As a resident of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania I love that we have two unique legal traditions that can be traced directly to our Quaker roots: we do not require people to swear an oath of office (one may choose to affirm instead) and we have self-officiating marriages. You don't have to be a Quaker to get one these days, and if you apply for one of those it only requires two witnesses and the people getting hitched. There's a beautiful story from the year we got marriage equality in PA of a lesbian couple who got a Quaker license and exchanged rings at a Philadelphia Orchestra concert during a performance of their favorite piece with their best friends acting as witnesses.
I wonder if part of this is due to that disturbing pattern the "left" has of letting the right frame the conversation. I think a narrative that is foundational to all moral panics is an assumption that the target of the panic is a new phenomenon - or, at least, a very rapid increase in popularity of a previously very niche idea - and is a nefarious plot that must be stopped before it has a chance to take hold. Convincing the public of the urgency of the "problem" is much easier if it's seen as something new.
As always, my dear, thank you for the historical context and interesting, if rather disturbing, information. Nothing new under the sun, isn't that the saying?
Great post, I also didn't know about this history
Thanks for this. That paragraph is exactly the pull I had used at Wonkette...but you were able to put it into historical perspective.
Stop circumcision, too?
As a resident of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania I love that we have two unique legal traditions that can be traced directly to our Quaker roots: we do not require people to swear an oath of office (one may choose to affirm instead) and we have self-officiating marriages. You don't have to be a Quaker to get one these days, and if you apply for one of those it only requires two witnesses and the people getting hitched. There's a beautiful story from the year we got marriage equality in PA of a lesbian couple who got a Quaker license and exchanged rings at a Philadelphia Orchestra concert during a performance of their favorite piece with their best friends acting as witnesses.
I wonder if part of this is due to that disturbing pattern the "left" has of letting the right frame the conversation. I think a narrative that is foundational to all moral panics is an assumption that the target of the panic is a new phenomenon - or, at least, a very rapid increase in popularity of a previously very niche idea - and is a nefarious plot that must be stopped before it has a chance to take hold. Convincing the public of the urgency of the "problem" is much easier if it's seen as something new.
As always, my dear, thank you for the historical context and interesting, if rather disturbing, information. Nothing new under the sun, isn't that the saying?
Tis indeed.
How are you? I haven't read about your snot yet, though I expect to get to that today.
I'm pretty damn good, thank you for asking! 🤗
Fascinating points! Thank you for the research and the reminders of the history.
I feel informed and will share this.