Posted on 04/21/2016 7:13:56 PM PDT by Kaslin
On Thursday, Republican frontrunner Donald Trump took the liberal stance on transgender restroom access. Media outlets can call it "moderate" all they want, but it is inescapable that Trump defended biological men using women's restrooms. The Donald is not exactly hesitant to offend people, and transgressing political correctness has been one of the centerpieces of his campaign. He even declared in the past that he would protect Christians and social conservatives, but this acceptance of "transgender rights" may be a sign that he has started pandering to the "center" for the general election.
Conservatives have long warned that Trump is unpredictable, that he would make a horrible Republican standard bearer because he does not represent the classical issues of that party. Now it seems The Donald might be proving them right -- after most of the socially conservative voters in the South already backed the real estate tycoon.
Trump attacked the North Carolina law which reserved multiple-person restrooms in schools and government facilities to only those people of the appropriate biological sex. This law was intended to protect the privacy of girls and boys, men and women, but many companies attacked it as discriminatory. Rather than defending the law -- as those who find The Donald a champion of conservative or politically incorrect values might expect -- Trump trashed it.
"North Carolina did something that was very strong and they're paying a big price and there's a lot of problems," said Trump, who would have left things as they were. "There have been very few complaints the way it is. People go, they use the bathroom that they feel is appropriate, there has been so little trouble."
This stance sounds moderate -- Trump is arguing that there should be no restrictions -- but in reality, it is a complete surrender to a small, vocal minority. If public restrooms must be one way or the other, why side with the infinitesimal minority of people who identify with the sex opposite the one they were born with, rather than the millions of men and women who are comfortable with their birth sex?
Why can we not have more single-serve, unisex restrooms, to avoid the issue entirely? Trump attacked the idea of separate transgender restrooms as a waste of money -- he's right -- but he did not address this solution, which many restaurants have already adopted.
In matter of fact, Trump is incorrect that there has been "so little trouble." Women who claim to have been abused as children are now vehemently opposing the opening of girls' and women's restrooms to biological men. When the New York Times attacked Americans concerned about this issue as effectively insane, controlled by "transgender bathroom hysteria," these disenfranchised people took to Twitter to express their outrage. Regardless of what Trump or the New York Times says, many Americans are concerned about this, and it's not just because of "transphobia."
Nevertheless, The Donald was quite explicit in his support for transgender access. He said that if Caitlyn Jenner (born Bruce Jenner) walked into Trump Tower, The Donald would let her use the restroom of her choice.
If @Caitlyn_Jenner walked into Trump Tower, what bathroom would @RealDonaldTrump suggest she use? #TrumpTODAY https://t.co/E6jLyif6ls
— TODAY (@TODAYshow) April 21, 2016
The Federalist's Ben Domenech once explained why social conservatives in the South might back Donald Trump. Domenech said these voters "have no illusions about [Trump's] unbelief. The difference is that while they believe Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio would be one more round of good soldiers for their cause, they think Donald Trump would be a tank."
But when it comes to actually fighting for conservative values, Trump ends up on the other side. Indeed, in a classic battle involving political correctness, he falls neatly in line. The Donald might not be a tank, but rather a Trojan horse.
Also what the left calls (I’ve seen it a lot on DU) “voting against our own best interests”. Because we’re supposed to just sell out our principles for a mess of pottage, like they do.
Trump is turning FReepers into transexual activists.
Now that is something I didn’t see coming.
Tell me, will you still think Trump is right after he’s changed positions on the issue six times?
I don’t think Trump’s remarks this morning are so far from tonight. He talked about the beating NC was taking and questioned it. He repeated that tonight that they’re getting hammered but said it’s not a federal issue.
I don’t see where there’s a conflict. And I agree, the fact so much of this social crap is at the federal level is ridiculous.
You are insane.
An intellectually honest person knows that there is only one truth in the two events.
1) Trump makes a convoluted, off-the-cuff statement that can be interpreted several different ways. Cruzlamic Jihad begins all over the Internet.
2) Trump clarifies his statement. Cruzlims are sad.
But it doesn’t matter, because the Prophet Ted and his followers will continue to parrot whatever they interpreted from the first statement as ‘truth’ and call everyone else names if they don’t swallow the whole line.
Cruz put Trumps liberal inner self in check. And that’s exactly why Cruz should stay in the race. His apologists will not keep Trumps Manhattan liberal id in check at all. Hannity and the rest will eat whatever crap Sandwich Mr. Trump serves up. So, after today I have changed my mind. Cruz should stay in .
Actually I would be more worried about a muslime in a full burka walking into the can and blowing the sh@t out of the place.
Trump is not playing this like a politician - a business man needs to do what he needs to do to close the deal. And the deal is President of the United States.
And he has his eyes on the Sanders voters. Many of them are anti-Hillary and anti-establishment - and some are also pro-democrats. If he can pull off 25-30% of those anti-Hillary, anti-establishment vote, he wins.
And this sets the stage for that.
We have just never seen a non-politician business man running for President before - this is what it looks like.
Get use to saying “President Trump!”
Yes, because he doesn’t understand principles. He’s not wired that way.
Lol. I like that one. Trumps transexual activists.
Cruz had nothing to do with Trump’s statement. He really just elaborated on this morning’s comments. Cruz serves no useful purpose particularly because Trump completely ignores Cruz, has for a while.
Read this 5hree times and even went to find out who Tyler O’Neil is trying to where there was any truth. I found none. Even the quote he uses is from something written elsewhere since there is editorial within the quote.
I’d be at odds had this been about the showers but it’s about the bathrooms. NC enacted a law. There have been problems. The folks needling NC are buttwipes, but it is happening. Trump said maybe they shouldn’t have enacted the law. He attacked no one. He didn’t champion Transgender rights or causes. He said maybe it could have been left alone. He didn’t pass the law, he didn’t sign it, he didn’t campaign on it or for it.
Anyone is entitled to think what they what but this guy spins this out of control like Cruz would. By the end he has Trump.as the grand Marshall of pride day. It sounds like Cruz even wrote it for him. It’s a big lie as EEE says above.
His cult of personality comes with its storm troopers. We’ll likely meet them any minute now.
He is right, they solved nothing and created a poop-storm. Under the NC law, a fully trans-man is now required to use the ladies room. Solved nothing.
Says you, an apologist for the inner Trump. You will understand if I go with my reading of today’s politics.
Horse manure. He said nothing of the kind. This is nothing but a lie, endlessly repeated.
He didn’t kneel, he walked the tightrope and people on both sides thought he agreed with them. Pretty good move politically.
Well, why do we need or want a candidate who so frequently makes “convoluted, off-the-cuff statements”(your words), and then has to “clarify” them as our nominee?
What is a “fully trans man”? Besides mentally ill.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.