Leftists Shout Down Dem Lawmaker For Saying Boys And Girls Are Different
Jonah Orion Wheeler is a 22-year-old Democrat state representative from New Hampshire, who gained early recognition by being elected to the House of Representatives at just 19 years old. He has a strong leftist background, having worked on Bernie Sanders’ 2020 campaign and supported Marianne Williamson as a delegate for the 2024 presidential race. Raised by a single mother in poverty, Wheeler now sponsors 32 bills during his legislative session, despite only earning a nominal income from his role, frequently enough supplementing it with side jobs.
However, Wheeler has recently faced notable backlash from his peers, particularly within the progressive community. Controversy erupted when he voted in favor of House Bill 148, aimed at preventing men from using women’s private spaces, which was met with severe criticism from fellow democrats and activists. during a heated town hall meeting, he was publicly rebuked by his former art teacher, among others, expressing disappointment over his stance, which many feel has betrayed progressive values.
Wheeler defended his position by stating that women’s rights and safety should be paramount and criticized the Democratic Party for stifling nuanced discussions around gender issues. His comments have resulted in accusations against him of being a Nazi and a fascist, reflecting a growing division within the left regarding gender identity and women’s rights. Despite the backlash, Wheeler remains firm in his beliefs, asserting that he sleeps well at night due to the conviction behind his stance. The situation highlights the increasing tension in progressive circles and the challenges faced by individuals who think independently within the party.
Jonah Orion Wheeler is a 22-year-old Democrat state representative from New Hampshire. He was first elected to the Granite State’s House of Representatives when he was only 19, and his leftist bona fides are already sterling.
Wheeler started his political career working for Bernie Sanders’ 2020 presidential campaign. He spoke forcefully at a George Floyd rally in his hometown and interned for the leftist Rights & Democracy outfit. He then endorsed and represented New Age author Marianne Williamson as a New Hampshire delegate for the 2024 presidential race.
He was raised in poverty by a loving single mom whom he describes as “an old-school lefty.” He supplements his annual $100 (yes, just two zeros!) legislator’s income by picking up odd jobs here and there like landscaping. He doesn’t have a lot of time for those side gigs because he is currently sponsoring 32 bills this session. Most of his colleagues only sponsor a small handful in any session. Clearly, he lives by the “more laws are good” philosophy of public governance.
He’s not feeling the love though. Quite the opposite. So much so that the moderate Free Press even took notice.
He’s been called a Nazi, fascist, transphobe and a Jim Crow sympathizer. At a roiling-hot town hall meeting, his high school art teacher publicly rose to scold him, saying “I don’t know how you sleep at night.” She explained, “I proudly voted for you and I am ashamed at what you have done out in the world … [because] this room is full of people you are actively hurting.” The meeting hall erupted in thunderous applause, and he was told not to speak.
Another leftist forum attendee calmly asked him, “Why would you vote in a manner that would upset us so?” How could a promising young role model of hope and change attract such heated scorn from his fellow progressives?
It was really quite simple.
On March 20, he voted in favor of House Bill 148, which would keep men out of women’s bathrooms, locker rooms, sporting competitions, and jail facilities. It used to be that a good progressive politician would be celebrated for standing up for women’s dignity and safety. That day is gone.
On the House floor, in a brave and unapologetic speech, Wheeler noted that anecdotes from transgender activists are very touching, but “the powerful anecdotes of one person, and the consent of one person cannot stand for the consent of another person.” Then he demonstrated his old-school liberal conviction: “If there are women who feel unsafe, if there are women who feel as if their space has become not private, then we should listen to those women.”
Wheeler was only getting started.
“And just because a small segment of the population would like those policies to accommodate them over women, doesn’t mean that we here today can do that.” His Democrat colleagues then walked out of the gallery as he spoke. He confidently noted this fact in his remarks. Yes, the time to listen to black men is apparently over if they have the temerity to stray from gender orthodoxy. He continued to trample that exceptionally rigid orthodoxy.
Then he shared a very inconvenient truth: “The orthodoxy of the Democratic Party on this issue has left us to where we cannot have nuanced discussions. And women are being silenced in this conversation, as much as people don’t want to hear that, that is what is happening.“
For this, he has been called a Nazi, a fascist, and Jim Crow adjacent by his “friends.” This is what leftists do to their young who have the independence to think and speak for themselves. Even those of a historically oppressed class who speak up for women. They eat them and call them nasty names. They yell at and walk out on them in grown-up settings. Today, all under the banner of liberal tolerance and inclusion.
Progressives are the new fundamentalists. And their new style of fundamentalism is more brittle, brutal, and badgering toward their own than any we have ever witnessed to date.
To his credit, the young Rep. Wheeler told his demagoguing art teacher at that raucous town hall, “I sleep just fine.”
He does because he has every reason to.
Glenn T. Stanton is the director of family formation studies at Focus on the Family and the author of “The Myth of the Dying Church.”
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