CW: the darkest parts of American and World History repeating themselves
Multiple members of Congress as well as the current President of the United States, all Republicans of course, have called for the rebirth of the "insane" asylum system. They have called for the revocation of all rights and privileges as a citizen for anyone they deem as insane, and having them imprisoned in long term, compulsory "treatment" centers (literally exactly like the worst of the old asylums), until they're deemed a worthwhile citizen by the GOP standards.
So, let's first cover why I used quotation marks twice above. The asylums claimed to treat insanity, but many of them did nothing of the sort. The asylum system existed primarily as a method by which those in power could take those they didn't want in the public eye, which included people with actual severe psychological conditions, but also homeless people, poor people, and people that the ones in power did not want to be believed when their knowledge of something someone in power did might come out, and others. They were never safe havens for those with psychological issues, they were prisons that didn't require due process to send someone to that had the backing of the medical community. They weren't for the truly "insane," and the centers being proposed aren't there to "treat" anything. They're still just prisons that don't require due process.
Now let's cover why this should concern you: they're specifically saying that it's not just their primary target group they want to imprison, but also anyone associated with them. Do you care about someone who is trans? Congrats, you are now "insane" according to GOP lawmakers and should be locked up (one lawmaker literally said you should be straight-jacketed).
What's they're reasoning for this? The victim of a recent high profile murder was an outspoken bigot against trans people, and the person currently charged with the crime had a relationship with his trans roommate.
Note that today several homeless people were shot in Minneapolis, curiously mere days after a Fox News host openly said to kill all mentally ill homeless people. Yet there is no push to classify Fox viewers as dangerously insane. Two lawmakers were assassinated earlier this year, and yet there is no push to classify people like that murderer as dangerously insane. Look at any violence against those on the left or marginalized groups, you will find that the perpetrator, if known, is from a class of people not being classified as dangerously insane. Probably because those that commit violent crime in general are such an extreme minority that painting any demographic group they're in as dangerous is absolutely ridiculous, so much so that you might call it "insane."
This isn't a move to get mentally ill people help. It's a move to allow the GOP to revoke rights from anyone not sufficiently conservative for their liking, or possibly just not loyal enough for their liking. If this were implemented, it would not stop with trans people and their loved ones; it would eventually include all members of the LGBTQ+ community, anyone who has different spiritual beliefs from GOP leadership, members of labor unions, easily targeted ethnic minorities, and more.
How do I know? Because we've seen this trend before. We saw it on US soil when the rich and powerful put people they didn't want to exist but didn't care to kill into asylums. We saw it in Europe as they started with the socialists and trade unionists. We see it in dictatorships around the world now, designating entire people groups as undesirable and then throwing them somewhere so the general populace can feel "safe" knowing they're locked away. But fear is necessary for control, so they either have to release the people they locked up periodically so they can stoke fear again, or they have to designate another people group to be the new boogeyman. Usually, it's the latter.
I'm begging you, please, do not support this. Contact your lawmakers and tell them to push back against this, censure those lawmakers, propose laws to protect the rights of all Americans. Please, because while you might be safe from the first wave, most of the people I dearly love are not, nor am I. We are beyond the point where we can speak for ourselves and expect a good outcome, you must speak up too. Do not live out "first they came," speak out now.
God bless if you'll let Him, and have an otherwise great day.
