Anita: Speaking Truth to Power

I watched this documentary about Anita Hill's 1991 testimony before the state judiciary committee against her former boss, U.S. Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas, for his repeated sexual harassment to refresh my memory and learn more about circumstances surrounding the events.

It was interesting to learn about Hill's life, see who was supporting her, (her wonderful family, Professor Charles Ogletree, Harvard Law School, and others), and wrenching to rewatch what are to me excruciating details of this terrible, sexist, judgmental, power-system that masquerades as justice.

As I the watched the self-righteous men click their pens and grill Anita, I heard Tom Wolfe's words echo in my head, "They have a way of making the vicim look like the criminal and the criminal the victim." They of course did that quick flip and turned valid charges of sexual harassment into claims of racial harassment against Clarence Thomas.

Joe Biden is responsible for not having called the witnesses who could have corroborated Anita Hill; that's not something I can or want to forget.

Like many women, I've experienced gender based violence and sexual harassment, which is just part of the problem of gender inequality. I've also been a witness in two trials, neither was a picnic, and in both I was attacked for speaking the truth. In one trial, the criminal was put away; in the other, the corruption prevailed and the criminal went on to hurt other women and is still free today. In my experience, American courts and the U.S. government are unflinchingly corrupt.

Near the end of the film, Anita says, "Despite the high cost that is involved, it is worth having the truth emerge." I agree with her, but what a struggle it is. Why don't people come forward more readily? Because they are blamed and skewered when they do.

I believe Anita Hill. Never a question about it. She told her friends and colleagues at the time and well... she's telling the truth.

It saddened me, but I'm glad I watched the movie.

I remember Anita Hill's testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee in 1991. (I almost wrote Hill's "trial" because that's what it felt like.) During it, she was asked questions by Senators, led by Joe Biden, that made her repeat and describe, again and again, Clarence Thomas's vulgar and grotesque treatment of her when she worked with him-- or, more to the point, worked for him. It's much harder to issue a complaint about a boss than a colleague. During the testimony, one of my sisters phoned me and said, "I feel like I'm being sexually abused, exposed to this." She was right. The Senate put the whole country through an ordeal that was vile and, as it turned out, ignored: they confirmed Clarence Thomas anyway.

Hill's impact was not ignored by the media, though, or the nation.

This is a completely conventional documentary. I hesitate to offer a single criticism of it because Anita Hill is the subject, and she-- like so many civil rights activists before her-- is an inspiration throughout. Her calmness, her unflinching determination, and her intelligence shine through every stage of her story.

The film interviews a variety of people, all of whom shed light on the way race and gender issues are mishandled in Washington, where all that seems to matter, in the end, is power.

If this was a proper documentary it would have both sides of this story, including the dozen women who worked with Thomas and who made it clear that Thomas was being smeared. Just google: clarence thomas witch-hunt

Hill is simply a documented liar, even the cheer-leading mainstream press documented clear untruths by her. This was (another) lynching of a black man by Democrats.

I recommend looking at Hill on meet the press in 1998 where she made her motives clear: Appearing on "Meet the Press" in 1998, Hill was asked to respond to Gloria Steinem's defense of President Clinton following allegations he'd groped a White House volunteer. Steinem had said, "The truth is that even if the allegations are true, the president is not guilty of sexual harassment. He is accused of having made a gross, dumb and reckless pass at a supporter during a low point in her life. Hill AGREED. When "Meet the Press" host Tim Russert asked her if she had a double standard for sexual harassment claims made against Clinton, she said, "There are larger issues, larger issues than just individual behavior." Just google: youtube Anita Hill

This rationalization of it being ook for partisan interests reasons to make up claims of sexual harassment or ignoring those by Democrats because of the "larger issues" (ie PARTISAN interests making lies and smears ok) also accused recently with Kavaugh hearings where after that circus we saw two of the accusers withdraw accusations, one have theirs totally debunked, and the fourth, a Democratic Party activist, not able to recall when where or who committed the assault.

If you don't remember the Anita Hill story you should see this story. If you remember Anita Hill and the media around the story...you don't really know the story. Speaking truth to power is the sub-title and is the tale of her life story. Amazing how far our country has come since 1991, and how far it still has to go. Anita's bravery in standing up and telling the truth, being a good American and doing the right thing, when she had so much to lose is more than most of us would have the courage to do. From her childhood in Oklahoma, to Yale Law, to DC, and beyond this film by an Oscar Award Winner tells Anita's story beautifully and shows how much she gave up to tell the truth about Clarence Thomas. It's time to open our eyes. See it.

Unfortunately, this movie tells only one side of the story so it really does not do justice to Anita Hill. I too, watched the proceedings and this movie does not tell it like it really happened. If you want to see a movie that degrades the senate and makes a monster out of Clarence Thomas without even an attempt at fairness or equality, then this is the movie for you. It is so biased that it was only believable by someone who was already convinced of Thomas' guilt. It was so biased that it came across as a work of fiction. As such, it is less than useless for telling the facts.

Its a shame really, this story needs to be told properly. I can only imagine the courage it must have taken to stand before the senate and testify about this kind of thing. As my dad used to say "if you want it screwed up, give it to the government... or Hollywood"