Wednesday, January 16, 2019

Don't expect any honest answer from Karen Pence. Homophobic evasion is a family trait with the Pences

It shouldn't be surprising how the folks around 2nd Lady Karen Pence are silent in the face of the controversy she is causing by agreeing to teach at a private school which has an ugly policy against the LGBTQ community, families, and especially children

Running away or attempting to blunt controversy by pitiful evasion is a family trait which seems to be enjoyed by the Pence family. Video below is a huge case in point.

In 2015 when Pence was governor of Indiana, the state passed controversial anti-LGBTQ "religious freedom" bill. Needless to say it caused a lot of controversy and Pence's attempt to defend it on ABC's This Week was a disaster. When asked eight times about the bill and his personal beliefs regarding anti-LGBTQ discrimination, Pence couldn't give a specific or forward answer:




So don't be fooled by any explanation Karen Pence's people eventually may give about her teaching at an anti-LGBTQ private school.  She knows exactly what she's doing. Only thing is that her people don't know how to bullshit an explanation through as of yet.

2nd Lady Karen Pence abandoning her responsibility to send inclusive message to LGBTQ families, children

Karen Pence
Second Lady Karen Pence Hired By School That Bans Gay and Transgender Students -

The meat of the story:
Second Lady Karen Pence has taken up a job with a private school that discriminates against gay people and members of the LGBT community at large.
Mrs. Pence, a painter and educator by profession, has accepted a part-time gig as an art teacher for Immanuel Christian School in Northern Virginia. The school’s application form requires teachers and staff to uphold traditional Christian norms and values, including a pledge against “sexual immorality” like homosexual conduct.

.. . The school also asks parents of their pupils to sign an agreement giving them the right to reject and expel students whose behavior goes against their “biblical morality” policy. This policy calls marriage an exclusively-heterosexual practice, and violations include “condoning sexual immorality, homosexual activity or bi-sexual activity, promoting such practices, or being unable to support the moral principles of the school.”

 My two cents:

My guess is that the defense of Karen Pence is going to be filled with buzzwords about "showing tolerance"  or her "deeply held personal beliefs."   No doubt the anti-LGBTQ industry and the right-wing media bubble (especially Fox News) will generate one-sided coverage  designed to make Mrs. Pence look like the victim. And if any LGBTQs are included in the conversation, it will be people like that awful Tammy Bruce or Guy Benson, i.e. people who know better than to deviate from the program. Degrading their own is how they get their prominence and money.

God forbid they talk about the negative message sent to LGBTQ families and our kids by Pence that we don't belong. They would rather put someone like Mike Huckabee who will accuse us of being hateful and intolerant. Huckabee is a master of that con game because he's been doing it for years.

This controversy shouldn't be up for debate. It's not difficult to decipher. It's not about Karen Pence's "religious beliefs" nor is it about "tolerance."  It is about responsibility - Karen Pence's responsibility.

 She is the 2nd Lady of the United States. She has responsibility and a DUTY to send an inclusive message to everyone in this country. As much as folks who support her hate it, that includes the LGBTQ community and particularly same-sex couples and our children. She does not get to pick and choose. She lost that right in November 2016. She doesn't get it again until her husband leaves office.

It's not about her. It's about America and right now she is sending the message that a lot of us don't count in her version of America.