Legislating the potty: Why where we wee matters

Restrooms are notoriously awkward places.
We go to them in urgent times of need and make ourselves vulnerable in very obvious ways. What we do in restrooms is very personal and sometimes a little messy. Some people take it upon themselves to make it even messier than it ought to be, but that’s a subject for another time. Today we are focusing on the debate over who can use what public restroom, especially in our schools.
Rules governing restrooms have been largely unspoken but generally understood. Males of the species go to the men’s room and the females to the women’s room. The exceptions to that rule are usually toddlers with their parent of the opposite sex. Sometimes that’s necessary and we get that.
The problem now is our President and the Department of Education have become confused as to what makes a man a man and what makes a woman a woman.
The Department of Education and the Obama administration recently issued new guidelines that require schools to allow transgender students to use the restrooms and locker rooms of the gender they identify with. On top of that, they have erroneously invoked the Title IX sex discrimination law that carries the threat of federal enforcement and could cost non-complying schools their federal education funds. Consider that a direct threat by Big Brother.
In a recent news interview, Obama said the action had to do with the affirming the dignity of all people, especially the transgendered.
“They are vulnerable, and I think it’s part of our obligation as a society to make sure everybody is treated fairly, and our kids are all loved and protected, and that their dignity is affirmed,” he said.
Let’s analyze this because it’s wrong on so many levels. Re-read Obama’s quote above, only this time instead of thinking of transgendered people, think about little girls.
“(School girls) are vulnerable, and I think it’s part of our obligation as a society to make sure everybody is treated fairly, and our kids are all loved and protected, and that their dignity is affirmed.”
(It’s not just the girls who are vulnerable. How often do we see stories of female teachers arrested for having sex with their male students?)
Instead of “protecting” and “affirming” the dignity of a very small minority of sexually disoriented (re-oriented?) people, how about protecting and affirming the dignity of the vast majority of people whose right to privacy and safety are grossly threatened by this action?
It is not the place of the government to force “protection” of an extreme minority group at the risk of the general population and women and children in particular. Yes, as citizens of this country the transgendered have the right to their beliefs. Yes, they should be protected from bullying and harassment. No, they should not be allowed to make most of the population feel uncomfortable or unsafe in public restrooms. The needs of the many outweigh the desires of a few.
If you think you’re a man trapped in a woman’s body or a woman trapped in a man’s body, that’s your problem. Don’t push your problems on everyone else. Figure out which restroom to use by yourself; don’t make the government figure it out for you.
As far as the threat of withholding federal dollars based on Title IX, that’s nothing more than malignant saber rattling. The original intent behind Title IX was to ensure that girls programs received equal funding with the boys and that girls were not being denied opportunities allotted to boys. Title IX is about adequately funding programs, not forcing socio-political agendas. Restrooms are not programs, they’re conveniences and everyone already has equal access to them.
Yet under this threat, the government would withhold vital money needed to educate all of our children if a school were to deny one boy the opportunity to pee in the girl’s restroom. Does anyone else see the folly in this?
There are other ways to accommodate transgendered people than to make blanket laws that threaten the dignity, privacy and safety of most people, especially women and girls. Most schools have private, one-person restrooms they can use. If not, a protocol could be put in place where a transgendered person can be given access to a restroom when others are not there. That assures the safety and modesty of both the public and the transgendered person.
I don’t know how much of the population in the United States considers itself transgendered but the most reliable studies online say it’s .3 percent (one-third of 1 percent). Yet this small but increasingly visible and vocal minority has allied itself with their gay and lesbian cohorts to push their agenda to the forefront of public consciousness. To that degree they have succeeded.
Up until the last couple of years there has been almost no public discourse about which restroom transgendered people should use. Transgender people have been around a long time and I suspect that they very quietly resolved that issue themselves. Don’t ask, don’t tell. There was no need to make a fuss about it or force us to legislate the potty.
Unfortunately the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) community isn’t content to leave well enough alone. They want to make sure their rights are equal to or greater than the majority. If that means making a big stink about restroom access, so be it.
So, here we are debating whether or not it is appropriate for men dressed as women to use the ladies room. If’s it’s OK for them to do it, why shouldn’t other men be allowed in and vice versa for the women?
I’ll tell you why it isn’t OK. The words that come to mind are modesty, decency, integrity and safety. We all have a reasonable right to privacy and that right extends to the restroom. Like I said before, restrooms are awkward places. I’m not entirely comfortable using stalls or urinals next to other guys. I’d be more than a little unnerved if a woman came up and started urinating next to me.
I certainly do not want my wife, daughter or any other woman exposed to someone exhibiting sexually deviant behavior no matter what gender they are or think they are, straight or otherwise. This is especially troublesome in the age of cell phone technology and wireless Internet access. There are too many people out there who would abuse or violate any privacy that might exist in gender-neutral restrooms. It’s bad enough as it is in gender-specific ones.
I think the heart of the issue here is voyeurism and sexual perversion. That doesn’t belong in any public place, especially restrooms. Anyone in any restroom for those purposes ought to be treated criminally. Having gender-neutral restrooms just creates more opportunity for abhorrent behavior.
This begs the question what should a transgendered person do? I don’t know the answer. I suspect that it should be handled on an individual basis. I do not think men should be using the women’s room and vice versa. At the same time, I don’t think a man who is in the transitional phase and more closely resembles a woman would make anyone feel comfortable walking into a men’s room. I think where they go should be a choice made very discretely and without public display or outcry.
Please keep in mind that we are talking about a very small minority here. All of us should have the right to expect modesty and privacy in the restroom, including the transgendered.
Where we wee matters. Let’s not make a federal case out of this. It’s awkward enough already.

Reflections on the important things in life

As I sat at the funeral for Stafford High School teacher and head baseball coach Michael Mesa a whirl of thoughts and emotions filtered through my mind.
I met Michael just a few weeks earlier when I was invited to throw out the first pitch at a game for the Spartans. I last saw him while he and his team were volunteering at the Classic Chevy Chili Challenge. Both times he was vibrant, friendly and full of life.
When the news reached me that he had collapsed and died after playing a game of paintball, I was stunned, as was everyone who knew him. At 26 years of age, he was one of the youngest head baseball coaches in the state and appeared to have a long and bright future ahead of him.
As speaker after speaker paid tribute to Michael I was reminded of how short and fragile life really is. Some people are blessed to live past the century mark. Some only live long enough to draw a few breaths before their tiny bodies give out. Most of us today can expect to see about 80 or so years. Either way, our lives are relatively short and the time we have is all we get.
(Let me interject here that as a Christian it is my firm belief that only those who are saved by grace through belief in Jesus Christ will get to spend eternity in paradise after they pass from this life. For sake of my argument here, I am referring to life as our corporeal existence here on earth.)
As we pass through the linear trajectory of time there are two things that are absolutely certain. We only get one shot at it and eventually it will come to an end. No one knows for certain when or how the end will come. That’s why it is vitally important to make sure we make the most of every moment we have. As each moment passes, it won’t be coming back. There are no do-overs in life.
This realization can either be inspiring or depressing. It has done both for me. Too often I look back and lament the many failures in my life. It’s easy to play the “what if” game. I can’t allow myself to do that. Not now. Not anymore. The time ahead is all we get and it shouldn’t be wasted living in the past.
The past is important in that it is where our experiences come from along with our lessons in life. It is a tool for learning, not a place to dwell.
I’m reminded as I listen to people talk about Michael Mesa’s hopes and dreams that I have so many of my own that are unfulfilled. No one is going to do them for me. I have to dream, plan, schedule and execute them in a manner though as if my life depends on it – because it does. And you should, too.
All of us need hope for the future and a dream of something to do and become. If you have a dream, create a plan to accomplish it. You would be surprised at how good life can be as you see your dreams become reality. As you reach these new peaks in life, realize that it is not the end but just the beginning. You now have a view to see over the horizon at new peaks to conquer and are equipped with the knowledge that you have what it takes to get the job done.
The late motivational speaker Zig Ziglar used to call people without a plan “wandering generalities.” He encouraged people to become “meaningful specifics.” Ziglar often used the analogy of an archer. “If you aim at nothing, you’ll hit it every time.” To hit the bull’s-eye of life you must have a goal – an aim or purpose – and you must plan and practice relentlessly.
Obstacles may cause you to deviate your course but they should never undermine your objective. You must live life on purpose. Keep in mind that we do not have one single purpose in life, but many. Our purposes are generally consistent with our beliefs but they change as we age and goals are achieved. We have overlapping purposes, such as those involving faith, family, work and hobbies.
Juggling those goals means setting priorities and boundaries for achievement. Never let subordinate desires derail your primary objectives. If your purpose is to be the best spouse and parent you can be, then be fully engaged in that when you get home from work. Don’t let social media or television take your time, devote it to your family.
If you have a big project to do at work, don’t allow yourself to get bogged down in emails, office gossip, fantasy sports leagues or other things that don’t help you keep focused on your objective. I’m not saying you should be laser-focused with blinders on to everything and everyone around you. That would be foolish and neglectful of others. Just be aware that it’s the distractions in life that can throw off your aim and cause you to miss your target.
You’ve got to swat the mosquitoes in life but you don’t do that by taking your aim off your goal to pursue the bug. That’s how the little things in life keep us from accomplishing great things.
I have seen too much greatness in my life squandered on social media. It’s something I lament and struggle with daily. Even so, I continue to swat at that mosquito and train my focus on the things that are important. You can’t take back what you’ve lost but you can gain everything that’s ahead of you.
Michael Mesa’s life came to a tragic and abrupt end. That could happen to any of us at any time. When my time comes, I want to leave knowing that my wife was loved passionately, my kids were raised to be good, productive citizens and that my work made a difference in this world. Ultimately there is not much more one could ask for.

Police are on the front line of race relations

I think I was probably more upset with my own failure to react as much as I was with the perceived racial profiling by one of Rosenberg’s finest.
It was just after 10 p.m. and I was waiting in front of the Cinemark movie theaters with my son and his date waiting for her ride to arrive. There were several people going in and out of the theater for the opening night of “Captain America: Civil War.” A group of African-Americans came out and sat down on the curb in front of the theater, quietly minding their own business.
That’s when a white police officer approached them and demanded to know what they were doing. They told him they were waiting for their ride. The officer authoritatively insisted that they get up immediately and go back inside the theater to wait. They dutifully and respectfully complied without complaint.
The officer ordered some other young people to go inside as well but never bothered me or several other people lingering outside the theater. I kept waiting for him to say something to us, but he never did.
At first I didn’t know what to make of it. I tried to figure out if these young people had broken some kind of ordinance or law. Did the theater have a problem with loitering, thus the need for law enforcement? I don’t know, though I suspect that may be the case.
The more I thought about it afterward, the angrier I got. This group of black people did absolutely nothing wrong. They were quiet and respectful, much more so than some of the other people there. Were they singled out because of their race? Was it a curfew issue (which the police department’s public information officer guessed it might be)? I don’t know. I didn’t speak to the officer and I don’t know his motivation. I do know what I saw and it disturbed me.
It’s no wonder there is so much tension in this country between blacks and law enforcement. If these young people had carried a chip on their shoulders things could easily have escalated out of hand. Rosenberg could have become another Ferguson, Mo.
Before I continue, let me say this: I have the utmost and deepest respect for law enforcement and the men and women who put their lives on the line each day and night to protect lives and property. They have a tough and often thankless job and most of them perform their duties with excellence.
What I saw Friday night was not excellent. It appeared racist and from what I could see, a blatant disregard of their First Amendment rights. I salute these young people for not reacting negatively and creating a scene. They did what was right, even if what was being done to them may have been wrong.
After witnessing this and seeing things like the Sandra Bland case in Waller County, you have to wonder if some in law enforcement aren’t overstepping their authority. There is a lot of heavy-handedness going on that needs to be brought under control. Someone needs to remind law enforcement that they are here to serve and protect. We still live in a free country, not a police state.
If we have any hope of seeing improvement in race relations in this country and a change in attitude among minorities toward law enforcement, then the first step has to be made by the men and women in blue. They must take the initiative. They must take the high road. Respect and trust are earned. They can’t be demanded or enforced.
At the same time, we need more people like the group of African-Americans who were willing to overlook the disrespect shown them in a potentially volatile situation. Trust and respect must flow in both directions and these young people seem to understand that.
My biggest regret in all of this was in not saying anything. I saw something wrong happen and I stood by and did nothing. To these African-Americans, I owe you an apology for not doing the right thing by confronting what I perceived to be a wrong committed against you. If you happen to be reading this, please forgive me.
To the officer, I would ask for an explanation. If you were indeed doing right by your actions, I would like to know what law, rule or ordinance you were enforcing. If you are in the right, I owe you an apology for wrongfully singling you out. But if I am correct and you were violating their rights, you should be held accountable for your action. At the very least you could have been more courteous toward those people while carrying out your duty.

Don’t get buffaloed by the bison as a symbol
It appears as if the North American bison is about to be designated as the national mammal, making it a symbol of our nation akin to the bald eagle.
There are many pros and cons to this symbolic gesture that I don’t think many have thought through very far. The bison, more commonly known as the buffalo, is a truly majestic beast and worthy of this honor in many respects. It’s a large, imposing figure that has been used to symbolize strength and virility.
It was vital to the Native Americans and was as versatile in its use as food, clothing and shelter as it was in its symbolism to many of their cultures. In many ways, honoring this animal pays homage to a once thriving species that was nearly hunted to extinction along with the native peoples whose lives and culture were so closely tied to it.
On the other hand, the buffalo is also a very stubborn and stupid creature, which is partly why it was so quickly and easily eradicated from the Great Plains. There once were tens of millions of bison on the continent and now there are around 500,000, mostly living on ranches, wildlife preserves, parks and zoos.
It would seem to me that if America were to have a national mammal that it would be something more representative of Americans. With its prolific and invasive nature, its inventive curiosity and short attention span, I submit to you for your consideration the squirrel!
No, seriously, as appropriate as the squirrel may be as an American symbol, I am honored and pleased to have the North American bison hold that distinction. The bison, like the people it represents, is mighty, bold and resilient and … hey look, a SQUIRREL!

May the Fourth be with you, always

Welcome to Star Wars Day – May the Fourth be with you!
In the spring of 1977 all of my 11- and 12-year-old friends were abuzz about some new science fiction moving coming out. Me? I was a die-hard Trekker. I knew my “Star Trek” inside and out and really wasn’t interested in other science fiction shows. The hype, however, was relentless. News stories about long lines at theaters and people gushing about this new movie made it inevitable that we would go see it.
I wish I could remember the date my family finally saw “Star Wars.” It would have been sometime in June or July of 1977. We went to the theater with my aunt, uncle and cousins. It was there at the Parkway Theater in Longmont, Colo., that my life changed. What I saw blew my mind. I left the theater thinking – no, feeling – I was Luke Skywalker. Anything that resembled a gun became a blaster and every stick a lightsaber.
Yeah, I still loved “Star Trek,” but this “Star Wars” thing raised the bar way out of transporter range for the Enterprise. It wasn’t long before you had dueling Star Wars and Star Trek movies. “Star Trek: The Motion Picture” came out in 1979, followed by “The Empire Strikes Back” in 1980 and so on. Each sequel upped the ante and as a fan of both franchises, I loved it.
Star Trek continued to boldly go on in the movies but Star Wars ended with “Return of the Jedi” in 1983. We continued to get new Star Trek movies and even several new television series. Star Wars, however, fell silent for 16 years, kept alive by numerous books and the occasional update to the old trilogy.
Then came 1999 and the first of three prequels to Star Wars came out. To mark the occasion, the Star Wars Celebration was held in Denver. It was rainy, muddy and way overcrowded but as memorable as any of the movies. It was like one big promotion for “The Phantom Menace.” We got to see and meet several of the new actors and view props from all four of the movies.
The best part for me was asking Sandy to be my wife while we stood in a muddy line in a light drizzle to see one of the actors. It was kind of impromptu but it felt right with the Force. We did a more formal proposal later on Mother’s Day. But for the moment I was as happy as my 11-year-old self was 22 years earlier.
Since then we have had two more prequels and last year a long-awaited sequel. Most people didn’t care for the prequels. At the time, I thought they were awesome. They just haven’t stood the test of time like the original trilogy did. Now we have the new movies. I was giddy with anticipation when “The Force Awakens” was comOne: A Star Wars Story” comes out in December and tells the tale of how the Death Star plans were stolen, leading into the original “Star Wars” movie.
Before we get to that, Star Trek is striking back. This year is the 50th anniversary of “Star Trek” and we will be treated to not only a new movie but a new television series as well. “Star Trek Beyond” comes to theaters this summer and the new television show is set to air next January on CBS.
Having Star Wars and Star Trek leapfrogging each other again is beyond exciting. I’m remaining ever hopeful that some day the two franchises will cross over on the big screen. Sure, one happened a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away and the other is a couple hundred years in the future. But this is science fiction and anything is possible.
Ironically, with this being Star Wars Day and so much in the works for both Star Wars and Star Trek, tomorrow brings us the newest Captain America movie. “Captain America: Civil War” may be the third movie for Cap but it more resembles a third Avengers movie. Anymore it seems all the Marvel movies are so closely tied together that they’re one big anthology. One story is just the next chapter in an epic saga.
You have to give credit to Disney for buying up Marvel and Lucasfilm. It was a stroke of genius and now we get to benefit from Disney’s desire to cash in on its investment by making more of these popular films. It’s like nerd paradise.
Speaking of films, I have to interject something here. I just saw a trailer for “Dear Eleanor.” No, it’s not a science fiction show at all. What’s special about it is that it was partly filmed in my hometown of Niwot, Colo. The opening scene of the trailer is downtown Niwot made to look like a California town in 1962.
Now back to our regularly scheduled program. If you are at all interested in this kind of stuff there are some events coming up that you might want to put on your calendar. Free Comic Book Day is coming up on May 7 at a comic book store near you.
Space City Comic Con is coming to NRG Center Memorial Day weekend, May 27-29, and Comicpalooza is returning to the George R. Brown Convention center June 17-19.
It would be most logical for you to boldly go to these events. After all, the Force will be with you, always.