Interesting point for introspection.
Working from home can isolate you from people leading to mass media and social media becoming your window on the world. Such media tends to over focus on the scary or the outrageous.
- an old optimist you're liberal
- an old pessimist you're conservative
- a young optimist you're conservative
- a young pessimist you're liberal
I have no idea why or even if this is really true but it is my impression.
why?
I myself find myself careening to the right for a laundry list of reasons, and I live in a major city.
Respectfully , I post this not to get into an argument or to hear reasons why I'm wrong or a terrible person, so please refrain from the personal attacks those who choose to reply. I'm just answering the straight forward question of "why?" from my personal view of the world.
Could you clarify this?
My search came up empty for examples of what you stated as a fact -- would you be so kind as to share a source that confirms your concern?
"The initial legislation said courts deciding custody cases must consider whether each parent affirmed the child's gender.
AB 957 encourages parents who support their TGI children by "making it clear that affirming a child's gender identity is part of the health, safety, and welfare of the child."
It also allows courts to consider a parent's affirmation of their child's gender identity when making decisions about visitation and custody."
https://abc7.com/jurupa-valley-high-school-teacher-fired-stu...
"Jessica Tapia was fired for refusing to follow a state law that forbids teachers from talking to parents about their child's gender choices without consent from the student."
https://nypost.com/2023/04/17/washington-bill-to-allow-medic...
"An act relating to supporting youth,” or Senate Bill 5599, allows host homes for runaway youth “to house youth without parental permission.” Furthermore, the host homes do not need to notify parents about where their kids are or if they are getting medical interventions “"
Plenty more
https://www.city-journal.org/article/when-the-state-comes-fo...
The government taking kids from families is an incredibly delicate subject. I think that we can all agree that it should never happen with one important exception: if the child is in danger by their own family.
I think we could come up with some horrific scenarios that is the (unfortunate) right thing to do. It should done only in the most extreme cases, with extreme oversight and opportunities for redress etc.
There have been miscarriages of justice in this in the past, so it would be naive to say that the system is perfect and nobody should be bothered if and when it happens.
That said, taking kids away to allow them to transition (at a superficial level) does seem to be crossing a line. I'm going to have to look deeper into the actual legislation because I also am aware there's a lot of disinformation in this subject.
I know three families with trans kids. One happened very early (I had no idea she was trans until I was told), the other after going away to college, and the third is a teenager that may or may not be but they're rolling with whatever way the child sees fit.
Those kids are lucky, because their parents love them and accept them for who they are, but not all kids are so lucky. Some parents are not so accepting and will do everything to stop them, going as far as disowning them (or killing them).
https://www.advocate.com/crime/2021/3/04/trans-and-nonbinary...
Many runaways leave home because of sexual abuse: https://childsafety.losangelescriminallawyer.pro/runaways.ht...
And finally, I'd like to point out that the reason that the GOP loves demonizing trans people is because it's a highly effective tool to emotionally manipulate voters using fear and hate. They did it will gays a generation before, it's not a new trick.
This is a nuanced subject and requires nuanced reasoning.
Sounds to me like they're accepting them for who they aren't.
Which is a big problem, as these kids are going to have an awful shock when they grow older and realize that most people in the outside world don't go along with the lie that man can become women and women can become men.
To gaslight these children into believing otherwise is terrible parenting bordering on child abuse. Especially if these kids had so-called 'gender-affirming' medical or surgical interventions inflicted upon them. It's awful really.
I'll agree that this is a potential problem and that it does happen, albeit a very small percent of the them (~ 3% in the US): https://www.gendergp.com/detransition-facts/
The parents are not gaslighting them, because they're also painfully aware that there are people who hate and fear them for who they are, but there are also those that will love them. These are incontrovertible facts.
I understand that what they're doing is "not normal", and it's clear that you are deeply offended by how they're choosing to live their lives. But here's the thing, it's really none of our business.
You're being coached on a daily basis to hate and fear these people and to be angry enough to vote for the people who want to eliminate them. I'm not saying that in a morally condemning way, it's a simple observation of what makes the political machine work.
Do you know any trans folk? Have you ever talked to any? I have, and their stories prove you wrong that their decision on how to live their life was the correct one.
That means they're born literal with both sexes, and "correcting" that is effectively 50% accuracy.
So please tell me how immoral they are for "fixing" the original "correction" when it was done incorrectly.
You mentioned states seizing kids if you wont allow children to begin transgender transitioning. What is the actual policy here, and when would it apply? The scenario sounds like: a minor wishes to transition and the parents are opposed, the kid wants to run away, and the state takes the side of the child rather than the side of the parents. This is the exact scenario you described, correct?
I think I'm in agreement with you that I'd generally prefer state policy to side with the parents rather than the child in this case. Certainly so in the case of younger children, or when puberty blockers or elective surgery is involved. But I wouldn't go as far as to say that the state should never side with the minor. There are cases where it's better for the kid to be allowed to get away from their parents. Most Democrats and most Republicans will agree that it depends on the circumstance. This is why we have judges and a court system.
But this is also the kind of issue that I think is blown far out of proportion to its merits. Transgenderism is just about the least important issue facing America and the world today.
I strongly believe that most Americans are centrists. This goes for Democrats and Republicans. The problem is that so many on the left see Republicans as racist quasi-fascists and so many on the right see Democrats as woke socialists. Both of these views are wrong.
As far as being centrist, absolutely. I still think I am, I just think the Dems have moved very far left and while the reps. moved too, not as far. I am not a fan of either. Currently planning on voting for split government whenever I can. One side can have the house, the other the presidency and senate. No one gets to make massive changes unless both sides agree.
If you’re challenging the hateful part, you must be blind.
I've even done it with open anti Semites and neo Nazis [it was a very good conversation] while I'm Jewish. These days instead of trying to understand where someone is coming from and having an open exchange of ideas, everyone just resorts to personal attacks and outrage. It's exhausting.
For me, moving right does not mean I would ever vote republican. They’re not a party of anything in particular other than obstructionism, identity politics, and institutional self-destruction for the enrichment of a very small (<0.1%) group of Americans and corporations.
That said, some things I trend more “right” than I used to, as a consequence of living in San Francisco:
- Highly addictive drug use should not be a free for all, it should be aggressively curtailed. This doesn’t need to be punitively, but I don’t think institutionalizing and forced rehab is strictly wrong. I also have no problem with increased taxes funding this.
- Homelessness is not a right. Common space in cities is not a place for us to let the lowest of society collect and inhabit.
- Crime should be punished, and organized crime/gangs should be aggressively snuffed out. This almost sounds like an absurd statement to make, but SF/Oakland DA’s have taken the stance that prosecuting crime is inherently racist, and essentially opt to release criminals rather than charge them.
- Race based affirmative action/reparations/benefits should not exist. These are great ideas on paper, but they are radicalizing to other systemically oppressed groups (e.g. poor white people end up pissed off and alienated, and align with the Republican Party, despite it being completely opposed to their own interests)
For anyone reading, this is just some personal takes in response to the question. I’m not looking to have a political debate on here.
These are lefty positions if I've ever heard them