Guest Column: Some Are More Equal

Thank you President Bush and the 52 narrow-minded senators for condoning a workplace conducive to sexual harassment. On October 15, Clarence Thomas was confirmed as an Associate Justice on the Supreme Court of the United States. As a woman and as a proud American citizen, I am now frightened by the American government and the public that supports it. I have always taken great pride in my country and its relatively open-minded and progressive policies and attitudes toward women. So how could the United States Senate see fit to confirm this man? He will serve a life-long term on the most powerful court in the country. I was astonished at his dubious stance on civil rights. He may also deny women the right to control their own bodies. I am 21 years old, and this man will shape the destiny of my life as a woman and as an American for the majority of my adult life. My disillusionment increased when it became public knowledge that Clarence Thomas had been accused of sexually harassing Professor Anita Hill. The Senate seemed more preoccupied with the source of the leak to the press than immediately acknowledging the gravity of such an accusation. The entire country was shocked by the accusations. Of course, I assumed that Thomas would not be confirmed, and that another qualified American, possibly another African American, would be nominated. I could not imagine the American President or the U.S. Senate taking any chances with such an important nomination. I was sadly mistaken. The Senate Judiciary Committee decided to conduct a dramatic and sensationalized hearing that was to become a disgrace to the entire country. The subordination of women in the American government, not to mention of African-American women was clearly illustrated by several members of the all-male Judiciary Committee who attempted to destroy the credibility of Professor Hill. Professor Hill, to my mind, was a credible and intelligent witness. She was quoted in a press conference as saying, "I had nothing to gain by subjecting myself to the process . . . I had more to gain by remaining silent." Why would she lie? She passed a lie detector test. It seemed like the perfect time for the Senate to acknowledge the serious problem of sexual harassment in the American workplace. Again, I was wrong! Certain Senators went so far as to question Hill's sanity and to try to label her as a schizophrenic. They blamed her and assumed that she must have been making the whole thing up. If that was not bad enough, a great majority of the public did not believe Professor Hill either. A New York Times poll showed that only 24 percent of those surveyed believe Anita Hill. Apparently, the American public seems to feel that women are not as credible as men in the workplace. I thought that the United States believed in equality for all. But the peculiar American system of equality seems to be typified by the majority Senate vote to give Thomas the "benefit of the doubt" and to label Hill as a troublemaker. The American government and its public should not be rebuking Professor Hill, but rather we should all be thanking her for fighting against American sexism. She has taken a stance on an issue that has plagued American society for a long time and is only beginning to be recognized. On October 11, The New York Times reported that 38 percent of those surveyed had been affected by some type of sexual harassment. Sexual harassment subordinates and stifles women in the workplace. It promotes a male-dominated work atmosphere. Anita Hill placed her reputation on the line, but it did not make a substantial difference in American attitudes toward the problem. In fact, as a result of the hearings, women may be less likely to come forward with sexual harassment charges for fear of being ridiculed and denounced as liars and as "scorned" women. On October 15, the President and the Senate conveyed to the United States a powerful message. They have acknowledged the allegation of sexual harassment, but they have not taken it seriously. They have signaled to American women that, though they may be sorry that harassment occurs, there is little that can be done about it. Professor Hill has asked American women not to be discouraged by her experience. She has challenged others to find the strength to speak out. Unfortunately, the United States government has condemned women to silence. As a young woman about to enter the workforce, I am being told that sexual harassment is an aspect of American society that I will have to live with. If I fight back, I will be denounced, discredited and possibly accused of fantasizing. As my college years are coming to an end, I no longer look forward to going to entering the American workplace. Jodi Gold is a senior History major from Memphis, Tennessee.

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