From Hutchinson to Blasey-Ford: the Trials of Women
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The Collegian Volume 116 2018-2019 Article 6 10-30-2018 Volume 116, Number 6 - Tuesday, October 30, 2018 Saint Mary's College of California Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.stmarys-ca.edu/collegian Part of the Higher Education Commons Recommended Citation Saint Mary's College of California (2018) "Volume 116, Number 6 - Tuesday, October 30, 2018," The Collegian: Vol. 116 , Article 6. Available at: https://digitalcommons.stmarys-ca.edu/collegian/vol116/iss1/6 This Issue is brought to you for free and open access by Saint Mary's Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in The Collegian by an authorized editor of Saint Mary's Digital Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Tuesday, October 30, 2018 Moraga, California • Volume 116, Number 6 • stmaryscollegian.com • Twitter: @SMC_Collegian • Facebook.com/smccollegian From Hutchinson to Blasey-Ford: The trials of women THE STARTLING JUXTAPOSITION of Anne Hutchinson and Christine Blasey-Ford as they stand face-to-face in front of a panel of men and share their stories with the rest of the world. (Courtesy of Tom Williams) BY: JESS ALLING AND HUNTER HERSHEY does one prove sexual assault? The paral- exiled. LEAD WRITERS lels between the two questions lead to an The jarring image of a woman placed INSIDE THIS SOPHIE CIPOLLA, KIMIYA SHOKRI, SIMONE unsettling truth: one cannot. At least not under the scrutiny of a panel of white TEMPLE, MEGAN TIERNEY without the damning, physical evidence men is one that has transcended time. WEEK’S EDITION CONTRIBUTING WRITERS necessary to move for conviction. But Anne Hutchinson and Katherine Har- News page 3 women have found themselves having to rison were painfully outnumbered by Our country has a long and unhappy prove their “unbelievable cases” over the the Puritan leaders (mostly ministers) Student Highlights features history of controlling, disbelieving, and course of our brief existence as a country. at their examination. We saw the same Halloween-themed stories! silencing women’s voices. In 1637, soon after the founding of the phenomenon at the Senate Judiciary In our early American literature Massachusetts Bay Colony, Mrs. Anne Committee hearings for both Christine course, we have been examining the Hutchinson was examined by a group of Blasey Ford and Anita Hill. Culture page 4 experiences of several seventeenth- Puritan ministers who found her bold, On the surface, this comparison may A Halloween playlist century, Puritan women, who for vari- unwomanly behavior and her religious seem like a reach. But it is precisely the to spook the ears. ous reasons were put on the stand and beliefs troubling, out of place, and in dire differences that allow for such an unset- questioned for their beliefs or activi- need of correction. tling argument to be made. Remember: ties. These women spoke out, defended She had the audacity to teach her faith 12 men accuse a woman of being a witch, A Million Little Things: like themselves, and tried to make their to fellow Puritans within her own home. they listen diligently to the whimsical Friends, but more dramatic. voices heard; instead, they were mocked, She also claimed that the Puritan minis- testimonies brought before them, and manipulated, and doubted by their male ters of her community were misleading find cause to condemn the accused of Opinion page 6 interrogators. the people by teaching them a false ver- witchcraft. Drydens’ updates We believe their stories have some- sion of their faith. Now, hypothetically, flip this situa- thing to tell us about the unprecedented Her worst transgression: she claimed tion on its head: 12 women accusing one exemplify college’s trend Senate Judiciary Committee hearings that she had directly experienced the man of being a lawbreaker. They respect of poor spending. that we have so recently witnessed in voice of God, which implied the irrel- due process and bring forward the only our nation’s capital. We feel compelled evance of the Puritan ministers. Out- evidence they can: personal accounts. Sports page 8 to contextualize the confirmation hear- raged by her refusal to be controlled, her Despite this lack of physical evidence, ings for Brett Kavanaugh, for we seem Puritan interrogators sent her into exile. The 12 women decide the accused is This day in History: to be repeating the past without even When Hutchinson was later killed in a guilty and have him banished. But this Ali vs. Foreman knowing it. raid by Native Americans, her death was never happens. We are caught in a moment in time that reported as a victory for the righteous- In trials of witchcraft, one is still How hard is it to become feels like it belongs to the 17th century, ness of Puritanism. required to provide evidence to incite rather than contemporary America. Take In 1669, Katherine Harrison was exiled a guilty verdict. With that said, the evi- a professioanl athlete? the witchcraft trials for example. In the from her town because of personal ac- dence submitted is arbitrary, heresy at years leading up to the explosive trials counts from her peers alone. A board of best. at Salem in 1692, a number of Puritan all men listened to numerous individual That is because one really cannot women were put on trial for witchcraft. reports of ill-mannered cows, a pet dog prove witchcraft; there is seldom a smok- The burden of proof rests solely on the named Fowler who possessed the head ing gun to refer to — aside from personal prosecutors — the statute of which still of Harrison, or what we have come to accounts. Herein lies the problem. Some- holds true today — in such a trial. Yet, the define as spectral evidence: the visions times, the only proof or evidence that one proof offered is often questionable and or dreams of one being a witch. might have is personal accounts. To con- doubtful…if there is any. After hearing these testimonies, demn a witch, it was all that was needed. Thus, the question must be: how does though no physical evidence was en- one prove witchcraft? Likewise, how tered, she was deemed to be a witch and see OPINION, page 6 2 THE COLLEGIAN • TUESDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2018 STMARYSCOLLEGIAN.COM THE INSIDE PAGE Advice: Ask Dr. Duetime Bonds, daylight savings, Dear Dr. Duetime, Dear Dr. Duetime, dialysis on the ballot I’ve been putting up with I feel as if my first semester by Jack Barnes maintenance and repairs, as well a bad roommate for awhile of college has been overwhelm- Copy-editor as transit programs. now, and we’ve brought the ing with the amount of school situation up to our RA mul- work I’ve been assigned, my Prop 7: Gives Legislature abil- tiple times, but every time our classes, and my FYAC course. Each election year in Califor- ity to change daylight saving problems seem to be resolved, Does the pace of college ever nia, citizens vote on initiatives time period by two-thirds vote, something else crops up, and slow down? If not, how do you and referendums that propose if changes are consistent with I’m finding it very hard to cope? or repeal legislation. The 2018 federal law. Fiscal Impact: This cope with this endless cycle. ballot has produced 11 proposi- measure has no direct fiscal ef- What should I do? Sincerely, tions to be voted on since Prop fect because changes to daylight The Collegian FranticFreshman 9 was removed by the California saving time would depend on Saint Mary’s College of California Sincerely, Supreme Court. While most deal future actions by the Legisla- Super Stressed Roommate Dear FranticFreshman, with how public money is to used, ture and potentially the federal others will determine laws about government. P.O. Box 4407 Dear Super Stressed Room- Thank you for your submis- property anc gas taxes, daylight Moraga, CA 94575 mate, sion! I’m sorry that your transi- savings time, and space for farm Prop 8: Requires rebates and 206 Ferroggiaro Hall tion into college has been over- animals. Each are summarized penalties if charges exceed limit. I’m sorry to hear that! It can whelming, but on the plus side, below by the California Secretary Requires annual reporting to the www.stmaryscollegian.com be very tough dealing with a that means you’ve been chug- of State on voterguide.sos.ca.gov. state. Prohibits clinics from re- [email protected] bad roommate, and you are ging along and you’re surviving fusing to treat patients based on definitely not alone. Shared liv- your first college semester! Prop 1: Authorizes $4 billion payment source. Fiscal Impact: Telephone: (925) 631-4279 ing spaces, especially in small Freshman year can be over- in general obligation bonds for Overall annual effect on state Facebook.com/smccollegian dorms, can lead to a lot of stress whelming in general. I’ve found existing affordable housing pro- and local governments ranging Twitter: @SMC_Collegian and unwanted headaches. Your that as you move forward in grams for low-income residents, from net positive impact in the dorm should feel like a place your college career, the load of veterans, farmworkers, manufac- low tens of millions of dollars to you can kick back and relax, school work may decrease in so tured and mobile homes, infill, net negative impact in the tens of SARAH KNEBEL not a place where you feel like much that you are not having and transit-oriented housing. millions of dollars. TERRILYN HO you’re walking on eggshells to do tedious work for FYAC Fiscal Impact: Increased state Editors-in-Chief because of your roommate. I’m classes, but you also adjust to costs to repay bonds averaging Prop 10: Repeals state law that glad you’ve brought up your the amount that you’ve been about $170 million annually over currently restricts the scope of HUNTER HERSHEY issues with your RA, and this is assigned.