First of all, I want to contradict the one in 8 statement McWhorter makes about gender fluidity. The actual stat (from the very recent Canadian census. Canada is the first country to do this properly with a question on sex registered at birth as well as gender indentification) is one in 300 or 0.33% for the population at large. The stats were released at the end of last month and did not get much play. The reason why he may see a higher rate where he lives as opposed to say someone in rural Kansas is also included in the census -- the concentration does tend to be in urban areas. According to the Canadian census 9 in 10 non binary people lived in an urban centre with a concentration of over 100 k. https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/220427/dq220427b-eng.htm gives the official breakdown.
Second, it is worth remembering that the US has a long tradition of limiting speech by public officials operating in a public capacity. The current case of Kennedy v Bremerton School Board seeks to overturn some of the existing prohibitions which have existed since Engel v Vitale. It has to do with teachers expressing philosophical beliefs in the classroom and whether or not it tramples on the parents/guardian's long established right to bring children up according their own philosophical beliefs (something which is guaranteed in the 1st amendment, second clause) as well as in the UN Charter of Human Rights. How can religion be said to be free if one cannot teach one's children one's own beliefs?Once people are adults, they have a right to choose their own philosophical beliefs. Does the teaching of gender theory to grade school students constitute a philosophical belief? I would argue that it does and thus is different what is going on at St Olaf.
Third, in the UK, there is currently an employment tribunal going on -- Allison Bailey (a black, disabled lesbian with gender critical views) is suing her chambers and Stonewall (the leading LGBTQ+ charity) because according to her they colluded to withhold work on account of her philosophical beliefs. The tribunal is on going. Yesterday, however, was instructive. In the morning, one of the representatives from Stonewall admitted that their Diversity Champion scheme and training should be seen as part of their lobbying efforts to affect change, rather than an impartial group which is seeking to explain the actual legal position. In the afternoon, complete with his support dog, mother and solicitor in attendance and requiring frequent breaks, Stonewall's Head of Trans Inclusion Kirrin Medcalf (preferred pronouns they/them/he/his) explained why a white male who identifies as trans should fear sharing a bathroom with Ms Bailey and why he sent a formal letter of complaint to Ms Bailey's chambers about the subject. He also denies the existence of male and female bodies and believes that anyone who believes differently should be shunned. It is an interesting insight into the gender identity culture. https://tribunaltweets.substack.com/p/allison-bailey-vs-stonewall-and-garden-baa?s=r
The right of dissent aka the right to be wrong without being accused of being disloyal is under threat in the Western world. According to Edward Murrow, it is that right which vanishes first when a nation stumbles down the road to totalitarianism.
I’m afraid John has got a lot of the trans & gender stuff wrong… I would really recommend both of you read “Trans” by Helen Joyce. It’s very odd hearing someone who is so bang-on regarding most other “woke” or Elect stuff go so easy on the current gender crazes. Especially since John has young girls- please look more into this issue! I also recommend Irreversible Damage by Abigail Shrier
There is an enormous difference between presenting various ideas and perspectives to young adults and teaching the gender-identity approach to young children. The "non-binaryesque grade school teacher" presents the gender-identity approach as the right way of thinking. Young children trust their teachers and do not have the same capacity to think critically and to find information from various sources as teenagers or young adults.
Interestingly, the gender-identity approach is very recent, but many people now demonize everyone who disagrees with it as a hateful and backward bigot. I am not a right-wing person, but I regard the aggressive promotion of the gender-identity approach as a form of blatant indoctrination. I don't have any "gender identity", I will never agree to "declare my pronouns", I think that biological sex is important. I don't embrace conventional femininity, but I see absolutely no reason to label myself as "non-binary".
Teens will rebel in ways that will please their peers. In the past it was drinking and smoking cigarettes, then pot and cocaine. Now it’s gender. The slide to decadence mentioned by Glenn is real, in my opinion. It doesn’t seem that any of this “freedom” is making these folks happier. Good luck, modern parents.
Leftists,i.e. Marxists, socialists, communists et al, not traditional liberals, will always accuse their rivals of exactly what they do. They are the real intolerable, racist, homophobic you name it’s!
This is such a challenging and disheartening topic. I lament that the administrators caved to student pressure. I am perplexed regarding what to do about the student body. I am sure it is a vocal minority, but the impact has been the same regardless. I fear that the "long march through the institutions" has a jump start on inculcating "repressive tolerance" into many of our young minds. I did enjoy the work I had seen where you reached out to comedians because I do think that satire will be an important tool to diffuse the tension of the intolerant. I think it would also be important to let the youth know that they are being used as pawns for a political agenda and that they are stronger and more resilient than the dogma will tell them. I hope we have more on all fronts to challenge the narrative and re-instill hope and resolve.
I had a romantic partner break up with me over listening to John during the George Floyd protests. When we first started dating I asked them who their favorite contemporary philosopher was, and the answer was Peter Singer. They were a philosophy major at one point. If you can find these contradictions in the older ones who run with this crowd you can pressure them into talking some sense into the mob. I did a bad job, as this partner broke up with me when I got defensive about John merely being some “cis dude.” Just my experience.
🇺🇸
First of all, I want to contradict the one in 8 statement McWhorter makes about gender fluidity. The actual stat (from the very recent Canadian census. Canada is the first country to do this properly with a question on sex registered at birth as well as gender indentification) is one in 300 or 0.33% for the population at large. The stats were released at the end of last month and did not get much play. The reason why he may see a higher rate where he lives as opposed to say someone in rural Kansas is also included in the census -- the concentration does tend to be in urban areas. According to the Canadian census 9 in 10 non binary people lived in an urban centre with a concentration of over 100 k. https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/220427/dq220427b-eng.htm gives the official breakdown.
Second, it is worth remembering that the US has a long tradition of limiting speech by public officials operating in a public capacity. The current case of Kennedy v Bremerton School Board seeks to overturn some of the existing prohibitions which have existed since Engel v Vitale. It has to do with teachers expressing philosophical beliefs in the classroom and whether or not it tramples on the parents/guardian's long established right to bring children up according their own philosophical beliefs (something which is guaranteed in the 1st amendment, second clause) as well as in the UN Charter of Human Rights. How can religion be said to be free if one cannot teach one's children one's own beliefs?Once people are adults, they have a right to choose their own philosophical beliefs. Does the teaching of gender theory to grade school students constitute a philosophical belief? I would argue that it does and thus is different what is going on at St Olaf.
Third, in the UK, there is currently an employment tribunal going on -- Allison Bailey (a black, disabled lesbian with gender critical views) is suing her chambers and Stonewall (the leading LGBTQ+ charity) because according to her they colluded to withhold work on account of her philosophical beliefs. The tribunal is on going. Yesterday, however, was instructive. In the morning, one of the representatives from Stonewall admitted that their Diversity Champion scheme and training should be seen as part of their lobbying efforts to affect change, rather than an impartial group which is seeking to explain the actual legal position. In the afternoon, complete with his support dog, mother and solicitor in attendance and requiring frequent breaks, Stonewall's Head of Trans Inclusion Kirrin Medcalf (preferred pronouns they/them/he/his) explained why a white male who identifies as trans should fear sharing a bathroom with Ms Bailey and why he sent a formal letter of complaint to Ms Bailey's chambers about the subject. He also denies the existence of male and female bodies and believes that anyone who believes differently should be shunned. It is an interesting insight into the gender identity culture. https://tribunaltweets.substack.com/p/allison-bailey-vs-stonewall-and-garden-baa?s=r
The right of dissent aka the right to be wrong without being accused of being disloyal is under threat in the Western world. According to Edward Murrow, it is that right which vanishes first when a nation stumbles down the road to totalitarianism.
I’m afraid John has got a lot of the trans & gender stuff wrong… I would really recommend both of you read “Trans” by Helen Joyce. It’s very odd hearing someone who is so bang-on regarding most other “woke” or Elect stuff go so easy on the current gender crazes. Especially since John has young girls- please look more into this issue! I also recommend Irreversible Damage by Abigail Shrier
There is an enormous difference between presenting various ideas and perspectives to young adults and teaching the gender-identity approach to young children. The "non-binaryesque grade school teacher" presents the gender-identity approach as the right way of thinking. Young children trust their teachers and do not have the same capacity to think critically and to find information from various sources as teenagers or young adults.
Interestingly, the gender-identity approach is very recent, but many people now demonize everyone who disagrees with it as a hateful and backward bigot. I am not a right-wing person, but I regard the aggressive promotion of the gender-identity approach as a form of blatant indoctrination. I don't have any "gender identity", I will never agree to "declare my pronouns", I think that biological sex is important. I don't embrace conventional femininity, but I see absolutely no reason to label myself as "non-binary".
Teens will rebel in ways that will please their peers. In the past it was drinking and smoking cigarettes, then pot and cocaine. Now it’s gender. The slide to decadence mentioned by Glenn is real, in my opinion. It doesn’t seem that any of this “freedom” is making these folks happier. Good luck, modern parents.
Leftists,i.e. Marxists, socialists, communists et al, not traditional liberals, will always accuse their rivals of exactly what they do. They are the real intolerable, racist, homophobic you name it’s!
I greatly appreciated the balance expressed by John.
Singer’s work is important, very, and should not be suppressed. Saint Olaf’s should not support censorship
How can we help Prof. Santurri?
This is such a challenging and disheartening topic. I lament that the administrators caved to student pressure. I am perplexed regarding what to do about the student body. I am sure it is a vocal minority, but the impact has been the same regardless. I fear that the "long march through the institutions" has a jump start on inculcating "repressive tolerance" into many of our young minds. I did enjoy the work I had seen where you reached out to comedians because I do think that satire will be an important tool to diffuse the tension of the intolerant. I think it would also be important to let the youth know that they are being used as pawns for a political agenda and that they are stronger and more resilient than the dogma will tell them. I hope we have more on all fronts to challenge the narrative and re-instill hope and resolve.
I had a romantic partner break up with me over listening to John during the George Floyd protests. When we first started dating I asked them who their favorite contemporary philosopher was, and the answer was Peter Singer. They were a philosophy major at one point. If you can find these contradictions in the older ones who run with this crowd you can pressure them into talking some sense into the mob. I did a bad job, as this partner broke up with me when I got defensive about John merely being some “cis dude.” Just my experience.
Can you invite him back?