2016 Postmortem
In reply to the discussion: Tonight is the night I leave the Democratic Party and Democratic Underground [View all]azretired
(31 posts)I was a supporter of women's struggles before most of the people on this site were born. I took (and won) the first successful case against Braniff Airlines when it fired a stewardess because she had reached the ripe old age of 35. Under my direction my law office helped, without fee. more than 3000 victims of domestic violence. I have always believed the greatest loss in human history has been the failure of our previous societal arrangements to allow women and their brilliant minds and hearts to participate fully in the affairs of the community.
I want us to have a woman president. I want us to have a woman as chief justice of the Supreme Court. My old screen saver was Nancy Pelosi on the day she became Speaker of the House.
Given my orientation you would think I would support HRC. But I can't.
There are many reasons that could be given, but there is one single thing she has done which, in my mind and heart, forever disqualifies her for a leadership role.
As you can tell I am a lawyer. I was also a law professor in my early career. I have a lot of sad and tragic experiences dealing with many, many women victims of sexual and physical assault. For me, some rules are written in stone. One is that, as a lawyer, on either side of the case, you respect victims. You never lie about them. You never increase their trauma. And, when the victim is child, you handle your case as tenderly as you would handle a case involving your own child.
I was shocked a few weeks ago to find that HRC had represented a child rapist. As a lawyer, I understand we often end up taking cases we would not otherwise take. I salute lawyers who do that as a public service. But when the rape victim is a 12 year old left unconscious for 4 days and in counseling for 10 years, you do not laugh at her. Even if it were true, and the woman says it was an outrageous lie, you do not sign court documents accusing a 12 year old of promiscuity. Flying far away to find an expert to help you prevent what you laughingly call "a miscarriage of justice" is a bit much for any lawyer, but especially for a woman lawyer who exhibited virtually no compassion or understanding of the terrible trauma this young girl experienced. And maneuvering to get an adult male a 1 year sentence for the brutal rape of a 12 year of girl is not a feather in your cap.
So, for me, I cannot support HRC. The story was told, including a videotape of HRC talking about the case, a statement from the victim who is now an adult, can all be found in a piece by Josh Rogan on Daily Beast in June of 2014 entitled "Exclusive: Hillary Clinton took me through Hell, Rape Victim says. " Sorry I don't know how to do the link.