Really?

 

A friend in the USA commented to me that today a friend of his, a “Lugar Republican” (referring to Richard Lugar, a senator for Indiana) would spend today reading the founding documents instead of watching the presidential inauguration. My friend plans to do the same, but with a sense of foreboding.

 

This morning (Monday 20 January) I heard an interview on BBC radio of a woman who had served in the White House in Trump’s first term. She spoke at the speed of a Japanese bullet train without hesitation or pause to be asked a question. Among the things she claimed would be corrected by the new administration was the Biden administration’s destruction of women’s rights. She explained that the administration had interpreted sex discrimination laws to mandate the elimination of women-only spaces in prisons, women’s refugees, bathrooms etc. Now, I know that gender and women-only spaces has been a controversial topic, but, without any direct knowledge, I suspect that what was said on the BBC is as close to 100% false as one can get. What do my American friends have to say?

 

The same person also stated, without explaining what she meant, that the Trump administration would bring back “real science” to the federal government. Now, as far as I know, the previous administration did nothing to falsify science. Again, American friends, am I correct?

 

Later, on a radio programme called Woman’s Hour, Jan heard an interview with the spokesperson of Republicans Abroad in the UK. When asked about abortion, she stressed that there is no nationwide ban on abortion rights, which is true but as the interviewer pointed out that many states ban abortions as early as six weeks. the Republican spokesperson stated blandly that women in such states can just move to a state that permits abortion. So, if you want your rights move to a state not administered by Trump Republicans. What happened to equal rights for all?

 

I hope that the founding documents are robust enough for what is to come. My best wishes, and my fingers crossed, to those of you in the USA.