Confirmed - The organized plot to destroy lgbt equality

Don't be sarcastic and remember that this revelation is a good thing:

From Jonathan Capehart of The Washington Post:

Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) Americans know in their bones there is a “vast right-wing conspiracy” out to deny them their humanity and dignity. A conservative cabal actively working the levers of power to block their rights. Well, now we have the evidence that one actually exists. Freedom for All Americans (FFAA) is a “bipartisan campaign seeking nondiscrimination protections for LGBT people nationwide” that was created last year in the wake of the Supreme Court decision that legalized same-sex marriage. FFAA executive director Matt McTighe told me that the immediate backlash against that historic decision, such as Indiana’s so-called religious freedom law, was expected. But he said that it was the emerging coordination of the resistance that pushed his organization to sift through public filings to unearth the ties that bind anti-LGBT efforts around the country.

 . . . The chart below from FFAA shows the organizations doing the coordinating and the people leading or bankrolling those efforts. If you click on this link it will take you to an interactive site that will give you even more information.

Family Research Council hides homophobia behind semantic phrasing

FRC head Tony Perkins

Last week, a federal judge blocked a Mississippi anti-lgbt law hours before it was to go into effect.

According to the Huffington Post:

Mississippi’s “Protecting Freedom of Conscience from Government Discrimination Act” shields those believing that marriage involves a man and a woman, and sexual relations should occur within such marriages. It protects the belief that gender is defined by sex at birth. The law allows people to refuse to provide wide-ranging services by citing the religious grounds, from baking a wedding cake for a same-sex couple to counseling and fertility services. It would also permit dress code and bathroom restrictions to be imposed on transgender people.

In putting an injunction on the law, U.S. Justice Carlton Reeves said it discriminated against lgbts and that it favored one religion over others.

Naturally, the anti-lgbt hate group Family Research Council was not pleased. On its webpage, FRC president Tony Perkins practically threw a fit. And he also accidentally gave a good reason why Justice Reeves blocked the law. Check out the following paragraph from Perkins's ramblings (important point in bold):

The Protecting Freedom of Conscience from Government Discrimination Act had barely been signed into law when intolerant liberals vowed to file suit. Now with the help of Reeves, the Left has another victory from the courts that it couldn't achieve legislatively. Under this law, churches wouldn't be the only ones protected from government punishment for their natural marriage and sexuality beliefs -- so would businesses, wedding vendors, and even public officials. Now, thanks to one unelected, activist judge, those protections will have to wait. In his opinion, Reeves claims the law gives preference to certain religions.

Notice the semantic phraseology Perkins uses:  

"Under this law, churches wouldn't be the only ones protected from government punishment for their natural marriage and sexuality beliefs -- so would businesses, wedding vendors, and even public officials."

One could easily see why churches should be protected under the guise of religious beliefs, but why should secular businesses and even public officials?  A better way of saying this would be:

"Under this law, businesses, wedding vendors, and even public officials would have an excuse to discriminate against same-sex couples under the guise of religion."

 In the matter of churches, there should be no government interference concerning beliefs and acts of worship (within reason, of course). But a public official, such as a clerk of court signing a marriage licenses, or a businesses accommodating all customers is not an act of worship. It's an act of fairness buoyed on many occasions by taxpayer dollars. And the last time I checked, lgbts pay taxes.

No matter how noble or pretty FRC tries to paint the picture of anti-lgbt discrimination,  the organization can't hide it's ugliness. Secular businesses who don't follow accommodation laws should be punished and public officials who pick and choose who they will serve should also be punished.

Long ago, people freely paid an unfortunate and unnecessary price for their faith. Nowadays, some seem to think that their faith is a golden ticket which absolves them from the rules the rest of us have to follow.

'GOP obsession over attacking lgbt community' & other Wed. midday news briefs

House Republicans Are Truly, Madly, Deeply Obsessed With Queer People - Just despicable. And a good reason why we can't underestimate anti-lgbt groups. Who do you think are the puppeteers of this mess? 

 Over 70 Groups Urge Rep. Chaffetz to Cancel Hearing on Anti-LGBT Legislation Scheduled a Month After Orlando Shooting - Relating to the first news post - Chaffetz probably won't but he will probably muck this up like he did the Benghazi hearings.

Churches File Nonsense Suit Challenging Iowa’s LGBT Protections - Another reason why we can't underestimate anti-lgbt groups. They get paid gobs of money to find gullible folks to exploit. And this ridiculous lawsuit is an example of it. It's just fishing with a capital B-U-L-L . . . you know the rest. 

Police and firefighters dance for Orlando in new viral video campaign - Works for me. 

Kim Davis violated Open Records Act, attorney general says - Guess who's back? Did you miss her?

Trans 102 - Taking on religious right lies & anti-trans misconceptions

THIS is how you handle a misconception, particularly one that your opposition exploits. You don't ignore it. You don't sidestep from it. You take it head on.

From The Huffington Post:

A new video campaign is bringing together transgender and gender-nonconforming activists from around America to reflect on the current state of political and social life for the trans community, as well as the complexities and nuances of the subjects’ own personal identities. Called “Trans 102,” this first episode of this series focuses on bathroom access for trans and GNC people, a contested issue in the current political climate surrounding anti-queer legislation such as House Bill 2. “Trans 102” features a number of recognizable trans movers and shakers, including activist Jenn Richards of “I Am Cait” fame.

'Lesbian couple in Sweet Cakes controversy still getting harassed' & other Tue. midday news briefs

Lesbian Couple Still Facing Harassment Thanks to Sweet Cakes - This couple did nothing but stand up for their rights and are still catching hell for it. Meanwhile, the offenders are scooping up money and attention by the handfuls via playing the victims with the anti-lgbt industry behind them. Will the lgbt community ever learn - "He who controls the narrative makes the rules."

The hate keeps coming: Pain lingers for lesbian couple denied in Sweet Cakes case - The above post provides a quick view of the mess. This article is a long, detailed telling of the mess.

Pope Francis accepts anti-LGBT Dominican cardinal’s resignation - Ding dong, the fool is gone . . .

Black Lives Matter Protest Proves Pride Needs More Empathy, Less Prejudice - Controversial protest brings up many issues. 

Gary Bauer: Trump Administration Will Give 'Key Positions' To Religious Right - All of you lgbts whining about Clinton, let me put this post in another fashion. Gary Bauer worked in the White House during the AIDS crisis and he was one of the main folks blocking Surgeon General C. Everett Koop from getting Reagan to talk about it. His actions made the crisis worse. Now you all can get angry at Clinton for comments she made at Nancy Reagan's funeral, but it seems to me that when a man who helped further the AIDS crisis vouches for a presidential candidate, we should do what we can to keep said candidate from setting one foot in the White House.

Lifting the ban on transgender soldiers - Anti-lgbt industry vs. reality

I'm rather surprised at the muted response of the anti-lgbt right to the news that the Obama Administration is lifting the ban on transgender men and women serving in the military.

One would think that they are so busy scaring people about bathrooms that this particular news caught them by surprise. However, never fear. I can always count on the American Family Association's fake news service, One News Now, for a biased and very uneducated take on the subject. Look at their poll for example:

And this little nugget of nonsense is accompanied by a column by Bryan "gays were the founders of the Nazi party" Fischer, who has no expertise in military intelligence.

By contrast, the following video provides the facts we should know, including:

There are already 2,500 to 7,000 transgender soldiers in active duty, 1,500 to 4,000 reservists

This isn't some type of social experiment. Seems to me that the lifting of this ban was way over due. Transgender men and women are fighting for our freedom, therefore they deserve the right to do it openly, with all of the benefits and support we can give them:

Judge to Mississippi anti-lgbt law- 'Oh no you don't!'

This is big and hopefully a sign of things to come. A federal judge just issued an injunction blocking that awful Mississippi anti-lgbt law hours before it was supposed to take effect.

From The Huffington Post:

A day before it was due to come into effect, a federal judge has blocked a Mississippi law permitting those with religious objections to deny wedding services to same-sex couples and impose dress and bathroom restrictions on transgender people.

U.S. District Judge Carlton Reeves found on Thursday the wide-ranging law adopted this spring unconstitutionally discriminated against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people and others who do not share the view that marriage is between a man and a woman.

 . . . Mississippi’s “Protecting Freedom of Conscience from Government Discrimination Act” shields those believing that marriage involves a man and a woman, and sexual relations should occur within such marriages. It protects the belief that gender is defined by sex at birth. The law allows people to refuse to provide wide-ranging services by citing the religious grounds, from baking a wedding cake for a same-sex couple to counseling and fertility services. It would also permit dress code and bathroom restrictions to be imposed on transgender people.