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2019-01-17 Home Front: Politix

President Trump pick to replace Kavanaugh on appeals court under fire

[USA Today] The woman President Donald Trump has picked to fill the seat on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit is coming under fire from liberal advocacy groups for her past writings on issues ranging from rape to race.

Several of judicial nominee Neomi Rao's controversial opinion pieces were compiled by the liberal judicial activist group Alliance for Justice and shared with journalists. Rao has been nominated to fill the seat left vacant by Justice Brett Kavanaugh when he joined the Supreme Court.

Buzzfeed News first reported on the Rao's op-eds, which she wrote in college and shortly after her graduation. Rao graduated from Yale University in 1995 and the writings were from 1993 to 1996.

Rao has not previously served as a judge. She currently heads the White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs. According to Politico, she is on Trump's short list for the Supreme Court if another seat on that bench opens up during his administration.

Here are some examples of what Rao wrote:
Perhaps there might be some way we could get her views on Affirmative Action, The Affordable Care Act, Global Warming/Climate Change, and Planned Parenthood....or a future presidential bid.

Posted by Besoeker 2019-01-17 08:01|| || Front Page|| [10325 views ] Top

#1 Here are some examples of what Rao wrote:

On date rape
In an October 1994 column for the Yale Herald, titled "Shades of Gray," Rao warned of the "hysteria over date rape." She questioned laws that say an intoxicated person can't give consent and argued, "a good way to avoid a potential date rape is to stay reasonably sober."

"Unless someone made her drinks undetectably strong or forced them down her throat, a woman, like a man, decides when and how much to drink," she wrote. "And if she drinks to the point where she can no longer choose, well, getting to that point was part of her choice.

"Implying that a drunk woman has no control of her actions, but that a drunk man does strips women of all moral responsibility," she continued.

In an April 1993 article titled "The Feminist Dilemma," Rao wrote that she agreed with feminist critic Camille Paglia, who "accurately describes the dangerous feminist idealism which teaches women that they are equal. Women believe falsely that they should be able to go anywhere with anyone."

"Although I am certainly not arguing that date rape victims ask for it, when playing the modern dating game women have to understand and accept the consequences of their sexuality," she said. "Some feminists chant that women should be free to wear short skirts or bright lipstick, but true sexual signals lie beyond these blatant signs."

On race
In a 1995 cover story for The Yale Free Press that focused on differences between men and women, Rao said that gender discrimination in Yale classrooms was virtually non-existent.

"But this should come as no surprise. Over the past decades, Yale has dedicated itself to a relatively firm meritocracy, which drops its standards only for a few minorities, some legacies and a football player here and there," she wrote.

And in a 1994 piece for the Washington Times titled, "How the Diversity Game is Played," Rao – who described herself as Asian Indian –assailed "multiculturalists, who separate and classify everyone according to race, gender and sexual orientation."

"Those who reject their assigned categories are called names: So-called conforming blacks are called 'oreos' by members of their own community, conservatives become 'fascists.' Preaching tolerance, multiculturalists seldom practice it," she wrote.

On multiculturalism
In the same Washington Times piece, she wrote that "multiculturalists are not simply after political reform."

"Underneath their touchy-feely talk of tolerance, they seek to undermine American culture. They argue that culture, society and politics have been defined - and presumably defiled - by white, male heterosexuals hostile to their way of life. For example, homosexuals want to redefine marriage and parenthood; feminists in women's studies programs want to replace so-called male rationality with more sensitive responses common to women. It may be kinder and gentler, but can you build a bridge with it?"

On homosexuality
In a 1994 article for the Yale Herald titled "Queer Politics," Rao again explored the ideological rigidity she says is expected of members of minority communities, in this case people who identify as LGBT.

She said that while gays "have established themselves as a minority group fighting against discrimination" and "trendy political movements have only recently added sexuality to the standard checklist of traits requiring tolerance," there was a major difference between sexuality and race or gender:

"People who tolerate women in the workplace and blacks and Hispanics as neighbors view homosexuality as a behavior – and behaviors, unlike gender and race, are subject to change," she said. "No one knows whether sexuality is a biological phenomenon or a social construct. The truth may lie somewhere in the middle."

Posted by Besoeker 2019-01-17 08:09|| 2019-01-17 08:09|| Front Page Top

#2 And if she drinks to the point where she can no longer choose, well, getting to that point was part of her choice."

Getting to that point might be but this doesn't change or excuse anything about the rape. So that's a problematic argument.

If the guy doesn't rape her but picks her pocket instead he could hardly argue: Oh she voluntarily put herself in that position so I could take the money.

Posted by European Conservative 2019-01-17 08:37|| 2019-01-17 08:37|| Front Page Top

#3 Women also have responsibility for their actions. If a drunk man and drunk woman have sex - is it rape? Don't treat them like children

Posted by Frank G 2019-01-17 08:47|| 2019-01-17 08:47|| Front Page Top

#4 The question is: Could consent be given or not.
Jut because you're drunk doesn't mean you can't give or refuse consent.
If you're passed out, that's a different story.

Posted by European Conservative 2019-01-17 08:50|| 2019-01-17 08:50|| Front Page Top

#5 "Implying that a drunk woman has no control of her actions, but that a drunk man does strips women of all moral responsibility,"

THIS

Posted by Bright Pebbles 2019-01-17 08:55|| 2019-01-17 08:55|| Front Page Top

#6 Her opinions seem reasonable and just.

Maybe she needs to wear a "Pu$$y" hat to any confirmation hearing(s)?

Posted by Vast Right Wing Conspiracy 2019-01-17 09:11|| 2019-01-17 09:11|| Front Page Top

#7 Maybe she needs to wear a "Pu$$y" hat to any confirmation hearing(s)?

Or if she could report that Pres. Trump asked her to re-heat some Big Mac's in the Oval Office.

Posted by Besoeker 2019-01-17 09:14|| 2019-01-17 09:14|| Front Page Top

#8 #7 Nominated for snark of the day!

Posted by SR-71 2019-01-17 10:14|| 2019-01-17 10:14|| Front Page Top

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