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Volume 136, Issue 16
Thursday, October 11, 2018
Inside: • It’s Breast Cancer Awareness month and “thinking pink” to show their support by passing out ribbons and partnerships. Read more about the philanthropy in Contributor Kennedy Elaine Sanders story on page 2. • Lauren Leilani Johns is much like any other fourth grader- except she’s applied for public office. Contributor Grace Stout breaks down Leilani’s application to local office on page 5. • Columnist Nguyen Nguyen talks about the “chaos of American politics” and the relief following the Kavanaugh confirmation. His latest installment of “From the Other Side” is on page 6. • Will the Vols come off a bye-week successful against Auburn? Sports Editor Blake Von Hagen says it’ll be a challenge. Read the preview of the game on page 8.
President Donald Trump and Brett Kavanaugh, associate justice of the Supreme Court, arrive at a ceremonial swearing-in event at the White House in Washington, D.C., on Oct. 8, 2018. Olivier Douliery /Abaca Press / TNS
Kavanaugh’s confirmation leaves UT students motivated, outraged Neeley Moore
Assistant News Editor Brett Kavanaugh’s confirmation to the U.S. Supreme Court was considered a well-deserved victory for some on campus while others mourned the loss of a gruesome battle. The controversy of Kavanaugh’s confirmation was a conversation for weeks before the vote took place due to allegations from Dr. Christine Ford, who accused Kavanaugh of sexual misconduct while the two were in high school. Following hearings and a private investigation from the F.B.I., the U.S. Senate voted to confirm Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court by a 50-48 vote. Prior to the confirmation, the weight of Ford’s allegations created an uproar among both political parties who desired for their side to prevail. Even before Ford accused Kavanaugh, groups protested Trump’s nomination back in July because of Kavanaugh’s stance on women’s rights and reproductive issues. In August, a protest took place in downtown Knoxville against Kavanaugh. The student population of the University of Tennessee reflected the mindset of the differing strong opinions about the vote. For the College Republicans at UT, the confirma-
tion was well deserved following the amount of scrutiny and debate over Kavanaugh’s nomination. “We believe that the truth prevailed over the past week from both the FBI investigation and the Senate Judiciary Committee,” Savanna Jacoby, communications director of College Republicans, said. “We are pleased that Judge Kavanaugh is now Justice Kavanaugh on the United States Supreme Court. We believe he will always put the Constitution first.” The College Democrats, on the other hand, believed the confirmation to be a disgrace to the current political leaders. “The confirmation of Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court is a shame to the country and to sexual assault survivors,” Andrew Dison, president of the College Democrats, said. Dison’s belief is that Kavanaugh’s confirmation will lead to a negative impact on women’s rights due not only to his conservative beliefs but also to Ford’s allegations being unsubstantiated, which portrays a negative outcome for victims of sexual misconduct choosing to speak out. “Kavanaugh will be a force against women’s rights, worker’s rights, and minority rights for at least the next thirty years. There have now been more men on the Court who were accused of sexual assault than women
of color,” Dison said. “On a campus like UT, where sexual misconduct and rape is all too frequent, we sent the wrong message to those who commit those acts. Thank you Dr. Christine Blasey Ford for coming forward with your story and empowering more survivors to share theirs as well.” The Women’s Coordinating Council at UT feels equally as strong as the College Democrats on the subject of Kavanaugh’s confirmation due to the impact they believe it may create on the subject of injustice and gender inequality. Amanda Bryant, president of the Women’s Coordinating Council, was distraught over the confirmation but not surprised considering the attitude she has previously seen directed towards women who choose to report sexual misconduct. “While I am angry and disheartened by the confirmation of Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court, I am not surprised,” Bryant said. “I am not surprised, that in a culture which elected a president who brags about assaulting women, the outcry of American women has been ignored during this confirmation process. I am not surprised that Dr. Christine Blasey Ford was not believed. I am not surprised that she was mocked by the President of the United States for sharing her story. This is the reality for women in
this country who choose to report. I am not surprised, but I am angry, and I know that countless others on this campus share these emotions.” For students who feel frustrated by Kavanaugh’s confirmation or feel afraid, Bryant encourages students to join the Women’s Coordinating Council for their upcoming “Take Back the Night” event on Oct. 23 to stand for breaking the silence for sexual assault survivors. Regardless of political belief, both parties encourage the student population to take their own response to Kavanaugh’s confirmation into account when voting in the upcoming election. “I trust that each of us will be at the polls on Nov. 6 to ensure that we never again elect a Congress which would allow a sexual assailant onto the highest court in the land,” Bryant said. The College Republicans believe the situation should naturally motivate students to vote in order to do their part to ensure the Senate seats and local government positions align to their personal beliefs. “I think the confirmation process speaks for itself. The political division is in plain sight. If students want to change the process then they must do their research and vote for their candidates,” Jacoby said.