Kavanaugh’s Views Alarm the Far Right

Democrats fret that a Justice Kavanaugh on the high court means the death knell for a number of progressive agendas – meaningful legislation to address climate change; efforts to help low-paid workers and labor in general make up some of the ground it’s lost since 1980; gerrymandering that perpetuates minority rule – but most of all, a woman’s right to a legal abortion. They’d be surprised to find out that some conservative and anti-abortion groups oppose Kavanaugh’s confirmation because they don’t consider him sufficiently committed to their cause. According to Tim Wildmon, President of the American Family Association, there is deep concern about how he might ultimately rule on issues related to abortion and religion, and Christians for Life, a South Carolina-based fellowship, sent out emails titled “ROE VS. WADE protector Kavanaugh: Another red flag for Jesuit-educated BRETT KAVANAUGH.” Ironically, although anti-Catholic sentiment seems to motivate much of the extreme right’s animus toward Kavanaugh, their nominee of choice is seventh circuit judge and former Notre Dame law professor Amy Coney Barrett, a Catholic who belongs to an organization called People of Praise, which teaches that husbands are the “heads” of their wives and should take authority over the family. Female members of the group are accountable to a personal adviser called a “Handmaid.” Barret is seen as bulletproof on the sexual harassment front, and a certain vote to overthrow Roe v. Wade.