Loose Ends
I was watching the Chicago Blackhawks play the St. Louis Blues in a classic Stanley Cup playoff game the other night.
It was a rough and physical game between two longtime rivals and Andrew Shaw of the Blackhawks was whistled for a penalty.
The camera followed him to the penalty box where he quickly took his seat and began screaming profanities at the referee.
You didn’t have to be a master lip reader to understand what he was shouting.
My first thought was that Shaw was in trouble for cursing out the ref and anticipated him getting a few more minutes in the sin bin.
That didn’t happen…but he was suspended by the league for one game and fined.
He wasn’t suspended for unsportsmanlike conduct, but for using a “homophobic slur”.
Had he chosen his profanity more carefully, he’d be playing tonight.
Evidently, you can call the ref anything, (complete with colorful adjectives) as long as it’s not “homophobic”.
It was a visual comment on Target allowing people to pick their own gender when picking a bathroom.
Now, I really don’t give a hoot in hell what people do in the privacy of their own bedrooms.
That’s their business.
However neither corporate America, nor the politically correct thought police, will stop me from interceding with a man who follows my mother or girlfriend into a bathroom.
That intercession may or may not be accompanied by some sort of illegal slur.
That’s not a threat, it’s a promise.
His dress may fit him much better when I’m done.
I thank the good Lord I don’t have a daughter…
This has nothing to do with my faith, it has everything to do with moral and cultural sanity.
It has nothing to do with Leviticus or Romans, but everything to do with common sense and decency.
Like most of America, I’m tired of having those lines crossed, then obliterated, by those who want “tolerance”, but won’t “tolerate” simple decency.
I’m drawing a new line here…and I have lots of company.
History may record that the revolution started inside a womens room at Target…
Why, when a cultural icon dies, do Christians have to pontificate on the deceased?
Why can’t we just mourn with those who mourn?
Why do we have to be such jerks?
God carelessly forgot to tell me the state of Princes soul yesterday so I can’t comment on that.
I can say his work will be remembered long after the hack theologians who were blasting him are forgotten.
Saeed Abedini is getting ready to cash in…
For a fee he will describe the terrors of an Iranian prison, especially the torture of constantly being interrupted when you’re trying to catch up with “Breaking Bad” on Netflix.
From his bio…
“Today, Pastor Saeed continues to share the gospel and tell the story of the persecuted church. The Abedini family has been greatly impacted by Saeed’s imprisonment and continue to resolve the emotional trauma felt by many held in captivity.”
This guys a piece of work…
[sigh] eed.
I agree with Curt Schillings thoughts on the topic, but if I was ESPN I too would have fired him. In a personality driven business like sports, a company does not need the non sports grief.
If anything he should have been fired for being an idiot who does not learn from past errors – this is like the 3rd or 4th time he has done this.
Target solution: Hold it until you get home. Besides, if there’s a dudes in a dress, wouldn’t it be better for him to be in with the girls rather than the boys? A little snark there, but, if the guy’s in a dress I’m thinking he’s not interested in women. Just pondering lol.
JoelG,
I was a manager for Montgomery Ward back in the day.
We had problems way back then with people who wanted to do weird stuff in the bathrooms and dressing rooms.
The two gender bathroom system has served us well…as has recognizing that most people fall into one of those two categories.
Perhaps we should not identify the restrooms Men or Women.
At Lake Havasu I have seen a couple at the marina’s and dock areas labeled Outboards and Inboards.
That should settle it. 🙂
Was thinking about maybe trying to get a prize together for the first person who can find me an example of someone getting beaten up on the Internet for using the slippery slope argument with the phrase, “the next thing you’re going to want to do is let men use the ladies room”.
We can see where this is going. Someday it will be law and churches will be forced to comply or else.
“This has nothing to do with my faith, it has everything to do with moral and cultural sanity.
It has nothing to do with Leviticus or Romans, but everything to do with common sense and decency.”
Exactly!
seems like the logical solution would be 3 categories of restrooms (funny name when you think about it): men – women – transgenders … if they’re so darn proud of themselves, they surely couldn’t object to getting special recognition
what happens if i come out of the ladies’ room yelling there’s a man in there? do i go to jail?
“….. it has everything to do with moral and cultural sanity.” amen…
we had to kill a deer today; it had a broken leg and was dying in our yard… first called the State and they said, “Your yard, your problem.” We could shoot it or just let it die a slow painful death – either way we have to dispose of the carcass ourselves, can’t eat it. Now if we’d drug the poor thing 200′ out to the road, the State would have taken care of it… we are governed by the mentally deficient, i’m sure of it.
Btw, I have to say I was way more surprised about the Shaw suspension than Schilling being fired. For one, Schilling seemed to have the attitude of, “I’m going to be me, I don’t much care if you fire me for it”. Being suspended a playoff game is pretty huge though. Most people assumed the reason Duncan Keith only got six games, was that one of them was a playoff game… the assumption being that he normally would have gotten 10. Do the math, that’s a five game suspension for using a culturally inappropriate swear word.
we had drug or we had dragged? 🙂
Darn, you beat me to it on the transgendered topic. It was what I was thinking through for a possible article next week. Probably would be too much repeat of thoughts if I did it now.
I don’t know how you come up with several articles a week. Hard enough for me to do one. I’m glad I don’t do this for a living. I’d be long dead by now due to insufficient levels of generated work. 🙂
Kevin,
Go ahead and write it up…I think it worthwhile.
I write a lot, but most of it isn’t worth paying for… 🙂
Why not Kevin H.? You’ve taken on other light topics like politics and booze. Why not transgender? 🙂
I don’t know, you already stole too many of my good points. 🙂
We’ll see. Maybe I can come up with enough other angles. If not, maybe I can write about drinking again. 🙂
I was at an event recently where there was a huge line for the ladies’ bathroom and a much shorter one for the men’s. When I got to the door, a woman came out of the men’s room loudly proclaiming she didn’t care because she had to go. It was…uncomfortable.
KevinH, if you are open to suggestions, we get a lot of the “protect our women and children” and “what is this world coming to”, but if you had any insights on balancing that with the aspect that there are real lost people that are separate from the agenda that is being pushed, I would have some interest in what you have to say.
My personal reactions generally are in the area of disgust and outrage (especially when it comes to kids and learning mindsets on the latter… To be honest), but these people are certainly no less in need of the gospel.
Dswoager, here in the Portland area we have our own transgender minister preaching the gospel to this community.
http://www.transevangelist.com/index.php
dswoager,
Thanks for the input. That aspect had also been in my thoughts and I probably would have touched on it. I don’t think I’m qualified or have enough insight to write a whole article on it, though.
#5 “Outboards and Inboards” Bahahahahaha! Perfect.
Michael’s comment ‘his dress may fit better’. hahahhaha
Good laughs over a grievous subject. Long ago, a pragmatic friend of mine stated “Pull down your underwear. I’ll tell you what you are”…. Settles it for me.
I might be slightly crude if ever asked for my opinion.
Outboards and Inboards works tho.
I’ve been offended.
I think a boycott is in order.
I’m being discriminated against…again.
Yes, once again Wal-Mart has put the cans of “Mariners Catch” cat food on the top shelf.
I can’t reach the top shelf.
I’m short.
However, I believe I’m tall and want to be tall and I really want to be able to reach the cat food that my cat desires.
Therefore, I demand that Wal-Mart remove all top shelves in all stores and keep everything within the reach of short people who think they’re tall but they’re not because it’s my right to be tall as I want to be even if I’m not and you should accommodate what I want to be even if I’m not really that.
If Wal-Mart will not remove all the top shelves, then I will pursue legal action.
This is discrimination at it’s worst for those of us who are height challenged except in our minds.
#s 5 & 20 … inboards and outboards is choice, but….
there is something called an inboard/outboard… so …?… it shouldn’t be too hard to come up with a third bathroom facility
#21 – long overdue discrimination offense and needs to be addressed 🙂
Back in the late 70s, in the disco culture of S.F., the restrooms were totally flexible. I never found anything dangerous, uncomfortable or weird. I guess it was that night fever.
http://youtu.be/-ihs-vT9T3Q
I frankly don’t understand why more people aren’t outraged over this.
I didn’t let T use a public restroom alone until he was probably twelve…and if we’re at a rest stop I still won’t let him go alone.
If I had a daughter that age I shudder to think about what I would do if a man followed her into a restroom.
What in the hell happened to common sense and decency?
Further, why can an infinitesimal percentage of the population make the rest of us do their bidding?
This might work in some places in this country…but where I live someone is going to get hurt.
Michael, there’s nothing wrong with you. I grew up in S.F. I’m probably the twisted one.
I’m not saying anyone is twisted…I just cannot for the life of me justify what Target is doing.
It’s not “hate”…it’s just simply that an ordered society has to recognize certain norms for the sake of the people.
It will be interesting to see if this affects Targets bottom line.
In my little circle it’s “boycott Target!” But I really believe that one of the last people who’d want to assault a young girl in the bathroom is a transgender male. The few I’m familiar with are very feminine in nature. Maybe I’ve lost my marbles.
Regardless, I agree with you Michael. This is nuts.
I hear you. I am critical of my own tradition for not considering boycotts and close coordination with other communities of faith to put our money where our principles are. That’s a message business understands.
I hate even talking about stuff like this because I certainly don’t want to come off as another crusty conservative.
I’m not…but stuff like this could move me that direction… 🙂
^Crusty or conservative?
I’ll cop to crusty… 🙂
I have 2 daughters, both of whom I’d be extremely uncomfortable using the bathroom with a transgender male. I wouldn’t allow it, no matter how “open-minded” I’d like to think I am.
This will be an interesting gauge of our culture. If Target withstands this I shudder to think what’s next.
JoelG,
Most major retailers will follow suit in short order…the impact on Target will end up being minimal.
If my children were young, I’d be more worried about a pedophile homo with a young son than a transgender with a daughter. Neither thought is appealing.
Jean,
I’m one of those neurotics who worry about every conceivable possibility. 🙂
There are men who are straight and like to wear dresses….
Michael, one of the problems with the monied class, is they are insulated from the world most of us live in. They don’t represent us, but think they know what is best for us, and don’t understand us or our concerns. It’s two different realities.
Jean,
I think that very thing is what is fueling our cultural anger…
The Bourgeoisie are pushing too far with this one. I just can’t believe that the American public will tolerate this.
JoelG, I don’t believe that we will have a choice.
Who would have believed that it would be the law of that land that 2 men or 2 women could get married to one another 10 years ago?
I was shocked when i read that “Caitlyn (Bruce) Jenner has now changed his birth certificate and drivers’ licence and still has his penis. He hasn’t even changed his plumbing and yet can be considered a woman in every legal way.
Crazy!
Agreed Nonnie. I think the difference is the public restroom issue affects all of us in the hear and now. It affects our kids directly. Same sex marriage and Jenner is “out there” in the live and let live categorie that’s politically correct and safe.
Kids, wives, moms. It’s making me angry thinking about it.
This issue is exactly the same as abortion 40 years ago. No one, back then,would have believed that people would be applauding PP in doing partial birth abortions and also selling baby parts. That was never dreamed of back then. It was strictly first trimester abortions.
Who would have believed 10 years ago that people would be applauding parents who are dressing their little boys as girls and planning on getting them hormone treatments? And that we and our children HAVE to play along that it is absolutely normal or we are hateful bigots.
Who would have believed 5 years ago that Target would be issuing a press release saying that men can use the women’s restroom, if they happen to feel like they are a woman that day.
It’s a slippery slope….and it is gaining speed.
And no I don’t hate transgenders or cross dressers, women who have had abortions,etc.. I’m not a hater…I’m just observing some incredible changes in my lifetime and wondering what comes next.
The Good News is that we have a King who holds this world in His Hands and is bringing His Kingdom to earth as it is in heaven in the midst of this brokenness.
Amen, JoelG! That blessed hope gives me peace through this insanity.
interesting – “civilization” moved forward in great, gratifying strides over the past few hundred years and was the work of basically God-fearing nations. Now today all those “We did it our way” folk, who give the credit to god denying intellectualism for what we’ve accomplished, are going to have to face some very uncivilized consequences – or so it seems to me today
How long until a child/woman is attacked in the bathroom by a predator posing as transgender? Not a paranoid question IMO.
Lurkie Loo, some might answer you that such attacks already happen so why worry about the gender thing? But the concern you raise is valid IMV because it simply makes it so much easier to pull off
“Great civilizations aren’t murdered, they commit suicide.”
– Historian Arnold Toynbee