Does this book reflect today’s current political climate? Why or why not?
Yes, I think the book reflects the danger that exists in our current political climate. Some groups are losing their rights as new powers are taking over and imposing restrictions. At the same time not everyone is aware or concerned about the dangers.
I just read that our president has issued an executive order declaring that passports must show gender as “at conception.”
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So much so. It’s a sad truth and a truth nonetheless that all these years later, marginalized communities are under attack. Discrimination is rampant worldwide. Here in the States, current government are trying to strip people of their rights and dismantle systems in place for their protection.
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Absolutely yes! Throughout the book, I’ve been thinking about how close some of the horrific acts are to what is happening today to LGBTQ + folks. People should not be incarcerated for who they are and this happens in both The Lilac People and in the US today. It is a frightening state that our country finds itself in at this time. It mirrors Nazi Germany in so many ways.
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As the book went along, you could see the current political climate has several ways of demonstrating. On page 203, “An erasure of history was an erasure of personhood.” Page 208, “The politicians who had given Hitler his power were fast losing control of him.” Both of these statements could be given to Trump. Unless we find a way to undo what is happening, we will be in a very serious taking democracy into a Hittler in the United States.
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Donna_Mattison, I agree with your statements, and I had also marked these quotes. Sometimes I feel that a person can vote for an issue or person, not realizing what that vote really means, For example, a state amendment on a ballot can be worded so that a no vote can really mean yes, and it is confusing unless a voter has studied the issue. As voters I think we have an obligation to be careful, do our due diligence and protect everyone’s rights.
I agree with the readers above, unfortunately. It’s extremely upsetting to watch what is happening in our country and with those people still supportive of the extreme measures that are being taken resulting in great damage and infringement on individual rights and liberties. Very frightening.
The book very accurately reflects the current political climate in the USA. This is unfortunate and also quite scary. What scares me most is that many of the minorities being affected by our current administration are not even aware of what is happening to their communities.
Yes and very unfortunately. Groups are targeted more than I can recall and not for positive means
I have been thinking about this new executive order regarding passports. I feel it would be helpful for everyone if alongside “sex” (male/female at birth) there would be an added box for “gender”. Imagine a customs agent’s confusion of a trans man presenting a passport listing him as female but having the appearance of a man, and how that could possibly escalate into a situation that the trans person worked so hard to avoid.
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I agree with the above readers. What a scary time we are entering. I think this book is more important now than ever. Being transgendered is nothing new, and this phenomena has been recorded throughout history. Current political voices blame it on woke politics which is so wrong. This book is the perfect example that facts and history can be taught but compassion and understanding is made real through good literature. I so appreciate this novel as it taught me so much.
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Yes, I feel this book does reflect today’s political climate. Instead of making progress we seem to be going backwards in excepting all people regardless of any “category” we place them into.I knew nothing about transvestism during this historic time period. Very enlightening and I felt the author did a great job of depicting people who considered themselves to be a transvestite .
Oh Yes - The state of our country today, i can certainly see and feel the restraints and bigotry of yesterday repeat itself today. i think it is happening already and i fear for our LGBTQ communtity. " it can’t happen here " is heard often " but it’s happening. The characters in The Lilac People were kind, caring individuals - we need more of them today
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There’s no way y say “no” to this question! Our counrty has made so many people afraid to be who they are. why are some people so threatened by people who are ot like them? Their rights are being stripped from them by the Federal government and some of the states.
Absolutely. The current political climate allows for events like those described in the book to occur. Just when it seems that as a country and as human beings, we have progressed, we find the opposite to be true.
This is a good, cautionary tale of what could or might be if our country continues to move further to the political right. We read of and see the daily atrocities taking place everyday.
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Thanks for pointing out that transgendered people have been oppressed in many times and places in history. The book refers to that very fact. Todd also does a good job of highlighting how brief the period of tolerance was in Germany. In my personal life I’ve experienced enough systemic repression to also think the marginalization of “othered” people has never gone away, it only goes underground for a while.
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Pastor Martin Neimoller famously looked at collective guilt in Nazi Germany and wrote:
First they came for the communists and I did not speak out because I was not a communist.
Then they came for the trade unionists and I did not speak out because I was not a trade unionist.
Then they came for the Jews and I did not speak out because I was not a Jew.
Finally, they came for me and there was no one left to speak out.
The book made me think about that and how I’m a part of the political climate I’m living in.
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Hi, Suzie. This is the first time I’ve been able to read a book club book and respond with my thoughts before the discussion closes. What a great book for my first!
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I so agree with you. Since I have finished this book, I wake up every morning thinking about it and the parallels to our world in the USA right now. I think that of all the books I have read, this one is one that has had the most impact. I am recommending it to everyone I know.