This morning, my colleague shared the following news story:
KRXQ Sacramento Radio Hosts Encourage Violence Against Transgender Children
[…] The hosts, Rob Williams and Arnie States, devoted the segment in question to a vicious diatribe against transgender children, some as young as five, focusing in particular on the case of one Omaha family raising a gender dysphoric child, and their decision to support her transition from male to female.
No compassion. No humility. No sense of responsibility. Taking pleasure in the misfortune or suffering of others… I think that these guys have a constitutional right to espouse their intolerance. Do they have a right to encourage people to beat children?
I do take with Michael Rowe’s closing remarks:
But if anyone ever called my godson a "sick little freak," or a "nut," or a "freak of nature," or beat him with a shoe for being himself, I could not, and would not, be held accountable for my reaction, or my inevitable response.
I wouldn’t hesitate to respond or intervene. But that wouldn’t absolve me of responsibility. I’m always responsible for my actions and choices.
When someone’s little boy is beaten senseless because the attacker heard the show, will the hosts sack-up and accept some responsibility for the crime?
What does it take to penetrate the intolerant cultural crust to touch the caring and compassionate part of these men? Would they be more empathetic if someone they truly love struggled with gender role issues? I don’t wish this upon their children, but if they have sons and one of their sons was queer-bashed, would they tell their kid that they shouldn’t have acted so gay?
/sigh
What responsibility do I have as a citizen, a man, a father, a queer to respond?
