By Donald A. Collins | 7 November 2019
Church and State
I just finished reading a national bestselling book, “Justice On Trial” by Mollie Hemmingway and Carrie Severino which is about the Brett Kavanaugh hearings in the Senate and the background involved which finally led up to his confirmation as an Associate Justice on the US Supreme Court on October 6, 2018.
Let me begin by saying that these talented authors, though clearly biased, tell what is clearly a powerful story in a way I found riveting and very plausible. More on my basic interpretation in a moment.
When I put the book down, I sat thinking hard about what they said and where women are today in the USA because of the January 23, 1973 Supreme Court decision known so well as Roe vs Wade.
In their political thriller “Justice on Trial,” authors Mollie Hemingway and Carrie Severino have provided the definitive account of Brett Kavanaugh’s ascent to the Supreme Court.https://t.co/KUXzvXhSjb
— The Federalist (@FDRLST) July 12, 2019
I felt impelled to write a book review immediately which I did on Amazon. Here is what I wrote:
Why would I, who have spent over 50 years working for greater reproductive rights for women, give 4 stars of a possible 5 stars to a book written about Kavanaugh’s ghastly confirmation by two highly religious females who likely eschew abortion choice?
One, because they state their obvious bias.
Two, because they document what they report with credible specific footnotes.
Three, because in telling the story both sides give the reader ample grounds for disgust.
Four, Readers get an education in how flawed the process has become which could lead to improving it!
Remember women worldwide were suffering from bad abortions and when Justice Blackman wrote his historic Roe opinion he triggered the manic forces of religion intolerance which our mostly deist founding fathers likely wouldn’t have embraced, but they couldn’t erase slavery either!
If following the rule of law is tied to obeying a belief system that kills women then the rule of law is wrong and neither side as was true with slavery could come to agreement without a battle.
Fortunately, medical science now has given us medical abortion and the real battle is the need to agree on human rights!
Many times in the book the authors refer to the importance of the “Rule of Law” as the ultimate guide for decision making in our democracy. This is where one must have discretion of the highest order.
Slavery was the law of the land when our founders wrote these founding documents. Many of them were slave owners and they let the utter inhumanity of that institution pass into future hands.
I just reread the carefully researched Blackman 1973 opinion on Roe vs Wade which has been attacked ever since as “legislating from the bench”. Rather than taking a religious stance, Blackman focuses the freedom of choice as it relates to the health of women and the primary responsibility of abortion providers to make abortion safe for the women.
Some final thoughts on the major political division caused by our failure to stop applying personal religious beliefs to governance, which has a long history of leading to tyranny.
In her testimony Dr. Ford could have been telling the truth, and so could Kavanaugh, but we will never know for sure!
One thing is certain: Both Kavanaugh and Justice Thomas will forever be labeled by many as sexual predators.
The abortion issue has turned many in our party and also many Republicans into a bunch of zealots who believe lying to the mass media is okay if they can gain their way.
That outrageous mode of behavior will continue to undermine our democracy!
My party in its present behavior—example—the impeachment mania—is playing right into Donald Trump’s hands!
The Donald could easily ride our current US prosperity, our historically low unemployment rate and the justifiable concern of many about the immigration issue to a 2nd term.
Furthermore, Elizabeth Warren’s extreme attacks on capitalism will help Trump if she is the nominee!
However, our party is good on choice, recognizing that the perfect example of slavery is to require women to bear children they don’t want.
Former US Navy officer, banker and venture capitalist, Donald A. Collins, a free lance writer living in Washington, DC., has spent over 40 years working for women’s reproductive health as a board member and/or officer of numerous family planning organizations including Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Guttmacher Institute, Family Health International and Ipas. Yale under graduate, NYU MBA. He is the author of From the Dissident Left: A Collection of Essays 2004-2013.
From the Dissident Left: A Collection of Essays 2004-2013
By Donald A. Collins
Publisher: Church and State Press (July 30, 2014)
ASIN: B00MA40TVE
Kindle Store
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