Some may call me alarmist and say that I am sensationalizing
what’s really going on. Perhaps, I have read too many dystopian novels not to
see the parallels between those worlds and our own. But I want to take a look
at what we’ve seen so far in this short time and compare it to some important
dystopian texts.
1984
This dystopian novel by George Orwell takes place in a province
of the super-state Oceania, a place of perpetual war, omnipresent government
surveillance, and public manipulation. The head of this government is Big
Brother, a leader who enjoys a cult of personality. The Party is one who seeks
not the best interest of the people but rather their own interests to maintain
power. An arm of the government is the Thought Police. The Thought Police seek
to identify anyone who may compromise the regime through active or inactive
resistance.
Just the other day, a
woman was tried and convicted of essentially laughing at Attorney General
Jeff Sessions during his Senate confirmation hearing. She was convicted of two
counts (one for engaging in “disorderly or disruptive conduct” with the intent
to disrupt congressional proceedings and a separate count for parading,
demonstrating or picketing) which could result in up to a year in jail. This
all began because of a burst of laughter when another senator spoke about Sessions’
being a defender of civil rights. This laughter led to the woman, Desiree
Fairooz, being removed from the room by an officer for being disruptive which
led to an even bigger disruption.
Now, if this seems to be a double standard on conduct, it certainly
is. Who can forget Rep Joe Wilson of South Carolina yelling “You lie” at
President Obama? He was given a reprimand by the members of Congress, which is
little more than a slap on the wrist. However, in my mind, that sounds to be “disorderly
or disruptive conduct with the intent to disrupt congressional proceedings”
during the State of the Union address.
The Hunger Games
Suzanne Collins wrote this trilogy of young adult dystopian
novels about a world Panem. Panem is clearly North America with the Capitol
residing somewhere in the Rocky Mountains. Each district provides for the
Capitol based on their chief export. District 12 is known for its coal, placing
it somewhere in the Appalachian Mountains. In this novel, two children from each
of the 12 districts are required to fight to the death once a year in the
Hunger Games. These “games” are designed as a reminder of the rebellion of
District 13 as well as a deterrent for future rebellion.
This has been a joke for quite some time among late night
hosts, chiefly Stephen Colbert. I could focus on the games themselves even
though we aren’t quite there yet, but instead, there is a more subtle
connection to this world and our own that we shouldn’t overlook. Within the
books, each district is forced to produce essentially one thing. For those in
District 12, coal is really the only option. What might this have to do with
our current situation?
Well, if we look at the recent executive orders aimed at the
coal industry and dismantling the protections of the environment enacted under
the Obama administration, it can become a bit clearer. The main struggle of
coal country is the lack of jobs the coal industry itself. Many have blamed
government regulations for these economic issues. However, the truth is that
many are moving away from coal energy to cleaner, more renewable power sources.
Instead of working to educate and re-train those in the coal industry to work
in these new fields, the Trump administration is keeping those people locked
into that industry without any real hope of escape. It is a “districting” of
the nation based on exports and industry as well as means by which to keep
those people in poverty. It isn’t government regulation that has damaged the
coal industry but a culture shift and automation of jobs. Yet, they keep
pushing that agenda forward because it placates people in the short-term.
The Handmaid’s Tale
Since this novel was so wonderfully discussed by Nicole
Marie in a previous post, I won’t go into the details of the novel. Instead,
let’s jump right into the issues at hand. The most recent healthcare bill, the American
Healthcare Act (AHCA), that passed the House of Representatives includes giving
states the option of exempting out of provisions under the Affordable Care Act
(ACA) such as coverage for pre-existing conditions and essential health
benefits. Under this bill, essential health benefits are defined as
preventative care such as annual health screenings, including mammograms,
pelvic exams, STI screenings, and annual physicals. Additionally, women who
have been sexually assaulted could potentially have that assault considered a
pre-existing condition and be denied coverage. This added to the administration’s
attack on abortion rights the parallel to Gilead becomes more and more
apparent.
There were women that I knew who wondered why women marched
on the day after the inauguration. This is why we marched. When we look at
women’s health care solely in terms of whether or not they are reproducing, we
become little more than a nonentity whose only purpose is to create life. There
is so much more than that to what it means to be a woman. We must have the
right to choose if and when we become mothers. We must have adequate coverage
for our healthcare needs.
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