Judge Brett Kavanaugh Is, At Best, an Unimpressive, Weak Human Being

I’m not going to lie. I’ve been angry at Judge Kavanaugh’s nomination. Sexual accusations notwithstanding, there’s enough evidence to show that he’s generally been, objectively, an asshole his whole life. But I’ve noticed that assholes often get what they deserve. For example, OJ Simpson, who got away with double murder, eventually got arrested for armed robbery. It’s not karma, rather it’s not-karma, where, in general, the continuing actions of an asshole will eventually bite them in the ass in the end. While I could give on-the-point personal examples, they could get good people in trouble, so I’ll refer you to The Sound And The Fury instead. Spoiler alert: Jason Compson doesn’t live happily ever after.

As I’ve grown older and been through serious shit—friends dying, acquaintances dying, Mom dying—I truly believe strength comes from a human being being dealt a bad hand and being able to handle it nobly. “My kids are grown. Some people don’t get that,” Mom told me after being handed her death sentence. After a life of kindness, moderation, and exercise. It’s not fair, sure, but she also knew it was not not fair.

Interestingly, women have been held to this standard of not showing emotion (which I myself haven’t mastered) for the last couple thousand years. But when a man shows emotion, cries, yells, it’s (to Republicans some people) viewed as strength. It makes no sense to me. Brett Kavanaugh is incredibly weak. If my past had been viewed in a similar manner—and I sure as hell have done some truly regrettable things—I would own up to them like a man. Own up for my actions rationally, as far back as they were. 

I’m not saying Kavanaugh will get his comeuppance. He is now is an incredibly high position of power. All I’m saying is, at best, he is a wholly unremarkable man. At worst (which seems probable), a terrible man. Not exactly someone deserving of his newfound position of power.

This doesn’t help my mental state. But I’ve been reading Richard Ford’s The Lay of the Land. At one point, the protagonist Frank Bascombe learns his acquaintance’s epitaph. It’s, “He suffered fools cheerfully.” I’m going to try to make that my mantra. Even if the fools have power. Because there’s more than one.