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. . .this happened.
https://www.npr.org/2021/03/31/983118029/pentagon-releases-n...
I've always voted a split ticket -- voting for the candidate who I believe represents my values -- rather than voting for an R or a D. My business partners have included staunch Rs and Ds. One was an R governor, one was a D attorney general.
The last two decades have slowly driven me to realize that one party consistently marginalizes my core being, while the other embraces my rights.
The R party has made a practice of turning its head saying things like "Oh, that's just Trump being Trump." and electing a man like Jim Jordan who stood idly by while the boys were sexually abused. https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/powerful-gop-rep-jim-jo... and now refusing to condemn Matt Geatz even though many are on record knowing of his love of drugs, alcohol, and younger women.
Rs have made a practice of not expressing their views -- but when it comes to Trans. . .they've been almost universally on point. A knife in our backs.
While it's true both parties have their peccadillos, the salient point is the Rs willingness to inflict pain and suffering on Trans. Imagine the guilt and anguish the Rs are causing for young Trans with their mindless state bathroom and athletics bills.
Don't talk to me about the "unfairness" of Trans athletes Sports isn't based on "fair." If it was, I would have had the same body as Jalen Suggs when I played basketball. As it was I had a mediocre body and a mediocre game.
Sports is about giving your best effort within the rules and regulations of the game you're playing. If you know anything about NFL football you know the impact of the annual changes in rules by the "rules committee" that have an immense impact on players' careers and team results. If your competitor is bigger and stronger than you, well tough cookies. Our biggest rival in high school had a boy who eventually started for the Air Force Academy. He was twice my size and extremely strong. I had to guard him every time we played them starting in grammar school. In football, he once ground his cleats into me after I for once was able to block him successfully and knocked him to the ground. I was my team's biggest player in basketball and one of the biggest in football. It never occurred to me how unfair it was for the other players for me to have my size. What a bunch of whiners today's players must be complaining about Trans athletes.
Joe Biden led us to same-sex marriage. That has greatly increased queer acceptance. What our government does and says leads to social acceptance.
This forum should be 100% behind the D agenda for Trans.
This forum should 100% condemn the actions of the R party and Trump regarding Trans.
There is no reasonable argument for any other position.
Jill
Comments
Many of the things that many in the USA love to hate
are just not an issue in many other countries.
I wonder what sort of stink that the usual suspects would raise if a transwoman was selected for the US Equestrian team for the Olympics? In this sport, men and women compete together.
Samantha.
This Forum
Sorry Jill, but I respectfully disagree. 'This forum' should keep politics in the realm of the stories it carries as best as possible. Individuals have the right to hold their own opinions and express them, but the site as a whole should be open to all. After so many years dedicated to being open to subjects the mainstream did not wish to acknowledge, heading in any way towards censorship would be a travesty. My own opinions aside, fostering 'pure' echo chambers is a large part of why extremism on all sides is so out of control.
- Erisian
This Site Saves Lives
Over the two decades I've been involved with BC, I've come to believe that the acceptance and love offered here has saved many lives.
Unfortunately - there's another side to that coin.
When the voices here talk as if there are two valid sides to the bathroom issue or trans athletes, it knocks the pins out from under the efforts to tell those wounded doves that assemble here that they have a RIGHT to acceptance.
I believe that a thousand "Attaboys" are wiped out by one "Aw shit."
I've written and posted many, many stories as you have suggested. But - I'm quite fearful the good I've done in those stories by spreading a word of love and acceptance is easily wiped out when people confuse party loyalty with violating moral imperatives.
The politicians often don't care. They're interested in whatever will fill their campaign coffers. If Rand Paul can raise another nickel by causing dozens of teen suicides -- so be it. That's not his problem. He didn't kill those kids. He'd say it was the silly notions people have stuck in their heads. (I've thrown away the Ron Paul t-shirt I wore proudly when his father ran for president.)
I've applauded Erin's efforts to keep politics out of this venue. But -- politics has not cooperated. The Rs are acting as if this is 1950 and years of research and enlightenment has not occurred.
I understand where you're coming from. But I also understand the moral duty we have to the impressionable and fragile minds who frequent this site.
My points are NOT extreme. I resent that insinuation. My points are humanistic and should be adopted by everyone who frequents this site.
If you come here to read TG fiction because you want to learn about the TG condition I welcome your point of view.
If you're here for prurient interests I have no time for you.
Peoples' lives are at stake.
Jill
Angela Rasch (Jill M I)
First, let me preface this by saying I am and have been......
A registered Republican for over four decades. However, I readily acknowledge that the party is not the party I joined - nor am I the person who registered an affiliation with them. The party once stood for small government, balanced budgets, and fiscal responsibility. And I stood with them. I still stand there, yet the party does not.
I am ashamed of what the party has come to stand for of late, and the only reason I have not changed my party affiliation is because of the old saw that it is easier to fight city hall from inside rather than outside. Lately, I have given great thought to whether my actions will have greater effect from the outside rather than the inside. After all, as a transgender woman, just how many Republicans will even listen to me? How many prefer that I not even exist?
I too have many friends and colleagues from both major parties - that is simply the way of life. But it has gotten to the point where we cannot discuss anything outside of work without running up against sharp disagreements. I find myself fighting not to call them all idiots for not seeing the real world. I cannot help but wonder just what they truly think of me if they can believe the drivel the party leadership continues to put out. How many would see me forced to NOT be myself?
The polarization of our country continues apace as the leadership of the Republican Party expends more effort on staying in office than on governing and fulfilling the needs and desires of the people.
It is well past time to choose a side, and I can no longer stand where I have for my entire adult life. That place no longer exists; it eroded due to lies and self-aggrandizement years ago. Perhaps it is truly time to sink or swim.
D. Eden
Dum Vivimus, Vivamus
So Similiar
Like you, I've been a registered R since I first registered to vote 40 years ago. These days I stay a registered R for one reason only. This is such a red state that the Ds don't run a candidate for about 80% of the elective offices. They reason that since nobody will vote for a D why waste the money trying to support candidates that will lose.
The Rs have closed primaries so only a registered R can have any voice at all. I try to select the least offensive candidate I can find among the single party election candidates. Other than that I am very much a split-ticket voter, about 80/20 split (D/R.)
To get an idea of their thinking just think of two senators that have been the most vocal climate change deniers that represent the same state, and you have our senators. Even a snowball in he** - the senate has a better shot at surviving than a climate scientist. If the Ds want to turn things around they need to support ALL the D candidates, not just the ones in the big races. Win the little races and build on it. "Republican Party expends more effort on staying in office ...." Lets make them spend that effort on trying to get in office in the first place.
"Life is not measured by the breaths you take, but by the moments that take your breath away.”
George Carlin
I get the point about closed
I get the point about closed primaries (I don't know of any open primaries here in the UK) but if people like you registered as a D they might think it worth putting up more candidates ?
I hesitatate to comment on politics
If I were a one issue voter, then I could wholeheartedly agree with you. But politics is a complicated subject and I don't believe that any one issue, should decide my vote. I have to look at the whole spectrum and determine which is the lesser of two evils.
I'll not expound on the pros or cons of either party, but will only say that I vote the way I'd like to have my representative vote... for to over all big picture best outcome.
Hugs
Patricia
Happiness is being all dressed up and HAVING some place to go.
Semper in femineo gerunt
I always vote in the republican primary
Most of our local township and county offices are decided in the primaries. The winner of the republican primary is usually unopposed in the general election. Those people have a much greater impact on my life than the statewide and national candidates. As things stand right now the way to win a republican primary in this very red county is to be outrageously far to the right but I keep hoping that supporting a comparatively intelligent candidate will make a difference.
If they can take it away then it's not a right.
I'm with Jill.
I absolutely hate the abstract "they". It is someone. It is real people. It's real people with power who are deploying a tactic to gain support among their constituents. "They" are doing it so they can retain power. I am sick and tired of this abstract "they" stoking fear of yet another powerless but identifiable minority as a tool to stoke fear and gain more power.
It's sick. It's cynical, and to often it works,.
The idea that some how three or maybe four girls out of a thousand are worth rallying the forces of intolerance to shove yet another indignity upon their already over burdened shoulders. Please make it stop.
No. Neither of our major parties are innocent. Conservatives and progressives, democrats and republicans and those who put them in power all share the responsibility for where we are. Much of the structural racism, sexism, abelism, genderism comes out of decades of selfishness, self dealing and willful ignorance.
Heck after a hundred years our nation is still reeling from the realization that it is evil to own another person's children. How long does it take for a nation to complete a grief cycle?
As the injustices are revealed and solutions are adopted. As we begin to realize that we have been structurally victimizing some actual live human beings. As we begin to realize that "those people" are people too. We begin to realize that there is more to it than just race or sex or ability or gender.
Please work to move us to be more inclusive, pluralistic and equatable for every one. That includes calling and mailing your specific "they" and telling them what you think, supporting some of them that you like, and voting. The power is yours to take.
peace
crash
Your friend
Crash