This cuts to the heart of the issue. Facts need to be looked at by the judiciary, in a fair but closed environment away from media scrutiny. Anonymity must be given to both accuser and accused or a media circus is going to ensue. Reporters know that. Journalists know that. It’s in THEIR interests to have a media circus, that sells papers and clicks headlines.

Until society can develop a mature and reasonable response to maters like this, then it’s going to continue ad-infinitum. People like Dr Ford and Ms Reade are pawns in a much bigger game of Politics and ideology. Useful, expendable and discardable.

The games being played are high stakes, last time it was the Supreme Court, this time it’s taking down one of the most reprehensible President’s the US has ever elected — and the complex issues are being simplified by ideologues. If someone doesn’t immediately publicly declare support for someone, who’s testimony (whilst credible) is also dubiously timed and has been woefully mishandled (as your article explains very well). If they fail to subscribe to the notion that someone at the point of stating an allegation MUST be telling the truth by virtue of asserting it…then they’re evil, traitorous and retrograde.

Whether or not they’re taking a more Utilitarianist position on the matter is discarded as unimportant — trying to keep immigrant children out of concentration camps for example or maybe they’re looking to save lives during the continuing Covid shit-show by offering a culpable effective federal administration? These are complicated matters being painted as though they are simple binary choices — and that is the problem with the facile direction these discussions have taken. Biden Bad, Reade Good, or Reade Bad, Biden Good demonstrates little thought for the position public figures are in right now. It also shows little thought for whether the direction being pushed towards makes the world a better and safer place for women overall.