Cathy s. Kushner
Kavanaugh has shown lack of fitness for court
Kathleen Parker in her column (“Looking beyond the sins of youth,” Oct. 3) suggested Brett Kavanaugh’s youthful behavior be excused. When judging a judge or justice, this is not acceptable. The National Conference of Bar Examiners’ guide for bar admission describes conduct warranting further investigation: making false statements or omissions, emotional instability, evidence of drug or alcohol dependency, etc. And the candidate bears the burden of proof. What has Kavanaugh proved to us?
Kavanaugh says he can make law-based decisions, regardless of popularity or personal beliefs. At the hearings, he displayed emotion and anger, sidestepped uncomfortable questions and blamed his political opponents. Can we trust him to act according to his professed values when the evidence is otherwise?
Whatever the truth, the optics of his confirmation would be jarring. If seated, we will have a justice accused of heinous behavior. Someone with strong character would spare the country this spectacle by ending his candidacy. His
confirmation would confirm women’s continued oppression and objectification. His perseverance speaks louder than his lack of memory.
Kavanaugh is devoid of important attributes necessary to decide cases affecting our nation for decades to come. He shows disregard for his party, our country and for women who have spoken out. It’s all about him. Where is his compassion for all of us?
Philosopher Maimonides called on judges to be free from all suspicion around conduct. Kavanaugh is not free from suspicion and has no place on our highest court.
Opposition to Saratoga shelter is shortsighted
I saw that Saratoga Springs residents have managed to stop the building of a Code Blue shelter (“Judge blocks shelter’s construction” Sept. 26). My question is: What now? No one tries to build a shelter where there are no homeless people, which leaves two undeniable facts: homeless people are in their neighborhood and cold weather is coming.
Contrary to common but illinformed belief, shelters are not tourist facilities but responses to actual facts of a locality. No one is driving to it, they are walking. They are there, in the neighborhood, all the time. What I cannot grasp is how it could be better to have someone’s daughter come out the house and find a dead street person on the deck than to have that person in a warm, dedicated — and supervised — facility. Nearby residents may be concerned about house prices but being known as “the house where the street guy froze to death leaning against the garage door” does not make great sales copy.
It is sad that the fact most ignored is that each one of these individuals is someone’s son or daughter, niece or nephew, brother or sister, mother or father; every one of them doing what they need just to stay alive another day. I would not last 48 hours doing what they do. Wouldn’t it be humane to let them have a hot meal and a warm, safe bed for just part of the year?
And, yes, I have a shelter, supported-living residence and group homes right in my neighborhood, and I am a homeowner.