I’ve always gotten a naughty pleasure out of asking questions you’re not supposed to ask. I thought of this one at a session of Netroots Nation last Saturday morning, August 4, 2018, “No Choice: A World Without Roe”. One of the panelists, Erin Matson of Reproaction reproaction.org said it was time to quit being defensive, and go on offense. I’m pretty good at giving offense, and I suggested that every man running for office or up for the Supreme Court ought to be asked, “Didn’t you ever have a condom break?”
Depending on the forum, you might get shouted down. That would bring up the matter of why that question should be out of bounds. If you’d be allowed to say anything else, that’s the next thing to ask. If the person just says the question is inappropriate, a follow-up is how does he square that with his position to abortion.
I doubt anybody will get a chance to ask Brett Kavanaugh this question, though I’m going to suggest it to both my Senators (Cornyn and Cruz). But that leaves us carte blanche to imagine what he and a whole lot of other folks would say if they had to answer the question.
Donald Trump would likely say he never bothers to use a condom, and if the woman gets pregnant he’d have Michael Cohen arrange an abortion and a payoff as part of a nondisclosure agreement.
Clarence Thomas might have said he’d accuse the woman of trying to prevent his anointment to the Supreme Court for the basest of political motives. He’d call it a lynching.
For a nod to “balance” fill in the blank about what Anthony Weiner would say.
How about John Roberts? He’d be a great poster boy for Abstinence Only. I could believe he was a virgin until he got married at age 41. I’ll give him credit for having that much self control, or being that repressed. If he really has that much self control, he should realize he’s very unusual and shouldn’t expect most of us to follow his life path. He might never have had any reason to use a condom. Mrs. Roberts was also 41 when they married, in 1996. Their two children are adopted. If I remember correctly, the older one was a toddler when Roberts was nominated to the Supreme Court in 2005.
And Brett Kavanaugh? I can imagine him wanting to overturn not just Roe v Wade but also Griswold v Connecticut. If it were up to him, he’d make extramarital sex illegal, require proof of being married to buy condoms or any contraceptive, and maybe plead the Fifth Amendment if he had to answer the question.
Here are links to the people and organizations: