Le Sequoit

I'm Not One to Judge

KENNEDY: The June '84 edition of Prospect magazine contains a short article on AIDS. I know that we've come a long way since then in our understanding of the disease, but even for that time the insensitivity of statements in this article are breathtaking. It announces that a team of doctors has found the AIDS virus in the rhesus monkeys was similar to the virus occurring in human beings. And the article then goes on with this terrible statement: "Now that the scientists must find humans, or rather homosexuals, to submit themselves to experimental treatment. Perhaps Princeton's Gay Alliance may want to hold an election." You didn't read that article?

ALITO: I feel confident that I didn't, Senator, because I would not have anything to do with statements of that nature.

KENNEDY: In 1973, a year after you graduated, and during your first year at Yale Law School, former Senator Bill Bradley very publicly disassociated himself with CAP because of its right-wing views and unsupported allegations about the university. His letter of resignation was published in The Prospect; garnered much attention on campus and among the alumni. Were you aware of that at the time that you listed the organization in your application?

ALITO: I don't think I was aware of that until recent weeks when I was informed of it.

This is Ted Kennedy grilling Supreme Court Justice nominee Alito. You might think a guy looking for the #1 prestige legal job in America, a guy who has made his way through one of the most difficult law schools in the land and presumably passed at least one bar exam would not have such a hard time remembering things. "I don't recall". Its sickening. "I don't remember these guys wanted to return Princeton to the good old days of no women, no minorities, and no gays."

Yeah, right. And le sequoit doesn't remember anything about the SDS or the Yippies or the Black Panthers from those days. You say these guys advocated actual revolution? I don't remember any of that. NORML advocated legalization of marijauna? You're kidding me! NOW was pushing for an Equal Rights Amendment for women? News to me.

If politics were truth, and if I were being interviewed by one Ted Kennedy, the conversation would be much shorter and to the point. I wouldn't have to pretend that, although I had been generally considered fairly brilliant my entire life, I couldn't remember the general tenor of the propaganda of any group I belonged to.

No, my response to Kennedy to all this questioning of school days stuff would be:

I would think that we all have matured in our individual perceptions of
responsibility to our fellow man and woman since those days, wouldn't you agree,
Senator Kennedy?

As much as I respect Ted Kennedy for being one of the hardest working and productive contributors to government for the last 35 years, and despite my believing fervently that he is far more the champion of my well being that Alito, I don't think I could have blamed Alito for going that way.

It would have been perfectly fair. And honest. That's why you didn't hear it.

posted by sequoit @ 6:02 PM