Union letters to the editor

Diversity committee has questionable purpose

To the editor:

I write to alert the Fairfield community, and all Iowa, that a national group of Equity Diversity is attempting to take control of our local governments.

Sounds crazy? Check their method: First they offer help to local city councils, with a veiled guilt trip, regarding their lack of cultural diversity awareness. Then, at a city council meeting, with a planted audience, an offer is made to teach diversity equity, and an overseer/committee is recommended, and set, to deftly monitor all proceedings.

Gradually, over time, the agendas, decisions and legislation get controlled, under the pretext of “meeting diversity equity standards.”

For example, in Fairfield, this group’s Pride Month wants the unprecedented privilege to fly its flag on the same pole with our U.S. and Iowa flag, a clear violation of national and state protocols.

The United States Constitution, our long-standing history, and our motto, “In God We Trust…E Pluribus Unum (many, in union)” already ensures and protects our people’s diversity and unity, including the thousands of organizations flying their flags here.

To me, this so-called “Diversity Equity” has a highly questionable purpose and agenda. And many of us voters believe some city council members need to read, and uphold, the U.S. Constitution, the original Iowa Constitution, as well as Fairfield’s council regulations.

God bless America!

William E. Tipping III

Fairfield

Iowa’s Republican leaders aren’t cruel people.

It’s taken me time to conclude that after the recent deluge of anti-transgender legislation, knowing the devastating effects it will have on youth most at-risk. Consider the following pubmed.gov statistics:

In 2020, “56% of (transgender) youth reported a previous suicide attempt; 86% reported suicidality. School belonging, emotional neglect by family, and internalized self-stigma made a unique, statistically significant contribution to past 6-month suicidality.”1

So why are Republicans using transgender people as political whipping horses? Perhaps there’s no other group left to rile up their constituents, just as gays were targeted in the 70s and welfare recipients in the 80s. Or perhaps Republicans simply can because they haven’t known any transgender people and can’t identify with their humanness.

Seven years ago, I didn’t know the word transgender existed. I never knew that someone could feel that their body didn’t match how they felt on the inside. When my friend’s child, who had five previous suicide attempts, recognized their transgender identity, I took my first step toward learning.

Three years later, my oldest child came to the same realization. Assigned male at birth, she always felt more feminine than masculine yet hid those feelings until age 20. Over 20 years, I never recognized that my child felt a profound and genuine disconnect. How could I be so blind? Because I was uninformed.

It is a raw, paradigm-shifting moment when your child says, “I can no longer live like this.” It feels like a hurricane, earthquake, and tsunami rolled into one because what you thought to be true about your child is not. I made a conscious choice to support my child especially when she was willing to face relentless discrimination and possible violence. My life might have been easier had I chosen to remain in ignorance. Ignorance is bliss. Knowingness - messy.

I grew up with Republicans: heart-based, ethical Christians, community pillars. My uncle, a conservative judge, and Presbyterian elder, never told his parents or community that he was homosexual. It felt too risky, too complex in the 70s. Consequently, his parents never fully knew him. They were never given the chance to grow in their thinking and my uncle was denied the opportunity to live an authentic life. This is not a fate I want for any parent or their child.

When we are willing as a community to expose ourselves to new paradigms like transgender identity and to accept all people unconditionally, then we’ll recognize when laws lift all Iowans or tear down the most marginalized. But we must first be willing to learn.

I chose to learn about transgender identity because I love my child - with radical love, as my faith requires. I feel joy knowing she is living an authentic, happy life, a choice she’s made for herself and one we support. And it’s a greater joy seeing her more fully.

I hope you will see her and others from inside their heart and not harden your own because you don't understand.

Carol Chesnutt

Fairfield

Great turnout for diaper drive

Jefferson County Right to Life sponsored a diaper drive from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, May 7, in front of the Fairfield Walmart to benefit local pregnancy centers. We were overwhelmed by the generosity of those shopping that day. We received 4,343 diapers and 560 wipes. Over four thousand diapers!

And even more incredible, we received $614 in cash donations! All of this during a time in our nation when prices of everything is soaring and people's budgets are pretty tight.

Our heartfelt thank you to everyone for their generosity and compassion in showing their concern for young mothers and the needs of their babies. We also wish to thank Walmart for allowing us to set up in front of their store.

We truly live in a loving and caring community!

Karen Crossland, President Jefferson County Right to Life