Letter to Story County GOP – 8/23/2023

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On Aug. 23, Sondra Wilson sent the following letter to Story County GOP:
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“Dear Story County GOP,
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    First off, I appreciate the kindness your members have shown me since I began attending meetings last spring. During “College Day on the Hill”, [a professor] urged me to “get involved” by attending both the Republican and Democrat meetings. Although I am a registered Democrat, I am not 100% behind the Democratic campaign platform. We diverge on some issues strongly, however generally as of late, Democrats have stuck up for transgender Iowans, while Republicans have passed laws (e.g. HF766/div XX) and said a lot of harmful – what feels like bullying words publicly. So, for me to support Republican candidates at this time has been a non-starter until some apologies are made, and we can come to a common and respectful understanding moving forward. Although the First Amendment guarantees free speech, the amendment is located *after* The Preamble, which states that we shall be in mutual defense and that we shall promote the general welfare of each other. Many of the political statements, executive orders, and laws which have passed as of late have not been in defense of myself or other transgender Iowans, nor have they promoted my general welfare: in fact they have had the opposite effect….
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     That said, as you know I felt pain from a defamatory statement one of Presidential Candidate Vivek’s speakers said on Monday at the Central Committee Meeting, and I spoke up about it to stop it in its tracks. I learned this from my cousin Rene. When I was a kid, one of my brothers said a joke he probably learned at school – a racist joke to which I doubt he’d ever really thought about the implications or repercussions of at such a young age. Immediately after the joke, Rene told him, “That is a racist joke, and we do not talk like that in this family. That is not okay.” She was not mad, and her point came across clearly, and I know it made me and my brothers better people by hearing it. I can only hope that is how my comments at least in part came across on Monday
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     To reiterate, the Republican Party of today was largely built upon lifting people up. As in, during the Civil War they advocated lifting black people up out of slavery. They firmly stood up for the oppressed, and many were so resolute in it, they fought and died for that very thing. Those stories still permeate these lands, and that blood is now baked into the ground we walk on – that is what the United States is supposed to be about. So when I see politicians standing up in front of us and literally teaching audiences to join them in bullying transgender people, I believe those people are unfit for the large and noble shoes they seek to fill. This is Abraham Lincoln’s party, and Honest Abe stuck up for others. For example, Lincoln was a soldier in the Blackhawk War, and when a Native American came to the door of his troop, here is what is written:
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     ‘[An] old Indian came to camp & delivered himself up, showing us an old paper written by Lewis Cass, stating that the Indian was a good & true man. Many of the men of the Army said, ‘we have come out to fight the Indians and by God we intend to do so.’ Mr. Lincoln in the goodness & kindness and humanity & justice of his nature stood — got between the Indian and the outraged men — saying — ‘Men this must not be done — he must not be shot and killed by us.’ Some of the men remarked – – ‘The Indian is a damned Spy.’ Still Lincoln stood between the Indian & the vengeance of the outraged soldiers… Some of the men said to Mr. Lincoln — ‘This is cowardly on your part Lincoln.’ Lincoln remarked, ‘If any man thinks I am a coward let him test it,’ rising to an unusual height. One of the Regiment made this reply to Mr. Lincoln last remarks –‘Lincoln — you are larger & heavier than we are.’ ‘This you can guard against — Choose your weapons,’ replied Mr. Lincoln somewhat sourly. This soon put to silence quickly all charges of the cowardice of Lincoln.’ [1]
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     To get to the point, I am requesting that you forward this letter to your members. I am also requesting 5 minutes to speak in front of the Story County GOP regarding this issue (candidates and politicians deriding transgender people). Look, I graduated from Nevada High School in 2000. I was Class President for whatever that’s worth. I went to Awanas at the Baptist Church (where one of your members, Daryl Uhlenhopp taught me as a little kid that “God has a purpose for everyone” – and today I know this is part of mine). His brother Darwin was my teacher and coach. This is *my* home town, and it hurts me to no end that today people are coming into my town and spreading hurtful words toward me. They may not be targeting me directly, but some laws and executive orders which have been passed, and rhetoric which has been espoused by many Republicans nationally and statewide have in fact harmed me and made my life much harder. Politicians say the words to their followers, and I endure the bullying on the streets. You can read the comment section of nearly any transgender-related article on the internet to know what I am talking about – the sentiment today is hurtful and widespread. I am humbly requesting five minutes of the Story County GOP Central Committee’s time to address this topic, and at least just be heard.
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    I hope that you please vote this into your agenda for a future meeting.
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Thank you for considering.
Sincerely,
Sondra Wilson“
References:
 [1]: Douglas L. Wilson and Rodney O. Davis, ed., Herndon’s Informants, 18-19. SOURCE: https://www.clevelandcivilwarroundtable.com/lincoln-and-the-black-hawk-war/