by Mary Fahnestock-Thomas, Hamilton
Regarding Terri Lackey’s letter of 5/10//23, surely to all or most living creatures, motherhood is about protecting our young from physical danger until they are able to take care of themselves, and otherwise to love and support them as the unique beings they are.
Only humans can come up with a word like “depravity” for genetic and behavioral variations that biological research increasingly demonstrates to be perfectly natural among all creatures. Only humans can even think that their kids’ feelings are inappropriate or wrong and need to be “fixed” rather than understood.
What I find particularly sad with regard to Representative Zooey Zephyr’s ejection from the legislative chamber are:
-The specious rectitude of Republican legislators who presumably support our former president despite his clear and continual disregard for simple human dignity,
-The fact that those same people apparently continued to use masculine pronouns for a person who clearly knows who she is (also a breach of decorum, I think); and
-The spiteful glee with which women Republicans apparently prevented Representative Zephyr from finding an alternative space from which to continue the work for which she was elected.
Sounds like grade-school playground issues. Are most Montanans really so tight-assed, closed-minded, and hard-hearted? Our voting will tell.