The US Senate has voted to confirm Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the supreme court, handing Donald Trump a major victory and America a bench expected to tilt to the right for the next generation. Amongst the rubble, Lady Justice took centre stage and gave her testimony of this symbolic day.
“The Kavanaugh confirmation leaves a muffled bruise somewhere now inaccessible. The sedated certainty of this day smothers a shriek within. Rupturing the soft parts that hold together dignity, truth and civility, the assault to my being is just fresh. His palms now sanctified, my fists still tied, he swears in, I swear out.” Her tale fell heavily on deaf and bleeding ears alike. She persisted: “As we the people lay here, white-washed in our soiled state of democracy, we must continue. We could run; escape the shocking ultimatum of a worse day to come. But the most difficult truth blocks any way out; this is happening in my own home, in our collective presence. Where is there to go?”
An emotional Justice adjusted her blindfold.
“Today, I fell on a reflection of my tattered self. As Justice, I weighed myself first. Is this what I looked like last night? Could it be that my vote fell short? Was my protest not loud enough? Maybe my written and unwritten social contracts bared enough room for the insatiable flirtations of hungry patriarchs. But then I weighed the opposing balance and found an unbridled power amongst weaponized monkeys that will someday die. In battle first, of rot later. The only judgement to make today is that I am not the possession of any one man, nor am I alone.
Shaking, she nevertheless persisted.
“And the struggles to free me give me hope. For I, Justice, am the sister of Hope. Inextinguishable by the cold machinations of men, I will reclaim the tender pieces that keep me going. My persistence will be key. OUR persistence in the face of this trauma will be key.” Please, everyone that can. Vote informed on November 6th.