Now that the Republicans feel they’ve won on abortion, they’ve decided to come after us. It’s cheap shot for political gain. It appeals to their base, and they’ve got the votes in many statehouses. They seem to be particularly incensed about transgender issues and/or gender identity. It remains to be seen how popular that will be in the next general election in 2024.
The long-term effects of this open hostility to LGBTQ+ folks in the Republican Party may prove to be damaging. In their efforts to appeal to business interests, they may find that corporations are cautious about programs that hurt corporate recruiting efforts. People are flocking to low-tax southern states, but their reactionary social policies may slow that trend. Texas and Florida boast of their bigotry, but eventually folks will get fed up with it. When you treat people like dirt, you may end up face down in the mud yourself. It’s curious how people who are opposed to big government can rationalize the invasion into people’s lives in the most personal ways possible.
The United Methodist Church is in the middle of a split over homosexuality. They’ve been fighting about it for 50 years, and it finally has come to an open division in the denomination. It will take at least another year to play out. The Global Methodist Church will be the spin-off, but a lot of local congregations are simply becoming unaffiliated with any denomination. The Crystal Cathedral is the best example of the long-term consequences of that approach.
It’s not as politically acceptable as gay bashing, but race is still a major issue in the United States. It is indecent to call for overt racial discrimination. The strategy is hidden in efforts to restrict voting rights, which the Republicans say is securing the validity of elections. The Republican strategy is to keep poor people and people of color from voting.
The fear of the “other,” that is people not of your tribe, is as old as civilization. Eventually we grouped into nations, both large and small. But the United States in not one nation anymore. We’re not even an amalgam of cultures any longer. Some want to maintain a patriarchal social system. We’re broken into many different categories based on race, religion, region, and rights. We place different moral values on each of these categories. Some think guns are most important or that we should revert to being a majority White, Anglo-Saxon, Protestant country, and all others should leave. What are they afraid of? Losing political and economic control.
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