Christine Blasey Ford is the true hero
Regarding “A credible, powerful witness” (Editorial, Sept. 28): No matter what the outcome of the Senate vote to confirm Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the U.S. Supreme Court is, I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to Christine Blasey Ford for her courageous testimony concerning Kavanaugh. By coming forward despite death threats and condemnation by many Republicans, she has shown herself to be a true national hero.
Eleanor Fischbein, Alameda
Not the best choice
Rather than maintain the cool objectivity of a judge, Brett Kavanaugh bought the Republican fiction that the revelation of Christine Blasey Ford’s story was part of Democrats’ coordinated conspiracy to smear him and delay the vote to confirm him.
Furthermore, his demeanor during the hearing showed he has a hard time controlling his emotions. His lack of objectivity and his emotionalism indicate he is not the best choice for the Supreme Court.
David Wilcox, Walnut Creek
‘Subprime Court’
Regarding “Kangaroo Court” (Editorial, Sept. 27): With the rush to confirm Judge Brett Kavanaugh by the Senate while so many facts relevant to his background remain unknown, the country faces a new credibility gap. The Senate and American public are kept in the dark about thousands of documents relevant to Kavanaugh’s history, witnesses and affidavits are excluded from consideration, and with an utter lack of due diligence and transparency throughout, perhaps the highest court in the land will come to be known as the “Subprime Court.”
Alice Mosley, San Francisco
True colors exposed
Predictably, the Senate hearing shed no definitive light on whether Brett Kavanagh assaulted Christine Blasey Ford in high school. However, Kavanagh’s partisan and strident opening remarks exposed his true colors as a Republican operative disguised as an impartial judge. Were Democrats chronically predisposed to concoct assault charges out of whole cloth, they would surely have emptied the playbook against Judge Neil Gorsuch — the direct beneficiary of the Supreme Court seat stolen from Merrick Garland.
Of course, lacking substantive evidence, they did not. Kavanagh’s history of naked partisanship, combined with his predisposition to grant the executive branch virtually unlimited power, should disqualify him from sitting on the court.
Leif Haase, Kensington
SFUSD priority
Regarding “Lowell’s standard” (Letters, Sept. 28): The only thing I would add to the letter writer’s earnest and excellent defense of merit as the foundation for admission to Lowell High School is that San Francisco Unified School District middle schoolers should have priority over those with the means who opt out of public middle school to then enter the system to take a bite out of the district’s plum! Joe La Sala, San Francisco
Elect more women
As I sat in my kitchen watching Christine Blasey Ford bravely testify, I was absolutely dismayed to see the male Republican Senators on our nation’s Judiciary Committee working so hard to destroy a woman who is trying to speak up for herself and for all women. My takeaway? We have no choice but to elect strong Democratic women in November at every level who we can consistently depend on to champion the rights of women. That’s why Rebecca Bauer-Kahan gets my vote for Assembly.
Stephanie Sandberg, Lafayette
Trump’s playbook
While Christine Blasey Ford was credible, humble and endearing, Judge Brett Kavanaugh was belligerent, angry and almost out of control, leaving one to wonder how much worse he might be after several beers. But Kavanaugh successfully followed the President Trump playbook of deny, deny, deny, then attack, and then make yourself the victim. It played well for the president and has all but ensured his confirmation by a Republican majority interested only in getting a fifth conservative on the Supreme Court. Some serious questions remain.
If Kavanaugh is really innocent, why would he not support a full FBI investigation, or at least a subpoena of Mark Judge, the man who was in the room where it happened? Moreover, Kavanaugh’s claim of a left-wing conspiracy and clear animus toward the Democrats on the Judiciary Committee call into question how he could ever be an objective justice.
Unless something drastic happens between now and the final vote, we will have on the Supreme Court a man who in all likelihood not only assaulted several women, but will be carrying a serious grudge against liberals and Democrats.
Gary Cavalli, Danville
Personal experience
Regarding “Kavanaugh’s attitude has a familiar feel” (Sept. 28): Vanessa Hua bases her opinion on her own experiences of being demeaned by men. I find that the women who express real animus toward Judge Brett Kavanaugh use their personal experiences and raw ambition to make decisions. I have been called a “breeder” by gay men, I have been castigated more than once by women who are my friends for being a Republican and mostly pro-life except in dire circumstances and I have been improperly touched by men who were in positions of power. When I was a young woman, it was common for men to test the waters for a cooperative connection.
The look on my face most likely scared the hell out of them because no further actions ensued. Have these unpleasant memories and experiences caused me to distrust all men, for me to despise all gay people or destroy friendships? The answer is no.
Arlene Rubens Balin, Sonoma