To the editor:
“Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. ‘Did God really say you must not eat from any tree in the garden’, said the serpent? ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, or you will die’, said the woman. ‘You will not surely die – said the serpent – for God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God…’.” Genesis 3
“We wanted to let you know about an important rally to express solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community – and outrage at the murder of Fern Feather in Morristown. Over the last week, the VT GOP has centered anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric in their fundraising efforts taking out ads on social media targeting specific legislators who have supported gender-affirming care for LGBTQ youth…”, read this April 15 Front Porch Forum post by progressive-Democrat Representatives Tiff Bluemle and Gabrielle Stebbins, whom I challenged as a 2020 Independent candidate for Burlington’s 6-5 district.
In response, I replied:
“As my Vermont state representatives, as ones’ who give oath to the U.S. Constitution , you write , “We wanted to let you know about an important rally to express solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community….” But your “expression of solidarity” did not include one American flag at your Essex’s five-corners rally…. Your rally did include multiple “rainbow” flags… which begs the question: Where does your allegiance lie?”
Rep. Bluemle replied:
“Tom, I am confused by your implication that one cannot be committed to upholding the US and Vermont Constitutions and supporting human rights. Moreover, the rally yesterday was an expression of love for those who have been recently harmed by anti LGBTQ+ hatred; hence the appearance of rainbow flags. I’m not sure what you are trying to say about Gabrielle and me, but hope that you do not condone the particular violence and political harm that has occurred over the past two weeks.”
And my response:
“Deception and obfuscation are so much of what you and your cohorts are about. French postmodernist Michel Foucault termed it “Power-Knowledge”: All reality is socially constructed and determined by systems-of-power and language. Control the language and thought of the people and control the people. To wit… no one was “harmed by anti LGBTQ+ hatred”, that is a socially constructed narrative. “Storytelling” is what I believe the neo-Marxists call it. It is a lie. Folks just don’t want their children sexualized or politicized in schools or elsewhere. Parents – not government schools – are sovereign [defined here as ‘the source of authority’] over their children’s lives. Your last sentence is precious, “…but hope that you do not condone the particular violence and political harm that has occurred over the past two weeks.” More socially constructed deceptions and lies. The only “political harm” is coming from a very powerful Marxist, postmodern movement from people like you who want to make man – and not God or “The Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God” – the measure of all things; of which our U.S. Constitution is based. Do you now see the problem with your cohorts and you trying to uphold such a document? Square peg. Round hole. “The turning point of history will be the moment man becomes aware that the only God of man is man himself “, wrote Ludwig Feuerbach, a materialist-philosopher and contemporary and mentor of Karl Marx. This battle is a metaphysical one. An epistemological one. A spiritual one….” [End of response]
“Then the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?” “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”” Genesis 3:13
Tom Licata, Burlington