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Biden and #MeToo

Joe Biden, the presumptive presidential nominee of the Democratic Party, has a problem. Those competing in the vicepresidential sweepstakes to join the Biden ticket as his running mate have a problem. Most of all, the Democratic Party has a problem. What the Democratic Party has touted in the past as the proper response to allegations of sexual abuse is now coming back to haunt them.

Since the #MeToo movement went viral in the wake of allegations against Harvey Weinstein in 2017, leaders in the Democratic Party supported women who came forward to detail their experience. That, combined with Joe Biden’s own history — he authored the Violence Against Women Act, led an Obama administration effort to address sexual assault on college campuses, and voiced support for all women who raise similar allegations — puts party faithful in an uncomfortable position.

That is because at the end of March, a former Biden aide named Tara Reade claimed that when she worked for Biden in 1993, he sexually assaulted her. Biden, his vice presidential contenders, and many in the Democratic Party are now trying to figure out how to deal with the allegation.

Following mounting pressure to address the issue, Biden appeared on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” last week and denied the allegation. He also addressed the apparent hypocrisy between his denial now and comments in support of Christine Blasey Ford during the Brett Kavanaugh hearing. “Look, from the very beginning, I’ve said believing women means taking the woman’s claim seriously when she steps forward, and then vet it,” Biden said. “Look into it. That’s true in this case as well. Women have a right to be heard, and the press should rigorously investigate claims they make. I’ll always uphold that principle. But in the end, in every case, the truth is what matters. And in this case, the truth is the claims are false.”

Some in the Democratic Party — including those who supported Ford during the

India’s Hindu-Only Democracy

India has been called the world’s largest BJP’s landslide victory in parliamendemocracy. With its billion-plus citizens, tary elections last spring accelerated the it was founded as a secular democracy state’s anti-Muslim activities. For example, to be shared by a multiplicity of groups, Modi’s government passed the Citizenship languages, and religions. But that isn’t how (Amendment) Act, to create a fast track for the country’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party citizenship for migrants from surrounding (BJP) sees it. Instead, BJP and its leader, countries who are already in India — as Prime Minister Narendra Modi, have made long as they’re not Muslims. it clear that India is a state for Hindus, but This came as India’s state of Assam impleMuslims are not welcome. mented a National Register of Citizens to help

India has a Muslim population of 182 identify illegal migrants. Those not included million people — the third largest Muslim on the list live in fear of “statelessness, deporpopulation in the world, just behind tation or prolonged detention,” according to Indonesia and Pakistan. Concern over UN reports. Although originally intended to India’s growing discrimination against its protect Hindus and weed out Muslims and Muslim residents has gone so far as to lead the other “foreigners,” it turned out that some of independent, bipartisan U.S. Commission the 1.9 million residents who were excluded on International Religious Freedom to from the Register were Hindus. recommend that the State Department BJP officials are, nonetheless, advocating designate India as a country of “particular for a nationwide register of citizens. That has concern” when it comes to religious freedom. generated fear among Muslims that they will That would place the country of Gandhi be vilified and declared stateless. As if that and Nehru in the same group as such weren’t enough, there is also the government’s notable dictatorships, theocracies, and crackdown on the autonomy of the counthugocracies as China, Iran, Myanmar, North try’s Muslim-majority Jammu and Kashmir, Korea, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Syria. and the rights of its citizens, including mob Kavanaugh hearings — have made comments in support of Biden. Some have stayed quiet. But many, it seems, would like this issue to go away without too much conversation about it. That is not likely to happen.

It is important to acknowledge sexual assault even when it’s inconvenient and even when the allegations are against someone in your own party. And it’s important to support the people who come forward to talk about this difficult subject. Support does not mean unqualified belief in an accusation. Rather, it means providing a framework for allegations to be reviewed in an even-handed, open-minded manner. All of which is very difficult to achieve in general, and even more so in a politically charged environment like a presidential campaign or a Supreme Court nomination.

In this case, a thorough investigation will be best for Biden, for the Democratic Party, and for the electorate. We may not get a conclusive answer, but we need to try. JT

lynching and other violence against Muslims.

The Commission on International Religious Freedom has recommended that the United States sanction the agencies and officials within India’s government who are responsible for what it finds to be “severe violations of religious freedom.” It calls for U.S. diplomatic missions to work to “build capacity to protect religious minorities.” India is a significant U.S. ally, and has increasingly warmed toward Israel. But Modi’s government has rejected the report, calling it “biased and tendentious.”

The battle lines have been drawn. It is now up to the U.S. government to stand behind its Commission’s findings, and to speak out forcefully against India’s growing government-backed xenophobia and the targeting of the country’s Muslim community. Such a move would, undoubtedly, be a big step for the Trump administration. But it is a perfect opportunity for the administration to show concern, compassion, and leadership in helping guarantee minority rights while supporting a democratic government and strong international relations. JT