Past Can Haunt You

As I listened to the testimonies of Dr. Ford and Judge Kavanaugh this week, I reflected on how one's past can come back to haunt a person. For Dr. Ford it's a sexual assault and for Kavanaugh it's his excessive drinking and unacceptable behavior in high school. I don't know who is telling the truth, but both have gone through a terrible ordeal and it's far from over.

So many women have kept silent about sexual abuse in the past but they are now finding their voice. With all the powerful men who have been brought down by women's accusations (e.g. Bill Cosby, Harvey Weinstein, Charley Rose, Matt Lauer), more women are speaking out. They are no longer stopped by shame or fearful of not being believed. They are tired of being victims. Girls/women who are abused suffer psychological damage the rest of their lives.

Many teenagers get carried away by the fun and excitement of the moment without thinking of repercussions or consequences. That's why there are so many car accidents and out of line behavior among young people. Parents try to caution their sons and daughters, but their warnings often go unheeded. Then later in life the excesses come back to haunt them.

Yet there sometimes are false accusations and we must uphold the tenet, "innocent until proven guilty." A thorough investigation is needed to find out who is evading the truth. It would be extremely negligent to approve Judge Kavanaugh for the Supreme Court in the midst of all the doubts and questons. Supreme Court judges should be persons with the highest character and integrity.

This is a teachable moment for parents and teachers. Explain to youth that if they want to be leaders who garner admiration and esteem, they need to build that kind of character now. And teach them to treat their friends and classmates with courtesy and respect.