The Only “Distraction” Here Is People Being Jerks

In the wake of Trump’s latest disgusting act whereby he has decided to ban trans persons from serving in our armed forces, one predictable reaction came from some on the left: some claimed that this attack on the trans community was a “distraction” from other issues. Let’s cut to the chase: The “distraction” argument has been around a long time and needs to go away. GO AWAY. COMPLETELY. STOP USING IT.
I’m not the first to say this. Other people made this argument before Trump even took office when he was torturing us with his post-election tweets. Mary Elizabeth Williams wrote this piece in late November regarding the media reaction to one of Trump’s twitter rants. While the entire piece is worth reading, the most important point for today and the future (now that Trump is making policy, not just tweeting) comes when Williams says this:
If you’re low on the chain of groups that are currently being targeted by a former reality star and his rogue’s gallery of intended allies, congratulations on your good fortune. Now, I ask you to take a step back from lecturing everybody else about what is a “distraction” these days — because this would be an excellent moment to start listening and reconsidering some of your views.
Of course, the stakes are even higher now that Trump is in the White House. This isn’t just an egomaniac feeding red meat to his base or his own ego in 140 characters or less. This is an administration and party using their power to perpetrate real attacks against real people.
Therefore, whenever you call Trump and the GOP’s attack on your fellow human beings a “distraction,” that is just about the shittiest and most callous thing you could say. Distractions are to be ignored in favor of more important objectives. Therefore, your statement is a big “fuck you; you’re not important” to whichever community is under attack. It also helps Trump, which I’m guessing you didn’t intend to do. Because by choosing to reject the community under attack as not worth defending, you are helping Trump and the GOP divide us. It doesn’t matter whether you intended to do it or not; that’s the practical effect, so PLEASE STOP IT.
Make no mistake: Trump and his cohorts in the GOP are attacking on multiple fronts. These attacks are real. While some attacks might affect more people than others, an individual’s or group’s suffering is no less real just because they are fewer in numbers. And just because you’ve chosen certain issues to be a priority does not mean that other issues should be ignored. Go ahead an ask people to support your cause with you. Try to convince them, but don’t do it by saying that other causes are unimportant. We need to be fighting back where we can on all fronts and we are stronger when we support each other in these fights.
Therefore, the next time (and there will be a next time) Trump and the GOP are terrible, please don’t say it’s a distraction, even if something important is happening on another issue that you care about. If a particular community is under attack, express your empathy and solidarity while condemning the attack. Then, if there are action items for your cause/issue that are important in that moment, make a request for help as part of the broader resistance of all communities under attack. Let’s use Trump’s penchant for attacking everyone to help us build broader and deeper coalitions that will make the entire resistance stronger.