Analyzing and refuting the inaccuracies lodged against the lgbt community by religious conservative organizations. Lies in the name of God are still lies.
What do we do? A friend on twitter gives the best advice:
Honestly, I can't even get mad anymore. We knew this would happen eventually, so why get upset? Just fight back.
And I suggest we do that in the voting booth, talking with each other, organizing amongst ourselves (while trusting each other), organizing with others. And above all, don't forget what you are feeling. Let that guide you to sensible actions with a concrete conclusion. All discipline. No distractions.
Sam Brownback, governor of Kansas and Trump's pick for Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom, had his hearing today on Capitol Hill. He'll probably be confirmed, but that doesn't mean the hearing was easy. He got a few battle scars courtesy of Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va).
Today, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee held a hearing on the nomination of Governor Sam Brownback (R-Kans.) to be the Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom, a job then-Senator Brownback was pivotal in creating in 1998 to address religious persecution and genocide around the world. Despite the purpose of the post being to advocate for religious liberty broadly, Governor Brownback noted that some on the Committee focused on other issues.
Senator Tim Kaine (D-Va.) said he was concerned because Governor Brownback rolled back an executive order in Kansas that provided extra privileges for state employees based on sexual orientation. Governor Brownback replied he didn’t think it was the role of the executive branch to provide such privileges when the legislature did not pass a law to do so. Senator Kaine continuously drilled down on Governor Brownback, and even asked Governor Brownback if he was aware that there are countries where people who identify as LGBT are criminalized because of their sexual orientation. Senator Kaine also asked whether Governor Brownback thinks there is a circumstance where religious freedom can justify criminalizing people because of their LGBT status. Governor Brownback replied that he did not know what that justification would be.
Regarding FRC's last statement,
Senator Kaine also asked whether Governor Brownback thinks there is a circumstance where religious freedom can justify criminalizing people because of their LGBT status. Governor Brownback replied that he did not know what that justification would be.
in the immortal words of the actress Betty Gabriel in the classic scene of the horror movie, "Get Out:"
"NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO . . ."
In other words, FRC gave a badly truncated retelling, which the following clip courtesy of the Human Rights Campaign, proves (cued up to 4:50 - the exchange in question):
FRC being its usual deceptive self doesn't bother me as much as Brownback not giving a direct answer to Kaine's simple question.
The following graphic below gives a clue to the exciting project I'm working on. It's not the final draft. But it is a graphic you can copy, paste, and use in an argument. In fact, I really wish this was an argument which we pressed in talking about our marriage equality win, particularly when the opposition goes on its tangent about "activist judges legislating from the bench." Stay tuned because when I'm done, this graphic will merely be a small part of a larger undertaking:
" The resolution passed 27-13, with seven nations abstaining. America joined just 12 other countries – among them Burundi, China, Egypt, India, Iraq, Japan, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia – in voting against the United Nations Human Rights Council's resolution."
And I'm confused. Doesn't Trump want to ban immigrants from coming into the US from many of those countries? Supposedly some of it had to do with "concerns about anti-LGBTQ oppression."
Mississippi’s HB 1523 Is The Most Sweeping Anti-LGBT Law In The U.S. And It Takes Effect Friday - Probably the most far reaching "religious liberty" anti-LGBTQ bill is about to become law in Mississippi on Friday. The law allows doctors, lawyers, and teachers to use the "religious liberty" excuse to discriminate. The irony is that the courts see nothing wrong with it because it has not been determined YET how much harm could this law do to LGBTQs. In other words, the law being implemented is what the religious right wants. But it's implementation will probably eventually doom it. See graphic above. LGBT students in Tennessee could lose anti-bullying protection - Meanwhile, in Tennessee.
Tomorrow, I intend to get back to the work of this blog - going after and calling out the anti-LGBTQ industry. Today is a special circumstance. I felt that not only my LGBTQ brothers and sisters but all of my brothers and sisters needed something light and downright silly to combat the tragedy of Las Vegas. Those who feel drained by man's inhumanity to each other, please don't feel alone. I've felt drained all day and even found myself acting out in a manner and place I would have never dreamed I would.
So I want to continue my look at comedy, this time regarding marriage equality. First, allow me to give a little background. Back in the day, there was something called an "answer song." Wikipedia defines it as "a song (usually a recorded track) made in answer to a previous song, normally by another artist. It is also known as an answer record. The concept became widespread in blues and R&B recorded music in the 1930s through 1950s. Answer songs were also extremely popular in country music in the 1950s and 1960s, most often as female responses to an original hit by a male artist."
In the 1980s, it was best defined by the infamous, yet unheard of by the mainstream population, "Roxanne Wars.," hip-hop feud which allegedly saw 30 to 100 answer records made. (See, you just learned some history.)
With today's technology, we have things called "answer videos," which are pretty much the same thing as "answer songs." The following video "Gay Guys Will Marry Your Girlfriend" was made during the marriage equality fight. It was witty and hilarious. But little did we know that a few folks had something to say about it:
First the video:
Then heterosexual men called our bluff:
Then our sisters, the lesbian population, came to our defense:
Now with all of this talking, you just KNOW that the heterosexual sisters had got something to say. And they were NOT happy:
And now the heterosexual men are in a doghouse. And who do they reach out to to get them out of trouble? Who else but us gay men. And as a show of good faith, we reveal certain powers that we've always had:
At this point, I want to say that all of this is strictly tongue-in-cheek. I don't mean any disrespect. In fact, I'm merely sitting in a corner drinking from a huge pot of tea with the tiniest immersion of vodka. You will remember that in my last post, I said I was imitating Joan Crawford. I even sneaked a tiny pill in. At this stage, I'm also appropriating a little Judy Garland.
I suppose I just can't hop into bed and wish that this day was over. Or better yet, grow translucent wings, gain a magic wand, and the power to keep the events of the Las Vegas shooting from happening.
I can't preach or talk about anything in my usual critical stance, folks. Nor do I feel like putting out news briefs. God, I feel so very bad over the entire thing. It's a kind of sadness that takes away all of your purpose and makes you ask why. Nothing else. Just why.
But I find that when things like this happen, it helps to let the feeling wash over you. Don't try to keep them inside. And do something light. This morning I think I listened to Fleetwood Mac's 'Dreams' about five or six times (so I have a thing with Stevie Nicks. Sue me.)
Also, at the very least, if I can't provide words, at least I can provide a bit of solace in my own way. This is my blog but consider it backstage at the Oscars in the past and me as Joan Crawford bringing my bar with all of the fixings (research the damn thing. I can't explain everything to y'all). But instead of alcohol, I bring some comedy clips. Enjoy them. Get offended. Laugh your ass off. Just do anything to bring out your emotions. Everyone is welcomed:
