It was 50 years since the legalisation of homosexuality and 1 day since President Donald Trump said he was banning Transgender folks from the US army. And thus BBC breakfast focused in hard on issues that affect directly just over 2% and between 0.3% and 0.6% of the population directly. What else could the liberal media focus on? It was a veritable LGBT-fest and a reminder why BBC Breakfast really is just such dismal viewing.
As you may know I marched against clause 28 and am delighted that finally the UK law treats gays the same way as straight folks. There may be a few wrinkles left but the law is finally about right. Yet still there are demands for special treatment in the name of equality. But what do we mean by equality?
The gay rugger play Gareth Thomas was there to discuss a telly show he had recorded about the one sport which is clearly still very gay intolerant - soccer. The understandable reluctance of gays to come out in certain sports is still an issue but that we are now fighting those issues as the big issues for gay folks shows how far we come. But if equality is the aim would the LGBT community, which economically is better off in asset and disposable income terms, than the straight community say what actual targets should be.
I note that 45 of 650 MP's are openly gay. I bet there are a few more still in the closet but that means that while 2.1% of the population are gay, at least 6.9% of MPs are LGB. And 7% of babies adopted in Britain this year will be adopted by gay couples. There is a long waiting lit to adopt babies but, perhaps, because the gay community is richer so can offer a more comfortable home, it does better than childless straights. I see that openly gay folks were well over quota in the BBC rich list.
I am not arguing for affirmative action for straight folks. That is planily very silly. I just wonder if those demanding equality might like to explain actual targets and justify them?
Meanwhile the BBC gave it to Donny Trump with both barrels for trying to ban Transgender folks from the US Army. It noted that a crowd of several hundred gathered in New York to protest. It did not put that in context. New York has a population according to the 2016 census of 19.75 million and is a very LGBT friendly, liberal City so that demonstration is not exactly massive. The BBC also noted that the move was "condemned by both Democrats and Republicans." Of course lots of Dems condemned it and so did some Republicans, but not many. US political parties ate loose coalitions and there are some very liberal wooly minded folk in the Republican tent. But most in the GOP supported Trump's call. The BBC did not make that clear.
I note a horrific statistic. 45% of 16-24 US transexuals have tried to kill themselves. The BBC would say that is down to transphobia but all the evidence is that the very high suicide rates is down to the trauma these folks feel trapped in a body they can't identify with. A compassionate society would - for their own good - not send folks suffering such mental anguish into a place where they may be suffering the additional stress of mortal combat.
The role of an army is to defend a nation. It should recruit the best folks for that job not serve as an instrument of social change. A compassionate society would support and offer counselling to trans folks and not allow them to get into situations of added stress which can only intensify internal stresses and up the risk of suicide.
But a sensible society would also bar those at a high risk of suicide from the armed forces for the sake of other soldiers. It is bad enough having to fight the enemies of your country in mortal combat and you can only succeed by working as a unit. having one of the members of your team at high risk of suicide is not going to help the rest of the troop. It imperils them.
Trump is pragmatic in his approach. He is acting as sensible commander in chief would as he considers the welfare of his troops and the safety of his people. hat he says makes sense and most folks in America know that which is why, as the liberal media, the Hollywood luvvies and the pathetic Beltway Dems cry foul yet again, it is they not POTUS who seem ever more out of touch with the 99%.