Is all common decency just slip-sliding away?

They long to be seen as conscientious citizens, wrapping themselves in a flag of righteous indignation, when, truth be told, they are nothing more than civic rep- robates.

If there’s anything redeeming about the outrageous behavior and reprehensible antics we’ve just borne witness to, it’s the begrudging acknowledgment this is the price the rest of us must pay for speech that is truly free.

But that’s not the way these anarchists see it. Any speech that doesn’t conform to their notion of how things ought to be is so unworthy of consideration that it must be shouted down, and anyone having the temerity to hold differing opinions must be confronted in restaurants or accosted on elevators.

We saw all of that and more on Judge Brett Kavanaugh’s calamitous journey to confirmation as the newest member of the U.S. Supreme Court.

What’s happened to us? While these vulgarians thumb their noses at principles and procedures the rest of America holds dear, you can almost hear an echo of Paul Simon’s “slip sliding away,” as background to the insidious disappearance of who and what we used to be.

Did the now 53-year-old Kavanaugh attempt to force himself on a schoolmate on a boozy night back when he was in his teens? He couldn’t prove he didn’t, and she couldn’t prove he did, not in a court of law.

The court of public opinion, however, is different.

Any parent of a daughter would be inclined to be empathetic toward Kavanaugh’s accuser. But wouldn’t the parent of any similarly accused son be just as empathetic to their boy?

In the hysteria whipped up by shameless demagogues such as Chuck Schumer, the word “alleged” nearly vanished, the way it did in the Salem witch trials, where empty vessels such as Dianne Feinstein and Cory Booker would have fit right in.

Twenty poor souls were hanged before those trials were declared a farce.

Halloween’s coming, so you’ll be hearing about it again.

Kavanaugh deserved better and so did we.

There’s sure to be residual damage from what was done to him.

How many attractive candidates will refuse to put themselves and their families through what the Kavanaughs just endured?

Suppose someone ambushed you with an uncorroborated accusation of something they allege you did more than 30 years ago.

Who can you say for certain would believe you? Where would you turn? Traditionally, our system of justice at least offered Americans refuge, and no one knows that any better than Brett Kavanaugh does this morning.

God forbid we ever let it slip slide away.