What Is Actually Happening, May 23, 2016

The bizarre frenzy to grant access to women's bathrooms to men who say they are really women continues. These two graphics, posted by liberals on Facebook, demonstrate the two-pronged attack. First there is the insistence that the whole matter is really not very significant, and is only made to seem so by hysterical conservative "transphobic" blah blah bigoted blah blah intolerant etc etc.

CantFigureOutGender

Of course that has nothing to do with the present controversy; no one is raising an outcry against the possibility of passing a transvestite on the street. But no doubt any rhetorical tactic that will make your enemies seem ridiculous is helpful.

On the other hand, there's the assertion that this is a moral crusade not just similar but identical to the struggles against slavery and racial segregation, resistance to which must be crushed.

AttorneyGeneralThreat

That is the chief law enforcement officer of a government which possesses an almost inconceivable amount of armed might and an effectively unlimited budget for lawyers, not to mention a certain amount of power to decide what the law is. She promises to put all that power to work making sure that people like Yvette Cormier, who was expelled from a Planet Fitness gym for complaining about a man using the women's locker room, are shunted to the powerless margins of society. Presumably there's nothing Lynch can do in that particular case, but she will certainly  use her power where she can, as indicated by the promulgation of an Obama administration demand, described as a "guideline," that all schools that receive federal money fall in with the bathroom crusade. (I haven't attempted to track down the source of the Lynch quote, by the way. I'm assuming it's accurate. It's certainly plausible.)

This has the potential to become a very serious confrontation, because the federal government now has its hooks deeply into education at every level. It has, for instance, the potential to shut down any Catholic colleges that might offer resistance (probably not many), when and if the "guideline" becomes an actual regulation, because most of those schools could not function without federal loans and other financial aid available to their students.

In one sense those who say the whole matter is trivial are right. As with the insistence that the Little Sisters of the Poor provide contraception for their employees, such problems as in fact exist could reasonably be handled without federal intervention. But there is a principle at stake, and it's very clear that Obama and Co. intend that it should prevail. The principle is that the state is the ultimate moral authority. 

As a commenter at Neo-neocon said, "If theyโ€“the Obama Adminโ€“can prevail on this issue, which is widely opposed, and has no perceivable merit, where can they be stopped?"

34 responses to “What Is Actually Happening, May 23, 2016”

  1. They will be stopped by the handing over of power to the next president early next year. So I suppose the uproar is in a way intended to ask undecided voters which you like best: 1- a continuation of Obama policy with Hillary; or 2- the unknown of Trump, with possibility (based on his comments) of broad “racial” issues involving illegal aliens and their families, plus Muslims and their families, and also perhaps a direct hit on the 1st Amendment?

  2. Yes, “they” in the sense of the Obama administration specifically will be stopped next year. But especially if Hillary wins, and maybe if Trump does, “they” in the sense of the U.S. Government will most likely keep pushing.
    As I’m sure I’ve said here before, I honestly can’t choose either Hillary or Trump over the other. I confess, though, to a sort of mischievous preference for seeing Trump win, just to see what would happen.

  3. I think that gives Trump the edge, that idea of the unknown. I can never recall two such bad candidates in an election year. I remember thinking that Bush v Gore was bad. Those two are great compared to this year!

  4. Marianne

    Those are Lynch’s exact words, Mac; they were part of her announcement of the Justice Department’s complaint against North Carolina. Full text is here.

  5. I can’t either, and I was paying attention as far back as 1968.
    I didn’t think Trump had the remotest chance of being elected. I was among many on the right who said that nominating Trump guaranteed a Hillary victory. I’m in shock. I guess if he actually becomes president I’ll just pass out.

  6. Cross-posted with you, Marianne–“I can’t either” was in reply to Stu saying he couldn’t remember two such bad candidates.
    Thanks for finding that. I figured it was accurate.
    Considering how many more women there are than “transgender” men, I venture to say that the number of women feeling “isolated or scared” in all this weirdness is considerably greater than the number of tg men feeling so. (I see no reason to pretend that this isn’t mostly about men.) As Janet pointed out last time we discussed this (I think), only certain people’s feelings matter.

  7. It was also Lynch who strongly suggested, after the San Bernardino shootings, that free speech rights did not apply to speech that upsets or worries Muslims. She later backed off from that, but what she felt was pretty evident.

  8. I guess if he actually becomes president I’ll just pass out.
    In that case, I want to come to your house on election night. That would be worth seeing.
    AMDG

  9. Marianne

    Reading Lynch’s full statement, I was struck by this paragraph:

    Let me speak now to the people of the great state, the beautiful state, my state of North Carolina. Youโ€™ve been told that this law protects vulnerable populations from harm โ€“ but that just is not the case. Instead, what this law does is inflict further indignity on a population that has already suffered far more than its fair share. This law provides no benefit to society โ€“ all it does is harm innocent Americans.

    Some fancy footwork there conflating “populations”. And utterly dismissive of any concerns about the safety of women and girls.

  10. Utterly. Some people feel bad because they are good and are rationally fearful of bad people. Some people feel bad because they are bad people irrationally fearful of good people. People like Yvette Cormier are in the latter category. Because “the battle for equality has always been in part about overcoming discomfort.”

  11. I can’t imagine that you would find seeing my eyes close very interesting, Janet.

  12. I was hoping you might do something more dramatic, like collapse in the middle of the room or at least pitch headfirst out of the chair.
    AMDG

  13. There is a new law in Tennessee that says that counselors can refuse to treat patients if their a conscience requires. So, of course Tennessee is on the no-visit list for Federal employees. I ate lunch with a friend who is a counselor today. We were talking about how these people have a real problem that needs treatment, but the position of the culture that they don’t need treatment has put them beyond help.
    AMDG

  14. Read this and weep.
    Conservatives have been warning for decades that the federal control that comes with federal money was going to be a problem. Where schools are concerned it’s starting to look like a noose. I can only hope that they’ve gone too far and are going to get some serious resistance.
    Regarding the passing-out, I guess if it does turn out to be Hillary vs. Trump I may have drunk myself to sleep before the results are entirely in.

  15. I don’t have anything to add but I just want to say Hi, and Thank You all for continuing to discuss these depressing issues and events as well as everything literary and theological ๐Ÿ™‚ Just to read some sane Christian people calmly (you don’t use caps, anyway) expressing their dismay or horror is somehow uplifting. Still I’m glad that on the whole you spend more time on books and movies and translations of Dante, things I like better to think about.
    Long ago Louise asked what book by Belloc I had recently bought, but I didn’t see the question, and now I don’t know the answer. My books and reading habits are all in disarray since my husband died. I do know that whatever Belloc I was referring to, I haven’t read yet. For over a year I was buying used books like a crazy woman, and I’m sure it will take the rest of my life to read half of what I own – if I don’t buy any more.
    May God bless and keep you!

  16. Thank you. I have to force myself not to talk about socio-political stuff more than I do. It seems so urgent, and I can easily get concerned with it to an unhealthy and definitely unproductive degree.
    My condolences on the death of your husband.

  17. Louise

    “In one sense those who say the whole matter is trivial are right. As with the insistence that the Little Sisters of the Poor provide contraception for their employees, such problems as in fact exist could reasonably be handled without federal intervention. But there is a principle at stake, and it’s very clear that Obama and Co. intend that it should prevail. The principle is that the state is the ultimate moral authority.”
    This is correct, Maclin. To me, it speaks of the banality of evil, that such totalitarian moves are being performed over this absurd issue. It’s rather hilarious, in one aspect.
    I know that Americans usually do not use the word “toilet” and I don’t use it while living here, but in Australia, it has a very neutral value and feels exactly the same as “restroom.” However, I have referred to this issue as The Great Toilet Liberation of 2016 (gay cakes are so last year) because it’s so insane it just needs to be mocked mercilessly and because it is the perfect emblem for a whole civilisation (not just the US) literally going down the toilet.
    But yes, it’s deadly serious.

  18. Louise

    Hello Gretchen Joanna. My condolences also. This blog is a breath of fresh air in crazy times.
    “Long ago Louise asked what book by Belloc I had recently bought, but I didn’t see the question, and now I don’t know the answer.”
    Fortunately, I had forgotten about the question. ๐Ÿ™‚

  19. Louise

    It is pretty hilarious. The End of the World As We Know It because people don’t know which toilet to use?
    “7 years of Obama and now nobody knows where to pee!”
    “JFK put a man on the moon. Obama put a man in the women’s bathroom!”
    You couldn’t make this stuff up if you tried. ๐Ÿ™‚

  20. Louise

    “Regarding the passing-out, I guess if it does turn out to be Hillary vs. Trump I may have drunk myself to sleep before the results are entirely in.”
    Entirely understandable.
    Janet, I’m sorry Tennesee has been banned from the human race. ๐Ÿ˜ฆ
    Texas, of course, will simply ban itself from the human race. You’re all welcome to visit. Bring your guns and ammo. And food.

  21. I wear it as a badge of honor.
    AMDG

  22. Louise

    I would too.

  23. “7 years of Obama and now…” etc–I’ve seen those on Facebook, and they cracked me up. I agree that it all needs to be mocked mercilessly. Also I don’t intend to cooperate in calling people like Bruce “Caitlyn” Jenner women.
    “Texas, of course, will simply ban itself from the human race…”
    I can seriously see, over the next few decades, a movement to form a new country around Texas, taking in simpatico neighboring states such as mine.

  24. Going back to the possible Hillary-Trump race: I’ve been a little surprised at how hostile much of the left has become to her. It’s not too surprising coming from the extreme and not-quite-so-extreme left, but I’m seeing it from fairly mainstream liberals. I guess it’s partly because Sanders gives them another Obama-type quasi-messianic figure to prefer. Hillary really can’t fill that role in much of anybody’s mind, except maybe for a few old-time feminists.

  25. That Levinstein interview makes my blood boil. I can’t write more about it without swearing.
    Now I have to go to a parents’ association meeting with my head full of imprecations. I hope none slip out.
    Condolences on your bereavement, GretchenJoanna.

  26. Louise

    “I can seriously see, over the next few decades, a movement to form a new country around Texas, taking in simpatico neighboring states such as mine.”
    I could almost see it too, I think. Governor Abbott is trying to set up a Convention of the States (?) to try to put a stop to the nonsense.
    “I’ve been a little surprised at how hostile much of the left has become to her. It’s not too surprising coming from the extreme and not-quite-so-extreme left, but I’m seeing it from fairly mainstream liberals. I guess it’s partly because Sanders gives them another Obama-type quasi-messianic figure to prefer.”
    I hadn’t noticed the first part, but had wondered about the second.

  27. Where is that interview, Paul. I can’t find it. Although, I don’t know if I should get my blood boiling.
    AMDG

  28. There has been something of a carnival atmosphere around Trump so far — excluding for a moment the responsible commentary on him — and I expect there has been a significant chunk of the MSM that has rather enjoyed the spectacle of him destroying the Republican party. But once it settles down to Trump v. [Democratic candidate], I will be waiting for the MSM to turn on Trump (and, it must be said, with easy justification).

  29. I think that when they turn on him, they will be eating out of his hand.
    AMDG

  30. There’s a link where Mac says “Read this and weep” Janet.

  31. A link to a comment on the interview, which has a link to the interview itself. Frightful stuff. Two of the friends I feel the deepest affection for are young women on the autistic spectrum, and anybody who would mess with a young autistic woman like that deserves to burn in hell.

  32. Where does it say Levenstein?
    AMDG

  33. Ah – you have to follow the link to the original interview to see that. Might be a bit opaque, I now realise.

  34. The MSM have certainly enjoyed the destruction wrought by Trump. And by the coverage they’ve given him they’ve prevented him from needing to spend a lot of money on advertising. I’m not so sure that they can now switch off the monster they’ve helped to create. They will attack him, surely. But will it matter? They’ve already reported all sorts of bad things about him, and it hasn’t seemed to hurt him.

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