Photo credit: Mike Mozart (CC-By-2.0)
I am begging, no pleading, with Republican 2016 candidates to take this simple piece of advice. This can apply not only to presidential candidates, but all candidates down to the local level, as well. Stop answering stupid questions. Please stop answering stupid questions. I’m so sick of tabloid writers masquerading under the guise of serious journalists. And candidates are empowering them.
So candidates: please refuse questions like what Rick Santorum was asked by Buzzfeed during the South Carolina GOP state convention. He was asked whether or not Bruce Jenner should be able to use a women’s restroom.
Jenner, is an Olympic decathlete who is stepfather to the Kardashians. Iowans may also remember that he is alumni at Graceland University in Lamoni. He recently told Diane Sawyer that he is transgender.
Hence the question about Jenner using the women’s restroom. I have to admit that the question does have policy implications, but questions like these are just a trap for conservative candidate.
Unfortunately, Santorum, who is not inclined to avoid questions, I might add, answered:
If he says he’s a woman, then he’s a woman. My responsibility as a human being is to love and accept everybody. Not to criticize people for who they are. I can criticize, and I do, for what people do, for their behavior. But as far as for who they are, you have to respect everybody, and these are obviously complex issues for businesses, for society, and I think we have to look at it in a way that is compassionate and respectful of everybody.
So these are tough issues. I haven’t got into the whole issue, and I don’t think the federal government should get into the whole issue of bathrooms. I think those are things that the business community and local agencies and organizations should deal with.
I have to respectfully disagree with Santorum. These are not complex issues. The way to handle this is to say no, and I don’t believe the federal government needs to intervene in questions such as these either. Whether businesses and local agencies want to do something different, that’s up to them and will be a local discussion, but the clear answer out of a conservative presidential candidate should be no.
Fortunately, Santorum clarified his position saying he wasn’t advocating a policy change.
I agree with Santorum’s clarification. He should have led with that and stopped there. It’s obvious that Jenner is confused. I agree we should treat people with respect. But the question of whether a male (and yes he is male according to his biology) should be able to use a women’s restroom, the common sense answer is no. Could other accommodations be made? That can certainly be discussed, but when you consider a grown man like Jenner going into a women’s restroom with say minors present… well, common sense should prevail, and the Feds should be nowhere near this question.
The best thing to do is to say, however, is, “please ask me serious, substantive questions, because unlike this current President, I don’t feel the need to weigh in on pop culture. There are far more important issues than Bruce Jenner’s desire to be a woman.”
Like Iran, Israel, ISIS, the national debt and just about every other issue I can think of.
