SC senator trying to steer state down NC's path with anti-lgbt bill

SC Sen. Lee Bright just don't like gay folks

With its neighboring state of North Carolina catching all sorts of negative publicity and boycotts because of recently passed anti-lgbt law, one would think that South Carolina would steer far from that territory.

Unfortunately, those of us who live in SC know our legislators. Particular one state senator, Lee Bright.

From The Free Times:

South Carolina Sen. Lee Bright has filed a bill similar to a new North Carolina law that bars transgender people from using the bathroom associated with their gender identity.

Like the North Carolina law, Bright’s bill would also prevent cities and counties from passing any laws of their own to protect transgender people’s use of the bathroom. North Carolina’s law arose as a response to a City of Charlotte ordinance.

Bright’s bill would force schools and state government to require people only to use the bathrooms and locker rooms associated with their "biological sex," which the bill defines as "the physical condition of being male or female, which is stated on a person's birth certificate."

North Carolina has already seen serious fallout from HB2, with PayPal dropping plans to expand in the state and the NCAA saying it might not hold future tournaments there. A lawsuit against HB2 has already been filed.

In comments about the bill on the Senate floor, Bright said he was upset North Carolina was "getting so much grief" over HB2.

"Apparently PayPal has shown its support for pedophiles by wanting them to go into bathrooms," Bright said. "Men and women in public places sharing bathrooms is just beyond me. ... I've about had enough of this. I mean, years ago we kept talking about tolerance, tolerance and tolerance, and now they want men who claim to be women to go in the bathroom with children. And you got corporations who say this is OK."

Bright's statement is full of lies and his bill puts SC in dangerous position. But us lgbt South Carolinians have come to expect that from Bright. He just flat out doesn't like us. So much so that he can twist any situation into an attack on us.

Last year, after the terrible shooting at an African-American church in Charleston by a young racist which led to the deaths and injury of 10 people, including another state senator, the SC Legislature began steps remove the Confederate flag from the State House grounds. It was a way for the state to symbolically heal after so many years of racial strife punctuated by that singular awful incident in Charleston.

Someone forgot to tell this to Sen. Bright. In an opening speech during the session to decide the fate of the flag, he not only railed against removing it, but also attempted to shift the conversation by demanding that South Carolina do something to "stop the sin" of gay marriage before the nation is destroyed.

The following video leads me to ask just who is more of a danger to South Carolina - transgender men and women who only want some semblance of dignity and peace while conducting their lives. Or THIS GUY:



UPDATE - SC Gov. Nikki Haley has just come out against this bill:

 "We passed a law back in 1999 that dealt with religious liberty and it basically reflected the federal law, and it works just fine," Haley said. "In South Carolina, we are blessed because we don't have to mandate respect or kindness or responsibility in this state, and that law has worked perfectly."

'Efforts begin to fight MISS homophobia, hate' & other Wed. midday news briefs

Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant brings fire down on his state.

Corporate Coalition Is Forming To Fight Mississippi’s Anti-LGBT Law - It begins again. Folks need to learn that fostering discrimination is and will always be costly. 

Several States Ban Official Travel To Mississippi Over Anti-Gay Law - It starts.

 Family Research Council anti-lgbt hysteria helped cover up NC law's attack on employment, wages - My post from this morning. A true event horizon moment for the Family Research Council in which the group shows that it doesn't particularly care that much for those who support its noxious efforts.  

Watch A Transgender Activist Debunk The "Bathroom Predator" Myth On CNN - One GOOD thing about all of this junk and lies about "bathroom predators" is that it is giving folks a platform to refute it.  

Four North Carolina Universities Debunk Anti-LGBT "Bathroom Predator" Myth - Over and over and over and over again. Then do it some more. Seize the moment to get the truth about and "do it to death."

Family Research Council anti-lgbt hysteria helped cover up NC law's attack on employment, wages

FRC head Tony Perkins

In a statement on its webpage, the Family Research Council celebrated the passage of Mississippi's very broad religious liberty (anti-lgbt law) and NC's recently passed one:

Thanks to Governor Phil Bryant (R), facts -- not fear -- won out in Mississippi! Earlier today, Bryant signed the "Protecting Freedom of Conscience from Government Discrimination Act" into law over the threats from corporate America and LGBT activists. After the Left's tantrum over North Carolina, where leaders denied men access to girls' restrooms and showers, most people started to see the liberal agenda for the extremism it is. Now, with the enactment of H.B. 1523, Mississippi is responding by passing religious liberty legislation that should be a model for every state.

Despite Big Business bullies, a media misinformation campaign, and liberal scaremongers, Governor Bryant helped to fan the flames of a national pushback to the Left's intolerance on the issue of marriage. Under this law, churches aren't the only ones protected from government punishment for their beliefs -- so are businesses, wedding vendors, and even public officials. While the threats from corporate America continue to roll in to North Carolina and Mississippi, the reality is that after Houston voters killed the city's hugely unpopular bathroom bill in November, the momentum has been on the side of common sense.

Thanks to his tremendous courage, Governor Bryant -- like Governor Pat McCrory (R-N.C.) -- has cemented his legacy as one of freedom. In the face of some of the stiffest pressure of his career, he stood strong for the rights of his state to live and work according to their faith. And while Mississippi -- like North Carolina -- will have to weather a temporary storm, in the end, both governors will be rewarded with their voters' support and a legacy of courage. Years from now, no one will remember if a sporting event was held in a particular city -- but those communities would be reminded daily in a thousand ways if their freedom to believe was lost because of the political cowardice of political leaders.

Meanwhile, PayPal may be the Left's friend, but it's no pal of North Carolina's! The money transfer service announced this morning that it's canceling the company's Charlotte expansion because the state won't force young girls to share bathrooms and showers with grown men.

FRC not only glosses over the severity of the Mississippi law, but it also continues  the lie about how NC's law keeps young girls from sharing bathrooms and showers with grown men. That's how FRC has continuously framed NC's law. Public safety. Protecting girls and women in showers and bathrooms. And regardless how many times that lie has been refuted, FRC continues to trot it out in a annoyingly tone deaf fashion.

#HATEISHATE

Let's be clear. What's happening in North Carolina and Mississippi is not about nor has it ever been about "religious liberty."

It's about payback from a group of folks whose lies against marriage equality caused them to lose in that regard in a deliciously public manner.  So now they want payback and in a desperate attempt to get that payback, they are throwing it all at the wall expecting something to stick.

It won't work. The battle may be long and viciously fought. Or it may be short and satisfyingly complete.

But the lgbt community and our allies will win. Contrary to popular opinion, it is US, not just Beyonce, who carries hot sauce in the purse.

In the meantime, help me make this viral. Never let folks forget, no matter how much they want to:

#HB1523 #MSLiveandLetLive #HATEISHATE #NC #WeAreNotThis #lgbt pic.twitter.com/sFQiJQWW4x

— Holy Bullies (@holybullies) April 6, 2016

'As NC loses PayPal, Mississippi pushes for its turn' & other Tue midday news briefs

History is a nasty repeater of itself.

PayPal abandons plans to open facility in Charlotte because of LGBT law - NC continues to suffer for its embracing of a terrible anti-lgbt law which is slowly being discovered to be a serious degree of subterfuge.

Here’s a Massive Round-Up of Updates on the Pounding North Carolina is Taking Over the Anti-LGBT Bill - Let's itemize that suffering, shall we?

Mississippi Governor Signs Law Permitting LGBT Discrimination - Apparently Mississippi is so jealous that it wants a piece of the suffering. What's more, the state isn't even trying to use a "bathroom predator" excuse. THIS law is so nasty in its blatant desire to discriminate, I wouldn't be surprised if a conservative judge would come off the bench and jack slap lawyers defending it. 

Anti-Gay Activists To Rally In Defense Of North Carolina's New Anti-LGBT Law - April 11 is going to be a very busy day in NC. The liars are under the false impression that they are fooling the majority of people. Then again, that's not true. They know their lies aren't working, hence this upcoming rally.

Yes, Gov. McCrory! Please let that anti-gay hate group defend HB2 in court! Pretty please with sugar on top!

Will McCrory make the ultimate stupid move?

In the midst of making boneheaded faux pas - such as creating HB2 in the first place, attacking businesses and other cities and states who are boycotting the state because of the law, doubling down, and continuing to lie about the law in the face of strong refutation, will NC Gov. Pat McCrory make the biggest boneheaded decision of all time by allowing the Liberty Counsel to defend the law in court:

 After Charlotte passed the ordinance allowing men into women's restrooms, locker rooms, and shower facilities, the North Carolina Legislature called itself back into session and passed a bill overturning it. Liberty Counsel founder Mat Staver reports that since then, some corporations have threatened to leave the state, as the bill impacts every city and county in the state -- not just Charlotte.

"Sorry, men -- You can't go into and expose yourselves in the women's restrooms. Why all the outrage from some of these corporations is absolutely absurd,"  (Liberty Counsel president Mat) Staver comments. "These companies are not going to leave North Carolina. North Carolina is very business friendly. Charlotte has more Fortune 500 companies headquartered in Charlotte than any other place in the country."

Since Attorney General Roy Cooper (D) refuses to defend the law targeted in a lawsuit by the American Civil Liberties Union, Liberty Counsel is looking for members of the legislature and private individuals to represent so it can challenge the ACLU in court.

"This law is constitutional. There's no question about it," Staver declares. "It needs to be defended; it should be defended, and we can win this case."

The Liberty Counsel, according to the Human Rights Campaign, is the same loser group who:

unsuccessfully fought the battle for the fraudulent 'reparative' or 'ex-gay' therapy,

defends worldwide laws criminalizing homosexuality,

urged magistrates to break the law and not marry gay couples and

have employees embroiled in a case in which a child was stolen from her lesbian mother.

Last but not least, let's not forget the organization defending infamous lawbreaking KY clerk Kim Davis even to the point of lying about her number of supporters in Peru.

All of which leads me to say, PLEASE, OH PLEASE Gov. McCrory, let the Liberty Counsel defend HB2!

'CNN's Chris Cuomo refutes 'bathroom predator' lie behind anti-lgbt laws' & other Mon. midday news briefs

CNN's Chris Cuomo

Hate Group Says NC Anti-LGBT Law Not Unconstitutional Because Gender Identity Not in Constitution - Good news - Cuomo refutes the lies from the Family Research Council's Peter Sprigg.  Bad news - there was no lgbt representation who really should have been the one to debate Sprigg. REALLY BAD NEWS - My brothers and sisters angry that CNN gave Sprigg a platform to spout lies. I disagree with this point of view and it reveals a level of sad ignorance in our community. WE KNOW that Sprigg and company are liars. But how many folks outside our circle don't? And we come implying that there should be no debate. It's the equivalent of expecting crops to grow without planting the seeds and cultivating them. The only way we are going to get folks to see what we see, to know what we know about religious right spokespeople like Sprigg and their noxious groups is to demand open and free debate. Don't demand that networks shut them out. Demand that our people get in the debate. You cannot convince people who are the liars if you don't want to create the platform to expose and rhetorically wreck them.  

Chris Cuomo Debunks The 'Bathroom Predator' Myth Behind Anti-LGBT Laws - BUT let's not be unfair. Give Cuomo his props . . . with the proviso of the comments from above. 

A New Day Dawns - America’s First National Trans Political Advocacy Group Lifts Off - WONDERFUL! This group is very needed.  

Christian group threatens to sue Pascack Valley over transgender plan - The Liberty Counsel is NOT a Christian group and this attempt to harm transgender children more than proves that point.  

Texas Lawmaker Working to Write Anti-LGBT Discrimination Into State Constitution - See the foul story behind this one. It's not just that this awful lawmaker wants do this abominable act. It's also that he is a former employee of the Liberty Counsel. So now anti-hate groups not only have state legislators in their hip pockets. Their spokespeople and employees are BECOMING state legislators. This can only be stopped by attacking the root, i.e. exposing anti-gay groups instead of demanding that the news media shut down their ability to have a platform.