By Anna Goorevich || Opinion & Editorial Editor
It is without question that the events from the past few days, and evidently the ones in the upcoming weeks, are going to be some of the most important in determining the trajectory of our country. Last Thursday, after weeks filled with rumors, hearings, news reports, and controversy, Dr. Christine Blasey Ford testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee about the assault she experienced at the hands of Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh while they were in high school. On Friday, the Senate Judiciary Committee voted to move the decision on Kavanaugh’s candidacy onto the Senate floor with a week-long delay to allow for an FBI investigation on Ford’s allegations. No matter what happens in the upcoming days, the results will have long-lasting ramifications for the Supreme Court, President Trump’s legacy, and, most importantly, the country.
Overall, the testimony painted an image of today’s America; Ford, with her powerful, steady, and confident remarks that assured her credibility, was pitted against an angry, violent, and resentful Kavanaugh who made every attempt possible to falsify the allegations, victimize himself, and discredit the stain on his masculinity.
In the wake of the hearing, the news of Ford, the patriotic heroine who is doing her “civic duty” (Washington Post), and Kavanaugh, the criminal who is attempting to get away with his actions, was unavoidable. Video clips of the testimony were played on phones throughout hallways, news articles were shared on laptops within libraries, conversations were held over meals at dhall, and there was a seemingly endless stream of Instagram and Snapchat stories in support of Ford, with a few even backing Kavanaugh.
Undoubtedly, this event will go down in our history as one of those “Where were you?” moments—A type of moment where everyone will be able to immediately recall the emotion, the drama, or even the pain that has engulfed this campus over the past few days. While everyone’s reactions, opinions, or feelings about the hearing are vastly different, the one thing we all have in common is that when answering that “where were you” question, we were all here, at F&M, together.
Now that the dust has settled and the emotions have calmed, we are left with questions: what comes next, what does this mean, and how do we want to remember this moment?
In the end, we unfortunately do not have much control over what happens next. Kavanaugh will be elevated to the Supreme Court or he won’t. Kavanaugh will be held accountable for his actions or he won’t—It all comes down to the Senators’ votes.
However, the climate that has ensued here at F&M over the past few days is not to be ignored. It is a truly powerful thing to be in the midst of such emotion, fervour, and passion.
It is timely that these events coincided with F&M’s Day of Dialogue where students, staff, and community members were able to engage on difficult topics. While a 24-hour Instagram story or the singular day designated for conversation is heartwarming, it is important that we challenge ourselves to keep this type of momentum, the kind filled with passion, pride and a fearlessness in expressing our opinions, for all of our time here.
It is evident that if our representatives aren’t going to hold Kavanaugh accountable for his actions, than it is up to us to do the work. It is crucial that we vote, converse, protest, and remain informed in order to properly act for and defend what we believe in.
Dr. Christine Blasey Ford is not only praise-worthy for her bravery, but also for her symbolism.Ford embodies what it means to be an ideal American; one who is standing up for her beliefs while risking almost everything.
We need a little more of this Blasey Ford-courage on our campus. Ultimately, it is our responsibility to ensure that in the future, when we get that “where were you” question, we are able to look back with pride on our time at F&M and what it stands for as an institution.
Sophomore Anna Goorevich is the Opinion & Editorial Editor. Her email is agoorevi@fandm.edu.