Susan's Place Transgender Resources

Lofgren responds to transphobic comments during House Hearing

Published on May 25, 2016
U.S. Rep. Zoe Lofgren pushed back on transphobic testimony during a House Judiciary Committee hearing.

Rep Zoe Lofgren

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DmKzkX5YGPE

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She doesn't pull her punches. So much awful stuff has been said lately, that it's refreshing when someone refuses to tolerate it.

Go, Zoe!   I love that, on the record and to the clueless witness, she flat out says, "I think you are an ignorant bigot."  She calls them as she sees them.

She suffers a condition common to Republicans these days.

Invincible Ignorance
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Invincible_ignorance_fallacy

It is extremely frustrating and generally a waste of time trying to reason with them.


Sapere Aude

I want my princess crown! LOL

I don't understand why the witness was even permitted to give the testimony she gave.  Is she in anyway qualified to give an opinion which should has some background in psychology and interaction with transgendered persons or personal experience being a transgendered person?

Stephanie

She's a member of the United States Commission on Civil Rights. There is a link to her testimony, the transgender part starts on page 11 and by page 16 she has lost the plot and called gender identity "an Alice In Wonderland situation" and brought up the Russian princess section that was read in the clip.

The commission members are appointed, so there's no chance of voting her out.

Pages of esoteric legal precedent touting state rights and her argument boils down to the bigoted Reductio ad Absurdum of an internet troll.

Discourse in this country is devolving to a " i know you are but what am I " type of interaction. No looking for common ground, no looking for win/win. Us vs them.Traditionalists who believe they carry the flag of God and their hated "secular" adversaries. 

Perhaps it was always that way, we just see more of it because of on demand media.

Fortunately the collective "we" out number the extremists by a widening margin. Unfortunately not in all areas.

Quote from: Michelle_P on May 26, 2016, 07:00:29 PM
Go, Zoe!   I love that, on the record and to the clueless witness, she flat out says, "I think you are an ignorant bigot."  She calls them as she sees them.

And Rep. Lofgren was polite: she didn't call Ms. Heriot an ignorant bigot -- she merely expressed an opinion.

Their exchange at the end made my day:
     Ms. Heriot: Does that mean you think I am a Russian princess?   
     Rep. Lofgren: I have no idea.

(https://www.susans.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fthefiringline.com%2Fforums%2Fimages%2Fsmilies%2Fbiggrin.gif&hash=fa2db8a2d15c338f95b7a2cbcb46a673a808a937)

I sent her a $10 donation. We need people like her.

Quote from: RobynD on May 27, 2016, 02:03:45 PM


Perhaps it was always that way, we just see more of it because of on demand media.

Given examples such as the 30 Years War that killed nearly half the population of Germany over a religious dispute between Christians, I'm guessing that it's always been that way.



Sapere Aude

Quote from: Deborah on May 27, 2016, 03:20:27 PM
Given examples such as the 30 Years War that killed nearly half the population of Germany over a religious dispute between Christians, I'm guessing that it's always been that way.



Sapere Aude

My favorite is still, "The War of Jenkins' Ear."  No religion required. 

I had never heard of that war.  However, I have one ancestor that was a colonial ship captain and was imprisoned by the Spanish right around that time in St. Augustine, FL.  Now I know the probable reason.


Sapere Aude

With a name like that, I've always thought it's hard not to say it's among the most absurd conflicts in human history.  As bad as some of the messes like the inevitable mobilization timetables of WW1 are, or the sheer pettiness of the balance-of-power wars Europe elevated to an art form, never mind the simple greed of colonialism, but Jenkins ear is just a prize-winningly ridiculous reason for strife.

Still, I think we're pretty clear on why aliens won't talk to us.     

Quote from: Colleen MMy favorite is still, "The War of Jenkins' Ear."  No religion required.

Nope, just the usual mix of greed and colonialism... I think it wasn't until the mid-19c that it acquired that wonderful name.

QuoteStill, I think we're pretty clear on why aliens won't talk to us.

   

I loved the facepalm from the guy on the right at the end of the video.