I have been told that transgender rights are unpopular, and therefore that if Democrats are to defeat MAGA Republicans we must abandon transgender people, and transgender children in particular. We must throw them under the bus, as the cliche goes. Nope. I won’t vote for any Democrat who isn’t a vocal supporter and defender of transgender people. And if you tell me that my attitude is dooming the country to more years of disastrous Republican rule, and that the triumph of Trumpism will be my fault if I don’t support the imperfect alternative, I will be unmoved. It’s everyone or no one.
No, we don't have to throw anyone under the bus, but making transgender rights a prominent part of the 2024 campaign may have alienated less liberal voters at a time when people were concerned about the problems of inflation, health care and other "kitchen table" issues. In other words, the Democrats have always sucked at reading the room. "Everyone but no one" is a lofty ideal but do you really want JD Vance as your president? What kind of rights do you expect trans Americans would have under that regime?
I meant what I said. Voting, we are told, especially in the United States where there are only two parties that can win elections, is often a choice between two evils; hold your nose, and choose the lesser. But some evils are intolerable. We all have our red lines, and support for transgender people at a time when Republican demagogues are attacking them is mine. Vote as you like; I intend to.
I learned a lot of unpleasant things reading this piece but tell me is Josh Hokit thought to be a figure of any significance in MAGA and conservative politics or is he just an elite athlete who happens to be a stupid, loud mouthed bigot?
Thank you for this. I'll share it because in MA we have a primary for the Senate between Ed Markey and Seth Moulton. Markey has been an ally of transgender people all along. Moulton, who's running on the platform of "I'm younger than he is," wrote an op-ed in the Washington Post arguing that trans women should not be allowed to compete with cis women because he fears for his little girls. He apparently fears pedophiles who are also rabidly transgender less than he does transgender girls in sports.
Michelle Obama is a lovely, intelligent, highly educated woman who has endured way too much nastiness just because she is a tall, elegant black woman. Luckily she is morally and emotionally strong too!
Thank you Noah. This is an old power struggle, boiled down- demeaning women, demeaning black people. The reasoning behind the smear's justification, in sports, but a lot elsewhere too, needs to be argued loudly to get people to start to think --not wave it off. Trump brushed it off too. Maybe the permission to lash out was implied and allowed and what the fight was all about: fighting, power and racism. A decent president, one we do not have and this one who we seem unable to dethrone so far, would have made a strong statement about this disgusting show. And it was in celebration of Trump (or the country?) the remark came from nowhere like it was waiting for this microphone moment, a present for Trump, for approval, for praise.
Never would anyone have said this before in such an occasion. It demeaned us all... especially in the lack of reprimand from Trump.
But Trump is clueless shameless amoral. Trump is not smart enough to hide who he is. Not smart enough to know he is caving the ground on which he stands. This remark and that play cage may be what the UFC fight is remembered for.. and that MAGA is all about grabbing power and showing it.
Fantastic article. Every morning when we wake up we need to repeat Martin Niemoller's words. And we need to be prepared to toss them out to any politician, of any party, of any government body as needed lest we all forget this incredible lesson. Thank you!
Shouldn't we also be discussing the devastating viciousness of attacking a fellow human being's deepest sense of identity and legitimacy? That is what this kind of insult does and is meant to do. It goes back to childhood when, for example, a favorite taunt among boys was to be called a sissy and that they run or throw a ball "like a girl." Women and girls' appearance is always judged, and it's devastating to be called "mannish." Sexually based insults aim to crush one's sense of self. The insults toward Michelle Obama are actually aimed at both Barack and Michelle, their identities and their marriage.
After the UFC comment was made, warriors on the cesspool that is Threads (yet I can't stay away) must have gotten a talking points email. The site was FULL of (mostly) women decrying the alleged fact that they have looked and looked and searched and dug around the internet but couldn't find on single photo of Michelle Obama being pregnant. This, to them, is very suspicious because who doesn't post photos of their pregnant bodies? (Lots of people).
There is every reason to stay our course in the mid-term. We can not wobble!! The Pubbers would happily tear us apart to win
Dems, don’t be nice to them. There is no middle road. We must WIN! It must be STRONG. It must be MEANINGFUL!!! Anything else will be a sign - a big sign - of weakness it’s time for the pubber to eat their words. They are ready to throw every thing at in order to win. Liking. Cheating. Verbal bombs. Iranian threats!! Every dirty trick!! Your children’s hearts!!! They are desperate. We are strong!!!!
For a buncha warriors, the MAGA cult is so scared of the wimmins. And blacks. And Latinos. And Jews. And Muslims. And (fill in the blank)
I have been told that transgender rights are unpopular, and therefore that if Democrats are to defeat MAGA Republicans we must abandon transgender people, and transgender children in particular. We must throw them under the bus, as the cliche goes. Nope. I won’t vote for any Democrat who isn’t a vocal supporter and defender of transgender people. And if you tell me that my attitude is dooming the country to more years of disastrous Republican rule, and that the triumph of Trumpism will be my fault if I don’t support the imperfect alternative, I will be unmoved. It’s everyone or no one.
No, we don't have to throw anyone under the bus, but making transgender rights a prominent part of the 2024 campaign may have alienated less liberal voters at a time when people were concerned about the problems of inflation, health care and other "kitchen table" issues. In other words, the Democrats have always sucked at reading the room. "Everyone but no one" is a lofty ideal but do you really want JD Vance as your president? What kind of rights do you expect trans Americans would have under that regime?
I meant what I said. Voting, we are told, especially in the United States where there are only two parties that can win elections, is often a choice between two evils; hold your nose, and choose the lesser. But some evils are intolerable. We all have our red lines, and support for transgender people at a time when Republican demagogues are attacking them is mine. Vote as you like; I intend to.
I learned a lot of unpleasant things reading this piece but tell me is Josh Hokit thought to be a figure of any significance in MAGA and conservative politics or is he just an elite athlete who happens to be a stupid, loud mouthed bigot?
MAGA — Morons Again & Again?
He has a Bachelor's Degree in Political Science from Fresno State. Go figure. To me that means he knew exactly what he was doing. Making Gpa laugh.
I didn't think it was possible to lower my opinion of Josh Hokit but somehow you managed it, Patt.
Nope, professional wrestlers are not athletes in any sense of the word. They are violence-prone, steroid-riddled performers.
Just a dumb asshole.
Thank you for this. I'll share it because in MA we have a primary for the Senate between Ed Markey and Seth Moulton. Markey has been an ally of transgender people all along. Moulton, who's running on the platform of "I'm younger than he is," wrote an op-ed in the Washington Post arguing that trans women should not be allowed to compete with cis women because he fears for his little girls. He apparently fears pedophiles who are also rabidly transgender less than he does transgender girls in sports.
Michelle Obama is a lovely, intelligent, highly educated woman who has endured way too much nastiness just because she is a tall, elegant black woman. Luckily she is morally and emotionally strong too!
Rehuglicans are fixated on sex, aren't they? Narrow focus, narrow minds.
"Othering" is the oldest form of bigotry. It's a modern word for "he/she is not one of us."
STILL...
https://www.cnn.com/2026/06/20/politics/video/trump-admin-refuses-to-condemn-ufc-fighters-smear-of-former-first-lady-michelle-obama
Thank you Noah. This is an old power struggle, boiled down- demeaning women, demeaning black people. The reasoning behind the smear's justification, in sports, but a lot elsewhere too, needs to be argued loudly to get people to start to think --not wave it off. Trump brushed it off too. Maybe the permission to lash out was implied and allowed and what the fight was all about: fighting, power and racism. A decent president, one we do not have and this one who we seem unable to dethrone so far, would have made a strong statement about this disgusting show. And it was in celebration of Trump (or the country?) the remark came from nowhere like it was waiting for this microphone moment, a present for Trump, for approval, for praise.
Never would anyone have said this before in such an occasion. It demeaned us all... especially in the lack of reprimand from Trump.
But Trump is clueless shameless amoral. Trump is not smart enough to hide who he is. Not smart enough to know he is caving the ground on which he stands. This remark and that play cage may be what the UFC fight is remembered for.. and that MAGA is all about grabbing power and showing it.
Fantastic article. Every morning when we wake up we need to repeat Martin Niemoller's words. And we need to be prepared to toss them out to any politician, of any party, of any government body as needed lest we all forget this incredible lesson. Thank you!
Previous generations dreamed about getting ahead.
Many Americans today are just trying not to fall behind.
That's not progress.
https://uncomfortable.rxansmithmedia.com/p/the-price-of-survival
Shouldn't we also be discussing the devastating viciousness of attacking a fellow human being's deepest sense of identity and legitimacy? That is what this kind of insult does and is meant to do. It goes back to childhood when, for example, a favorite taunt among boys was to be called a sissy and that they run or throw a ball "like a girl." Women and girls' appearance is always judged, and it's devastating to be called "mannish." Sexually based insults aim to crush one's sense of self. The insults toward Michelle Obama are actually aimed at both Barack and Michelle, their identities and their marriage.
After the UFC comment was made, warriors on the cesspool that is Threads (yet I can't stay away) must have gotten a talking points email. The site was FULL of (mostly) women decrying the alleged fact that they have looked and looked and searched and dug around the internet but couldn't find on single photo of Michelle Obama being pregnant. This, to them, is very suspicious because who doesn't post photos of their pregnant bodies? (Lots of people).
There is every reason to stay our course in the mid-term. We can not wobble!! The Pubbers would happily tear us apart to win
Dems, don’t be nice to them. There is no middle road. We must WIN! It must be STRONG. It must be MEANINGFUL!!! Anything else will be a sign - a big sign - of weakness it’s time for the pubber to eat their words. They are ready to throw every thing at in order to win. Liking. Cheating. Verbal bombs. Iranian threats!! Every dirty trick!! Your children’s hearts!!! They are desperate. We are strong!!!!