Sunday, August 13, 2017

Don't believe in gender grab bag

(My Eastern New Mexico News column for July 12, 2017- I titled this one "Gender identity doesn't determine rights", which I still believe is better.)




Contrary to enlightened opinion, I believe there are only two genders, male and female-- with the occasional rare fluke of nature resulting in what used be to called a hermaphrodite.

I don't believe in the grab bag of genders which seems so trendy these days, nor do I believe in the validity of choosing non-binary gender identities, apart from those occasional rarities I mentioned above. I believe in biology.

Yes, it's a shameful confession, revealing one of my terrible shortcomings.

It is also a dangerous view, and a radical perspective, to admit publicly. It labels me, to those on the political Left, as a bigot. In some places, such as Canada, it could make me a criminal.

Yet, my beliefs are nothing but my opinion, and as such they are immaterial.

Because here's the thing which matters: Opinions don't dictate reality; reality is independent of mere opinion, and the reality is that your fundamental human rights don't depend on your gender. As a human you have the full complement of human rights--  life, liberty, property, and the pursuit of happiness-- just because you are alive. End of story.

The outdated view, from back when people believed rights depended on who or what you were and could be added to or taken away, has run its course. It's out of steam. Time to discard that superstition and move on. It's why I see both sides of the argument over gender identities as socially destructive and a distraction.

Even if I think you are a little off-kilter, I will defend your rights, including your right to believe as you wish, up until the moment you try to violate the person or property of another. No one has a right to try to change your beliefs by force, including force of law, just as you have no right to dictate how others believe or speak. Anyone who tries to make up laws based on someone's gender, either to create rights which can't exist, or to take away rights which no one can take away, is wrong. It's simply not subject to legislation one way or the other.

The political Left is correct when it says no laws should be made to force people into gender boxes or punish those who don't fit, and the political Right is correct when it says no laws should force anyone to pretend, and speak as though they believe, someone's psychological issues reflect reality.

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Fearing "terrorism"



"Terrorism" has no grip on me. I'm not brave, though.

My biggest fear has already become reality: the loss of one of my kids. I won't say I exactly survived, because not all of me did. I'm somewhat changed. Maybe those around me see it; maybe it's all tucked inside and they don't. Either way, I'm still here.

And especially now, to me, "terrorism" is nothing but loserism. It can't scare me.

It really never has. Whether it comes from ISIS, ICEis, Washington DC, North Korea, or the local cops. They are all just gangs of bullies looking for people to intimidate. If you don't cower, they lose.

Although I will say that on September 11, 2001 I did a lot of looking up at the sky. On that day I had planes (or whatever-- depending on what you believe about that day's events) causing problems east, southeast, and west of me. I felt kind of surrounded.

That day, caught up in the viral stupidity, I flew a "Betsy Ross" flag from my deck (I will not have an official federal Holy Pole Quilt on my property). I'm ashamed of that knee-jerk reaction now.

Yet even then, I wasn't looking for government to "save" me. I knew the most likely result would be a further destruction of liberty from a government excited to have an excuse and a populace too scared to object to any new escalation of tyranny.
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