How Trump could destroy Obama's LGBT Progress (IF we let him)

My online friend, Matt Baume details how Trump could harm the progress the lgbt community has made under Obama. I added the caveat "if we let them" to remind everyone that nothing is ever hopeless and to gear up. We fought hard for what we have and we are not about to let any of it go. Not without a big nasty, knockdown, dragged out fight.

'A quick observation on Franklin Graham, the transgender community, & the ACA repeal' & other Tue. midday news briefs

Just an observation about Franklin Graham, the repeal of Obamacare (which could leave 18 million people uninsured,) and the transgender community. Feel free to retweet it:

What a pity that no one can blame the transgender community for it. Then @Franklin_Graham would be sure to comment on this travesty. https://t.co/wtMV38xVfo

— Holy Bullies (@holybullies) January 17, 2017

In other news:

Religious freedom: It’s a core American principle, and it doesn’t mean what right-wingers want it to mean - I am sure we will be debating this heavily this year. Folks need to get prepared to give an aggressive AND intelligent push back.  

Women’s March to include LGBT presence - You'd better believe it! 

 Trump demands officials justify ‘massive’ spending on federal AIDS programme - Very definition of the phrase, "this #@!# just got real." 

 Conservatives try to convince the Supreme Court to embrace transphobia - This came from four days ago, but it's a wonderful breakdown of the anti-transgender argument conservatives are pushing to SCOTUS in Gloucester County School Board v. G.G 

 Mat Staver: Right Wing Watch ‘Is Just A Bunch Of Fake News’ - Like anyone actually has to make up any news about hate group leader Mat Staver.

Hate group still hating on Obama

As President Obama leaves office and the Orange Encrusted Overlord prepares to attempt to take his place, the thing which aggravates me probably the most is what people are missing about Obama's time in office.

Obama has said that at times he failed to translate his personal popularity to support for his policies and no doubt, this probably be what a portion of his legacy may be. And it's a fallacy.

No president, as far as I know, had networks, think tanks, and "news sources" constantly undermining him 24 hours a day as Obama did. No president had opposition who constantly pushed lies about his background, his motivations, and the successes of his policies as Obama did.

Case in point is this nonsense below. Even though he is leaving office, the anti-lgbt hate group the American Family Association, through its phony news service One News Now, can't resist taking at least one more dig at Obama via a false poll:

America is substantially better in all of these areas as Obama leaves office, but One News Now will spin it in the opposite direction. And of course its "Christian" readers will respond like sheep. As of 7:51 a.m. PST, the results are:

Some have claimed that Obama always had a problem with white evangelicals. When any group, be they white evangelicals or anyone else, are constantly relying on a news sources which gives consistently them negative headlines and articles about Obama, what does one expect him to have BUT problems.

Ironically, One News Now is also running articles implying that we need to "come together" under President Trump.

Keep dreaming. It ain't gonna happen.

'Some homophobia & transphobia simply cannot be ignored' & other Fri. midday news briefs

This is Theodore Shoebat, an incredibly insane Christian militant who was fairly popular in religious right circles, even appearing in an anti-lgbt documentary created by Janet Folger in 2015 and starting some nonsense about gay bakeries refusing to cater to homophobes in 2014. The video above is an example of why those folks are now wary to associate with him. In December, he verbally attacked the editors of National Geographic for putting a transgender child on the cover and also verbally attacked the child. He isn't joking. He means everything he says and it is the reason why sometimes we can't ignore homophobia or transphobia. Someone is always listening. 

156 LGBT Elected Officials Call On President-elect to Advance LGBT Equality During His Presidency - Noble endeavor. 

 Pompeo tells Kamala Harris he won’t discriminate against LGBT workers at the CIA - Senator Kamala Harris grills Trump's pick to run the CIA, Mike Pompeo, on lgbt rights in the organization. Conservative magazines and online news sources aren't happy. To hell with them and good for her!

LGBT groups 'heartened' by Mattis' testimony - Looks like at least one pick in Trump's cabinet has good sense. 

Trump Nominee Won’t Disavow Claim That Women, LGBTQ Soldiers Harm Military - But then again, there is is an alternate view of the situation. 

 Making Elder Homes More LGBT-Friendly - An important article.

Family Research Council ignores 'Christian' values in rejoicing over possible Obamacare repeal

Family Research Council happy about possible Obamacare repeal.

Even though this blog focuses specifically on lgbt issues, there are times I have to comment on other issues. And regarding the issue of the GOP attempting to repeal Obamacare, I must say that I am amazed and disturbed about the spin the Family Research Council is attempting to put over on its supporters:
 

President Obama has been unwilling -- and soon, unable -- to undo his policy blunders like Obamacare, but Congress is giving his successor a chance to try. In the wee hours of this morning, the Senate took the first step of a journey that Republicans have been on for the last seven years: the repeal of Obamacare and the defunding of Planned Parenthood. For all of the question marks heading into last night's marathon session, Senate Majority Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) delivered on his biggest promise -- to pass a budget resolution that would clear the decks for rolling back Obama's worst atrocities.

By the slimmest of margins, 51-48, he held together his coalition -- which was no small feat after the threats of at least five moderate Republicans earlier in the week. By 1:36 a.m., when members finally walked bleary-eyed to their cars, 180 amendments had been filed (and 20 voted on) in the unique budget free-for-all -- which, for all the frenzy, isn't even legally binding. As it has for years, the Senate uses this crazy process to map out a budget blueprint. The benefit is that, unlike other legislative business, leaders can offer an unlimited number of amendments without worrying about filibusters. That usually means senators will take the opportunity to make a political point -- or try to get their colleagues on the record on an issue that they can use to their advantage in campaign ads later on. "Unlike normal legislation, which can be debated for weeks on end, this law limits the total debate time for a budget resolution to 50 hours... This is quite different from the process on a normal bill," former Senate staffer Keith Hennessey once explained, "where you can offer an amendment but not be assured of a quick vote."

By the end, the Senate will typically have crammed in a third of their votes for the year into this one chaotic night. While our government affairs team worked late tracking amendments, there were a few surprises. As usual, the president's party tried to throw a few wrenches into the process, including Senator Kirsten Gillibrand's (D-N.Y.) "women's health" amendment, which would have stopped the GOP from making any changes to Obamacare that affect the contraception mandate or taxpayer-funded abortion. Fortunately, the Senate deadlocked, killing it by a tie vote (49-49).

Although no one is settled on an official replacement plan for Obamacare, the hows and whens took a backseat to getting this crucial vote out of the way. Knowing that America is also on the path to hollowing out federal tax funding of Planned Parenthood should taste sweet to the millions of voters who streamed into polling places to protect the unborn. The bottom line is the bottom line: Planned Parenthood doesn't need taxpayer dollars. All the government's contributions do is enable Cecile Richards's group to spend more money on politics and candidates who support their radical agenda. This forced partnership must end. And thanks to Senator Mitch McConnell's leadership, it's well on its way.

Granted, I despise the Family Research Council because the group was founded to undermine lgbt equality via lies and junk science under the guise of religion. But I am also incredibly disturbed how unbelievably tone deaf the group is about the dangers of  an Obamacare repeal.  

'Will Caitlyn Jenner attend Trump's inauguration?' & other Thur. midday news briefs

Caitlyn Jenner at Trump's inauguration? We will see.

Caitlyn Jenner Will Reportedly Attend Donald Trump’s Inauguration - Now some folks may think this is a bad thing, but I say it has wonderful potential. Sit her next to Franklin Graham or Tony Perkins. If so, I hope she knows judo or owns some pepper spray. Especially if she tries to shake Trump's hand. 

 Tillerson declines to say whether ‘gay rights are human rights’ - Trump claims that he will be an lgbt ally, but his nominee for Secretary of State won't say if our rights are human rights. It's a simple trick using your mouth - YEEES! 

Anti-lgbt hate group wants 'religious liberty' for Kim Burrell but not for Carrie Underwood - My post from this morning. It's going viral, but I want more. This is a wonderful discussion for the lgbt community to initiate BEFORE any Congressional action on one of those dreary "religious liberty" bills. Just whose "religious liberty" are they looking to protect? 

 Gay man legally donates blood after a year with no sex - I love his commitment, but at the same time, ugh to the dumb rule which made him do it in the manner which he did. 

 Donald Trump’s Inauguration Singer Speaks Out Against Transgender Bathroom Bills - Good for her in the way she used her platform!

Anti-lgbt hate group wants 'religious liberty' for Kim Burrell but not for Carrie Underwood

The American Family Association pushes the idea that criticizing Kim Burrell (first picture) for her homophobic sermon is anti-Christian persecution. But at the same time, the group criticized the selection of marriage equality supporter  Carrie Underwood (second picture) as a singer for a recent Christian festival. Why does AFA believe that Burrell deserves 'religious liberty' for her beliefs, but not Underwood?

 Under the Trump Administration, there will probably be a Congressional battle regarding the so-called concept of "religious liberty." When that time comes, I expect there to be a huge inundation of horror stories about "Christian"business owners being "forced" to act in opposition of their faith and serve members of the lgbt community. No doubt, the focus will be on bakeries, flower shops, and other wedding businesses. Of course the effects of "religious liberty" bills becoming law will be the allowance of discrimination against the lgbt community in a wide variety of places other than wedding businesses (because those individuals and groups supporting these bills have neglected to say where a line should be drawn) under the guise of religious expression.

We all know that when the religious right talks about "religious liberty," they are pushing anti-lgbt discrimination in terms which make it sound more palpable. My guess is that they don't really mean "religious liberty" for everyone.

Two recent incidents and a hate group's response to these incidents prove my point.

Popular singer Carrie Underwood has been criticized because she recently sang at Atlanta's Passion, an evangelical conference for youth. The reason? She supports marriage equality in accordance to her religious beliefs.  Leading the charge against Underwood is the anti-lgbt hate group, the American Family Association.

Via its online phony news site, One News Now, AFA focused two articles on criticizing Underwood and the founder of the conference, Louis Giglio. Both articles highlighted a letter written to Giglio by Wesley Wildmon, AFA's director of Outreach. The letter itself appeared Engage Magazine, another online project of AFA.