OPINION:
I believe just about everyone is either a male or a female in every cell of their body and with respect to the primary sexual organs with which they were born. I believe God made almost every single one of us either male or female. He is the one who “assigned” us our genders. I think men don’t become women by changing their clothes and putting on makeup.
I don’t understand the phrase “biological male.” What other kind of male is there? Nor do I stutter and stammer and ultimately refuse to answer, like at least one current Supreme Court justice, when asked to define the word “woman.”
I don’t think people should be required to provide their pronouns as an employment requirement. I believe those who procure or perform irrevocable and unnecessary surgeries on minors are criminals.
I mention all this because a few weeks ago, a female fencer refused to compete against a male fencer who “identifies” as a woman. Unfortunately, the female fencer was put in a position where she felt it was her best course of action.
Was that a happy outcome? Was it fair? No and no. Should any of us care about the rules of the United States Fencing Association? Probably not. I don’t fence, and I don’t know anyone who does. No one is required to participate; it is an entirely voluntary activity. No one’s employment or educational achievement is affected by the association. No taxpayer money is involved. The association broke no laws in this instance.
Despite the lack of a nexus to any legitimate government interest, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene held a hearing about this seismic event Wednesday in the subcommittee on delivering on government efficiency, which is part of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
I’m sure I don’t know what a private fencing match gone wrong has to do with delivering government efficiency or providing oversight of government functions. I’m equally sure subcommittee Chairwoman Greene and Committee Chairman James Comer don’t know, either.
There are two problems with this silly and pointless show.
First, suppose the United States will remain a great power at some point. In that case, Congress must do its job and start legislating. No, signing off on an omnibus with more bad ideas than can be counted at the end of each year is not legislating. It’s time to face facts: We have a federal government that can’t balance its budgets, win wars, stop drugs from seeping into the nation, reduce crime, solve illegal immigration, fix the cities, build roads or bridges or tunnels, or do anything other than spend your money.
Yet somehow, it has enough time to worry about what private, law-abiding citizens who have formed into voluntary associations do.
There’s the real problem. You are in trouble once the government decides it doesn’t like what you are doing. Make no mistake: In this case, Ms. Greene, who would like to be Sen. Greene, is acting with the full force of the federal government. To a busybody collectivist such as the Georgia congresswoman, it makes no difference that tax money isn’t involved or that laws haven’t been broken. It is enough that they don’t like what you are doing.
Once the principle is established that the government has a right to get in the middle of whatever it chooses, and there is no limit to the scope of its interests, none of us is safe. Girl Scouts? Kiwanis? The Catholic Church? It won’t matter what you do in your free time. If the government doesn’t approve — and right now the “government” is the Republicans, but next time it will be the Democrats — you will be hauled up before a committee to explain yourself.
• Michael McKenna is a contributing editor at The Washington Times.
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