Remember when Democrats and squishy Republicans held up the confirmation of Brett
Kavanaugh as Associate Justice of the Supreme Court until he came back to the Senate for a second round of hearings that required he answer a whole series of specious charges against him?
The claims against Justice Kavanaugh were totally unfounded, but they still got a hearing and an airing.
So, we find it quite astonishing that the Senate, particularly the woke Democrats and squishy Republicans, like Senators Lisa Murkowski and Mitt Romney, haven’t called Judge Merrick Garland back to explain himself over writings in which he appeared to celebrate rape.
Our friend Rick Manning, President of Americans for Limited Government recently issued a statement urging the Senate Judiciary Committee bring back Garland to explain what he meant in his college writings a review of the musical "The Fantasticks" when he wrote "Most important are the Jones-Schmidt songs themselves, simple and engaging melodies with a few tender ballads like 'Try to Remember' and some hilarious group numbers like 'It Depends on what You Pay,' which provides a shopping list of rapes for sale (e.g. 'the military rape–it’s done with drums and a great brass band.')":
"While historical context does matter, Merrick Garland should be called back to the Senate Judiciary Committee to answer questions from his college writings that appear to condone rape and kidnapping. It is clear that in this day of cancel culture, that if any Trump nominee were to ever praise a song whose lyrics included lines such as 'A pretty rape! A literary rape! We've the obvious open schoolboy rape, With little mandolins and perhaps a cape...’, which was altered in 2006 by the songwriter Tom Jones, that they would be pilloried with no chance for response.
"It is fair to request that Judge Garland reappear before the Senate Judiciary Committee to clarify what he meant when he said the number, 'It Depends on What You Pay,' about rape was 'hilarious'. Cancel culture, which is effectively deleting Dr. Seuss from Read Across America Day based on post-modern interpretations of some of his works is little more than the French Revolution mob beheading anyone who ever aggrieved them. To end it, the left must be held accountable to the same standards as the rest of America. As believers in free speech, it is our heartfelt belief that Garland should be given every opportunity to clarify what he meant, rather than simply being cancelled."
We think Mr. Manning is being more than fair – particularly given that there are plenty of other reasons to oppose Judge Garland.
As we explained in our article “Call Your Senators Tell Them To Vote NO On Merrick Garland For Attorney General” the conservative leaders of the Conservative Action Project said in regard to Judge Garland’s nomination to be Attorney General:
We are living in a political environment where the Democratic party intends to use every lever of law and government to persecute their political opponents, and to legalize racism through the implementation of group rights. This is anathema to our nation’s founding ideals, as well as to the rule of law.
The Attorney General of the United States, as the nation’s highest law enforcement officer, has a solemn duty to uphold the law – which includes both its equal and impartial enforcement, as well as forceful rebuttals against the weaponization of our justice system as a vehicle for raw political power.
We are unconvinced of Merrick Garland’s suitability to this task. We urge Senate Republicans to oppose his nomination.
There’s already a lot not to like about Merrick Garland as Attorney General. His refusal to return to the Senate to explain himself over these newly uncovered writings celebrating rape should be the straw that breaks the camel’s back. We urge conservatives to call the toll-free Capitol Switchboard (1-866-220-0044) to tell their Senators they must demand Merrick Garland return to the Senate to explain his apparent celebration of rape, and to vote NO when Judge Merrick Garland comes to the floor for confirmation as Attorney General if he refuses.
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The Fantasticks
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