Gender reassignment from Texas' lieutenant governor

The lieutenant governor of the grand and glorious state of Texas just gave me a sex change. It came in a letter with a fancy gold seal and spiffy "state of Texas" watermark. Confused? So was I, a woman named Elizabeth, when I looked at the envelope and enclosed letter both addressed to "Mr. Eli J----."
Below is my initial Facebook response to Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick.

<<Lt. Gov. Patrick - This would almost be funny if it were not so sad. Your office just sent me a letter in response to a discussion I had with one of your aides about the grossly ill-advised "bathroom bill." I thought you did not like transgender people. So why did your office give me a postal sex change - addressing me as "Mr. Eli J-----?" Please explain this one, I am waiting. Did your office assume I was male because I have a voice and an opinion? Does it not occur to you that women stand up for people's rights? Are you simply wishing that all of us #nastywomen would just disappear? Seriously, I want an explanation. And my lady parts back. Thanks. Ms. ELizabeth J-----.

PS: Do I have to use the men's room now, 'cause ewww.>>

Yes, this is funny in a way, but it also illustrates the problem transgender people face - a government official overruling their decision about their gender identity. It is jarring for a person to be addressed as though they were the opposite gender. Those who are transgender have put considerable thought and heartache into deciding they are not comfortable with the gender "nature" assigned to them. Their choice should not be overruled.
This letter also shows a lack of listening. The man I talked with for a good 20 minutes had plenty of time to discern whether I was a rooster or a hen. There is no excuse for truncating my identity and erasing my womanhood. It is offensive and demeaning. Oh, it's just a clerical error, you say? No, things like this matter. Knowing who you are talking to matters.
I do have a followup response:
<<Dear Lt. Gov. Danielle Patricia,
Thank you for your letter of Feb. 22. It was a gift, allowing me to gain a momentary glimpse of what transgender people experience on a daily basis, the disjunction between who I am and how someone else might arbitrarily label me. I offer that back to you and hope it proves illuminating.
Your friend, Eli/zabeth>>

Resisters - We Must Multi-task

I understand the logic behind the current #resist narrative that we should all immediately drop all other causes and focus exclusively on the trump/Russia angle as the best and fastest way to end this nightmare of a presidency.
However, people are being harmed right now by this administration and the bigotry it enables. We must not turn a blind eye or rationalize "We'll fix that later" to these real and present dangers.
America has a shameful history of putting off until "later" the needs of vulnerable populations in order to focus national attention on some grander, broader good. Cases in point: the slavery issue in the Continental Congress and African-American women in the suffragette movement. In both instances, African-Americans were told their needs would have to wait until the nation was formed or until white women got the vote.
Let's not repeat that sin. We can and must impeach and end this toxic presidency AND mitigate/stop its immediate and ongoing harm to our most vulnerable populations.
"Later" is too late for the hundreds of thousands of undocumented Latinos under threat of mass deportation.
"Later" is too late for African-Americans facing violent racism utterly unprotected by the new attorney general Jefferson B. Sessions, deemed "too racist" in the 1980s for a federal judgeship but inexplicably confirmable now.
"Later" is too late for women and girls lacking affordable access to basic reproductive healthcare.
"Later" is too late for our Jewish and Muslim neighbors whose bodies and places of worship are daily being attacked by haters emboldened by the current administration.
"Later" is too late for the disabled, particularly those with "invisible" disabilities such as heart or mental/emotional issues as the current administration appears to believe a disability is not "real" unless it can be seen.
"Later" is too late for foreign or foreign born scholars, technicians, scientists, and laborers who cannot gain entry to this country to fulfill crucial professional roles in our nation.
"Later" is too late for the indigenous peoples trying to protect their sacred land and the natural resources crucial to all of our environmental survival.
Yes, "later" is too late.
We have to multi-task. We must insist loudly and persistently that the Congress do its job. Launch an immediate, full, independent investigation into 45's relations with the Russian government during the presidential campaign, throughout the transition, and in these early weeks of new administration. Meanwhile we must hold ourselves and one another accountable for sheltering and defending those around us at greatest risk of deportation and hate crimes. This multiple-front battle will be exhausting but we can all rest, you guessed it, later.

Holy fake fire, Batman!

Holy fake fire, Batman, *that* was a heck of an entertaining press conference trump gave this afternoon.
My dislike and distrust of the orange emperor burn with the brightness of a thousand suns. And I consider him lower than a snake's belly in the desert. Still, hot damn but donnie can put on a show!
***golf clap***
***clears throat***
However, we must not allow such circus events distract us from the real issue - Russia. Say it with me, "Remember Russia." It is appearing more and more likely that the trumputin bromance runs deep and burns bright. How far back does this relationship go? Did it cost Hillary the election?
We know Russia wanted trump elected.
We know Russia hacked both parties' computer systems.
We know Russia released material harmful to Hillary Clinton's campaign.
We know Hillary won the popular vote.
We know trump won 306 electoral votes because he has repeatedly tells us so. Except he didn't. His vote tally was 304.
We know there was ongoing and extensive communication between trump transition staffers and Russian intelligence. Mike Flynn got fired/was asked to resign over that communication. Or was it for not telling Vice President Mike Pence about that communication?
Now trump wants an investigation into who leaked the American intelligence about the conversations Flynn and Co. had or didn't have with Russian intelligence. Question mark. That's the "fake fire."
Here's what I want to know - Did Team Russia and Team Trump discuss how best to beat Hillary? That would be collusion. That would invalidate trump's "victory."
Let. That. Sink. In.
We must demand en masse a full and independent investigation into trump's ties to putin and Russia. The scope must include the campaign leading up to the general election, the transition, and these early weeks of this administration.
Meanwhile, back at the East Room, this afternoon's press conference was highly entertaining and truly horrifying. It was trump at his evil id "best," by which I mean dishonest, rude, self-centered, disingenuous, combative, racist, moronic.... I am running out of room for adjectives here, but you get the idea.
Seriously, I can't wait to see what fun Saturday Night Live has with this afternoon's press conference. How is Alec Baldwin possibly going to top trump's self-parody of a narcissistic blowhard? Perhaps we can have a cold open with Melissa "Sean Spicer" McCarthy just repeatedly banging his/her/their head on the press podium.
If you missed the event or the absurdities piled on too high and fast to intellectually process, NPR has posted this annotated transcript.
But don't let the show and "fake fire" distract you from the real issue - Russia and trump; trump and Russia. Full, independent investigation needed NOW.

In praise of 'faceless' bureaucrats

Today I just want to give a shout-out to the folks working for the American people in our nation's various government agencies. These are chaotic times for all of us. We have an executive branch seemingly bent on disrupting if not destroying the fabric of our society. We have vacancies at the head of some agencies and at others, appointees whose stated goal is to subvert their agencies' core mission.
And yet the bureaucrats lower down on the pay scale labor on for their *true* employers, the American people. Some risk their positions to share vital information with the nation through the news media via leaks or via anonymously posted tweets to "rogue" and "alt" Twitter accounts. These provide crucial insights into government workings and misdeeds. Others safeguard data on topics like climate change or animal endangerment that the current administration would like to render invisible.
These servants of the people somehow manage to keep the basic mechanisms of government working amid tremendous chaos and uncertainty. It's not easy saying "No" to the president. It's not easy to speak out when "the boss" is lying to the people. Yet many federal agency employees are stepping up to do just that.
So thank you, forest rangers, park rangers, climate scientists, congressional aides answering angry constituent calls, intelligence officers and analysts, diplomats, statisticians, file clerks, administrators, secretaries, under-undersecretaries of fill-in-the-blank. Know that while you may be unknown, you are not unloved.
Thank you.

Remember Russia - That's my new mantra

One good thing about Michael T. Flynn's forced resignation this week is it is helping keep attention where I think it is most productive - on Russia's interference with our election, contact during the transition, administration members' links to Russia, and trump's ongoing fascination with Russia's thugocrat Putin.
Like many of us on the Left, I want trump's perversion of a presidency to end as quickly as possible. Russia can be the key to making that happen, in my opinion. Impeachment will require Republicans along with Democrats. While Republicans may go along with or even support many of trump's wrong-headed policies and examples of executive overreach, they must draw the line at foreign intervention in American governance. At least one hopes. Sen. John McCain and a few other Republicans are already making some loud noise on this.
A strong case is quickly developing for ongoing Russian interference and undue influence. Through hacking, leaks, and a huge misinformation campaign, the Russians tipped the election scales in trump's favor. Then we have Flynn and possibly other trump allies in close conversations with the Russians during the transition. Most damning is the assertion Flynn violated the Logan Act by telling the Russians not to worry about any sanctions placed on them by the outgoing Obama administration. Would Flynn have taken it upon himself to do this? Hardly. It is more than probable he was acting on trump's orders.
Many Republicans in Washington would like us to think that Flynn's resignation solves the problem and we should move on. Wrong. This scandal goes much deeper. Why was Flynn allowed to keep his post for weeks after the administration had been told of his transgression, one which exposed him to blackmail from the Russians? Speaking of blackmail, don't forget about the dossier the Russians supposedly have on trump. Or trump's odd willingness to serve as apologist in chief for his friend Putin.
This all started with election interference, which is no longer old news/sour grapes but rather evidence of an ongoing campaign to subvert our democracy, a campaign we must fight with everything we have.
Undoubtedly the coming days will bring more executive orders, pugilistic tweets, and advisers behaving badly. Many of these are distractions, though some must be responding to in real time (such as unconstitutional travel bans based on religion.) For the most part, though, these distractions should be treated as symptoms and our goal should be to eliminate via impeachment, the source - the trump administration. The most direct and bipartisan way to make that happen - Russia.
Remember Russia.

Mockery as a survival tool

We are three weeks (is that all?!) into 45's presidency, a reign many of us on the Left greeted with fear, anxiety, and rage.
Today I find myself a bit less fearful than I was two weeks ago. This is not because 45 is a better president than I'd feared. Far from it.
He's just not that scary and all-powerful, particularly when we refuse to grant him that power to make us fearful. Yes, he has power but so do we. Ours is growing stronger by the day, aided by those who stand up to him, whether they be judges, forest rangers, or ordinary women and men marching with pink hats. We are gaining our voice and political savvy. And we are fast learners, unlike 45.
What is 45 gaining? Ridicule, well deserved ridicule for his words, actions, even wardrobe. He wants respect and admiration while clearing demonstrating he deserves neither. And so he is mocked, viciously. Nothing defeats fear and perceived power quicker than mockery.
Recently it was leaked that 45 spends his nights wandering aimlessly around the White House in a bathrobe. Hardly the image of an all-powerful head of state. I can picture him shuffling past portraits of his predecessors perhaps in gold lame' slippers, one size too large and just a tad tattered, muttering to himself about how his aides have failed him and need to be fired. The tiny fingers on his tiny hands tapping out misspelled and incoherent tweets on his outdated phone. I bet that phone still has Roman numerals.
This image of 45 is about as nightmare-inducing as Professor Snape wearing Neville's grandmother's grandest dead bird hat in one of the J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter books. The lesson's object was to teach Harry and his fellow Hogwarts students how to defeat their deepest fears by turning them into something ridiculous.
Our 45 does not need help looking ridiculous. He is not a destroyer of worlds, just a tinpot wannabe tyrant with all the intellect, social graces, and emotional maturity of a toddler. Rather pathetic, actually.
Yes, it is pathetic that just enough voters in key electoral college states bought into 45's lies and delusions of grandeur to put him in the White House. For now.
Hopefully little 45 will soon decide this game of playing president is boring and we are all being very mean to him and it's just not fair and his friends are making him look silly and he's going to march right back to his golden tower in his bathrobe and then we won't have 45 to kick around anymore so there.
Keep up the mockery. He makes it so easy. Call out every lie, with sarcasm when possible. Confront every hurtful action. Ridicule every absurd statement. Keep up the pressure on his ego and self-image.
As all toddlers do, he will leave a frightful mess when he goes, whether voluntarily or by impeachment. And that may take years to clean up but I for one am not afraid of a bit of elbow grease.

Time to mitigate and show mettle

Betsy DeVos unfortunately was sworn in this evening as secretary of education, a post she is grossly unqualified for. The Senate vote was 51-50, despite valiant efforts from Democrats and two female Republican senators and countless calls, emails, and tweets to senators urging them to reject her nomination.

Now it's time to mitigate the danger on the local, state, and federal levels. On the local level - get involved. Ask public school teachers what kinds of support will be most helpful. Join the PTA. Volunteer at your local school. Attend school board meetings. Consider running for the school board.

Express support for public education publicly via social media and letters to the editor. Let your positive progressive voice be heard. Counter arguments for vouchers and "school choice." These terms are often code for taking funding away from public schools and public schools need all the funding they can get.

Also stay on top of your state's board of education. These bodies make important decisions that impact students such as which textbooks to buy. Make sure textbooks are accurate, intellectually challenging, and inclusive. Who controls the narratives, history, science, and civics our children read about is important. Minorities and women have often been left out of these texts in the past. Also be wary of conservative attempts to devalue science, particularly evolution.

Stay informed about state and national legislation regarding education. Praise good decisions that further sound educational policy and decry bad decisions that harm students.

In a word #persist.

Democrats are pulling another allnighter as I write this, trying to persuade their Republican colleagues that Sen. Jeff Sessions is not fit to be attorney general. One of those senators, Elizabeth Warren, was officially SILENCED earlier tonight for attempting to read out loud a letter Coretta Scott King wrote in 1986 against Jeff Sessions' nomination for a federal judgeship. He was denied that seat and should be denied the AG spot for the same reasons - animosity toward the rights of minorities and women.

Tomorrow will be another busy day. Senators need to hear from us. Whether they will listen is up to them but I think it is important they see and hear that we will not back down after a defeat. We will keep speaking out against unqualified cabinet nominees. I will be calling my less-than-responsive senators in Texas, John Cornyn and Ted Cruz. Will you?

A few quick Twitter follow recommends

Hello. Yes, I have several longer posts in "rough draft" form. I would like to offer a few quick Twitter follow recommendations right now, though.
For a laugh, check out @POTUSBathrobe.
@KeithOlberman has been posting some excellent brief videos.
@RoguePOTUSStaff posts some alarming & captivating "behind the scenes" material from the Oval Office.
Many other federal government employees have followed the Park Service @AltParkService and Forest Service's @AltForestService example by setting up their own fifth-column #resist accounts. Follow and thank.
The one that probably needs the most moral support today is @AltDeptEducation.
Peace. Out. #Resist. #Persist.

If trump was my student...

My day job is teaching a college course on comparative religion. The past two weeks I have found myself wanting to say to our new president many of the same things I tell my least successful students.
* Do your homework. Read and study before you start spouting off nonsense. You should not need another world leader to explain what the Geneva Convention is.
* Quit focusing on yourself. Some of my students try to avoid thinking and writing about unfamiliar topics by keeping the focus on themselves and their experience. Shut up about crowd sizes and TV ratings.
* Think before posting. Some students fire off quick replies without thinking through what they want to say and how to say it. Donald - stop with the tweets already.
* Don't be a bully. Don't pick fights. Don't be a jerk. That kind of behavior quickly leads to disciplinary action. I will not allow anyone to make my classroom a hostile environment. I simply will not have it. If you have an issue with a classmate - or the prime minister of Australia - deal with it calmly and privately.
* Get your facts straight. Use credible, objective sources. Hint: Britbeirt is not the paper of record for anything other than hate. Posting or repeating incorrect information will get you on my bad side quicker than just about anything else. I will ask where you got your information and I will correct you publicly.
* Practice professional communication. Many of my students have been out of school awhile so their vocabulary, grammar, clarity, tone, and sentence structure need work. I would strongly recommend writing and proofreading workshops to student trump*.
Bear in mind, these are all things I expect from college students. The leader of the free world should have a broad knowledge base, emotional maturity, intellectual curiosity, oral and written communication skills, and social graces beyond what might be expected from a typical college freshman. The current one does not.
If trump* was my student, I would be anxious for the term to be over so I would not have to deal with him anymore. Unfortunately, a presidential term is far longer than one academic quarter.
If trump* was my student, I would contact his academic adviser early in the term to express concern about his mental state and suggest he might not be up to the task he has taken on.
If trump* was my student, he would take up far more of my time and energy than any other student, likely more than *all* my other students unless I was particularly careful and conscious about allocating my resources. I would still try to teach him because he needs to know this study. He needs to learn critical thinking and opening himself to others' experiences.
If trump* was my student, I would hope he would drop my class and just go away, yes, despite the teacherly attitude stated above. If he did not leave of his own volition, I would be sorely tempted to do something I have never done in 15 years of teaching college. I would throw him out of my class for the sake of my sanity and so the rest of the class could get on with learning without his disruptive and destructive presence.
Impeach trump* now.

Let's not be petulant, fellow liberals

So Cheeto Nero unveiled his Supreme Court nominee last night, Neil Gorsuch. I say give the guy a chance.
Fellow progressives, let's be pragmatic rather than petulant. Let's be the adults here. Let's "go high" as Michelle Obama famously said.
Before his name was announced, some Democrats swore trump*'s pick for the Supreme Court would never get a hearing as long as there was breath in a single Democrat's body. After all, turnabout is fair play ran the argument. The Republicans refused to give President Barack Obama's final Supreme Court nominee a hearing. They were blatant about it. The GOP was not going to give anyone Obama selected any chance at all, because...Obama.
Yes, that was offensive, unfair, undemocratic, nasty, uncouth, etc.
Let's be better than that. Let's not be, to paraphrase Bobby Jindal, "the asshole party."
Tit for tat works on a preschool playground. We are not on a preschool playground, despite the toddler tendencies of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue's current resident.
Gorsuch is intelligent and qualified. He has read the Constitution. It's not like Gorsuch is an ambulance chaser bannontrump found through a glance at a back-of-phonebook lawyer ad. He does not want to demolish the Supreme Court. Think about it. He is the only person Orange Man has nominated for anything who does not have utter disdain for the office he is seeking. Yes, Gorsuch is conservative. Anyone who Atrocious Hair nominates will be.
We have to be realistic; 45 is not going to give us Bernie in a black robe. Not. Gonna Happen. Tiny Hands will need some Democratic support to get Gorsuch through. Let him know it's possible, for a price.
It would play right into nazibannon's hands if we Democrats put all our energy and time into obstructing this particular nomination. Instead let's pick our battles, of which there are many, and keep our focus on dethroning the Orange Emperor and his puppetmaster as quickly as possible while minimizing their damage to our country and Constitution.
The Donald's support is not that solid. Part of it comes reluctantly from conservative Evangelicals who held their noses and voted for him because they knew he would nominate a conservative for the Supreme Court vacancy. Now those of us on the Left can say to them, "OK, you've got your conservative justice, now will you *please* help us impeach that immoral cretin?" The grounds on which to do so are many from conflict of interest to incompetence to being broskies with Vladimir Putin.