Video - Fox News claims of 'woke mind virus' nothing more than sneaky way to be racist, homophobic

 "Wokeism" is the latest word used by conservatives and those on the right to voice to smear anything modern or progressive in the world, particularly all things involving the LGBTQ community and people of color. The above video from The Daily Show demonstrates how Fox News exploits the bigotry behind usage of the word to generate constant fear and  rage from its viewers. The way the network goes on and on about the 'woke mind virus' as if it's a contagion from that sci-fi show The Last of Us would be amusing if not for the real world consequences it produces for those of us the network targets. 

In reality, it's the newest way certain people can employ racist or homophobic tropes. Or in other words, the word "woke" is now the conservative way of  relaying the connotation of such slurs as 'ni@@er' and "fa@@ot" without actually saying the words.

 A coarser way of saying "reverse racism" or "homosexual lifestyle," if you will.

'News coverage of trans kids deliberately exploiting anxieties' & other Wed midday news briefs

Coverage of Trans Kids Exploits the Anxieties of Middle-Class Parents​ - So the coverage is deliberately bad. 

Michigan Gov. savages Indiana & Ohio for “bigotry” as conservatives fume - Get it, girlfriend! 

Creepy new details emerge about drag-hating senator whose GOP colleagues mysteriously turned on her last week - Chyle, nobody needed your advice on breastfeeding. 

Sam Smith's Music Video for 'I'm Not Here to Make Friends' Is Causing Controversy for Multiple Reasons, Including in the LGBTQ+ Community - I am personally enjoying how they have everyone all worked up with the video.

Tenn lawmaker says trans kids should look at themselves naked and that drag performers 'made him sick to his stomach'

Tenn lawmaker Paul Sherrell don't like trans kids or drag queens

Two pieces of bad news came from Tennessee on Tuesday evening:

Tennessee's Republican-dominant Legislature on Tuesday advanced a handful of proposals that would ban gender-affirming care for transgender youth and severely limit where drag shows can take place.

 . . . If enacted, doctors would be prohibited from providing gender-affirming care to anyone under the age of 18, including prescribing puberty blockers and hormones. However, the legislation includes exceptions that would allow doctors to perform these medical services if they're treating an abnormality or if the patient's care had begun prior to July 1, 2023 — which is when the ban is proposed to go into effect — and the doctor believes ending the care would harm the patient. 

. . . On Tuesday, the bill advanced out of a subcommittee. It still needs to clear additional committees and the GOP-controlled House and Senate chambers before it can be reviewed by Republican Gov. Bill Lee, who supports the legislation. 

 Meanwhile, Republican lawmakers also advanced legislation designed to limit where drag shows can take place by classifying them as an “adult cabaret performance.” The legislation doesn't explicitly include the words “drag show,” but instead the definition of adult cabaret in Tennessee's law would be expanded to include “male or female impersonators who provide entertainment that appeals to a prurient interest, or similar entertainers.” Prurient interest is not defined in the bill.

The religious right and its far-right allies claim  that these bills are necessary to "protect the children." Of course that's a lie which LGBTQ people have heard so many times just about every time the religious right and their allies in various legislatures try to pass bills curtailing our rights.

This time you don't have to take my word for it this time. Thanks to a legislator, Paul Sherrell, being honest for a change, we can see the hatred behind the fake concern:

Republican rep Paul Sherrell says “if you don’t know what you are go into the bathroom and take your clothes off”

He also said the drag performers “made him sick to his stomach”

— The Tennessee Holler (@TheTNHoller) January 31, 2023

 

The exact comment Sherrell made about bathrooms was directed towards trans boys and girls and is just as vile in its entire context:

"Maybe there is children listening ... Our preacher would say, 'If you don't know what you are, a boy or girl ... just go in the bathroom, take your clothes off and look in the mirror.'"

It's rather sad that someone who claims to be all about protecting kids can get away with being so flippant about the welfare of certain children simply because he is ignorant about their lives. They don't need to look at their genitals to know who they are. They already know it. Supportive parents know it. The medical community knows it.  The problem is people like Sherrell refuse to know it. They're already convinced that they know it all, either through their limited religious beliefs or warped idea of common sense. They're not prepared to listen because they've already decided that they won't listen. In reality, they don't care about trans children, only a bastardized version of children. That in itself it is bad, but consider the fact that people like Sherrell have legislative power to manipulate and warp the reality of trans kids until it fits the reality they think is valid. And they don't care if their actions make trans kids psychologically damaged as the so-called physical mutilations people like Sherrell conjure up as justifications for their anti-trans legislation.

And his comment about drag queens also has an additional vileness to it. Apparently this push to make limit drag show stems from an incident last year in which a video of a child touching the costume of an actress dressed as Disney's The Little Mermaid was taken out of context. The video was passed around on Twitter with certain provocateurs falsely claiming that the actress was actually a drag queen and was encouraging the little girl to "stroke his crotch."

As you can see, even though the truth came out, lawmakers like Sherrell are still determined to manipulate the incident to hinder drag shows. And not to protect kids, but because drag performers make Sherrell "sick to his stomach." 

This is not about protecting kids or the community. This is about Sherrell and people like him  exploiting  legislative power to validate their personal prejudices at the cost of people's rights and health.

'State and local LGBTQ elected officials detail how they battle hate' & other Tue midday news briefs

State and local LGBTQ elected officials detail how they battle hate - I'm all ears. 

Democrat files bill to ban church youth camps as hotbeds of child abuse & “religious indoctrination”​ - "She proposed the amendment to make a point. The penalties and language echo a Republican bill to ban drag shows for anyone under 19." 

Cheyenne Jackson’s 6-year-old twins came out to him and it was adorable - READ the article. It is so cute. 

Minnesota's LGBTQ lawmakers form Queer Caucus in show of growing political power - I'm all for it. More of this, please. 

FDA proposes easing blood donation rules for gay and bisexual men - Good for them.

Newest anti-LGBTQ religious 'martyr' is a sad joke

Former Georgia police officer Jacob Kersey

Here we go again - far-right Christian learns that comments have consequences and then tries to make himself a martyr by using his religion to shield his bigotry. In this case, add sheer stupidity to bigotry.

I'm not a fan of using Fox News as a source, but in this case I will make an exception:

A former Georgia police officer who was investigated for a religious social media post that claimed "there's no such thing" as gay marriage said he felt pressured to resign after he was told he could be fired for sharing his beliefs. Jacob Kersey, 19, who quit the Port Wentworth Police Department earlier this month, told Fox News Digital that he was placed on paid administrative leave Jan. 4 after he refused to remove the Facebook post he made regarding his Christian belief about marriage. "God designed marriage," 

Kersey wrote in the post that was flagged by his superiors following "an anonymous complaint," according to a Jan. 13 letter of notification first reported by the Daily Signal and provided to Fox News Digital. "Marriage refers to Christ and the church. That's why there's no such thing as homosexual marriage." 

Now here is the comical part here.  You're going to love this:

Kersey wasn't fired after the investigation, but he said he decided to quit because he was told he could face termination for future social media posts that others find offensive. He said he has spoken with a law firm about possible legal action. 

 In his letter to Kersey, Maj. Bradwick Sherrod explained that while the department's investigation into his social media posts "did not find sufficient evidence to establish a violation of any policies," his posts regarding "protected classes" such as the LGBTQ community "could raise reasonable concerns regarding your objectivity and the performance of your job duties when a member or suspected member of the LGBTQ+ community is involved."

 "As we have discussed previously, please be reminded that if any post on any of your social media platforms, or any other statement or action, renders you unable to perform, and to be seen as able to perform, your job in a fair and equitable manner, you could be terminated," the letter reads. 

Kersey did not get into trouble for the post but was told to be careful about future posts or any actions which could put his credibility to be objective in the performance of his duties as a police officer in doubt. But apparently Kersey doesn't think that he should have been investigated at all and should also have the freedom to figuratively show his ass in future posts. So sensing that he wouldn't be getting his way, he quit..

That doesn't make Kersey a martyr or a victim. It makes him an entitled fool. And one not to bright. No one made him resign. He decided to because he felt that his personal beliefs were more important than keeping the trust of folks he swore to protect and serve. Like it or not, those folks include married gay couples. 

This isn't a free speech issue. Public servants such as police officers have a duty to maintain trust with the public and Kersey's social media comments hindered creating that trust. And based upon the image of police in general. particularly in light of the awful death of Tyre Nichols, the last thing we all need is a police officer too bull-headed to show some discretion and so egotistical that he plays the "religious persecution" card instead of simply toning it down.

Good riddance to bad rubbish.

'A wave of anti-LGBTQ laws for schools in red states has Biden administration weighing a response' & other Mon midday news briefs

A wave of anti-LGBTQ laws for schools in red states has Biden administration weighing a response - And it needs to be a good response. 

'It's all a fabrication': Florida teacher blows the lid off Ron DeSantis' agenda​ - Pretty much. And it will backfire. 

Utah becomes first state in 2023 to ban gender-affirming care for transgender minors - Under the guise of "preventing surgeries for trans kids," the state has outlawed all gender affirming health care for trans kids. And the surgery narrative is a dodge. It is VERY rare that trans kids have any type of "surgery." But the law blocks them from the care they need, including hormone therapy which is safe. Lawsuit time. 

Hormone therapy improves mental health for trans youth - And of course those "we need to protect the kids" liars ignore stuff like this when they push for the above laws. 

Pro-hockey player fired after slew of anti-LGBTQ+ tweets - One less fool to think about.

Florida church demands that members sign a statement against LGBTQ rights and freedoms or leave the congregation

For those wondering why so many people are abandoning churches, look nor further:

Calling the "sexual revolution" a "threat to our church," First Baptist Church in Jacksonville will now require congregants to sign a statement affirming their opposition to LGBTQ+ freedoms if they want to remain members. 

In a video message posted on the church website, Senior Pastor Heath Lambert said members will be required to sign a document affirming that people are "either male or female and that this creation is a fixed matter of human biology, not individual choice." They must also affirm that "marriage...is between one man and one woman, and is the only context for sexual desire and expression."

 . . . “It means to rule out all sorts of sexual sins," Lambert said. "It means to rule out pornography and polygamy and fornication and adultery and homosexuality.” He said this is not controversial to Christians.

 “Everybody in our culture is fighting about sex," Lambert said, "and we want our congregation to be happy and kind, and so we don’t want to fight about it, and so it’s just very helpful to say, ‘Here’s what we think about it, and if you want to be a part of our congregation. If you don’t, that’s fine too.’”

The issue isn't even solely about bigotry against the LGBTQ community. A church has no right to psychologically corral a member's journey of faith or relationship with God by demanding that they "sign" statements having to do with personal beliefs.  What's next? Demanding that members sign a statement supporting a political candidate? Or are we already past that point? 

A church should never resemble a fascistic country but unfortunately this is the path many of them are choosing.  

Certainly, those congregants who don't agree can  leave. But it's not as simple as you would think, especially into account the friendships and  personal relationships which would be lost and the possible shunning taking place which has the potential to wreck families.  Worse than it, it sends an ugly impression of the church in general - self righteous, bitter, strident, unyielding, no sense of humility and downright hateful. Aren't these characteristics supposed to be antithetical to Jesus who the church claims to follow?

When they supported Donald Trump, some churches revealed just how little in regard they hold their own faith compared to how much they desired power. Now they are revealing just how much they are willing to weaponize their faith in order to demand control over their members' minds and personal lives.