Sunday, October 10, 2021

The Governess of California Censors Toys - weekly column, 10 October 2021

 

Lawrence Hall, HSG

Mhall46184@aol.com

 

The Governess of California Censors Toys

 

The briefcase politician…

A man enthroned as if (he) were a committee

 

-Yevtushenko, “Zima Junction”

 

The perfectly coiffed Ken Doll governorissimo of California, Gavin Newsom, has with his obedient, (hand)-kissing legislature commanded his / their loving and obedient subjects in the Glorious Workers’ and Peasants’ Republic that his / their wisdom and benevolence empowers him / them to control how toys will be sold.

 

In a state suffering from water shortages, power shortages, riots, wildfires, high unemployment, homelessness, a high murder rate, punitive taxes, and out-of-control crime the freely-elected government finds little to do except regulate the gender of toys.  In California as in all the coolest states it’s okay now to murder little boys and girls but not to allow the survivors ever to know that they are little boys and girls.

 

The law does not (yet) forbid girls’ interest and boys’ interest sections but does mandate that there must also be a gender-neutral section.

 

I don’t know how they do that – maybe they turn each Ken and Barbie upside down to see what’s underneath?

 

Attention, comrades: the fine for the first violation is $250; the fine for each subsequent violation is $500.

 

Governments are elected to rule, for without rule there would only chaos; we have this from no less an authority than Saint Paul. We elect governments so that we may be free from the unrestrained violence of warlords and cartels.

 

But when a government elected by the people neglects its duties and intrudes on areas of innocent joy then that government needs to be brought up sharp in the next election cycle. The corollary is that if the people forget their duty in voting in every election, then there is no hope of responsible self-government.

 

I have known parents who forbade their daughters to play with dolls and toy kitchens and their sons to play with cap pistols and toy trucks because they did not want their children to be gender-stereotyped. I think that’s unrealistic but I know that it’s none of my business. Now we must make sure that our governesses and legislators also know that the healthy play of childhood is not any concern of theirs.

 

And, anyway, Gavin is a boy’s name, a variant of the Celtic Gawain, one of the knights of the Round Table. Under California’s new genderish laws His / Their Excellency should fine himself / theirself $250 each day until he / they changes / change it to something gender-neutral. 

 

-30-

 

No comments: