Omaha Chamber of Confusion

They are Coasting to Woke

Update 2: Apparently, the list was a letter sent to Governor Pillen, but notice how this television dropped mention of non-profit organizations defending “gender-affirming care” but now we have the list of organizations (https://www.ketv.com/article/115-nebraska-businesses-against-bills-targeting-lgbtq-community-sign-letter-to-gov-pillen/43798243).

Update: apparently the Human Rights Campaign is trying to garner opposition to restrictions on “gender-affirming care” in Nebraska, in spite of being simultaneously opposed to “conversion therapy” (https://omaha.com/news/state-and-regional/govt-and-politics/over-100-nebraska-businesses-nonprofits-oppose-gender-affirming-care-ban-for-trans-youth/article_db4d51ee-eaad-11ed-b248-eb721cd182af.html). So why is one care acceptable and another not?

Additionally, apparently, few of the signers have listened to any experts such as this one: https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/04/26/lb-574-do-no-harm/

The Omaha Chamber of Commerce released a dubious press release mentioning “diversity, equity, and inclusion” known as DEI ( https://www.omahachamber.org/greater-omaha-chamber-statement-on-legislative-activity-in-nebraska-unicameral/ ). No statement on rising property taxes, or burdensome sewer-separation fees, or housing shortages, or panhandlers sleeping under bridges. Instead, the Chamber has fed an ongoing feud. DEI, Critical Race Theory, or whatever you want to call it is mostly a weaponized agitation point. White progressives use such programs to attack, criticize, and defame all other white people who disagree with them. Other races and ethnic groups are pushed to choose sides.

As for diversity, the real question is why is there more diversity among local consumers at Walmart compared to other organizations in the City? Also, if America is so racist and intolerant, why do people keep coming to America? Sincere questions in need of discussion but this is not what DEI is about.

However, the Chamber appeared to be taking a stand on “gender-affirming care”, an issue which has been fanned nationwide by one State Senator (https://www.mediamatters.org/msnbc/msnbc-host-rachel-maddow-praises-nebraska-state-senator-michaela-cavanaughs-efforts-block). In other words, they are coasting on the thoughts of others without understanding. Let the hard science be clear. Chromosomes determine gender. You either have XX or XY which makes a person female or male. There is no medical procedure which can change this. Yes, doctors can implant breasts on a man, and remove breasts from a woman, but this basically treats the body as a muppet costume: one set of equipment upstairs and a totally different set of equipment downstairs. This may please some patients, but it does not change their gender. Furthermore, a child, who cannot legally consent to sex, is not in a position to make an informed decision about “gender-affirming care”.

As for abortion, there is too much rhetoric. No thought or contemplation goes into what is enabled. To a rapist, abortion is just a way to get rid of evidence, as are condoms. Where is the defense of women or the empowerment of women? Are people seriously saying rape is a woman’s right to choose? The defense of abortion too often appears as a defense of doctors to exploit women in vulnerable situations. Feminists for Life has been raising these concerns for decades (https://www.feministsforlife.org/).

What fuels the hysteria, fears, and biased information is social media, which is realistically anti-social media. Several State Senators make abundant use of Twitter and Facebook, as do many of their supporters. Most of these social media users live in urban areas and access social media by smartphones daily if not hourly. This means users rapidly respond to emotional appeals and have little to no time to research and contemplate the issue they are acting on. Many users are social media addicts who block what they do not like and follow what they do like resulting in biased thinking. This type of interaction is not conducive to contemplation, thinking, and nuance. The result is a breakdown in civil discourse. Users, particularly students, in the urban areas have little or no ability in having discussions with those of opposing viewpoints and take to the streets to protest (https://omaha.com/news/local/education/omaha-central-high-students-walk-out-of-class-to-protest-trans-youth-bills/article_8bf68ec2-cca7-11ed-bb89-37246454e48b.html).

I can forgive the students but not the Senators or the Omaha Chamber of Commerce. They should know better, but either do not, or flat-out never understood the differing viewpoints. As for the Omaha Chamber of Commerce, they seriously need to go back to fundamentals of understanding economics instead of demonstrating how Woke and out of touch they really are. You can send your thoughts to the Omaha Chamber of Commerce through the form on their website at https://www.omahachamber.org/who-we-are/contact-us/