I’ve kept a casual eye on the national news lately. I’m having a difficult time understanding the “restroom” debate. Maybe I understand it perfectly and I just don’t realize it. I’ve heard that a southern state recently passed legislation that stipulates who can use a men’s room and who can use a ladies room in public spaces. The law says that those with the male anatomy must use the men’s room and those with female anatomy must use the ladies room. I suppose using the wrong restroom has certain legal consequences. Since the law was passed I’ve heard that some entertainers, professional sports organizations, and businesses are refusing to operate in that state. Here’s what I’m trying to figure out. Who are these people who want access to both or the other restroom? Until now how have these people been tending to their bodily functions when they are in public areas? What reasonable business model suggests that offending the sensibilities of 99.99% of consumers while appealing to a micro-speck of people is a good idea? It may be that 99.99% of people with mainstream values pertaining to restroom usage are not paying attention and that the other .01% are paying 99.99% of the attention to what is happening. Maybe while the majority snoozes some businesses see it as an opportunity to reach out to the fringes of society. That’s just a theory. I think it’s more likely that the majority are perfectly aware of the decline in their culture but say little or nothing fearing they will be labeled a hater. In today’s world hating others and hating what others do mean the same thing. As a society we are not permitted to love others and at the same time dislike or disagree with what they do. We must embrace the entire package. I think by the standards of popular culture I’m a hater. I wonder how I sleep at night.

Closer to home, a national big box retailer in my city has adopted the more progressive restroom usage policy. I guess if we’re going to maintain the sanctity of the privy in River City then we may have to pass a law here also. I’m not a regular customer at this particular business but the “what if” scenarios can possibly cause a brain tumor. If my wife or daughter must use the ladies room, is it now my job to guard the entrance and perhaps prevent someone from entering there while it is occupied by my wife or child? Have I now violated the civil rights of another? What if in my zeal to protect the privacy of my wife or child a physical confrontation transpires? Am I now guilty of a hate crime? On the other hand what if I am in the men’s room and a tres chic new age female comes through the door while I stand there facing the wall? The normal man code protocol among men in the restroom is to not make eye contact with each other and to not shake hands with each other among other things. I may have just violated the code by publicizing it. Will the same rules apply to women in the men’s room…no eye contact or handshaking? The dark side within me suggests that I look over my shoulder at her, wink, and indicate the availability of the receptacle next to me. If she scampers away in fear and tears, I’ll chalk it up to a good deed done for the benefit of society. Maybe I’ll just take my chances in the parking lot between the cars.

I heard someone say recently that they would continue to shop at this retailer because they didn’t want to send a message that suggested hatred. I personally feel like I am free to hate a business enterprise for whatever unreasonableness I can imagine. A business is not a person and is not entitled to be treated like a person. I grant that a person is probably responsible for what has become a restroom debacle. I don’t hate that person, I just don’t agree with them. I demonstrate my disagreement by withholding my business from the enterprise they represent. I realize my opinion is counter-culture. “You disagree and don’t hate? Impossible!” To be perfectly honest hatred is a high energy endeavor. I haven’t the energy to do much of it. I’m more weary than I am hateful so I say to myself as sleep invites me, “Even so come, Lord Jesus come.”