Republicans React to Jenner In Different Ways

[Carolyn Marie]

http://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2015-05-02/rick-santorum-and-the-gop-s-transgender-tolerance-movement

It's nice that some are not being judgmental. It's what they do or don't do on matters that concern us that will matter in the long run. I don't see that changing much.

Carolyn Marie

[Guest]

Is it just that they are seeing that the futility of their potty witch hunt is immature and silly may cost them there jobs?

I don't see anything that will help me get a better opportunity to get real income or get me equal acceptance. It is at best a new tolerance for me and my kind. I can drink from the water fountain or ride in the front of the bus. They will seldom if ever help me find a way to own the bus or promote my bus line, its just a share the road attitude.

I wrote about it in my poem PSALM OF THE BOSS MAN, which I can't post here because it is true but very socially enflaming. I submitted it, but no one so far will print that blowtorch. Giggle.

I share it on my own and no one has said "That's Awful! only that they find it very introspective. I hope Ms Jenner has the power to promote introspection to a much larger mass of people in groups I can't approach.

JodyAnn

[Guest Razilee]

Duh, I've been conservative Republican and transgender as far back as I can remember. I can thoroughly understand that. It shouldn't be newsworthy, but in this crazy world it is a media event. With Blacks killing cops and cops killing Blacks and trans killing themselves, we certainly need more acceptance of each other whether we can understand each other or not, whether we can agree or not. We all have struggles in life. Most do not have ours, but I don't think it has anything to do with bathrooms or buses, it has to do with the United States being united, "E pluribus unum". Although we are diverse and growing more diverse all the time, our country stands for freedom, or at least used to, freedom to do what's right for everyone, not demonizing what you don't understand.

Maybe it's bigger than just our experiment in democracy though and it's about the collapse of Western Civilization. Who knows where that's going in the long or short run. I try to take life one day at a time.

Love and peace,

Raz

[Guest Raya]

Well, so far so good on the conservative response. I love the phrase about the delegates being "willing to share the country" ahhh, if we only had more of this acceptance, and less hate.

Jody, the "tolerance for me" is what I am hoping for, nay, expecting. I do not expect anyone to provide the bus for me. It is sufficient that they "share the road."

My ride is up to me, of others I merely ask: lead, follow, or get out of the way.

[Guest LizMarie]

Santorum flip-flopped back in record time.

First he says he accepts Jenner.

http://thinkprogress.org/lgbt/2015/05/03/3654257/rick-santorum-love-accept-bruce-jenner/

Then he says Jenner is "troubled" because he's "male" and always will be.

http://joemygod.blogspot.com/2015/05/santorum-waffles-on-jenner-comments.html?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

I think his radical right wing base of extremist supporters must have started screaming at him.

[Carolyn Marie]

I like the term "Teabagistan" used in the second article. Nice touch.

Carolyn Marie

[Guest]

Well, so far so good on the conservative response. I love the phrase about the delegates being "willing to share the country" ahhh, if we only had more of this acceptance, and less hate.

Jody, the "tolerance for me" is what I am hoping for, nay, expecting. I do not expect anyone to provide the bus for me. It is sufficient that they "share the road."

My ride is up to me, of others I merely ask: lead, follow, or get out of the way.

Maybe I worded that poorly, I'm not asking for a handout bus. Maybe try this? In Arizona I am accepted well enough on the street. If we were fishing most share the lake without any issue. Some would love to see me drown enough to make waves. Many would drill holes in my boat when I'm not looking so I can only fish off the bank. Few would buy my fish so I could purchase a bigger better boat. Some trans folk in places in our nation don't have it nearly as well.

My state isn't a trans mecca by my standards. Maybe more trans accepting to trans tolerant. Not yet trans embracing.

Well maybe I would take a handout bus, if anyone has a 1960s three axle Crown Super Coach school bus with a Cummins and ten speed, they would like to gift me??? Giggle. I would live in it by the shores of the Salton Sea. Anyone? Hug. JodyAnn

[Guest Beverly]

I'm conservative. I've long been a Republican. But that I'm also here among you all says something too. I don't like entitlements, perhaps because I was taught to work hard for what I need (even harder for my "wants".)

That I'm here among you wonderful people is because of a lot more than "tolerance", "acceptance", or a host of other political terms. I'm here because of a love I share for whomever I stand beside. It's more than the Golden Rule, it's a divine command that we love one another. (And if your interested, it's an agape kind of love.)

What if...what if...what if so many more folks loved the way they themselves wanted to be loved...without a gain of power or wealth; loved with a mindset geared toward caring for the other more than for oneself....what if.....

[Carolyn Marie]

What if...what if...what if so many more folks loved the way they themselves wanted to be loved...without a gain of power or wealth; loved with a mindset geared toward caring for the other more than for oneself....what if.....

That is a wonderful goal, Beverly. It would be a better world, for certain.

HUGS

Carolyn Marie

[Guest Melissa~]

Since we're in the politics forum I can state I have a fairly conservative political view. I used to vote republican more often than I do now (it's a fact: many run unopposed as R in my local elections.) I cannot stand the republican stances on social issues, or war mongering, or fiscal issues, or regulations, or the unholy business alliance. So where does that leave me? Largely supporting Democrats; which is too bad, since the republican party is the party needing to change. (Fun fact: I have nice pictures from early transition from Claire McCaskill's victory party.) But how will that reform and steer the republicans away from candidates like Akin other than the obvious beat-down at the ballot box I helped with?

[Guest LizMarie]

Harsh losses at the ballot box are the only thing that will force the GOP to change. There are lots of good people with conservative views in the GOP but there are also lots of loud, hateful, small-minded religious bigots who want to condemns anyone who is in any way different from them. Many of these people were Democrats 60 years ago but when LBJ signed the Civil Rights Act and the GOP initiated its "Southern Strategy" which was intended deliberately to appeal to white bigots, most of these people switched parties and never looked back.

Clear back in 1981, as the social conservatives began to try to seize control of the GOP, Barry Goldwater said something very prescient. He foresaw what we are seeing today.

“Mark my word, if and when these preachers get control of the [Republican] party, and they're sure trying to do so, it's going to be a terrible damn problem. Frankly, these people frighten me. Politics and governing demand compromise. But these Christians believe they are acting in the name of God, so they can't and won't compromise. I know, I've tried to deal with them.” ― Barry M. Goldwater

And old Barry Goldwater nailed it right to a tree. The modern social conservatives will never compromise precisely because they believe, rightly or wrongly, that only their view is God's will. So, until the GOP loses massively in elections and begins to lose control of states and national political positions across the nation, they will not change. And the reasonable Republicans? They can choose between supporting policies of hatred, bigotry, ignorance, and small mindedness, or they can vote for a different party. I've known lots of reasonable Republicans who now identify as independents, voting for select reasonable Republican candidates and voting for Democrats against social conservative Republican candidates.

It's sad but it's true. Only serious losses will ultimately change the GOP.

Below is a link to an article written by one long-time Republican about why he left. His words are echoed again and again by Republicans unhappy with their party or who have already left their party.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/chad-brown/why-i-left-the-republican-party_b_4702250.html?ncid=edlinkusaolp00000009

[Guest Beverly]

I'm going to stay a Republican. I can't seem to wrap my mind around some of the more liberal ideas being tossed around so casually these days.

But I'm a Christian. The apostle Paul said, and I echo his sentiments and beliefs: "I am not afraid of the Gospel..." Now, I got big problems with government and religion merging = that's what that separation of church and state thing is all about. I believe God has created government for the good of all people, and when the rights of anyone are trampled - ergo the baby with the dishwater (if you know what I mean.)

By saying I am not afraid of the Gospel, I teach just what Jesus said to the lawyer who asked "what IS the greatest commandment?" And Jesus asked him "what did Moses write?" "That we should love the Lord our God with all our heart, all our soul, and all our strength. And we're to love our neighbor as ourselves."

That I am here, among you wonderful people, is itself testament to the teachings of holy scripture...AND our Constitution of these United States! We have freedom here. We have each other here. We also pass laws and govern for the betterment of our society. Well, we also have a loving and gracious God who cared so much for us, He sent His Son to die for us.

Now, if that were a frame of mind wrapped around more people (that we should love one another as God has loved us), well I think we'd certainly have a much greater world to live in. [i'm so glad now and then I find a 'soapbox'...sorry!]

[Guest Beverly]

May I apologize for seemingly ending this discussion? I hope I didn't upset anything by my comments....

I'd love to fit in, and get to know more folks causally - as a crossdresser with an over-stimulated opinion at times.

[Carolyn Marie]

You didn't end it, hon. It just ended of its own inertia. No need to apologize.

HUGS

Carolyn Marie

[Guest Sarah Faith]

I'm not a registered republican, but I am still a fairly conservative individual (shockingly enough) and I wouldn't vote for Hillary no mater how woman she is (for example). Honestly my opinion about Jenner overall is pretty neutral, I'm not in awe of a celebrity coming out as trans. I really wasn't ever in awe of it, but as I've been working on building this foundation I've had the opportunity to get to know quite a few famous transmen and women and really they aren't that different from anyone else. Jenner is just like anyone else, and honestly I feel more bad than anything that Jenner will have to go through all of this in the public eye.. While I am sure Jenner and family will make money from it, I just think it will add stress to the situation that no one else really has to deal with..

Jenner can believe whatever politically, if the community doesn't like the fact that these political positions don't match their own.. Well too bad the community can get over it.

Overall my hope is that Jenner can get through this whole process with completely imploding.

[Guest Mickey]

A couple of thoughts struck me, on differing trains of thought. First anybody who equates being Christian with being conservative, has it all wrong. Jesus was the biggest Liberal to walk this earth. In fact, it was the conservatives of His time that nailed Him to the cross. Wrap your heads around that one.

And about Bruce Jenner. They way I see it, what with the way they are hounded by the paparazzi, they have NO other choice but to transition in a very public way. Props to Jenner on being able to make money off of their transition. I wish I could do that. Unless, in order to make money off of my transition, I had to also do it in a public way, with paparazzi hounding me all day and night, week after week, month after month, year after year. Yeah, nope. Ain't happening. Even if I remain dirt poor my whole life.

[Guest]

A couple of thoughts struck me, on differing trains of thought. First anybody who equates being Christian with being conservative, has it all wrong. Jesus was the biggest Liberal to walk this earth. In fact, it was the conservatives of His time that nailed Him to the cross. Wrap your heads around that one.

And about Bruce Jenner. They way I see it, what with the way they are hounded by the paparazzi, they have NO other choice but to transition in a very public way. Props to Jenner on being able to make money off of their transition. I wish I could do that. Unless, in order to make money off of my transition, I had to also do it in a public way, with paparazzi hounding me all day and night, week after week, month after month, year after year. Yeah, nope. Ain't happening. Even if I remain earth poor my whole life.

Yup! That's the JC I know. That and he wore a dress! Oh not a pinafore for sure, but open at the bottom with breeze between his knees just like mine.

He hung out with twelve other guys in dresses too. Mary Magdalene didn't mind either. What a cool croud! I would love to hang out with them.

Hmmmm... Would men's suits be considered sac religious for church then??? I'm sure the self-righteous don't think so. JodyAnn

[mara13]

To JodyAnn You wrote a poem "PSALM OF THE BOSS MAN". I am curious about it, would you mind PMing me a copy of it so I can read it?

[Guest]

To JodyAnn You wrote a poem "PSALM OF THE BOSS MAN". I am curious about it, would you mind PMing me a copy of it so I can read it?

Yes when I get to the library this week.