I am very disappointed in Sen. Susan Collins’ choice to support Brett Kavanaugh. I am beyond disappointed with her attempts to justify her decision.

The senator said that she decided that Christine Blasey Ford was credible, but must be mistaken in who assaulted her. The senator chose to believe a man who has every reason to lie, over a woman who has no reason to do so. Collins, like Kavanaugh, seems to believe in a conspiracy of the opposing party to conduct a “calculated and orchestrated political hit.” Is that really what she is choosing to believe? She insinuates that more than half of her constituents are deliberately trying to ruin a man’s life for no other reason than loyalty to a political party?

On reflection, her decision to put party over country is not surprising. When Sen. Al Franken was accused of groping a woman, Sen. Collins called for his immediate resignation before any investigation was done. She staked out a position as a supporter of women, but only when there is no political risk for her to do so.

I weep at the country that my children and grandchildren will now be forced to live in — a country that has turned a deaf ear to the “better angels of our nature” to cower in fear of the other, a country where corporations have more freedom of speech than citizens; a country where people of color, immigrants and, yes, women are seen as inferior to the ruling oligarchy.

Deborah Sisson, Lisbon Falls