Privilege and Political Theater
Filed under: General — Dana @ 6:39 pm
[guest post by Dana]
I'm annoyed, and maybe it's just me, but when a few media-savvy grandstanding members of Congress protesting outside of the Supreme Court know that reporters are abuzz with anticipation for that momemnt to happen and thus pretend to be handcuffed as they are marched off by the Capitol Police, it's not just a cringe-worthy performance, it's one that reeks of unabashed privilege. They know that the $50 fine will not be a hardship, and they also know that the moment will be remembered, not just by the police officers who asked for a photo with the arrested officials, and not just on Twitter, that go-to medium for Important Events. These women, with their millions of social media followers, know that they will be glamorized by media outlets, cheered on by their supporters, and finally, will bask in the effusive mutual praise of fellow Congresswomen who sacrificed so much today. These martyrs for the cause, these noble women, these warriors. Yet all the while, when everyday brown and black women who are not members of such an elite group protest (you name the issue), they will not be accorded the favored treatment and outcome. So just stop the performative bullshit already. Up your game, ladies. You're embarrassing yourselves.
Today I was arrested while participating in a civil disobedience action with my fellow Members of Congress outside the Supreme Court.
I will continue to do everything in my power to raise the alarm about the assault on our reproductive rights! ✊🏽pic.twitter.com/rpFYOGBDf4
— Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) July 19, 2022
Today, Rep. AOC was arrested along with other members of Congress outside the Supreme Court for protesting in support of abortion rights. #AbortionRightsAreHumanRights pic.twitter.com/gvj9J1o5ic
— Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@RepAOC) July 19, 2022
House Passes Respect for Marriage Act, 47 Republicans Vote Yes
The House passed the Respect For Marriage Act…to codify legal same-sex marriage nationwide, fearing that the conservative majority on the Supreme Court will rescind the right after it overturned Roe v. Wade last month.
The vote was 267-157, with 47 Republicans supporting it.
The bill would repeal the Defense of Marriage Act of 1996, enshrine legal same-sex marriage for the purposes of federal law, and add legal protections for married couples of the same sex.
Bill to codify federal recognition of same-sex marriage gets 47 GOP yes votes. Here are the 39 I counted: pic.twitter.com/2N5YvLOlHc
— Andrew Solender (@AndrewSolender) July 19, 2022
According to Nancy Pelosi, today's bill was the result of a concurring opinion by Justice Thomas:
…Justice Clarence Thomas…suggested the court should revisit other rulings including, gay marriage and access to contraception. The opinion set off a firestorm on the left, with Democrats arguing that the nation's highest court was preparing to strike down one precedent after another.
Republicans who voted against the bill today said that it was "silly," argued that the states should decide the issue, claimed the bill was a response to Democrats' activist base and donor base, and that Congress should focus on "real" issues (energy, inflation).
It's a tricky spot for Republicans: A Gallup poll taken in June found that 71% of Americans support gay marriage, the highest it's ever been. Times change.