Collective Punishment Wrong for Transgender Issues

Blinded by the Right

By Jeffrey Kunkes

Six months ago I did not know I had a transgender problem. Having been in clinical practice since 1980 and one of the first ENT doctors to treat HIV patients, I have been well aware of the alternative lifestyle community and have welcomed them into my office. I also work with a wide array of doctors encompassing all races, genders and sexual preferences.

However, since North Carolina passed its infamous bathroom law with regard to gender, I cannot escape an almost daily barrage of news stories about the oppression of the transgender population and the aggressive retaliatory acts against North Carolina for passing legislation.

The NCAA removed 15 or so championship tournaments from the state because of the law. The University of Vermont, considered by some the most drug-infested institute of higher learning, canceled its basketball game with Duke because of the law (I did not know stoners could find a basket, much less make one). This is becoming an Orwellian nightmare of groupthink.

Did anyone have any idea that the transgender population was so large and influential? If only people would react so verbally and publicly when some progressive college (an oxymoron) passes some boycott, divestment and sanctions dictate or, like UCLA, refuses to let Jews who hold student offices from accepting a Birthright visit to Israel.

I am reminded about the Genesis story of Abraham meeting the messengers of Hashem. He asks where they are going, and they say they are going down into the plains to punish Sodom and Gomorrah. Abraham, being a truly righteous man, asks if lives will be spared if they can find 50 good people. Abraham eventually bargains Hashem down to saving the cities if 10 holy people are found.

Instead, the progressives want to punish an entire state for legislation passed by a duly elected representative group. North Carolina is a battleground state, so let us suppose 45 percent are either Democratic or Republican, with 10 percent deciding the electoral future of the state. Is this the Jewish way, to punish the entire state for noncompliance with an agenda? Is this how we change hearts and minds?

We see this attitude increasingly on college campuses: If you do not agree with the liberal progressive agenda, we will punish you.

With Yom Kippur just past, I urge my fellow chosen people to reflect on the name-calling and ill will against people on the other side of the discussion.

If you are for securing borders, you are not a xenophobe. This is a worldwide issue, and if you visit Europe, you will see walls being built to protect sovereignty.

If you worry about public health issues (Does anyone think that illegal immigrants have the same vaccinations or are screened like legal immigrants?), you are not anti-immigrant.

If you note that in 40 current wars and hot spots in the world, half the participants are radical fundamentalist Muslims, you are not Islamophobic.

This start of a new year is a time to put down your agenda and relentless march to somewhere and chill.