Let Transgender Children Do the Talking For A Change - Episode 1

There have been too many damn people scapegoating and targeting trans children for their own personal fame, publicity, and political aspirations. Courtesy of Fox News, the conservative propaganda media industry, and the anti-LGBTQ industry, we are being bombarded by so many voices and all of them are phony. 

The most crucial voices are being drowned out. And those are the voices of our trans kids. So I've got some videos for you which I hope will be the first in a series I'm going to post from time to time. It's in its rough, beginning stages, so please bear with me. By this series, I hope to amplify the voices of our trans kids instead of liars and haters who refuse to see or hear them.

These first two videos highlight how trans children are helped by parental support and how legislation pushed by people who refuse to acknowledge their gender expression serves to damage their health and well-being.

   

The video below is ugly but necessary. There are people out there who pretending to be experts and they are encouraging parents to reject their trans children. Courtesy of an snippet of a recent episode of 'Dr. Phil' (featuring a disgusting "old friend of mine"), this is an end result of what happens when a parent rejects their trans child.  I am serious  when I say that this video is not pleasant so please be advised. However, and as bad as it is, it's not the worse end result to contemplate. I need not go further in telling you what that is.

 

I hope folks will read and share this and other postings I make about letting trans children do the talking. This is about giving our trans kids the spotlight they totally deserve instead of the bastards who are treating them like a commodity.

Religious right silence during pandemic proves they favor Donald Trump over integrity, common decency

Here's something we are missing in regards to the Trump Administration and the coronavirus - the voice of the evangelical conservative leaders, i.e. the religious right. 

Remember all of this:

 

As conspicuous as Trump's fumbling coronavirus response has been the absence/silence of religious right leaders.  Franklin Graham, Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council, James Dobson, and the rest have in the past had no problem bragging about their access to the White House, namedropping the policies they are supporting, or conveniently appearing in pictures with Trump while either in prayer or dramatic repose.

As America has been in chaos and the Trump Administration has been in even more chaos during this pandemic, why are they so silent?

Conservative evangelicals willing to give Trump a 'mulligan' for causing genocide

FRC president Tony Perkins (left) and other conservative evangelicals seems to be willing to give Donald Trump another pass or 'mulligan' for his bad behavior. This 'mulligan' is for his betrayal of the Kurdish people and genocidal chaos he has caused in the Middle East after withdrawing US. troops. (the other person in the picture is Andrew Brunson.)

The Family Research Council held its yearly vilefest, the Values Voter Summit last weekend. It was as it always is - full of whining about being persecuted simply because women make their own health choices or the LGBTQ community has gained more rights.  The tone was a bit more boastful this year. FRC and conservative evangelicals are reaping some benefits with Trump in the White House, even if they have to ignore certain things, such as Trump's lies, his incompetence, his corruption, and particularly his betrayal of the Kurdish people in the Middle East.

 . . . President Donald Trump ordered all U.S. troops withdrawn from the northern border area amid the rapidly deepening chaos. 

The shift could lead to clashes between Turkey and Syria and raises the specter of a resurgent Islamic State group as the U.S. relinquishes any remaining influence in northern Syria to President Bashar Assad and his chief backer, Russia. 

Adding to the turmoil Sunday, hundreds of Islamic State families and supporters escaped from a holding camp in Syria amid the fighting between Turkish forces and the Kurds.

The fast-deteriorating situation was set in motion last week, when Trump ordered U.S. troops in northern Syria to step aside, clearing the way for an attack by Turkey, which regards the Kurds as terrorists. Since 2014, the Kurds have fought alongside the U.S. in defeating the Islamic State in Syria, and Trump’s move was decried at home and abroad as a betrayal of an ally.

When Trump initially did this, many conservative evangelicals groups, including FRC, spoke out against his action. Some in the media speculated that he could lose their support.

On Saturday, as Trump spoke at FRC's event and made platitudes of  how the United States "worships God instead of government" "America will never be a socialist country,"  and spun stories about "indoctrination of children" (that's about us LGBTQ folks) and spouted whatever other phrases designed to send religious conservatives into egotistical orgasmic frenzies, what he did in with regards to the Middle East seemed to have been forgiven. Or conveniently forgotten.

The sad irony is that when he was speaking to conservative evangelicals on Saturday night and while they were shouting "four more years" or anointing him as a "pro-life defender of Christianity," the Turkish army was benefiting from Trump's withdrawal of troops there by massacring Syrian civilians and Kurdish people. According to Mediaite:

A new report out of Syria has described the horrific impact of Turkey’s military operation in the northern countryside, which continues to endanger Syrian civilians and U.S.-allied Kurdish forces. Fox News foreign correspondent Trey Yingst outlined a grim situation on Sunday when he reported that “there’s evidence today of war crimes being committed, civilians being targeted, and ISIS prisoners escaping.” Yingst said he couldn’t show these events, calling them “too graphic,” but he noted that these developments took place as Donald Trump’s administration withdrew American forces “meant to deter” Turkey from their incursion into the region.

And then there is this account from The Telegraph:

Kurdish officials said rebel fighters intercepted a car carrying Hevrin Khalaf, a Kurdish political leader with Future Syria Party, and murdered her along with her driver and an aide. “She was taken out of her car during a Turkish-backed attack and executed by Turkish-backed mercenary factions,” the Syrian Democratic Council said in a statement.

 . . . The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based war monitor, said the rebels had killed at least eight other civilians as they advanced towards the strategic M4 motorway with the support of Turkish airpower. Another video appears to show several Arabic-speaking fighters shooting an unarmed man on the side of a road. “God is great,” cries one man in the video, before urging a comrade to film him shooting the corpse with a sniper rifle.

And speaking of escapees of the ISIS terrorist group, according to Axios:

Syrian Kurdish officials on Sunday said clashes near Ain Issa, a key Kurdish-held town in northern Syria, allowed 950 Islamic State, or ISIS, supporters to escape from a camp for displaced people near a U.S.-led coalition base, AP reports. 

Why it matters: One of the fears stemming from President Trump's withdrawal of U.S. forces from northern Syria was that a Turkish assault would force Kurdish forces to desert the prison camps where about 12,000 ISIS fighters and their families are being held. 

Details: The Kurdish-led administration in northern Syria said in a statement that the supporters escaped after they attacked camp guards and stormed the gates, per AP, which said it was not immediately possible to confirm the number of escapees. 

What they're saying: A U.S. military official told AP that northeastern Syria was “deteriorating rapidly” and that U.S. troops on the ground are at risk of being “isolated” and of clashing with Turkey-backed Syrian forces.

 All of this is Trump's doing - the actions of an incompetent moron who has less business in the White House than a deceased, rotting jackass does at Harvard. But hey, I'm sure none of this is important to conservative evangelicals or groups like the Family Research Council. As long as they have more access to the Trump Administration than anyone else and thus more power to make or initiate policy, what's a few dead brown people in a region they've probably never been to or probably couldn't point to on a map.

And I'm sure that if they become the subject of any criticism, they have a game plan:

Have a fawning interview with Fox and Friends, Jeanine Pirro, Shannon Bream or Sean Hannity; publish something in The Washington Examiner, The Daily Caller or The Federalist; let Tucker Carlson do misleading monologue; or create a false panic about progressives on Twitter and this latest awful action by Trump is excused away. Then we all can talk about more important such as keeping gay couples from getting cakes and flowers for their upcoming weddings.

Last year, FRC president Tony Perkins said Donald Trump should be given a pass by conservative evangelicals on his negative past behavior, such as his affair with porn star Stormy Daniels, because he is giving them what they want in regards to policy.  Perkins called this pass a "mulligan."

On Saturday, we learned that the Family Research Council and conservative evangelicals in general are willing to give Trump a mulligan for causing genocide.

I guess they don't consider preventing genocide as a value they should be concerned about.

Family Research Council angry at Amazon's 'deeply held beliefs' opposing 'ex-gay therapy' books

Amazon has decided to stop selling books pushing the fraudulent idea that people can change their sexual orientation. Hate group the Family Research Council and members of  Congress are angry about it:

If one of the country's biggest retailers is going to ban books, it had better have a good reason. Amazon didn't. The authors it blacklisted weren't inciting violence or promoting terrorist jihad -- they were offering hope to men and women suffering from sexual bondage. But to LGBT activists, it didn't matter what the books actually said or how many people they helped. All the extremists care about is that these authors might undermine their agenda and therefore must be silenced. 

Of course, to most Americans, the intolerance is nothing new. We've all watched Google, Twitter, YouTube, and others crack down on conservative speech for years. But banning books that could give people freedom? That's taking the intolerance to a whole new level. Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler (R-Mo.), who's been horrified at the fast pace of censorship in this country, refuses to let Amazon get away with it. "Everybody is entitled to information," she told me on Monday's "Washington Watch." "And what Amazon has done is [block] people from having access to information that they're seeking and that they want. And it's just not right." Censorship, she said, should have no place in a country that values free speech.

"We don't want to start having a society where, on controversial issues, people will only have access to one viewpoint.... That's what's made America different than others. [Sexual orientation change efforts may be] an emotional topic, but we need to have more information out there for people so they can make decisions. [U]nwanted sexual attraction is a very difficult thing.... This isn't just a topic that we should throw around the political sphere. We have to remember these are individuals... And if people are struggling with something so personal, and they want more information, they should have access to a book... [to] get some potential help... or see if [it's] something they want to pursue or not. To just to have one group say, 'No, our way is the only way, and we're not going to let any other American hear about another alternative way to think about a condition or a subject' -- that's what we've seen in other countries in the past, and that's a scary place to go."

Apparently FRC and its Congressional allies,  particularly Rep. Vicky Hartzler (who has been known to freely funnel any lie FRC tells her), is relying on hysterical connotations about "intolerance" and "censorship" to tell boldfaced lies. When FRC says that those books aren't inciting violence, the group is clearly lying.

Religious author says evangelical silence about Trump's racism proves they made 'a deal with the devil'

Franklin Graham (top), Robert Jeffress (middle), and Tony Perkins (bottom) have been called out for enabling and then being silent about Trump's recent racist comments against four members of Congress.

The House of Representatives just voted 240-187 to condemn Trump's racist attacks on four of its members. Only four Republicans joined the Democrats in that vote.

Meanwhile, conservative evangelicals have been mostly silent throughout the entire thing. Franklin Graham, who seems to be never at a loss for words when tweeting attacks on the LGBTQ community, has been especially evasive.

And don't think that it hasn't been noticed. John Fea, religious author and professor of American history at Messiah College, posted about this on Tuesday:

Trump is simply calling upon an old tradition in American history. Sadly, we have been telling people to “go back to your country” since the birth of the republic. None of this is new. Trump appeals to the darkest parts of our past. This is what demagogues do. Today he refused to rescind his comments because apparently a lot of people like them. 

But America has always had its better angels. We have always had men and women who have tried to consistently apply our country’s ideals to matters of race, immigration, and injustice. Robert Jeffress, Franklin Graham, Jerry Falwell Jr. Jack Graham, Tony Perkins, Paula White, Ralph Reed, Gary Bauer, David Barton, Jim Bakker, Lance Wallnau, Steven Strang and the rest of the court evangelicals do not fall into this category. 

Sadly, the court evangelicals have chosen to side with darkness over light. They are sycophants, incapable of speaking truth to power because they have made a deal with the devil (who apparently has come in the guise of a new King Cyrus). They have enabled Donald Trump. The silence speaks volumes.

The entire piece is short but on point and deserves your full attention.

 

Conservative evangelical groups defend Trump's racism, Pence's border facility dodges

White conservative evangelicals continue to debase themselves for Trump.

Eager to defend their golden goose, i.e. the Trump Administration for giving it access and power, several conservative evangelical - religious right groups - are running interference for the administration's excesses with as much vigor as they dehumanize the LGBTQ community.

Last weekend, Pence visited the border facilities in an effort to blunt criticism about their overcrowding, lack of sanitation and overall dehumanizing treatment of immigrants. It didn't work out for him:

Vice President Mike Pence visited an overcrowded, unsanitary migrant detention center on Friday as part of a tour meant to highlight the Trump administration’s handling of an influx of immigrants and asylum seekers crossing the US-Mexico border. At a McAllen, Texas, facility housing nearly 400 Central American men, reporters noted an overwhelming foul odor and extreme heat. Men packed in cages worked to get the reporters’ attention, telling members of the press they did not have access to showers or toothbrushes; some of the detained said they’d been at the center for more than 40 days, and others claimed to be underfed and hungry.

Pence was blasted in the media for the seemingly callous way he acted during the visit, how he dodged questions about his visit, and his attempt to blame the media for allegedly distorting the visit.

'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.

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:

Mueller Report responses prove Trump evangelicals replacing Jesus with 'p-**y-grabbing messiah'

The anti-LGBTQ and evangelical right distort Mueller Report findings to praise Trump.

To the anti-LGBTQ and evangelical right, Trump represents the power to force their agenda on America. That's why so many of them discarded or recalibrated their tirades about values and morality to feature him in the center. And in many cases, replacing Jesus.

Their responses to the recent Mueller Report sadly cements this fact.

From American history professor John Fea:

Donald Trump is a liar who clearly obstructed justice. He has forced others to lie to the American people on his behalf. Some, like Sarah Huckabee Sanders, a self-professed evangelical Christian, lied for the president on multiple occasions. (That is a lot of slips of the tongue). Others refused to lie for him. The Mueller report reveals that Trump’s presidency lacks a moral center. He should be impeached. 

And what about the court evangelicals and all of those other white evangelicals who still support Trump? They will double down in their support for the president. He is God’s chosen instrument and his evangelical supporters will invoke biblical examples of how God’s anointed instruments will always suffer persecution. They will claim that the Mueller Report is biased (except, of course, the parts that say there was no collusion). They will continue to stoke the “witch hunt” metaphor. They will continue to take their marching orders from Fox News and claim that the report proves that Trump did not commit a crime. They will argue that the country should simply move forward as if nothing happened. They will ignore the parts of the report that show Trump’s immorality and lies. Court evangelicalism blinds one to the truth. For example 

Americans must demand that “no collusion, no obstruction” means NO MORE HARASSMENT of President @realDonaldTrump! — Dr. Robert Jeffress (@robertjeffress) April 18, 2019 

The attacks on @PressSec Sarah Sanders are disgraceful and pure politics. She does an outstanding job as WH Press Secretary and is a woman of character & integrity. — Ralph Reed (@ralphreed) April 19, 2019  

The #MuellerReport on whether President @realDonaldTrump colluded w/the Russians in the 2016 election is out. The answer is still NO. 1/2 https://t.co/JmoXvJjEKv — Franklin Graham (@Franklin_Graham) April 18, 2019 

 . . .  AG Barr was masterful in his press conf. The lie of Russian collusion and obstruction of justice has been completely refuted. But the left won’t stop. They are addicted to the lie.#MullerReport #BarrPressConference #Barr #MAGA — Gary L Bauer (@GaryLBauer) April 18, 2019

The irony is these folks seem to forget that Trump isn't going to stay in office forever. How ever and whenever he goes,  if these Trump evangelicals think that they will be able to slide back into their unearned positions as self-designated arbiters of cultural morality, they need to make other plans.

No one is going to forget their behavior during the Trump years. Some of us are even taking notes.