The religious right wants you to pray for Trump while forgetting how they smeared Obama

Franklin Graham doesn't want you to remember how he exploited birther lies about Obama.

Piggybacking from Wednesday's post, Franklin Graham and several so-called Christian (religious right) leaders want Sunday to be designated as a day of prayer for Donald Trump under the guise that he is facing attacks like no president has before. The irony is that a  number of these "concerned folks" spent the last eight years smearing and demonizing President Barack Obama in some of the nastiest tones and untrue claims. From questioning his citizenship to claiming that he is paving the way for the Anti-Christ, their attacks had the same slanderous theme - that Obama was a Manchurian candidate who hated Christianity, hated America, and was doing everything in his power to destroy the country.

Franklin Graham once claimed that Russian president Putin's persecution of his country's gay citizens was more noble than Obama supporting LGBTQ equality?  Graham also helped to spread the nonsense that Obama wasn't an American citizen?

Alan Keyes, who Obama defeated for the Senate seat from Illinois in 2004, once called Obama a "radical communist." He also stoked the birther controversy regarding Obama to the point of pushing an unsuccessful lawsuit about it. In addition, Keyes said that Obama was destroying everything American.

John Hagee charged that Obama anti-Semitic. He also once claimed that Ebola was God's judgment for Obama supposedly dividing Jerusalem.

Liberty Counsel president Mat Staver said that Obama was bringing in Syrian refugees because he doesn't love America. He also said Congress should launch an investigation regarding Obama's birth certificate.

American Values president Gary L. Bauer once said Obama is more interested in defending the reputation of Islam than saving the lives of Christians. He once claimed that Obama and terrorists share the same agenda.

James Dobson once accused Obama of trying to use dictatorial powers to change how men, women and children relate each other and themselves and urged people to protect their children from him.

Former Governor Mike Huckabee once falsely said a domestic terrorism plan pushed by Obama would require Americans to memorize the Koran. Another time, he said Obama pretends to be a Christian.

Alveda King said Obama supports killing babies. 

Former Congresswoman Michele Bachmann once compared Obama to Andreas Lubitz, the co-pilot of Germanwings Flight 9525 who allegedly deliberately crashed the plane in the French Alps, killing himself and 149 other people. She also accused Obama of supporting the "agenda of Islamic Jihad."

Vision America's Rick Scarborough accused Obama of trying to "de-Christianize" America and also said the country would not survive if he were re-elected.

Robert Jeffress, the pastor of the First Baptist Church in Dallas, once accused Obama of "paving the way for the Anti-Christ."

Harry Jackson said voting for Obama invites "divine vengeance" on America.

Family Research Council president Tony Perkins once said Obama is hostile towards Christianity. He accused Obama of being harsher to Christians in America than to the terrorist group ISIS and also blamed him for worldwide anti-Christian persecution. In addition, Perkins also exploited birther rumors about Obama by claiming that questions about his birth certificate were "legitimate."

The American Family Association's Tim Wildmon called Obama a "secret Muslim" and "was in love with Islam."

WallBuilders head David Barton repeatedly told the lie that Obama didn't mention God in Thanksgiving proclamations.

I don't know what's worse - that Franklin Graham and company can be so hypocritical AND probably justify it or that the media - particularly cable news media -  would probably allow them to get away with it by not reminding folks about what they did to Obama. 

But let's do remind folks. As often as we can.

Related post - A day of prayer for Donald Trump is a vulgar mockery to everything decent in the world  

'Federal workers intend to celebrate Pride in spite of Trump' & other Thur midday news briefs

Federal workers plan Pride celebrations, despite Trump’s anti-LGBT attacks - We don't need his crusty proclamation anyway.

Hulu’s ‘Bravest Knight’ Will Be Cartoon Fairy Tale Featuring Gay Dads - I love this!

E.W. Jackson: Gay People ‘Can’t Really Be Parents’ - Keep talking, E.W. 

On PBS Newshour, Anti-Violence Project's Beverly Tillery highlights the epidemic of deadly violence against trans women of color - Again, we need more attention about this.

A day of prayer for Donald Trump is a vulgar mockery to everything decent in the world

Franklin Graham wants a special day of prayer to the guy on the left.

If Donald Trump's constant screwy behavior is causing you to become desensitized, then allow  Franklin Graham's allowances and justification of that behavior make you reclaim your feelings of anger:

Franklin Graham, a prominent evangelical supporter of President Donald Trump, is calling for Christians across the country to set aside this Sunday as a “special day of prayer” for the president. 

Graham, son of the famous American evangelist Billy Graham, told his substantial Facebook following over the weekend that this is a “critical time” for the country ― and for Trump.

“President Trump’s enemies continue to try everything to destroy him, his family, and the presidency,” Graham wrote. “In the history of our country, no president has been attacked as he has. I believe the only hope for him, and this nation, is God.”

Seriously? What kind of wacky nonsense is this? Either Graham is embarrassingly stupid or worse yet, thinks the rest of us are. Donald Trump is a vulgar, amoral liar. He is in the White House partially because of Russian interference and partly because he is the unfortunate personification of America's desire for money and tendency to mistake items of material wealth as emblems of truth and nobility.

 But even if we were to ignore Trumps' many faults, what about those of Graham. He claims that no president has ever been attacked as Trump. But is that the truth?

Wasn't Graham the one who attempted to ride President Obama negatively throughout his entire presidency, once claiming that Russian president Putin's persecution of his country's gay citizens was more noble than Obama supporting LGBTQ equality? Wasn't it Graham who helped to spread the nonsense that Obama wasn't an American citizen?

'Murder has black transgender women in Dallas scared' & other Wed midday news briefs

Black Transgender Women In Dallas Are Worried They’ll Be Killed Next - We need more media focused on this.

The World Health Organization Will Stop Classifying Transgender People as Having a 'Mental Disorder'- Good!

New Documentary Examines ‘Xena: Warrior Princess’ As Lesbian Icon For The Ages - Was never a fan of the show, but go for it! 

Pride in Pictures: Toronto Pride is one of the largest in the world - Enjoy the pictures. 

Wexton seeks to block HUD from gutting trans protections at homeless shelters - Yes, please do!

16 healthcare groups and doctors announce lawsuit against Trump Administration's anti-trans, anti-abortion regulation

I told you when I wrote about it last night that Trump's latest attack on the transgender community wasn't going to go unanswered.

From Buzzfeed:

Sixteen health care groups and doctors sued the Trump administration Tuesday to block a rule that enables health workers to refuse to perform abortion or sex reassignment surgery. 

The 183-page lawsuit, filed in the US District Court in Santa Clara County, California, argues the rule sends a message to health care providers around the country that they should limit or stop providing abortion care and sex reassignment or risk losing vital government funding. 

This, the advocates behind the suit argue, will make abortion and transgender services even less available in rural areas where state laws make it increasingly difficult to access that care. 

Trump’s rule, released in early May, states its aim is to protect “providers, individuals, and other health care entities from having to provide, participate in, pay for, provide coverage of, or refer for, services such as abortion, sterilization, or assisted suicide,” if they have a moral or religious objection to those procedures. 

 . . . “This rule is yet another example of the Trump administration turning religious freedom into a weapon to discriminate,” Genevieve Scott, a senior staff attorney for the Center for Reproductive Rights told BuzzFeed News. “The rule encourages religious and moral views to overwhelm the medical needs of a patient … which has enormous consequences for the patient including the possibility of death.” 

. . . Among the groups and doctors suing over the rule are several LGBT community centers and health groups, Medical Students For Choice, gynecological centers, and Santa Clara County, in conjunction with CRR, Americans United for the Separation of Church and State, and Lambda Legal, a legal defense fund focusing on LGBT issues. They’re not the only ones suing, however. Last week two dozen states, counties, and cities sued the Trump administration over the rule as well, in a federal court in Manhattan, arguing that the rule aimed to “coerce” states into limiting access to abortion, assisted suicide, and transgender health services.

The entire article is here and worth a read and share.

'Trump's plan to allow taxpayer funded adoption agencies to discriminate against the LGBTQ community' & other Tue midday news briefs

Scoop: Trump's plan to let adoption agencies reject same-sex parents - WHILE continuing to receive tax dollars. DON'T leave that part out. The right wing media will try.

Public School’s LGBT-Supportive Mural Deemed ‘Obscene’ by Church So Administrators Have It Painted Over - This right here is nonsense.

These stunning photos shows the dual-identities of LGBTQ military veterans - Don't forget these folks fighting for our freedoms. 

Dad Teaches Transgender Son How To Shave In Emotional Gillette Ad - THIS is wonderful.

Trump Administration's latest attack on transgender health and LGBTQ community will not go unchallenged

Since Friday, we learned about the Trump Administration attempt to undermine the transgender community's access to healthcare and homeless shelters. Quite understandably folks have been either raising hell or freaking out. But we haven't heard what is going to be done to combat this mess. My friend Matt Baume just released a video giving a brief, but substantial view about how states and organizations will be fighting.  If it's a fight the Trump Administration wants, then it's a fight it is going to get. Our community has survived so many bigots and so much mess. We will survive and overcome this, too.

SC anti-LGBTQ activist's love of Confederate past comes back to haunt him

Oran Smith

In my lovely state of South Carolina, a long-time anti-LGBTQ activist nearly became executive director of SC's Commissioner of Higher Education. But on Thursday he was passed over and not because of his anti-LGBTQ activism. Another interesting item in his past may have torpedoed his appointment.

Oran Smith, who once edited a neo-Confederate magazine called Southern Partisan, will not become executive director of South Carolina’s Commission on Higher Education, it was announced Thursday. 

The body that oversees the Palmetto State’s colleges and universities announced Thursday that commissioners have chosen Rusty Monhollon to be the commission’s next leader instead. Monhollon is currently an administrator with the Missouri Department of Higher Education. 

 Smith’s bid to lead the commission sparked controversy after The State reported he spent a decade editing a magazine called Southern Partisan, from 1989 to 1999. The Southern Poverty Law Center credits the magazine with jump-starting the “neo-Confederate” movement.

The magazine published articles that defended the South’s secession from the union and cited biblical justifications for slavery. One author published in its pages went on to promote a “white genocide” conspiracy theory that was cited by the Charleston church shooter who killed nine people in a racially-motivated slaying. 

Smith told The State in an interview that his interest in the Civil War was historical, and his views changed after the killings in Charleston’s Emanuel AME Church. He even wrote on op-ed in The State calling for the Confederate flag to be removed from the State House grounds.

For 17 years, Smith was the head of the Palmetto Family Council, one of those noxious so-called pro-family (but actually anti-LGBTQ) groups.  The group was instrumental in banning marriage equality in the state via a 2006 referendum. This was overturned in the 2014 ruling of the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals in Bostic v. Rainey. In 2015, Clemson Tigers football coach Dabo Swinney disassociated himself from PFC - refusing to attend a banquet sponsored by the group - because of its anti-LGBTQ activism.

'23 cities and states sue to block Trump's 'religious freedom' to discriminate rule' & other Thur midday news briefs

23 cities and states sue to block Trump from letting doctors be bigots - About time. I hope we win this one.

Ben Carson guts homeless shelter gender protections 24 hours after telling Congress he wouldn’t - Ben Carson is no longer a welcomed addition to Black History Month. He has tainted himself beyond repair. 

Bryan Fischer: ‘A Homosexual in the White House Must Be Unthinkable’ - Bryan Fischer is talking about gay sex again, y'all. 

Trans lawmaker Danica Roem’s GOP opponent is an anti-LGBTQ extremist - Hoping that Danica Roem gets re-elected. Particularly because her opponent is a nightmare.

Megachurch pastors whine that Equality Act is work of Satan

People ask - at times very angrily - why should those of us who care about LGBTQ equality give visibility and platforms to the anti-LGBTQ industry. The answer is very simple - because when we do, they generally prove all of our points about their motives and hateful or self-righteous attitudes.

Case in point are the following videos below. The Equality Act recently passed by the House would simply give federal non-discrimination protections to the LGBTQ community. However some folks disagree.

From Right Wing Watch:

Last week, right-wing pastors George and Terri Pearsons led their congregation at Eagle Mountain International Church in Fort Worth, Texas, in prayer, calling on God to unleash an “emergency intervention” to stop passage of the Equality Act (H.R. 5) in Congress. Terri Pearsons, who is the daughter of megachurch pastor Kenneth Copeland, declared that those in Congress who support the Equality Act are “haters of God” and “haters of all that’s good” and are under the control of Satan.

To put it mildly, girlfriend flipped out.

'Trump set to appoint anti-LGBTQ figure to senior DHS position' & other Wed midday news briefs

Ken Cuccinelli

Right-wing pundit Ken Cuccinelli is an anti-LGBTQ bigot, and Trump is set to appoint him to a senior DHS position - Cuccinelli in the Department of Homeland Security. What could go wrong except for everything?

Senate Advances Trump Court Pick Who Fought Marriage Equality For Years - Siiiigh! 

The GOP is trying to find a way to stop disgraced judge Roy Moore from running for Senate again - Good luck you creeps. 

The Maine Millennial: Speaking out against Franklin Graham’s anti-gay gospel - This is awesome!

Maine Legislature Passes Bill to Protect LGBTQ Youth From Dangerous “Conversion Therapy” - Good for Maine!

Anti-LGBTQ industry spinning violent sexual and homophobic fantasies about Pete Buttigieg

Pete Buttigieg

Say what you will about Pete Buttigieg, I have enjoyed his presidential campaign for a number of reasons, particularly the spotlight he places upon Mike Pence's homophobia and the outpouring of homophobia thrown his way via some members of the anti-LGBTQ industry.

Granted, the bigwigs such as the Family Research Council and the Alliance Defending Freedom are careful not to focus on Buttigieg's sexual orientation in specific details, But second stringers have thrown caution to the wind, such as Meeke Addison, an employee of hate group the American Family Association. She took it upon herself to create interesting images of Buttigieg's alleged sex life on an AFA program:

From Right Wing Watch:

  

Host Perry Atkinson couldn’t believe that America has reached a point where people have “accepted the commonality” of having “an openly gay man” being married and running for president, demanding to know why Christians don’t “have the fortitude to stand up” and decry Buttigieg’s campaign. 

“Excuse me for what I am about to say,” Addison responded. “We are talking about a man who engages in violent sexual acts with a person he claims to love. Now that’s ugly.” 

“Let’s just stop for a second here and let’s realize that our defenses have been eroded,” she added. “We have been fed a narrative for so long that now we have unrighteousness that we accept … A man who marries a man and says that this could potentially be the First Gentlemen of the United States and we’re supposed to talk about his policies? I don’t think so. I don’t think so. Do you understand the type of judgment that will be brought upon our country?” 

“When we no longer fear God,” Addison said, “this is what we get.”

I wish Addison was the only one conjuring up this stuff, but she wasn't. Compared to this next guy, her statement was rather lightweight.

'Tucker Carlson, religious right, fake feminists amplify transphobia' & other Tue midday news briefs

Tucker Carlson

Tucker Carlson hosted a coalition of anti-trans advocates from the evangelical right and a fake feminist group - Tucker Carlson, just like Shannon Bream, will use Fox News to amplify transphobia while not even inviting one transgender activist or medical professional on his show.

Two senators that oppose LGBTQ rights were ‘honored’ at a gay Republican fundraiser - Unbelievable bull. 

Birmingham head teacher threatened over LGBT lessons - We gotta fight everywhere, England included.

Puerto Rico’s first center for LGBT elders opens - Sweet!

Hate group Family Research Council plans weak tea opposition against the Equality Act

Far be it from me to amplify the anti-LGBTQ industry but I don't know what's worse about this clip from Donald Trump's favorite propaganda network, One America News Network - the news personality with spooky eyebrows and the glowing eyes (I'm probably gonna catch it for that one) or the weak tea opposition to the Equality Act by hate group Family Research Council. A mean letter from "religious leaders," including Franklin Graham. I'm spooked already. Come on guys, we know that McConnell probably won't let the Equality Act get out of the Senate, but you can at least try to pretend to put up a fight.

'Video - The moment the Equality Act passed the House' & other Mon midday news briefs

Here’s the moment the U.S. House of Representatives passed the historic #EqualityAct -- the first time a chamber of Congress approved a comprehensive LGBTQ civil rights bill. pic.twitter.com/WQthe2Z2Ze

— Human Rights Campaign (@HRC) May 17, 2019

The House just passed a sweeping LGBTQ rights bill - This is what it means thus far.

Meet the 8 Republicans who voted in favor of the Equality Act - Good for them. But don't get too happy.

When The Far Right Took Over Brazil, Its Only LGBTQ Congressman Fled For His Life - This right here is so sad.

Chick-fil-A Executive Calls Supporting Anti-LGBTQ Organizations A ‘Higher Calling’ - Nothing more than simple madness

Family Research Council blasted on twitter for attack on children's show featuring same-sex wedding

Here is a pleasant piece of news as we begin the week. Recently, the PBS animated series Arthur featured a same-sex wedding when one of its characters, Mr. Ratburn, came out and got married.

Naturally, this has gotten the anti-LGBTQ industry angry, with many crying about the so-called "indoctrination" and "recruitment" of children into the "homosexual lifestyle."  One of these groups, the Family Research Council, took to twitter to say so:

Children are not asking for their cartoon characters to be gay -- activists in the entertainment industry are forcing it on them. Now more than ever, parents have to be vigilant about the media their children consume. @cathyruse https://t.co/PVicS0HPgE

— FRC (@FRCdc) May 19, 2019

All of the times the LGBTQ community tried to destroy America before the Equality Act (sarcasm intended)

It is an attack on parental rights, women's sports, but to the millions of people of faith in this country, it is an egregious attack on the freedom to believe and live according to those beliefs. It would position the government to lord over churches and other faith-based institutions, dictating potentially who they hire, how their facilities are used and even punishing them for not falling in step with a view of human sexuality that directly contradicts orthodox biblical teaching. 

 No institution or person of faith, be it school, church, synagogues, mosque, business, or nonprofit will escape the Orwellian reach of the Equality Act. The Religious Freedom Restoration Act will be committed to the "memory hole," and we will then experience a catastrophic loss of religious freedom in America. - Hate group leader Tony Perkins (Family Research Council) lying about the Equality  Act.

On Friday, the House of Representatives will vote on the Equality Act, which would add sexual orientation and gender identity to existing civil rights legislation which already prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, gender, religion, or natural origin. Interestingly enough, no one says that there should be a religious exemption for discrimination with regards to these latter categories. They feel differently about sexual orientation and gender. Tony Perkins and his group the Family Research Council (whose brand has encompassed attacking and demonizing the LGBTQ community since its founding) and other anti-LGBTQ groups and supporters have been sounding the alarm like they always do when pro-LGBTQ laws or actions are considered.

Its their consistent modus operandi to attempt to scare other Americans that we are coming for them, their rights, their freedom, their religion, or their children.  Even though they know that if the House passes the Equality Act, it has very little chance even getting a vote in the Senate, Perkins and company still won't miss an opportunity to fundraise and scare people about the "dreaded homosexual horde." They've done it so many times in the past.

Whether it was about allowing the gays to serve openly in the Boy Scouts:

Hate crimes legislation (which they claimed would cause pastors to be arrested in the pulpit and the Bible to be declared "hate speech):

Anti-LGBTQ leader says she isn't homophobic because she has a gay son

Kay Coles James

Kay Coles James is the president of the Heritage Foundation. According to Media Matters, this organization has a long history of anti-LGBTQ lobbying:

The group has railed against LGBTQ equality for decades, including by supporting discrimination against LGBTQ people under religious exemptions, supporting the Boy Scouts of America’s ban on LGBTQ scoutmasters, and opposing marriage equality. Just this year, the group has hosted five anti-trans panels that pushed misinformation about trans people in an attempt to sway public discourse about trans-inclusive policies like the Equality Act. Furthermore, Heritage employs several extreme anti-LGBTQ figures, including Ryan T. Anderson.

Media Matters also pointed out that James also served as vice president of the Family Research Council, an SPLC-designated hate group due to its constant attempt to undermine and denigrate the LGBTQ community via junk science, cherry-picked science, and out-and-out lies. Recently FRC accused PBS of attempting to targeting children simply because a children's show on the network, Arthur, showed a same-sex wedding. Days before that, the organization falsely implied that transgender children are predators out to harm other children in school bathrooms.

James was recently embroiled in a controversy involving Google. The company invited her to be a member of its Artificial Intelligence ethics board. However, her inclusion was protested so venomously by Google employees and other people that the company ended up disbanding the board. James was interviewed earlier this month by Shannon Bream of Fox News because of the Google controversy. She claimed that she wasn't homophobic because she has a gay son.

Homophobe? I don't think so. You know, I, I, I've never talked about it publicly, but I have a gay son whom I love beyond all measure. And he and his community have welcomed me, have helped me grow, have helped me to understand. There’s no hatred there. That’s my child you are talking about.

One has to ask what growth and understanding is she talking about, particularly when viewing tweets she has sent against the Equality Act.

The page James links to spins all sorts of lies and horror stories about what could happen (but of course won't) if the Equality Act becomes law. The prediction of mayhem if a pro-LGBTQ law is passed is an old, but effective talking point of the anti-LGBTQ industry. But as it pertains to James, for someone who claims to have been welcomed and embraced by the LGBTQ community, she seems to be tone deaf as to the problems we face when it comes to discrimination. It's even worse when one sees how she is passing along information designed to undermine efforts to combat this discrimination.

'Interfaith groups rally in support of Equality Act' & other Wed midday news briefs

Interfaith Groups Rally In Support Of Equality Act For LGBTQ Rights - Neither Franklin Graham nor the rest of the evangelical right is the end all and be all of religion in this country. They simply attempt to grab all of the attention.

Chick-fil-A is about to get thrown off another college campus for being anti-gay - Sweet! 

LDS Church comes out against Equality Act, saying LGBTQ rights bill doesn’t ensure religious freedom - They also opposed marriage equality. Who cares what they think. 

Debate over LGBTQ laws can fuel homophobic bullying, new study shows - Not surprising but these discussions have to happen.

Discredited physician claims the Equality Act will end Christianity

Michelle Cretella

The hyperbole and false horror stories doesn't stop with the anti-LGBTQ industry when it comes to the upcoming Equality Act vote.

From Right Wing Watch:

Michelle Cretella, the executive director of an anti-LGBTQ pseudo-science organization, said that the Equality Act should actually be called the “Death to Christianity Act.” 

May 10 episode of Washington Watch with Tony Perkins, guest host Sarah Perry, FRC Action’s Director of Partnerships, and Cretella, executive director of the American College of Pediatricians (a right-wing group not to be confused with the professional organization, American Academy of Pediatrics), shared their opposition to the Equality Act, which would seek to add protections for sexual orientation and gender identity into existing anti-discrimination laws. The duo claimed that the proposed legislation would take children who believe they may be transgender and force doctors to “do harm to these kids.” 

“I think it’s really super important for all listeners to realize this law, if it passes, if this bill becomes law, it impacts everyone. And a better name for it is the ‘Death to Christianity Act.’ OK? That’s going to be the umbrella. … Christianity, it will cease to be publicly practiced. It’ll become against the law,” Cretella said.

Right Wing Watch goes to point out that Cretella's group, the American College of Pediatricians, is a SPLC-designated hate group due to how it pushes homophobic cherry-picked and junk science as legitimate research.

'Pat Robertson claims Equality Act will bring God's judgment on America' & other Tue midday news briefs

Poor Pat Robertson has been around for a long time and it shows. He comes across so sad and decrepit here. My comments are not mean to be snarky, but simply observing both right-wing evangelicalism and Pat Robertson seem to be hurtling headfirst down the road to irrelevancy and public shame simply due to a lack of honesty and integrity.

Pat Robertson goes full apocalyptic about the Equality Act: It will "bring the judgment of God on this nation," "the land will vomit you out," and God will "get rid of you as a nation" pic.twitter.com/xsBUFLPCnp

— Brennan Suen (@brennansuen) May 14, 2019

Family Research Council smears transgender children as predators - Post from last night. Someone should ask Robertson will God bring judgment on America for trying to be fair to all citizens or for doing things like falsely painting certain children as predators?

Chips Ahoy Cookies Brutally Mocks Snowflakes Triggered By Their Mother’s Day Video Featuring Drag Queen - Snowflakes.

Donald Trump comes out against LGBTQ nondiscrimination protections law - Surprise! Surprise! Donald Trump stabbed the LGBTQ community in the back again.

Texas House killed ‘Save Chick-fil-A’ bill, but the Senate just revived it - Well that sucks. 

This Bisexual Man Gave His Mom The Surprise Of Her Life On His Wedding Day - Awwww! This is sweet.

Family Research Council smears transgender children as predators

With the vote for the Equality Act coming in the House of Representatives possibly this week, it's no wonder that conservatives and members of the anti-LGBTQ industry have been firing up the propaganda cylinders to spin all sorts of horror stories about what would happen if it were passed.

And leave it to the hate group Family Research Council to really spin a most vile horror story via this tweet:

This is  vulgar lie on so many levels, particularly how it smears transgender children. As a matter of fact, a recent study has shown that it is  transgender children who are in danger of sexual assault when attending schools which attempt to force them to use bathrooms not aligned with their sexual identities.

'Don't let Trump hide anti-LGBTQ record behind 'religious freedom' rhetoric in 2020 race' & other Mon midday news briefs

Don't let Trump hide brutal LGBTQ record behind 'religious freedom' rhetoric in 2020 race - Amen!

Brazil’s homophobic president won’t get a warm welcome when he visits Dallas - The area LGBTQ groups have plenty to say about him.

Indya Moore Is Elle Magazine's First Transgender Cover Star - Good for her!

A Mom Makes Her Case for the Equality Act - The vote is coming this week.

Mike Pence promotes fake martyrdom during Liberty University commencement

On Saturday, VP Mike Pence spoke at the commencement of Liberty University.  In his address, Pence spoke with the same tone deaf self-righteous hypocrisy which has marked his political career:

“Some of the loudest voices for tolerance today have little tolerance for traditional Christian beliefs,” Pence said. “Be ready.” With his wife, Karen, sitting on stage as he spoke, Pence recounted the “harsh attacks” he said they endured when she returned this year to teaching art at a Christian elementary school where she’d worked when he’d served in Congress. Unlike her previous stint, this time Karen Pence faced scrutiny after news reports pointed out that the school bans gay students and teachers. 

“Throughout most of American history, it's been pretty easy to call yourself Christian,” Pence said. “It didn’t even occur to people that you might be shunned or ridiculed for defending the teachings of the Bible. But things are different now.”

I don't know why Pence continues to play the "I'm only trying to follow my faith" game. There is a long paper trail showing that his idea of "Christianity" is undermining LGBTQ equality and safety. Not to mention that his idea of folks, particularly the LGBTQ community, "showing tolerance" to those like him is to allow ourselves to be discriminated against.

But for the record, it never hurts to remind people:

Family Research Council tries to protect Trump by lying about Mueller investigation

FRC head Tony Perkins 

I was wondering when hate group the Family Research Council would dip itself into the drama of Robert Mueller's report on the Russian interference in the 2016 election. For those not aware,  Mueller was investigating whether or not Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign colluded with Russia  and did Trump attempt to obstruct the investigation

Using the same cherry-picking, sins of omission, and basic distortions it has over the years to denigrate the LGBTQ community, the Family Research Council is attempting to twist the outcome of Mueller's investigation in order to protect its cash cow of "access," Donald Trump. Apparently this requires more than a simple "mulligan."

FRC's distortions of Mueller's investigation is best shown in three paragraphs of a piece its president, Tony Perkins, wrote:

The spectacle at Wednesday's hearing wasn't lost on the liberal media either. While the rest of the country pleads with Democrats to move on from this humiliating ordeal, even commentators are saying they don't have the public's support to continue this charade. "The most straightforward procedural suggestion for addressing executive branch noncooperation is to subpoena documents and testimony and, if they aren't produced, hold the responsible individuals in contempt of Congress. This, it turns out, is not such a great idea," warns Suzanne Garment at NBC News. 

 For starters, Americans are tired of watching Democrats beat this dead horse of Russian collusion. Most of them want to know: when will this political circus end? Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) understands -- because he's one of them. I guess it ends, he told me on Wednesday's "Washington Watch," "when the Democrats a suffer at the ballot box because it doesn't look like anything short of that is gone to deter them. The Mueller report is out there for everybody to read. It's 448 pages. It finds that there was no conspiracy, there was no coordination, there was no collusion and there was no obstruction. And, and now Attorney General Barr has testified before multiple committees... And that's the end of it. And it's time now that the Democrats and moved on and we actually get to work with the business with the country." 

 But there's also the legal side of this, which is that Attorney General Barr cannot release grand jury material without being held personally responsible. There's intelligence information in that report, and there are matters of national security that prevent him from complying with the Democrats' request. House liberals know that -- and yet, they're trying to punish Barr for following the law (which, I might point out, is not why Eric Holder was held in contempt). And ironically, they don't need him to publicly release the unredacted report to read it. As members of Congress, they can go to a private, classified setting and access every word. Of course, there wouldn't be any television cameras in that room for Democrats to continue their theatrics.

There are so many lies in just these three paragraphs.

1. While the rest of the country pleads with Democrats to move on from this humiliating ordeal, even commentators are saying they don't have the public's support to continue this charade.

 Truth - Actually the view of the investigation is bit more split. According to a May 1 NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist poll, 48 percent of Americans want more investigations while 46 percent thinks they should end. In all honesty, impeachment hearings still remains to be an unpopular idea.

2. FRC cites a piece by Suzanne Garment to enhance the claim that the public doesn't support more investigations.

Truth - But her piece had nothing to do with public sentiment. It was about the different ways the Democratic party can obtain testimony and documents for the investigation which Trump refuses to release.

3. For starters, Americans are tired of watching Democrats beat this dead horse of Russian collusion.

Truth - FRC cites a February 15 poll from right-wing leaning Rasmussen which says only 29 percent of Americans favor investigation and only IF Mueller doesn't find anything.  This was before the Mueller report was even released. Again, a more recent poll found that 48 percent of Americans want investigations to continue.

4. FRC quotes GOP Senator Josh Hawley: "when the Democrats a suffer at the ballot box because it doesn't look like anything short of that is gone to deter them. The Mueller report is out there for everybody to read. It's 448 pages. It finds that there was no conspiracy, there was no coordination, there was no collusion and there was no obstruction. And, and now Attorney General Barr has testified before multiple committees... And that's the end of it. And it's time now that the Democrats and moved on and we actually get to work with the business with the country."

Truth -  The investigation did not find any conspiracy between Trump campaign and Russia. However Mueller  found 10 instances of possible obstruction by Trump.  He said he couldn't fully exonerate Trump of obstruction. Over 800 former federal prosecutors and Department of Justice attorneys who worked for Democratic and Republican administrations signed a letter saying that if Trump wasn't president, he would face charges of obstruction.  Lastly, it has been reported that Trump himself is walking back from the claim of "no obstruction."

Truth - Attorney General Barr has testified only once about Mueller's report and that was to Senate Judiciary Committee on May 1. He refused to testify in front of the House Judiciary Committee.

5.  But there's also the legal side of this, which is that Attorney General Barr cannot release grand jury material without being held personally responsible. There's intelligence information in that report, and there are matters of national security that prevent him from complying with the Democrats' request. House liberals know that -- and yet, they're trying to punish Barr for following the law (which, I might point out, is not why Eric Holder was held in contempt).

Truth - Zack Ford of watchdog group ThinkProgress said this:

The Mueller report redacted four kinds of content: grand jury material, classified intelligence, matters related to ongoing investigations, and private information about “peripheral third parties.” It’s true that members of Congress cannot see the grand jury material, but they have every right to see the content redacted in the other three categories, as well as all of the underlying evidence that accompanies the report’s claims. And that’s what the subpoena asks for. 

As for the grand jury material, Nadler explained that Democrats had asked Barr to work alongside them to petition a judge to turn over those documents to Congress in a closed setting, the only way the material can be released. The request therefore does not compel Barr to break the law.

'Study says trans teens in schools with bathroom restrictions at higher risk of sexual assault' & other Thur midday news briefs

Transgender teens in schools with bathroom restrictions are at higher risk of sexual assault, study says - We know who the real predators are and it's not our transgender children.

Biden’s early support for same-sex marriage still remembered for impact - That's right. And we should never forget it.

Polish Activist Arrested Over Image Of Mary And Jesus With Rainbow Halos - Oh come on, folks. How is this wrong? 

Hundreds of sex workers and allies lobby to repeal New York’s ‘walking while trans’ ban - Good!

Hate group claims the Equality Act would force gays to be hired at places where children congregate

The American Family Association is telling more lies about the Equality Act

The Democrats in the House of Representatives are set to pass the Equality Act, which would prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity in employment, housing, public accommodations, public education, federal funding, credit, and the jury system.

But hate group the American Family Association calls it a "religious liberty wrecking ball" (complete with the lovely graphic of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi channeling Miley Cyrus from the "Wrecking Ball" video) and gives the following reasons why:

Female business owners, customers, and employees would then be forced to share their privacy in restrooms and dressing rooms with men who claim to be women. 

Health care providers and professionals would be forced to perform gender transition procedures (sex changes) and provide medical services (hormone therapy) that would violate their moral and religious convictions. 

Amusement parks, recreation centers, skating rinks, and daycare centers, etc. will be forced to employ people whose values on sexuality deviates from those of the employer. 

Adoption and foster care agencies will be forced to place children into same sex households and into homes of individuals suffering from gender confusion. 

College and professional sports stadiums would be required to open its restrooms to either sex.

The usual inane lies about the transgender community (i.e. transgender predator nonsense)  and gaslighting that people would be "forced" to do their jobs is bad enough, but the following reason really caught my attention:

Amusement parks, recreation centers, skating rinks, and daycare centers, etc. will be forced to employ people whose values on sexuality deviates from those of the employer.

Bear in mind that the AFA tries to couch this objection with the notion that the employer may not want to hire members of the LGBTQ community "because of his/her values" but the question has to be why did AFA spotlight these particular professions.

Most likely it's because these are places where children congregate.

So basically the AFA is saying that if the employers of places where children congregate have a problem with hiring members of the LGBTQ community, the problem lies with a law which wouldn't allow them to discriminate instead of them  having such irrational prejudices (which they can hide behind religious beliefs) about members of the LGBTQ community being around children.

It's no doubt intended to be a sly way to hide the "gays are a danger to children" lie behind the veneer of "religious liberty." If you ask me though, it comes across as rather sloppy.

But that picture of Nancy Pelosi is rather cute.

.

'State Dept goes to court to take away birthright citizenship of gay couple's son' & other Wed midday news briefs

US State Dept. Goes to Court Again to Try to Tear Apart This Married Same-Sex Couple’s Twins - Disgusting. There is no need for the State Dept. to do this. 

Equality Bill vote expected next week in House, but what will happen when it hits the Senate? - We don't know. 

There are four things business leaders can do immediately to fight anti-LGBTQ laws - Amen! Write this down.

Trans people could lose access to health care if this large hospital joins a Catholic network - Ugh!!

Hate group leader Tony Perkins falsely blames gay soldiers for military sexual assaults

Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council blames gays for military sexual assaults without having any proof.

Hate group leader Tony Perkins (of the Family Research Council) claims to know who's to blame for a rise in sexual assaults in the military - gay soldiers.

From Pink News:

Perkins, who Trump appointed to sit on the US Commission on International Religious Freedom, hit out at gay soldiers after a report found that reports of sexual assault in the military have risen by 38 percent since 2016. 

The data from the Pentagon’s Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office found that female troops ages 17 to 24 were at the highest risk of being assaulted. 

Female troops are six times more likely than men to be assaulted, and 96 percent of female respondents identified the alleged offenders as male. 

However, Perkins claims that the problems are the fault of President Barack Obama, for permitting gay troops into the armed forces after the 2012 repeal of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell in 2012.

Interestingly enough, Perkins doesn't provide proof of his charges. He said the following:

Acting Defense Secretary Patrick M. Shanahan said Thursday that these are "persistent challenges" for the Pentagon. "To put it bluntly, we are not performing to the standards and expectations we have for ourselves or for each other. This is unacceptable." As much as military leaders are trying to crack down on the problem, the reality is, there's only so much they can do. Unfortunately, most of these men and women aren't just victims of assault -- but of the sexually-charged environment that's been forced on them. Jackie Speier can complain all she wants, but in the end, she's blaming the military for a problem her party helped create. She voted to overturn "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" too, so it's a little late to be grumbling about the consequences. 

Back then, Democrats like her shrugged off the possibility that repealing "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" would have any impact on the ranks and are even now trying to resurrect Obama's Operation Transgender, which President Trump has moved to overturn. It shouldn't take a rocket scientist to understand that when Congress introduced even more sexual tension into the troops, it put thousands of men and women in defenseless and compromising positions. To the relief of most Americans, President Trump has done everything he can to roll back the social engineering of the Obama years. We continue to be grateful that he had the backbone to roll back the gender confusion the last administration tried to inject into the military in 2016. But on some issues -- like this one -- it's tough to put the genie back in the bottle. 

The Left spent Barack Obama's entire presidency sexualizing the military, beginning with the repeal of DADT -- and continuing with the push for open transgenderism. Almost a decade later, I guess "we told you so" isn't a message his party wants to hear.

You will notice that for all of the gloating Perkins did, the one thing he did NOT do was to provide proof of his charges. The data he referenced didn't blame gay or transgender soldiers. I don't think Perkins cared though. Automatically blaming the LGBTQ community for sexual assaults in the military is an old distortion by  Perkins and FRC. The group made the accusation in 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2015. And every time, these accusations were made without the courtesy of having any proof.

None of this makes any sense whatsoever, but since when did Perkins or FRC yield to sense and miss a chance to point a finger of blame at the LGBTQ community?