Identity and Boundaries

“time to boycott maybelline” https://t.co/cRKUEjE9zE pic.twitter.com/je13oBdiy7

— Andrew Lawrence (@ndrew_lawrence) April 25, 2023

I'm sure my boycott of Maybelline cosmetics will be very successful.

Missouri AG Ashcroft on CNN on trans people: "It's a lie to say you can change from a man to a woman through surgery. It's like spray painting a brick of lead and saying, 'look, I have a brick of gold' ... clearly major medical associations don't know what they're talking about" pic.twitter.com/V5HdEdE7IY

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) April 25, 2023

I'm struggling to understand why he cares. Except that his world-view can't tolerate the concept. Which sounds like a personal problem, to me. How does he feel about the legitimacy of women? Or children? Or non-white people, for that matter? And who is he to decide what a legitimate identity is, anyway? Does it affect his identity? Which is why it sounds like a personal problem, to me.  Sort of like this:

A new theory has emerged. According to the source, Fox Corp. chair Rupert Murdoch removed Carlson over remarks Carlson made during a speech at the Heritage Foundation’s 50th Anniversary gala on Friday night. Carlson laced his speech with religious overtones that even Murdoch found too extreme, the source, who was briefed on Murdoch’s decision-making, said. Carlson told the Heritage audience that national politics has become a manichean battle between “good” and “evil.” Carlson said that people advocating for transgender rights and DEI programs want to destroy America and they could not be persuaded with facts. “We should say that and stop engaging in these totally fraudulent debates…I’ve tried. That doesn’t work,” he said. The answer, Carlson suggested, was prayer. “I have concluded it might be worth taking just 10 minutes out of your busy schedule to say a prayer for the future, and I hope you will,” he said. “That stuff freaks Rupert out. He doesn’t like all the spiritual talk,” the source said.

Carlson's remarks, I mean; not the fanciful new idea that Carlson spoke publicly of prayer and Rupert freaked out.  The Vanity Fair article that quote is from goes on to surmise Murdoch fired Carlson because his former fiancé liked Tucker and was herself "religious."  So Murdoch woke up to that just before he walked to the altar (oh, wait, he wouldn't, would he?) and fired Carlson to take her favorite show off his channel.  So we're still in the land of wild speculation on that topic.

No, I'm interested in Carlson's remarks here:

 Carlson told the Heritage audience that national politics has become a manichean battle between “good” and “evil.” Carlson said that people advocating for transgender rights and DEI programs want to destroy America and they could not be persuaded with facts. “We should say that and stop engaging in these totally fraudulent debates…I’ve tried. That doesn’t work,” he said. The answer, Carlson suggested, was prayer. “I have concluded it might be worth taking just 10 minutes out of your busy schedule to say a prayer for the future, and I hope you will,” he said. 

Gotta say it kind of freaks me out, too, because when your argument has failed, to resort to "They won't listen!  Because they won't agree with me!", and then dismiss discussion as "totally fraudulent," is to engage in both un-civic behavior, but also petulant behavior.  I know Tucker Carlson and his ilk will never agree with me on almost anything, and I'm okay with that.  I can't silence them or pray God will silence them or smite them or change their hearts because their hearts are not mine ("Jesus loves me, but he can't stand you!").  I can only oppose them in the public square with my voice and my opinions and, at the ballot box, with my vote.  I think DEI makes America better, rather than "destroys" it.  A lively discussion, debate, argument on the topic is something I welcome, even if I change neither hearts nor minds. 

And even if other hearts and minds think mine should be silenced.