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Jessie Gender has posted a video on Biden's response to the assassination attempt. I find it moving and, honestly, somewhat disturbing. I could have commented on it on YouTube, but I found I didn't want to. I even considered just messaging her personally but decided she has enough on her plate. So I'm just going to give my thoughts here.
I really appreciate her willingness to share the sincere hurt and vulnerability she shows here. She's completely right about the hypocrisy, and at the same time, I personally thought Biden’s condemnation of the assassination attempt was appropriate.
Here’s my reasoning: our goal, I think, is to see less violence. If Biden had not condemned the assassination attempt, millions would have read that as endorsing more violence. That would stoke backlash. It would not make trans people safer; it would make them less safe. I think the problem is not what Biden said condemning the assassination; it’s all the things he (and the establishment overall) don’t say/do.
Biden’s statement was clinging to old norms, i.e. “We don’t shoot our political opponents in the US.” That’s not enough, but I would rather live in a country that has that norm than one that doesn’t.
I am curious, though, what Jessie would have advised Biden to say instead.
I really appreciate her willingness to share the sincere hurt and vulnerability she shows here. She's completely right about the hypocrisy, and at the same time, I personally thought Biden’s condemnation of the assassination attempt was appropriate.
Here’s my reasoning: our goal, I think, is to see less violence. If Biden had not condemned the assassination attempt, millions would have read that as endorsing more violence. That would stoke backlash. It would not make trans people safer; it would make them less safe. I think the problem is not what Biden said condemning the assassination; it’s all the things he (and the establishment overall) don’t say/do.
Biden’s statement was clinging to old norms, i.e. “We don’t shoot our political opponents in the US.” That’s not enough, but I would rather live in a country that has that norm than one that doesn’t.
I am curious, though, what Jessie would have advised Biden to say instead.
