The great grooming debate
Our world needs Jesus more than ever
One of the things that I’ve been frustrated about for years has been the way legitimate, consequential terms like “racist” and “sexist” have been completely and utterly stripped of their meaning. If you believe that racism is evil…and I do…and if you believe that sexism is offensive in God’s sight…and I do…then both those words should be handled very carefully when wielded as accusations.
Take racism. Real racists exist. But when the term is used as a political bludgeon, attached by leftwing activists and their media allies to any Republican officeholder who doesn’t support something like reparations, it tragically cheapens the label. I’ve been amazed to hear that word – one that should pack with it a visceral reaction among fair-minded people – be casually used as a simple pejorative among high school students that I teach. In certain circles I’ve seen it used as a joke, much in the same manner as when someone lightheartedly calls another an “idiot.”
That’s the danger with the rampant misapplication and misattribution of words. They quickly lose their meaning.
It’s also why I’m sympathetic to the complaint that the right may be overusing the term “groomer” as it attacks those on the left who oppose Florida’s parental rights in education law. Conservatives have pointed out (correctly) that the law is designed to keep activist teachers from introducing age-inappropriate content regarding sex and gender to young kids. So when progressives push back against the law, conservatives ask, “Wait, why do you want to talk to young kids about sex? Are you okay with the sexual grooming of children?”
Social media, of course, has become ground zero for this accusation. Liberals who dubbed the Florida law the “Don’t Say Gay Bill,” which brazenly misrepresented what the legislation actually said, are now getting a taste of their own medicine. Whenever someone on the left complains about the law or the “erasing of LGBT teachers in the classroom,” conservatives respond with “Ok, groomer.”
To be clear, I recognize this is a completely legitimate political strategy – and one that the left brought on (and continues to bring on) itself:
My only concern is that “groomer” will go the way of “racist.” Adults grooming children for sexual purposes is a vile, horrific crime that should be dealt with harshly and swiftly. I would hate to see our culture lose the stigma it associates with that word because it has been overused and misapplied. Like racist, being labeled a groomer deserves to carry with it an extraordinary weight. I’m in favor, then, of being absolutely precise when hurling the label around.
That said, if we aren’t going to use the term groomer so flippantly in our public debate over gender and sex curriculum in our children’s libraries and school, then what is a better one? How exactly should we refer to those who believe it’s appropriate for 1st graders to be taught this:
How exactly should we refer to those who think that it is acceptable that an elementary school library contains this book for children to check out (WARNING: this is VERY lewd and offensive content, zoom in to read at your own discretion):
Both those examples are precisely what the law in Florida was written to prevent, so what do we say about those so vehemently opposed to that law? What term applies to them?
If a person isn’t themselves participating in the act of grooming a child for sexual purposes, it’s true that they don’t meet the technical definition of “groomer.” Fair enough. But then what is the term that should be applied to those who think the above is appropriate and acceptable?
American society is imperiled – those with discerning eyes have seen that as a foregone conclusion for a lot longer than just the last few months of increased political bickering over LGBT legislation in the Sunshine State.
Personally, I’m of the belief that there could be no greater moment for the church of Jesus to shine brightly, standing out against the dark backdrop of a world gone mad like stars in the universe. How we do that largely depends on our own gifts, talents, attitudes, and opportunities.
But I would at least advise all of us taking into consideration the counsel the Apostle Paul wrote to the Christians in Corinth, specifically about the words that they use:
1 Corinthians 14
9 “Unless you speak intelligible words with your tongue, how will anyone know what you are saying?”
We need to be mindful of that instruction these days more than ever.
ICYMI…
Yesterday I stepped away from our year-long study of being like Jesus to talk about the Triumphal Entry of Christ, and the lesson we are to learn from it. You can watch it here if you’re interested:
Also, here are a couple of my recent columns that might interest you:
Nellie Bowles pointed out that the term groomer is starting to be misapplied to gay people in general, even those who support the Florida law.
A person discussing age-inappropriate sexual material may not fit the strict definition of “groomer”, but they are certainly groomer-friendly, in that they are paving the way for further manipulation. For me, applying “groomer” to anyone participating in corrupting children works for me.