The following column is the opinion and analysis of the writer:
An open letter to my constituents:
My fellow Arizonans,
I ran for the Legislature to limit government and to fight for your freedom. As your state senator, that’s been my priority.
Recently I voted to criminalize gender confirmation surgery for children and to ban transgender girls from girls sports. I am proud Gov. Doug Ducey, a great moral beacon, signed these bills into law.
When voting on legislation I ask myself only one question: Does the bill have merit?
I like to lighten my letters with humor from time to time. I promise you that’s a question I never ask myself. Merit never enters the equation.
I always ask myself two questions:
People are also reading…
Will this legislation please my wealthy donors from outside of this godforsaken backwater?
Will this legislation ensure my reelection by caving to my rabid base?
Recently a constituent, the father of a transgender child, asked me a question at a hearing.”Senator, why don’t you use your leadership position to raise awareness of the ongoing challenges transgender and gender-nonconforming people face?”
Before I could mute his microphone and gavel him away he said, ”Sir, why don’t you use your leadership position to raise policy proposals that would ease the suffering of my child, one of your transgender constituents?”
I informed him, as I had our sergeant-at-arms remove him, “It is, first and foremost, sir, my responsibility to use my leadership position to raise donations online. I do this by stoking fears about your ‘culture war’ on us and by marginalizing your child. Let me remind you, sir, transgender citizens are so few in number that dehumanizing them, and even ridiculing them, costs me nothing politically and in fact scores points with my predominantly Christian conservative base, a group known for their compassion. Furthermore, sir, I consider myself a good Christian, much like that phenomenal Christian leader, Donald Trump.”
When I hear from the parents of transgender minors, or the youngsters themselves, I am truly moved by the difficult challenges they face.
I am moved to balance their concerns with the will of the good, decent, righteous people from outside of this state who anonymously donate large sums to my campaigns, upstanding nameless people who are crying out for policies that will ensure transgender human beings will be ostracized, shunned, excluded and forsaken.
One of my aides shared with me a recent national survey by a nonprofit group committed to preventing suicide among LGBTQ youth. According to The Trevor Project, 52% of transgender and nonbinary youth have contemplated suicide.
I told my fretting aide I felt completely comfortable supporting our bill restricting access to gender-affirming health care for minors knowing more transgender and nonbinary youth may commit suicide.
No matter the suffering such bills may cause, much like abortion, these private matters cannot be left up to parents, doctors or the patients to make. It’s only common sense that such important, complicated decisions should be made by me, your elected representative, because I have the expertise and impeccable moral leadership of Fox News pundits and my fellow legislators in Mississippi, Arkansas, Tennessee, Oklahoma and Texas to rely upon.
The other day I spoke with another “Woke” constituent, a mother who claimed her 11-year old child, “now knows what it feels like to be discriminated against by her own government, the institution that is supposed to protect her.”
I told her, “just as America is colorblind, this great nation of ours is gender blind. Just start your own all trans-football team, use the bathroom God intended for her to use and hold off on anymore genital mutilation until he or she’s 21. Like God intended.”
And then I asked this mother, ”What about our religious liberty to condemn your daughter for defying God’s will? Surely, sister, there is a law against Tran-gender reassignment surgery in Deuteronomy.”
She said, “I am a Christian and there’s no such law. My kid doesn’t understand why she can’t just be who she is without having to defend herself constantly from people like you.”
“Tell your daughter to try being me for once. I’m always being asked to apologize for being a straight white man. I’d love to hear more of your whining but I have to talk to the father of a 13-year old rape victim who’s upset because I won’t permit her to murder her baby.”
All in a day’s work, serving my donors.
Remember, If you want a state senator who’ll fight for your freedom, reelect me come this November.
Please do not hesitate to contact my office if you have a question, comment or need assistance. I look forward to hearing from you.
Yours,
State Senator Billy Bob Boggs
Arizona’s 31st District
Serving all of Poconino County
