Fight for Democracy, Part 24: Existence is Not Up for Debate

A good example of the difference between voting for a moral choice versus voting for self interest is the current revelation the Administration proposes defining gender based on genitals and DNA (https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2018/10/21/18005594/trump-administration-transgender-sex-dna-test). This would basically eliminate transgender people as a category and remove any legal protections that they have. It goes against the science on the topic (https://wire.ama-assn.org/ama-news/ama-takes-several-actions-supporting-transgender-patients) and would allow for all types of discrimination against trans people, not to mention setting the precedent that any minority would have to ‘prove’ their status through DNA testing in order to qualify for protections. [Here’s a good explainer on transgender from the American Psychological Association: https://www.apa.org/topics/lgbt/transgender.aspx]

Clearly this is discriminatory and bigoted against trans people, but for many in this country it’s a non-issue. Trans people are a very small minority. Most people aren’t transgender, many don’t know someone who is, so this won’t affect them in the grand scheme of things. But it also won’t help anyone, except those who desire to discriminate. It won’t improve the economy, it won’t add jobs or make anyone’s life better, including the Republican base who support it. Its sole purpose is to serve as an indicator that the Administration supports anti-trans bigotry, and it does so at the cost of basic human decency for a disadvantaged group. It’s immoral but low impact to the majority.

Because of that, some people won’t care. They won’t consider it as an issue when deciding who to vote for. But the idea that you are willing to sell out someone’s humanity for anything you might hope to gain through voting Republican is indecent. You don’t have to know someone personally to be appalled at seeing their existence denied. You don’t have to understand them or know what their life is like to see that this will profoundly hurt trans people. And if you can’t be bothered to support them, if you don’t consider a small group’s humanity more important than a large group’s slight economic advantage, then I don’t think you have decent values. This is as clear a sign as can be given that those controlling our government have no regard to the humanity of all our people, and if that’s the case there is no telling who is next or how far it will go.

This also destroys the argument from many on the Right that the President may be of poor character, but they support his policies, not his person. But in so many cases, as this one makes clear, his poor moral character leads directly to bad policy which is wholly supported by the rest of the Republican Congress and its base. Time and again they advocate for discrimination and dehumanize non-white/straight/male Americans. It’s fundamental to their platform and as such anyone who supports the Republican Party supports a horrible morality. That is why we can’t agree to disagree. That is why no government can be allowed to define away someone’s identity. This is where all decent people speak up, and silence is a mark of shame that will last for the rest of your life.