Why Would She Lie?

One of the “gotcha” questions supporters of Dr. Christine Ford hurled at those of us who didn’t believe she was telling the truth was, “What does she have to gain by lying?”
It’s tossed out as a rhetorical device, followed by a derisive sniff, as if to merely ask the question is to answer it. But there are reasons people make up lies, especially lies that portray them as innocent victims.
A recent, similar situation at Ohio University might lead us to a few likely answers:

An LGBTQ Ohio University Student Senate member has received a death threat, and Student Senate leadership believes the threat likely came from another senate member.
Anna Ayers, commissioner of the Senate Appropriations Commission, found two notes in the drawer of her desk in the Student Senate office. On Sept. 27, she found a “hateful, harassing” note referencing her LGBTQ identity and calling her a derogatory term. On Monday, Ayers found another note in her desk that included a threat against her life…

It’s a familiar story. Sweet and lovely person who just happens to be sexually disoriented is set upon for no reason by mean and hateful bigots, probably of the conservative and Christian persuasion. There is a lesson here, and it’s that all opponents of LGBTP students are hateful and dangerous.
But there’s also a chance to be a star:

Student Senate postponed all scheduled events, including a presentation from Athens Mayor Steve Patterson, to discuss the threats at its Wednesday meeting. Student Senate members listened to Ayers speak and discussed experiences of harassment on campus.

There’s also the chance to be a martyr, and to pin failure on others who might have failed you:

“Senate will never be the same for me,” Ayers said. “The friendships will continue to grow, and our successes will always evoke pride, but the memory of my time in senate and at OU will be marred by this experience. We will all have a memory of a time when this body failed one of its own.”

There is a chance to strike out in righteous indignation at one’s oppressors:

“You may find me revolting and worthy of a threat on my life, but in reality, it is your beliefs that are repulsive,” Ayers said. “You need to get this through your head, you f—ing a–hole: I am proud to be who I am, and nothing you could say or do will ever change that.”

There is the opportunity to get long-desired policy fixes implemented:

The discussion brought up several potential solutions… Student Senate members also brought up the possibility of cultural competency courses, which the body has discussed in recent years.

Finally, there is a chance to appear brave and strong:

“I could have quit senate Friday after the first note,” she said. “I mean, nobody would have said I didn’t have the right to do that. But it never crossed my mind.”

“Sure,” you might respond, “but all those reasons do not add up to the slightest bit of evidence that SJW Anna Ayers is not telling the absolute truth.” It’s true. None of those prove that this is another in a long list of fake hate crimes, publicly promoted, where an innocent SJW is set upon by evil and mysterious forces. I’ll admit, maybe in this case, SJWs don’t always lie.
Editor’s note: On Monday, Anna Ayers was arrested and charged with three counts of making false alarms. An Ohio University Police Department investigation found that Ayers placed the three threatening notes herself prior to reporting them to police. Click here for the most recent reporting.