A moment for the constitution
I would like to commend Keith Burris on his excellent Op-Ed, “The Gotcha Society” (Sept. 23). He questions the righteousness of the #MeToo movement for ignoring “essential principles of justice… due process of law, particularly the right to face one’s accuser: the presumption of innocence: and the concept of proportionality — the punishment should, roughly, fit the crime.”
This movement seems to want to favor the accusers, especially if they are women, while convicting the accused, especially if they are men. Granted, many women have not been taken seriously in the past, (Juanita Broderick, Kathleen Willey and Paula Jones, just to name a few), but that doesn’t mean all accusers should be believed simply on the basis of gender. Mr. Burris wrote, “Social justice cannot be allowed to trump procedural justice, which protects us all and presumes innocence not guilt.”
This is relevant to Judge Brett Kavanaugh, the Supreme Court nominee, whose credentials could not be besmirched, but a lastditch effort to impugn his character from three accusers, has been used to try to derail his appointment to the Supreme Court. It should not matter how many accusers come forward, but can the accusations be proven? After all, Judge Kavanaugh has gone through six previous FBI background checks without a problem or these issues arising. Sixty women have come forward to personally attest to Judge Kavanaugh’s integrity and conduct with the opposite sex with compelling testimony as to his character.
The Democrats have tried to send packing other constitutional nominees (successfully with Judge Robert Bork, and unsuccessfully with Justice Clarence Thomas). I am thankful for the “old, white men” that Joy Behar of “The View” derides, who were our Founders, and who created a document that has been the envy of almost any country and protects all Americans, rich and poor, accused and accuser, powerful and the powerless, liberal or conservative. We should be careful before the constitution, or the rule of law, is dismantled. MICHAEL CONTES
New Kensington