It's
2020.
If you're my grandchild and the year is 2030 or so, you may have, or may yet, learn about "2020 - The Groundhog Day of Years from Hell." Okay, so your teacher may put it more diplomatically, but I'm not your teacher. So ...
That's another (several) posts. 2020, I mean, and all its antics.
But, there are a few parts of that GDYFH that pertain to this topic, so allow me to digress.
First, and you probably learned this in your History class, Donald Trump is President. (I say 'was' because, by the year 2030 or so, I'm hopeful and relatively certain that he won't be any longer.)
Second, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, only the second woman to serve on the Supreme Court, died at age 87. I sincerely hope you've learned about her in History. She was a champion of gender equality, a beacon for women. She fought for justice. If you don't know, learn. The Notorious RBG was a force who deserves to be remembered.
Those things brings us to my third point. President Trump selected his nominee for RBGs replacement, a woman named Amy Coney Barrett. She was a controversial pick for a lot of reasons, not the least of which is her membership in a religious group called People of Praise, a small group of people from various denominations. One of the group's main tenants is patriarchy.
Which led me to share a repost from @MotherJones (that's their Instagram handle, in case you don't have social media anymore in 2030 – which would probably be a good thing), that said, "Amy Coney Barrett is a member of People of Praise, a charismatic covenant community in South Bend, Indiana, known for known for the submissive role played by women, some of whom were called ‘handmaids’ - at least until 'The Handmaids Tale' aired in 2017."
Oh, that's another thing about 2020 that you definitely wouldn't have learned about in History, unless you're living it - The Handmaid's Tale. It's a multi-season series based on a patriarchal, religiously-driven society formed that pulls women from their families and sends them into various roles including surrogates for elite but infertile couples. It's a horror and I pray to all things holy that 2030 does not find us in this reality. But the show’s a great binge.
Aaaanyyyywayyyy . . .
Hearing about the nominee's affiliation with the People of Praise brought aa large segment of society to their knees, fearing just that. It would be the beginning of the end for women. Not only does the nominee go against everything that her predecessor worked for during 13 years on the SCOTUS, but everything that women have been fighting to obtain for generations - opportunity, equality, and respect.
My post sparked a response from a friend of mine which encouraged me to do some fact checking. She believed the nominee to be, instead, Catholic. So, I did. If Instagram had allowed me to post this lengthy of a comment, I would have. But it wouldn't, so I didn't. Instead, I suggested anyone wanting to learn what I did should read this post. So, here's what I would have said, if I could.
Thanks for the suggestion
to fact check. I learned even more. She is a member of People of Praise, as
reported. It shouldn’t be called or compared to Catholicism, though. That would
be like calling or comparing modern Mormons to Fundamentalist LDS, which, as
you know, may have come from the same foundational religion, but are now
nothing alike.
To be honest, I couldn’t
care less what her religious beliefs are, as that is personal and private. The
fact that they speak in tongues, live communally, and contribute their
paychecks to a “sisterhood budget”, may seem weird to some, but is of no
concern to me. In fact, I admire anyone who has a religious faith so strong
that they are willing to personally sacrifice to honor it.
What I do take issue
with, are the facts that she is:
· against the ACA (did you learn about
that?), calling it ‘unconstitutional’ [I believe affordable healthcare is a
fundamental right of everyone living in a civilized society and that no one
should be bankrupt by a medical emergency];
· is not only against, but hostile
toward, groups like Planned Parenthood, and would vote to overrule Roe v Wade;
[Groups like these make legal reproductive health possible for many women who
would not otherwise have access to it and I support them]
· not only disagrees with gun control
but outwardly opposes laws that ban felons from owning guns [I don’t believe
that anyone needs an assault rifle, ‘weapon of mass destruction’, or other
military-grade firearm, let alone felons or those in a mental health crisis and
that universal gun control laws including criminal and psychological background
checks are the fastest way to eliminate things like mass shootings]
· doesn’t want to allow immigrants to
get Green Cards if they are likely to need federal assistance; [I believe
America was founded on its immigrant roots, earning its nickname of ‘a melting
pot’, and that every one of us comes from an immigrant from somewhere. Blocking
the path for foreigners to gain citizenship, especially when they are fleeing
religions, political, or gang persecution is irresponsible as global citizens.
We need to be making the path to citizenship easier, blocking obstacles and
eliminating red tape, so that anyone who wants to live in this great country is
welcomed and safe, regardless of their financial state.)
· and that she lives in (and promotes)
a subservient lifestyle by women. To quote one of the group’s leaders, “Much of
it goes back to the concept of obedience, authority and headship. When you’re a
married woman, your head is your husband but it doesn’t go the other way
around. A man can never have a female head.” Craig Lent, coordinator for People
of Praise https://www.southbendtribune.com/news/local/supreme-court-opening-shines-spotlight-on-local-religious-group-people-of-praise/article_569b0dd6-145a-59df-9bf7-2280009fd582.html
[Aside from her social stances being far outside of anything I could stand
behind, this kind of patriarchal mindset goes against everything that I
believe. Women are powerful leaders who should never be subservient to anyone,
let alone their life partner.]
And, we haven’t even
touched on other ‘top story’ social issues like police brutality, black
oppression, LGBTQ discrimination, and on and on. I can probably guess how she
would side on those issues, and I can probably bet that it is polar opposite of
me.
Having someone like Amy
Barrett on the Supreme Court, and her appointment resulting in a 2/3 majority
for republicans, is dangerous to the democracy in the United States (29%
self-proclaim as republican, while democrats count 71% as democratic or independent)
and is not aligned with the makeup of our country’s citizens’ beliefs. I
strongly oppose her appointment.
And, my own beliefs
aside, the precedent was set in 2016 when President Obama’s nominee, Merrick
Garland, to replace Justice Scalia was blocked. ‘Senate Majority Leader Mitch
McConnell declared any appointment by the sitting president to be null and
void. He said the next Supreme Court justice should be chosen by the next
president—to be elected later that year.’ (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merrick_Garland_Supreme_Court_nomination#:~:text=On%20March%2016%2C%202016%2C%20President,had%20died%20one%20month%20earlier).
Funny how he changes his tune when the President and nominee sit on his side of
the aisle.
Anyway, thanks again for
the challenge – I learned a lot!
Oh, and I've also donated to and am actively promoting the person - a strong woman - running against Mitch McConnell and looking for opportunities to support term limits and the abolishment of the Electoral College because I fear the continuation of both will have a profoundly negative influence on our future.
#BidenHarris2020 #SettleforBiden #ByeDon