There is a style of group analysis often called a tabletop exercise. Such exercises posit a particular problem for which the participants must design a solution. Some years ago, the CDC famously posited a Zombie Apocalypse as a tabletop exercise for public health officials to use in addressing how they would deal with an emerging pandemic. I’ve little doubt that first responders (law enforcement, firefighters, EMS, etc.) also do such exercises if for no other reason than to hone their skills in decision making, communication, and coordination.
I once read an article about a Student UN tabletop type exercise in which students were assigned demographics to represent. This fraction of the students was assigned to Europe, that fraction to Africa, perhaps a token few to the Global South, and so forth. They were then given worldwide problems to address – a famine here, a civil war there, and the like. It sounded to me like an excellent way to cultivate understanding, compassion, and cooperative behavior. I would not be surprised if the students performed better than our world leaders do. Sigh.
Today, I read this item on LinkedIn. It was written by a Transgender Educator Leo Caldwell.
“Say you’re in a room with 400 ppl. 36 don’t have health insurance. 48 live in poverty. 85 are illiterate. 90 have untreated mental illnesses. And everyday, at least 1 person is shot. But 2 are trans so you decide ruining their lives is a priority. That is what’s happening.”
This post came up as one of Susan’s former medical colleagues posted that she and 2000 other Texans showed up at the Texas Legislature to testify against a bill that would criminalize the gender-affirming medical care of our transgender kids. From her note, I gather that the legislature only heard from paid out-of-state anti-trans activists.
There’s our Democracy. The GOP has put it where the Sun don’t shine.