Thursday’s Senate Judiciary hearing where the committee heard testimony from Dr. Christine Blasey Ford and Judge Brett Kavanaugh has turned a purely American issue — confirming a judge to sit on the Supreme Court — into a worldwide extension of Me Too.
Dr. Blasey recounted the traumatic events at a high school party in 1982 when she alleges she was held down on a bed and nearly strangled by Kavanaugh as he and his friend Mark Judge laughed. During her testimony, Blasey was collected and poised and her story was heartbreaking. After her appearance, women and men from around the world responded with support and shared their own stories of sexual harassment and assault.
When Kavanaugh was permitted to respond in the afternoon, he was angry and defiant in a way Blasey would not have been allowed to be. On Friday, only a surprise encounter in an elevator between a young sexual assault survivor and Republican Senator Jeff Flake delayed Kavanaugh’s confirmation vote, showing how easy it is for white men in positions of power to skirt sexual assault allegations.
Halifax cartoonist Bruce MacKinnon depicted the situation for the Halifax Chronicle-Herald Saturday and his cartoon is getting some huge international traction for its insightful interpretation. In the cartoon, a man with GOP elephant insignias on his cuffs holds Lady Justice down on a bed in the way described by Dr. Blasey. Warning: the image is startling, but clearly makes its point.
#KavanaughConfirmation #ChristineBlaseyFord #MeToohttps://t.co/UuXbH5zZ3D
— Bruce MacKinnon (@CH_Cartoon) September 29, 2018
The cartoon garnered some quick reaction, mostly positive, for its message. Me Too advocate (and an attendee at the hearing) Alyssa Milano and outspoken comedian Kathy Griffin were among those who tweeted out the picture. Many respondents said the image was difficult to view, but should be seen.
