We are law professors who teach, research and write about the judicial institutions of this country. Many of us appear in state and federal court, and our work means that we will continue to do so, including before the United States Supreme Court. We regret that we feel compelled to write to you, our Senators, to provide our views that at the Senate hearings on Sept. 27, Judge Brett Kavanaugh displayed a lack of judicial temperament that would be disqualifying for any court, and certainly for elevation to the highest court of this land.
The question at issue was of course painful for anyone. But Judge Kavanaugh exhibited a lack of commitment to judicious inquiry. Instead of being open to the necessary search for accuracy, Judge Kavanaugh was repeatedly aggressive with questioners. Even in his prepared remarks, Judge Kavanaugh described the hearing as partisan, referring to it as “a calculated and orchestrated political hit,” rather than acknowledging the need for the Senate, faced with new information, to try to understand what had transpired. Instead of trying to sort out with reason and care the allegations that were raised, Judge Kavanaugh responded in an intemperate, inflammatory and partial manner, as he interrupted and, at times, was discourteous to senators.
As you know, under two statutes governing bias and recusal, judges must step aside if they are at risk of being perceived as or of being unfair. As Congress has previously put it, a judge or justice “shall disqualify himself in any proceeding in which his impartiality might reasonably be questioned.” These statutes are part of a myriad of legal commitments to the impartiality of the judiciary, which is the cornerstone of the courts.
We have differing views about the other qualifications of Judge Kavanaugh. But we are united, as professors of law and scholars of judicial institutions, in believing that he did not display the impartiality and judicial temperament requisite to sit on the highest court of our land.
Listen Shouto Todoroki had all the makings to be the suave dark mysterious popular solemn brooding character and I appreciate every single day how it turns out he’s literally just awkward.
I’m dead serious. It’s very easy to misinterpret him all cool and collected and smooth especially given his overwhelming power and his emotional distance but once he softens to people and does start trying to interact honestly you realize he’s just /bad at it/ and you look back and realize all his stoic intimidating silences were 100% just awkward silences and his solemn emotionless collected face was just doing a good job of hiding his internal monologue of “oh…people are talking. I should talk to? I don’t really know. I never had friends. Um. Hmm. No, I’ve got nothing. I’m just gonna stare down and not say much. That’s probably fine. I think this is how socializing works. Yes.”
I know we all love our cute cinnamon roll Deku with his mumbling and pure heart, but the last episode really emphasised how truly terrifying this boy is.
Deku’s determination has been commended multiple times by many different people, seen as a way for other characters to feel motivated and inspired to be better heroes and people. However, ultimately, this determination serves as the main reason why he’s so terrifying.
In the last episode we really got a clear image of how far Deku will go in order to achieve a goal he has set (the training camp arc, and sequential fight for Kouda really fleshes this point out to a ridiculous degree). Saving Todoroki was the only thing on his mind, he didn’t even think about the future consequences, but only whether or not each injury would hinder him from continuing to pursue his goal. Frankly the lengths he went to, absolutely destroying his hands so much that he required extensive surgery, should be something that should terrify most people, especially villains.
Here’s a kid fresh into the academy who can take breaking his bones multiple times over with only a grimace, while also coming up within genius plans on the fly under pressure and pain that surpasses what most people will ever experience in their lives. Villains often rely on their ability to terrify people with their capacity to inflict bodily harm and death without flinching. The threat of huge amounts of pain is bound to make most heroes pause and lose momentum for a moment out of personal fear. However, how are you meant to scare a fucking kid who doesn’t flinch at breaking his body apart for a mere school contest?? The thought of going against anyone like that is terrifying, and it’s reflected in the faces of the other students and spectators. Especially Shinsou.
The look of horror on his face isn’t just of seeing such horrible injuries. No. It’s of seeing self-inflicted injuries out of pure determination without flinching on the opponent he just faced. He’s only just realising the lengths Deku would go to succeed in his goals, and the pure strength he wields. Shinsou didn’t know how powerful Deku really was, but he’s just realising that, out of spite for being manipulated, Deku could’ve sacrificed a finger in order to shatter any part of Shinsou. If Deku was determined to do it, it definitely would’ve happened and Shinsou would’ve been powerless. That’s fucking horrifying.
Deku wields a power that can destroy buildings and his body with ease. And he’s willing to do that in order to fulfill his goals. Not only is the sight of his broken body horrifying to most, but the knowledge that if this boy had a reason to turn his back on society, on being a hero, they would all be fucked. Here’s someone willing to sacrifice everything for a goal decided mere minutes before the match, imagine what he could do with years of planning and control of this destructive quirk?? Deku is truly overlooked for people like Bakugo and Shinsou as villains in the manga/anime, and that definitely needs to stop because if Deku became the face of villainy, no one could stand against his tactical mind, pure power, and single-minded focus.
Cheloneuniverse 