Jacksonville, FL anti-gay activists aiming low to defeat non-discrimination ordinance

The handiwork of an anti-gay activist smearing a Jacksonville Councilman

While everyone's eyes are on the Iowa Caucus, there is an interesting situation developing in Jacksonville,  FL.

According to Media Matters:

Jacksonville is set to be the next major battleground for LGBT equality as the city council considers extending non-discrimination protections to include LGBT people. Here's what the media should know about the groups and activists leading the fight against LGBT equality in Jacksonville. As the largest US city that has never enacted protections for LGBT people, Jacksonville is considering updating its Human Rights Ordinance (HRO) to include non-discrimination protections based on gender identity and sexual orientation in areas like housing, employment, and public accommodations. Anti-LGBT activists leading the fight against expanding Jacksonville's HRO falsely claim that adding LGBT protections would allow sexual predators to enter women's restrooms, a bogus talking point that was used to defeat similar protections in Houston in 2015.

Media Matters point out the three entities who are heavily involved in defeating the non-discrimination ordinance.  The organization also gives information which the media should point out. The groups are:

 The Liberty Counsel:

Right-wing Christian legal group based in Orlando, FL

Designated an anti-LGBT "hate group" by the Southern Poverty Law Center

Represented notorious Kentucky county clerk Kim Davis

Has a history of misleading media outlets

Florida Family Policy Council:

Florida chapter of national anti-gay group Focus on the Family

Headed by anti-gay activist John Stemberger 

Urges gay people to seek help in leaving the "gay lifestyle"

And last, but certainly not least, this guy:

"Pastor" Kenneth Adkins channeling anti-transgender stereotypes

This is Pastor Kenneth Adkins. Amongst other things, he is responsible for the awful graphic above smearing a councilman. He supposedly leads a group of black pastors against the non-discrimination ordinance:

Adkins has said that the definition of the expanded HRO is "Giving Civil Rights to men who engage in Anal Sex with each other," called City Council Member Tommy Hazouri the "anti-Christ" for supporting the HRO, and photoshopped Hazouri's face onto pornographic images.

He has also:

Took photos of himself dressed up as a woman to oppose the Jacksonville HRO

Garnered local media attention with his vocal antics against the expanded HRO

Stroll over to Media Matters for the full story on these folks. If we lose this one, we really need to assess our priorities as an equality movement. There has been a lot of talk lately over a certain nasty event which happened a recent lgbt conference.  All I am going to say about that is  if we don't get our stuff together and stop with the bickering and bullshit academic "queer studies" lingo, we are going to lose to people like THIS guy above.

Often.

'LGBT rights on the menu for Trump, Cruz in Iowa caucus' & other Mon. midday news briefs

Phil Robertson judges gays again

Phil Robertson: 'Rid The Earth Of' Gay Marriage Supporters - At a Ted Cruz rally, of course. And then he misquotes Thomas Jefferson. Not that it matters because no matter how many times you refute it, the so-called evangelical gullible will believe him out of spite. Much like they do with anti-lgbt propaganda. 

Trump toys with reversal on marriage equality: I’d appoint judges who would overturn it - Because apparently that is NOW prerequisite of being on the Supreme Court. Eh. I still don't believe him.

Gays for Trump: How the Log Cabin Republicans Were Deluded By a Demagogue - This is why the Log Cabin Republicans get no respect. It's not that they are Republicans that I have a problem with. It's that they are doing practically NOTHING to change their party from within. 

President Obama Opens Up About His Hope For LGBT Acceptance - Be honest. You are going to miss Obama when he leaves office. 

This Transgender Girl Scout Stood Up To A Bully By Selling Thousands Of Cookies - Good for her!!!!

REPOST - The Erasure of 'Gay' From Black History and the Black Community Must Stop

Editor's note - In celebration of Black History Month, from time to time I will be reposting columns I have posted on my thoughts about being black and gay:

From October 6, 2014

As a gay African-American, I've heard the argument about how "you can't compare the gay civil rights movement to the African-American civil rights movement" more times than I care to count.

The constant so-called moral outrage of some African-American heterosexuals when the topic is mentioned has gotten me to the point where my mind automatically tunes out the monotonous drones of how supposed sinful homosexuals are "high jacking" the civil rights movement or how gays "can't compare their sin with black skin."

As such, I almost missed the epiphany which occurred two weeks ago.

I was vaguely scanning comments on a conservative site by an anonymous African-American female as she went on and on about how gays were never subjected to slavery, segregation or declared three fifths a person. While the logical side of my mind was gathering up the customary argument of how wrong it was for disadvantaged people of any stripe to play the "Oppression Olympics," the emotional side of my mind struck immediately.

"This is the most ignorant crap I've ever heard," I thought. "Just where in the hell does she think gay black people were during slavery and segregation? On a spaceship orbiting the Earth? "

I was instantly struck by oddity of what I had thought. Not that my outrage wasn't coming from a place of truth, mind you, but how the simple fact never entered my mind that yes, gay people were subjected to slavery, segregation and racism because of our skin. Just as LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) people of color exist now, we existed back then. Then it suddenly struck me again that I've never recalled any acknowledgement of this fact during the myriad of discussions, I've read, listened to or seen regarding comparisons between the gay and civil rights movements.

And why is that?

There have been numerous debates, articles, columns, movies and documentaries about how the legacy of racism has had a negative effect on so many aspects of African-American community, from our families to the way we interact with each other. It stands to reason that the legacy of racism didn't leave LGBT people of color unscathed. But information about what LGBT people of color did during those awful times in our history or what effect it has had on us is practically nonexistent.

It is a subject hardly ever mentioned. No one talks about it in the black community and that includes leaders, intellectuals, journalists, authors or any other person with some type of platform.

And this leaves me feeling as if the events of black history, which are supposed to be a part of my heritage, are nothing more than hand-me-downs donated to me out of charity because there are very few, if any, events which are specific to me as an LGBT person of color.