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To the editor:
Like most Americans, I have been watching with interest the proceedings pertaining to Judge Brett Kavanaugh. The desperation of the Democrats is evident at every step. However, what is disturbing is that Democrats and liberals appear to address matters assuming, or hoping, that every American is stupid. This is how they plan to destroy this nation. There are numerous aspects of deception that one can address in relation to the systematic character assassination of Kavanaugh. However, as a neuroscientist, one in particular resonated above the others -- the manipulation of minds through the misuse of science by Christine Blasey Ford and the asinine assent of the Democrats because it suits their agenda.
While every report of potential abuse should be taken seriously, any misuse of such information to malign others is unacceptable. Their Machiavellian thirst for power at all cost presumes a person who they do not favor is guilty until the accused can prove themselves innocent, contrary to current U.S. and international practice.
The credibility of any account and of professional credentials is totally lost when a person uses their field of expertise to misrepresent and manipulate information (in this case scientific information) using jargon that few understand. This is exactly what Ford did in response to Sen. Diane Feinstein's question as to how she is sure that the person who sought to assault her was Kavanaugh. In her response, Ford goes into a spiel mentioning "basic memory functions," norepinephrine, epinephrine and regions of the brain involved in memory. In her statement, Ford misuses scientific knowledge. First, she asserts a specific neurological link to the specific memory that Feinstein was inquiring about. In science, nothing is absolute. That is why we use statistics and talk about probabilities. Second, she appears to be selective, though certain, in what memory is indelible and encoded in the brain, given that she does not remember other crucial aspects of the alleged assault.
It is doubtful if Feinstein understood any of this, since otherwise she would have challenged Ford's unscientific assertion of certainty. While the involvement of the brain region and activities mentioned is not necessarily wrong, Feinstein's question was not answered. The brain is constantly forming memories and the process is immensely complex. Therefore, there is no possibility of substantiating the link to one specific memory, unless the person is being monitored at the very moment of the activity itself. Ford's use of this information is totally inappropriate and lends no credibility to her claim.
The Democrats (socialists) are seeking to destroy this nation and drive it toward socialism by taking every opportunity to distort everything, including science, and feeding the masses nonsense in order to generate a nation of morons that they can control. Americans must see through the deception and hypocrisy in the application of standards, and stand up against this. They must defend the greatness that this nation has achieved because of its freedom -- a freedom that is under attack.
Stephen Sammut
Professor of psychology
Franciscan University of Steubenville