted.
Because she first wrote to her representative with her allegations when he was just one name on a list of potential nominees.
Because she has little to gain and a lot to lose.
Because there are other, similar accounts of Kavanaugh’s behaviour.

In the US, drinking when you're 18 is a crime in itself.

What did he say that was a lie? And what are the other similar accounts that are proven and not just based on hearsay?

"In the US, drinking when you're 18 is a crime in itself."

It wasn't at the time. The drinking age varied from state to state. Now it is 21 everywhere.

A start is to look at what each person has to gain from what they are saying tripletrouble the Dr seems to have gained nothing of value to her, the Judge is hoping to get a lifelong very important job. Who gains most by lying?

I don't see that whether he committed the crime of drinking underage is particularly relevant, however.

Underage drinking shouldn't be a major issue, lying about drinking is a bigger issue. You want someone in this role who is honest about who they are and what they did.

He did it, we all know that. I hope she gets all the support she needs.

YABVU
Yes he should be held accountable.
He is a liar too.

Just because he didn't attack you, your sister, your daughter etc OP, does not mean that this case doesn't apply to you, or all women.

tripletrouble
Here’s WaPo’s list of his false or inaccurate statements yesterday - www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2018/09/28/heres-where-kavanaughs-sworn-testimony-was-misleading-or-wrong/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.73abef15043e

As to other allegations, obviously none are proven or we wouldn’t be at this point, but there is Deborah Ramirez‘s allegation of sexual assault and Julie Swetnick‘s allegations (in a sworn affidavit) of multiple sexual assaults and involvement in gang rape.

What a drunken 18 yr old boy does is not only a sign of the man to come but a testimony to his very nature

I hope that the posters minimising and dismissing this as history or unimportant realise that you are part of the reason women and girls don’t report.

You are part of the problem, you are enabling men who rape and assault to think their behaviour isn’t that bad, and you are making women and girls who have been attacked by these men think they don’t matter.

I hope to god none of you have daughters.

I hope to god none of you have daughters.

Actually, I hope to god that they don’t have sons who will grow up thinking that it’s ok.

Actually, I hope to god that they don’t have sons who will grow up thinking that it’s ok.

I hope to god they just don’t reproduce or come anywhere near any child ever, these attitudes do not need passing on to the next generation.

Saw something on FB on this which summed it up for me.

The Brock Turners grown up to be Brett Kavanaugh who can then decide what happens to the Brock Turners if this world

Something like that! He could have pulled out of the process but didn't and I'm thrilled that the FBI will investigate and I hope a criminal trial begins too.

YABU

Actually, I hope to god that they don’t have sons who will grow up thinking that it’s ok

That’s a very good point. So aye, I hope they don’t have kids full stop.

Kavanaugh is not being "held to account". He is not, at present, facing any legal consequences for the alleged assaults.

If confirmed as a Supreme Court judge, he will sit on the court for the rest of his life, making decisions that may well affect women's bodily autonomy. The standard of proof is not the same as that required in a criminal case, in particular because there are plenty of other good candidates for the position. Merrick Garland for a start - bet he doesn't have a history of alcoholism and troubling attitudes to women.

Surely this was dealt with 35 years ago.

Why bring it up now. Only reason I can think of is he is "famous" so there might be a few dollars in it.

I am probably being cynical.

I am also find the wording a little off.

If you were certain it was a particular person then you would say it was the person. Not you are 100% sure it was a particular person. It comes across as though she has had to think if it was him in the first place. In which case she can't remember clearly without having to piece things together