Thursday, February 09, 2017

'Trump caught between religious right, lgbt communities' & other Thur. midday news briefs



Conservative Christian organizations are getting impatient with Trump - Hardly noticed by the media is the conundrum facing Donald Trump when it comes to the religious right and the lgbt community. Allow me to break it down in my inimitable style. It's all figurative but I think you will get the point: Behind Donald Trump is the religious right roughly shoving him forward saying "we got you the White House so now you need to do what we demand. Sign that executive order and push hard for other things which would make discrimination against 'homosexuals' legal on a religious basis. OR ELSE!" In front of Trump stands the lgbt community wearing bathrobes and curlers, one hand on hip and the other hand holding either thick rolling pins or pots of boiling hot grits. And they are saying "yeah Donald, you go ahead and do that."
 
Texas lawmaker mocks ‘dudes in dresses getting beat up’ - Dear Texas lawmaker, making fun of the transgender community does NOTHING to quell rumors that you yourself are gay. So perhaps you stop doing it.

Incredible 50-Part Docuseries Explores The Lives Of Queer Men Of Color In NYC - I love it! BUT if I can be just a tad picky, let's not focus too much on just on NYC. People tend to forget the culture of gay men of color down South.

This Man Wants Gay Sikhs To Know It’s OK To Come Out - This is wonderful!

Democrats propose new bills to repeal HB2, extend LGBT protections - Keep your fingers crossed.

Wednesday, February 08, 2017

Family Research Council forsakes the Bible, embraces misdirection to support Trump's refugee ban

The Family Research Council abandons 'The Good Samaritan' parable in defense of Trump.

Eager to not lose it's "golden goose in the White House,"   the Family Research Council has forsaken any notions of religious propriety by not even attempting to act as Trump's conscience when he pushes for outlandish things such as his recent refugee ban

Instead, the organization is acting as cheerleader for Trump, even sidestepping the Bible it supposedly holds as a standard.

FRC president Tony Perkins had this to say in a recent Washington Update:

While Obama may have capped certain refugees, he showed unusual hospitality to populations who pose the greatest threats to the U.S. President Trump is determined to change that, putting the brakes on the immigration process until a better, safer vetting protocol is in place. But since Trump issued the order in late January, liberals have been in hyper-drive trying to discredit the idea, which -- ironically -- was based on security reviews conducted by President Obama's own team. Unfortunately, the Left just can't seem to wrap its mind around Trump's protective measures when their only national security doctrine seems to be "inclusivity" and "sensitivity."

That's also the cry of the religious Left. Since Syrian refugees started streaming into America, some liberals tried to use Scripture to suggest we should let anyone and everyone into the country. Of course, these are the same people who claim we're trying to impose a theocracy when we advocate for laws that uphold basic and historical standards of morality. Still, there seems to be a growing chorus of believers who justify these open-door policies on immigration with the Bible's command to "love the stranger."

I agree -- we should love the stranger, but there's no suggestion in the Bible that we should jeopardize our own security and well-being to do so. There are plenty of charitable solutions for refugees that don't involve bringing them to America and letting them abuse our hospitality for ill-intent. Our nation can be caring and benevolent without unnecessarily endangering our own people. What many forget is that loving the stranger is just one component of Scripture's teaching. God also commands foreigners to assimilate and keep the laws of the land. As Exodus 12:49 makes clear: "There shall be one law for the native and for the stranger who sojourns among you." The United States' goal should be a safe haven for everyone. And that means protecting the America's welcoming reputation without sacrificing our systems and safety.

That sounds reasonable, until one realizes that Perkins is spinning a huge distortion.

'Poll: anti-lgbt 'religious liberty' laws are NOT popular with most Americans' & other Wed midday news briefs

According to one poll, anti-lgbt 'religious liberty' laws are not popular.

Most Americans don’t want “religious freedom” laws that allow anti-LGBT discrimination - This is HUGE and needs to be repeated. According to a  Public Religion Research Institute poll, 61 percent of respondents, do not, repeat, DO NOT want religious liberty laws. This doesn't mean that the fight over these abominations of laws is over, but it DOES mean we hold the good cards. 

Taxpaying lgbts shouldn't sacrifice rights to 'religious liberty' propaganda - And I REALLY want to emphasize the piece I posted last night. The lgbt community needs to hold firm on this fact. We pay taxes and our money shouldn't be given to entities who will have a free pass to discriminate against us. In addition, federal employees are also paid by our tax dollars, so if they won't serve us like they do other Americans, they need to be let go. No apologies. No deviation from that line. It's our money, dammit and there isn't a thing wrong with demanding that if we pay taxes, we should be treated like other taxpaying Americans.  

DeVos confirmed despite concerns over anti-LGBT donations - And the fact that when it becomes to education, she doesn't know her knee from her elbow. We will be watching her.  

Why Obamacare repeal would be devastating to people with HIV - Meanwhile, let's also put attention on stopping any attempts to repeal Obamacare/ACA. It would hurt a lot of people, including our community.  

Dave Daubenmire: Illuminati Tricked Americans Into Watching Lady Gaga’s ‘Celebration Of Satan’ At The Super Bowl - Okay, who talked? Geez, gay men cannot keep a secret!

Tuesday, February 07, 2017

Taxpaying lgbts shouldn't sacrifice rights to 'religious liberty' propaganda

Religious liberty argument shouldn't override the fact that lgbts also pay taxes.

The homophobic hate group American Family Association is alarmed that Trump has yet to sign an anti-lgbt "religious liberty" executive order. The organization, via email, is asking its supporters to sign a petition asking Trump to do so.

It is partly as follows:

Liberals and homosexual activists are advancing their radical agenda by attempting to torpedo President Donald Trump's executive order on religious liberty that was recently leaked to the media. This is an excellent executive order that will protect your First Amendment rights.

I urge you to sign the AFA petition NOW asking President Trump to protect religious freedom for all Americans. I plan to personally deliver this petition with signatures during a meeting with the Trump Administration. Help me take your voice to the White House!

This is urgent! After the executive order was leaked, radical activists demanded that the White House keep in place the policy implemented by President Obama’s executive order. The Obama policy bans federal contractors from funding if they refuse to change their non-discrimination policies to include homosexuals and “transgender” persons.

If Christians remain silent and do not let President Trump know they stand with him on religious liberty, then the only voices he will hear are those of radical homosexual activists.

  . . .  The religious freedom executive order under consideration by the Trump Administration:
  • Protects Christian colleges and universities, which maintain biblical views on sexuality, marriage, and gender, from losing federal funds.
  • Follows the long standing Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) that states religious exercise "includes all aspects of religious observance and practice."
  • Instructs all federal agencies, "to the greatest extent practicable and permitted by law," to reasonably accommodate the religion of federal employees, as required by Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Religious Freedom Restoration Act.
  • Instructs the Departments of Health and Human Services, Labor, and the Treasury to grant relief to the Little Sisters of the Poor and others that are not exempt from the Obamacare contraception mandate.
  • Instructs the Department of Health and Human Services to ensure the federal government does not discriminate against the religious beliefs of child-welfare providers such as foster care and adoption services.
  • Instructs all federal agencies to provide protections and exemptions consistent with the Civil Rights Act and Americans with Disabilities Act to religious organizations that either contract with or receive grants from the federal government.
  • Instructs the U.S. Treasury not to revoke the non-profit tax status because a religious organization's ordinary religious speech deals with politics, or because they speak or act on the belief that marriage is the union of husband and wife, that sex is based on immutable biology, or that life begins at conception.

I'm not even going to refute these bullets one at a time because they can all be handled with a question, which unfortunately, has not been asked enough.

'Mike Huckabee under fire for transphobic joke about refugees' & other Mon. midday news briefs

Mike Huckabee shows his true and ugly face with a recent bad joke.

Mike Huckabee’s Transphobic ‘Joke’ Slammed By Stars, Allies - A vile positive to the election of Trump is how certain members of the religious right are discarding their masks of piety and showing their true bigoted faces. Because mocking someone for crying about the Holocaust AND making fun of a transgender murder victim at the same time takes a special kind of nasty hate.

Editor's note - And this isn't Huckabee's first time at the "rodeo of homophobia." The article above isn't just about a simple joke. Mike Huckabee has a long history of attacking lgbts and reducing our lives to punchlines and illusions about sex all in the name of "his faith." He simply does not like lgbts, period:  

Huckabee continues to hide his homophobia behind religion  

Mike Huckabee is either a clueless fool or a brazen liar 

Mike Huckabee's 'moral values' include lies about gay community 

 In other news:

 New Katie Couric documentary explains transgender identities in compelling detail - We need more television specials like this. I get so tired of people attacking the transgender community without even knowing anything about them.

 People Have A Lot Of Feelings About This Mother Rejecting Her Gay Son On National TV - Oh no she didn't! DRAG. HER. BEHIND!

 LGBT Equality Caucus doubles its membership - "We'uns done woke up." 

 Bryan Fischer: ‘Would Jesus Be In Favor Of Restricting Immigration? Absolutely - Based upon some of the other stuff Fischer has said, I cringe to think what else he claims that Jesus supports.

Family Research Council wants Trump to give churches unfettered political power

FRC's Tony Perkins
According to the anti-lgbt hate group the Family Research Council, the two and half weeks with Trump in power have been wonderful. And it would be even more wonderful if he would repeal The Johnson Amendment, thereby allowing churches to publicly endorse or oppose political candidates without losing tax exempt status. The following is from FRC president Tony Perkins:

President Trump didn't waste any time proving his critics wrong. People who doubted whether the Republican would make good on his promises learned pretty quickly that there's nothing empty about this president's word. From the unborn to immigration, the new White House has been working its way through a long list of priorities -- which, we know from last week's National Prayer Breakfast, includes the Johnson Amendment. From almost the beginning of his candidacy, Trump has highlighted this 1954 law as one of the worst abusers of free speech in America.

And plenty of conservatives agree. After eight years of the Obama IRS breathing down the necks of nonprofits and churches, threatening to take away their tax exempt status, the Johnson Amendment has become just another way for liberals to crackdown on pastors' ability to speak openly about political issues and candidates. That changes now, say conservatives like Senator James Lankford (R-Okla.), House Majority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.), and Rep. Jody Hice (R-Ga.), who together introduced the Free Speech Fairness Act to stop the government from muting pastors who apply God's laws to today's debates. They, like President Trump, think it's time to put an end to this culture of intimidation -- especially since that wasn't the purpose of the measure to begin with! In a joint op-ed for the Washington Post, the trio talks about their new bill and what it would mean for the pulpits of America.
"Specifically, our legislation would ensure that all 501(c)(3) organizations, including nonprofits, charities, and houses of worship are legally able to make comments about a political issue within the scope of their normal activities. An environmental nonprofit that sends out an e-newsletter educating its readers about the climate positions of candidates wouldn't have to fear an audit. A church employee who distributes election voter guides (for which her church did not incur any cost for distribution) could not be punished by the IRS."
As I said on CNN over the weekend, this has nothing to do with money being expended on political campaigns. And it certainly doesn't mean that churches will become the new arm of the Republican Party -- or either party. As Lankford, Scalise, and Hice pointed out, "Every American should be able to speak freely about their conscience and convictions -- no matter what their job is."

The truth of the matter is Americans are able to speak freely about their conscience and convictions. That is not the point. The point is should certain organizations be allowed to endorse or oppose political candidates without losing their nonprofit status? And let's not play games here. The organizations in question are in fact churches. Perkins can dodge all he likes, but we are in fact talking about churches, which is a main source of a lot of FRC's power and influence.  Perkins seeks to distract people with jingoistic or religious words like "freedom," "conscience," and "convictions" because he has yet to make a concise defense on why should churches meddle deep into politics without losing their tax-exempt status.

And my guess is that Perkins doesn't have one. Giving churches unfettered access to political power is a dangerous game to play, but it only underscores what I have said about the religious right's relationship with Trump. They don't care to act as his moral conscience. They are only acting as his alibi so that he gives them what they want.

Monday, February 06, 2017

'Lady Gaga delivers subversive message to lgbts during SuperBowl performance' & other Mon. midday news briefs




Lady Gaga Gave A Subtle Nod To The LGBTQ Community During Her Super Bowl Performance - I did not watch last night's Superbowl but I did see Lady Gaga's halftime performance and noticed her shout out to us. I don't see it as getting bread crumbs. I see it as appropriate, however subtle or subversive some may term it. She was telling plain truth.  

Claims of ‘Homosexual Agenda’ Help Kill Hate Crimes Laws in 5 States - Even in South Carolina. They have no problem protecting race and religion under hate crimes legislation, but God forbid lgbts are included.

 Pence dodges on anti-LGBT ‘religious freedom’ executive order - Uh yes you had better dodge. Have Trump sign that mess and see what happens . . .  

How Doctors’ Offices—and Queer Culture—Are Failing Autistic LGBTQ People - Articles like this are very important.

Thousands attend weekend LGBT protest against Trump at Stonewall Inn



A protest Saturday at the historic Stonewall Inn in NYC sent a message to Donald Trump that not only do lgbts and our allies think that his travel ban executive order was a rotten idea, but should he attempt to push another another executive order attacking lgbt equality, all hell will break loose complete with a couple of pitchforks figuratively shoved up his tookis.

From Time magazine:

Protesters gathered at New York City's historic Stonewall Inn on Saturday to show solidarity with immigrants and refugees affected by President Donald Trump's immigration ban.A federal judge on Friday temporarily blocked Trump's executive order barring people from seven majority-Muslim countries from entering the U.S. — a decision that earned Trump's ire. People at the protest on Saturday waved rainbow flags, sang songs and held signs challenging Trump's policies.


Related postThe 15 best signs from the LGBTQ solidarity march at the Stonewall Inn

Friday, February 03, 2017

'Trump will attack lgbt equality but we won't let him win' & other Fri. midday news briefs

Don't be fooled. Trump is not an lgbt ally

Be Certain Of This: Donald Trump Will Try To Eviscerate LGBTQ Equality - It's very gratifying to see members of the lgbt community gathering in an army (albeit loose army) in readiness for Trump's attack on our equality. However, as Michelangelo Signorile points out, that's not enough. Here are four rules we must abide by to defeat Trump and company's attack on our equality, humanity, and dignity. 

Trump's Executive Orders: Divide and Conquer - Speaking of which, DO NOT allow Trump and his allies to divide us and the Muslim community.  

Religious freedom bill passes in Va. House - And we have a problem in Virginia . . .

 How anti-LGBT laws foster a culture of exclusion that harms states’ economic prosperity - And WE WILL make sure that it does. 

‘Family’ Groups Blast Boy Scouts’ Decision To Allow Trans Kids - Family group my foot! They'll have to get over their anger.

Bayard Rustin - the link between the lgbt & African-American civil rights movements



Seeing that it's Black History Month, this is a perfect time to pay tribute to my idol, activist and chief organizer of the 1963 March on Washington, Bayard Rustin. In actuality though, anytime is always a good time to pay tribute to Rustin, an unsung gay black man who should have larger status in American history.

Thursday, February 02, 2017

'Anti-lgbt 'religious freedom' EO would harm lgbt youth & same-sex families' & other Thur. midday briefs


Trump's anti-lgbt executive order would harm same-sex families physically and psychologically


One thing which sticks in my craw about that possible anti-lgbt "religious freedom" executive order is how our side isn't fully expressing how devastating it would be. It would not only codify anti-lgbt discrimination into law but it also would send an awful message to our most vulnerable - lgbt children and children who are members of same-sex families.

Much like segregation did to African-American children (and this was tested and proven), an executive order allowing people to discriminate against lgbts would send an awful message to lgbt children and children in same-sex households that they and their families are inferior and aren't deserving of rights or respect. I refuse to believe any true Christian would support this.

That's why I have one eye open on this below:


And I'm not the only one:

Why LGBTQ Advocates Are Scared, Despite What The White House Says - Cause we don't trust Trump and we shouldn't.

In other news:

 Legislation Targeting Transgender Students Pulled in South Dakota - It ain't all bad news, luckily. Good for South Dakota.  

How France’s Nationalist Party Is Winning Gay Support - How is this racist party doing it? Same way Trump and company tried to in America. Attack the Muslim community. Sigh!!!  

Trump defends professional bigot Milo Yiannopoulos after Fox News tells him to - Right wing on one side, "professional anarchists" on the other leave the students trying to peacefully protest in the middle of an ugly incident. And Milo Y. on the side counting the money like Willie Dynamite's "bottom bitch."

Wednesday, February 01, 2017

Leaked draft of anti-lgbt 'religious freedom' executive order is an explosive piece of discrimination

Anti-lgbt discrimination would not be the only thing to worry about if a draft of a Trump executive order is accurate.

Earlier this week when it was announced that Trump would be keeping Obama's executive order protecting lgbt federal workers, I noticed that there was a somewhat mute if not silent reaction from members of the religious right.

I think it's safe to assume that the following is the reason why.

Investigative journalist Sarah Posner just got her hands on a leaked draft of a "religious freedom" executive order. To put it nicely, the draft is a monstrous piece of work.

From her article in The Nation:

 A leaked copy of a draft executive order titled “Establishing a Government-Wide Initiative to Respect Religious Freedom,” obtained by The Investigative Fund and The Nation, reveals sweeping plans by the Trump administration to legalize discrimination.

The four-page draft order, a copy of which is currently circulating among federal staff and advocacy organizations, construes religious organizations so broadly that it covers “any organization, including closely held for-profit corporations,” and protects “religious freedom” in every walk of life: “when providing social services, education, or healthcare; earning a living, seeking a job, or employing others; receiving government grants or contracts; or otherwise participating in the marketplace, the public square, or interfacing with Federal, State or local governments.”

The draft order seeks to create wholesale exemptions for people and organizations who claim religious or moral objections to same-sex marriage, premarital sex, abortion, and trans identity, and it seeks to curtail women’s access to contraception and abortion through the Affordable Care Act. The White House did not respond to requests for comment, but when asked Monday about whether a religious freedom executive order was in the works, White House spokesman Sean Spicer told reporters, “I’m not getting ahead of the executive orders that we may or may not issue. There is a lot of executive orders, a lot of things that the president has talked about and will continue to fulfill, but we have nothing on that front now.”

 . . .  The breadth of the draft order, which legal experts described as “sweeping” and “staggering,” may exceed the authority of the executive branch if enacted. It also, by extending some of its protections to one particular set of religious beliefs, would risk violating the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to the Constitution. 

 Ira Lupu, a professor emeritus at the George Washington University Law School, is quoted in Posner's article. He  goes into detail as to how it may violate the Establishment Clause::

In particular, said Lupu, the draft order “privileges” a certain set of beliefs about sexual orientation and gender identity—beliefs identified most closely with conservative Catholics and evangelical Christians—over others. . . . Lupu added that the language of the draft “might invite federal employees,” for example, at the Social Security Administration or Veterans Administration, “to refuse on religious grounds to process applications or respond to questions from those whose benefits depend on same sex marriages.” If other employees do not “fill the gap,” he said, it could “lead to a situation where marriage equality was being de facto undermined by federal employees, especially in religiously conservative communities,” contrary to Supreme Court rulings.

 I haven't even talked about what it says about gays and the adopting of children. I suggest that folks read the article in its entirety.

I would also like to point out that this possible executive order  seems to be part of a larger desire of religious right and evangelical groups to take a more aggressive attempt to seize power in the political arena.

Earlier today, the Family Research Council sent out a Washington Update bragging about a press conference it held with various religious and Congressional leaders to introduce what the organization calls The Free Speech Fairness Act, H.B. 781. This act would overturn The Johnson Amendment, which forbids tax-exempt organizations (i.e churches) from openly endorsing and opposing political candidates.

According to FRC:

Pastors have for too long been intimidated into silence. As I told the press today, Dr. Martin Luther King -- the greatest "political pastor" in the nation -- spoke forcefully from the pulpit about how the issues of the day were to be driven by pastors and the people in pews. For the whole of American history, churches have been at the forefront of shaping debate and public policy. That's where they ought to stay.

So now not only is there a possibility of an executive order which could enshrine all sorts of discrimination into law, but there is also a push to allow churches to endorse or oppose political candidates without losing their tax-exempt statuses.

So one side of the spectrum with Trump in the White House is Steve Bannon and his bunch pushing xenophobic discrimination (i.e. the Muslim ban) disguised as an act protecting Americans from terrorists. And now on the other is a push to enshrine a Christian evangelical theocracy disguised as a push for liberty and free speech.

'Trump selects right-wing group's handpicked for SCOTUS' & other Wed. midday news briefs

Neil Gorsuch, the Heritage Foundation's pick.

LGBT Activist Groups Up in Arms Over Gorsuch SCOTUS Nom - One thing hardly anyone is mentioning about Trump's SCOTUS nominee is that Trump didn't necessarily pick him. He came to Trump as a pick from the right-wing, racist Voter ID law pushing, anti-lgbt Heritage Foundation. 

The Religious Right Is Thrilled About Neil Gorsuch - Naturally the religious right is extremely happy over this. While I'm still mad about how the GOP treated Obama SCOTUS pick Merrick Garland, I will console myself with the fact that should Gorsuch is appointed, his possible vote will only count as Scalia's vote. He doesn't sway the court in another direction. Now the next SCOTUS pick . . .  

Texas Mayor Jess Herbst Comes Out As Transgender - Good for you!!  

Can You Name These Lesbian Film From Just One Line? - A little levity in the midst of the storm is always a good thing.  

Britain posthumously pardons thousands of gay men in 'Turing law' - I GUESS this is a good thing but the situation should have never come to this in the beginning. So many lives needlessly destroyed.

Sen. Tammy Baldwin's sexual orientation targeted in ugly attack

Sen Tammy Baldwin

The fact that there are some folks who are attacking Wisconsin senator Tammy Baldwin for her sexual orientation (Baldwin is the first lgbt ever to be elected to the United States Senate) is abominable. The fact that that they are trying to recruit blowhard Milwaukee sheriff and Fox News jackal David Clarke to run against her (particularly when he has a bad reputation in performing his duties, i.e. four people dying in his jail including an infant) is just downright ridiculous:



The Huffington Post has the entire story.

Tuesday, January 31, 2017

'GLAAD Media Award nominees showcase the richness, diversity of our community' & other Tue. midday news briefs



GLAAD Media Award Nominees Revealed - While we are embroiled with an earth-shaking battle for equality and self-determination with the "Orange stain" in the White House, let's not forget the richness and diversity of our community. We should never stop loving ourselves and celebrating who we are. Besides, this is THIS BLOG'S THIRD NOMINATION FOR OUTSTANDING BLOG!!!!!!!!! "Booty dance! Booty dance!" I am currently looking for a copy of that red feathered outfit which the late Zsa Zsa Gabor wore when she made a cameo in "A Nightmare on Elm Street Part 3." It will look good on me as I watch the show on twitter with my fingers crossed. For more details, see GLAAD's webpage.

Boy Scouts welcome transgender boys, prompting conservatives to flee - This is just silly. Why are they scared of transgender children? Why do they get scared of transgender men and women in the first place?

Trump to preserve Obama order barring anti-LGBT discrimination - I got my arms crossed with my best "mmmm hmmm" face. And I suggest that the rest of the lgbt community should also. We have to neither like nor trust Trump. Just let him know that if he steps the wrong way . . .

Don’t Fall For Donald Trump’s Latest Ploy. He Is No LGBTQ Hero. - Like I was saying . . .

Senate Must Stand Firm Against Anti-Equality Supreme Court Candidates - And let's not forget the really HUGE fight. I'm saving my good tennis shoes for this one.

Monday, January 30, 2017

Possible anti-lgbt executive order is a nasty piece of discrimination

This will NOT be our future!

UPDATE - According to The New York Times, it looks like Trump may not be pushing an anti-lgbt executive order. In fact, he will be keeping Obama's 2014 pro-lgbt executive order:

The White House said on Monday that President Trump would leave in place a 2014 Obama administration order that created new workplace protections for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people. In a statement issued in response to growing questions about whether Mr. Trump would reverse the Obama order, the White House said the president was proud to embrace gay rights. “President Trump continues to be respectful and supportive of L.G.B.T.Q. rights, just as he was throughout the election,” the statement said. “The president is proud to have been the first ever G.O.P. nominee to mention the L.G.B.T.Q. community in his nomination acceptance speech, pledging then to protect the community from violence and oppression.”

I personally don't trust Trump. He has shown his capacity to lie at the drop of a hat. At the very least, he is still suffering from the negative publicity of his anti-Muslim immigrant executive order. At the state he is in now, getting the lgbt community all up in arms would be like all of the fires of hell collapsing on his head. DO NOT get slack and close your eyes with this administration.


We knew it was coming the night Trump won the election. And all during the day today, I've heard rumblings from various sources. Now the confirmations are slowly coming in.

There will be an anti-lgbt executive order from Trump. According to blogger Joe Jervis,  Washington Post reporter has claimed that there is a draft targeting adoption and other issues.

LGBTQ Nation adds more details:

Several sources spoke with LGBTQ Nation on the condition of anonymity who have told us that the order will allow for discrimination in a number of areas, including employment, social services, business, and adoption.

From what we’ve heard, the executive order could be far-reaching, and could include: making taxpayer funds available for discrimination against LGBTQ people in social services; allow federally funded adoption agencies to discriminate against LGBTQ parents; eliminate non-discrimination protections in order to make it possible to fire federal employers and contractors based on their sexual orientation or gender identity; and allow federal employees to refuse to serve people based on the belief that marriage should be between a man and a woman, and that gender is an immutable characteristic set at birth, which would impact a broad range of federal benefits.

The order is expected to come in the packaging of so-called “religious freedom,” which argues that someone’s religious beliefs should be enough to prevent them from having to provide goods and services to members of the LGBTQ community if doing so would conflict with said beliefs.

Should this mess come to pass, I am making a guess and a "read."

The guess is that I am seriously doubting anyone employed by the Trump Administration is crafting this junk. The grubby fingerprints of The Heritage Foundation, the Family Research Council, or other anti-lgbt organizations and hate groups will be all over this mess.

Now the read, or for the sake of those who aren't familiar with that gay term, "the throwing of shade:"

The situation  that our opposition call "religious liberty" was never about bakers or florist supposedly forced to participate in same-sex weddings. That was a smokescreen. This is the same anti-lgbt mess from the same crowd of self-righteous, lying fake-ass "Christian" morality groups who've made it their life's work to stamp out lgbt equality.  It has nothing to do with protection. It's exploiting spite, i.e. the spite of individuals who don't want to admit that horror stories and fear tactics they used to scare people about lgbts failed them time and time again in the courts of America. They seem to think that special rules apply to them; that they can spin all sorts of lies about lgbts (such we are a health hazard  or we "recruit" children) without any reprisal  When the reprisal does come, be it their lies being exposed or them losing hard in the courts, they blame the so-called "forces of darkness" rather than the schadenfreude of their lies biting them in the ass. In the cases of adoption rights, private sexual behavior, and marriage, we've beaten them down. And with each loss, they deceive themselves into thinking that God is telling them to "try harder" the next time. I think He is telling them something, but they are too full of their own egos to get the correct message.

So now they come with this executive order junk, which sends so many ugly messages. Not only does it give homophobes the right to take lgbt tax dollars while discriminating against us, it also tells lgbts "You are inferior. Yes, we have a right to your money and don't have to respect you as taxpaying Americans And we don't have to respect your family, either. Why? Because of Jesus." 

No matter the excuse, discrimination is discrimination. No matter what happens, we are in this for the long haul. We are lgbts. We are American citizens, families, mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, grandparents, taxpayers, job creators, etc.

We will not stand for being disrespected and treated like second class citizens. Trump can sign whatever he wants and he can attempt to hold to it for how long he wants. But it will not stand. It will crumble. And then we will stampede all over it, just like we have done to everything else used to hold us down.

Come for us.


'Lgbt-affirming pastor calls out Franklin Graham for supporting Trump's immigration ban' & other Mon. midday news briefs

Mark Wingfield
Here’s How Franklin Graham Justifies Trump’s Expected Refugee Ban - Before Trump pushed that awful immigrant ban, Franklin Graham that the issue isn't "biblical." 

On immigration, Franklin Graham is dead wrong - But Pastor Mark Wingfield would like a word with Graham.  I should point out that Wingfield is an affirming associate pastor whose church, Wilshire Baptist Church (Dallas, TX), has gotten into trouble for performing same-sex marriages. 

 LGBT Refugees’ Lives Depend on the U.S. Resettlement Program - Let me again remind folks that we are involved in this issue. DEEP.

 All Democratic senators will oppose DeVos as education secretary - We are NOT buying the trash that DeVos is a friend to the lgbt community

 Due to “Administration-Related Changes,” the EEOC May Withdraw From a Trans Rights Case - This AIN'T good, folks.

Lgbt community registers fierce opposition to Trump's immigration ban


You have to be living under a rock to not have heard about Donald Trump's awful ban on immigrants from Muslim majority Middle Eastern countries and the rage and protests it has caused in so many circles.

Just in case you are wondering, one of the those circles is the lgbt community. The ban affects our community and we will not be quiet.

Shadi Ismail, a gay man from Syria, came to the U.S. in 2012. Since then, he’s resettled in Boise, and even found love with boyfriend Ian Guthrie
.
In all, 11,469 Syrian refugees were admitted into the U.S. between October 2015 and September 9, 2016. of them, 118 have relocated to Idaho. (The number in Boise is twice that of New York City.)

Back in September, Ismael told McClatchy, “it’s good, very good news—people coming in, being safe now. They will have a life.” But just four months later, his mood has changed drastically. He worries for his countrymen, and fears Trump’s policies are “signing them to die.”

LGBT organizations such as the Human Rights Campaign, Lambda Legal, and GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders have gone on record condemning the ban. Meanwhile, members of the lgbt community are also joining protests.

According to The Washington Blade:

Kent Fogg, a gay 31-year-old D.C. resident, said he came to protest the executive order because he opposed it based on his experience working for human rights overseas in Kosovo, a Muslim-majority country.

“I just spent the last two years living as a guest in a majority Muslim country in Kosovo,” Fogg said. “Everyone was not only incredibly open and welcoming to me, but they look to America as a model of a place that’s welcoming. And as a country in the Balkans that recently had its own refugee crisis, you heard the personal stories of what people went through, why people become refugees, and it’s just inhumane and against everything we stand for for us not to have the compassion that’s required to respond to the situations that are going on, and to let people in regardless of their religious or ethnic backgrounds.”

 . . .  Joe Sudbay, a gay D.C.-based progressive activist and blogger, was among those at the demonstration and said it was important to “make your voice heard in front of the White House” against Trump. “Donald Trump needs to know, the American people, the people of D.C., do not stand for hate, do not stand for the Muslim ban, do not stand for his wall,” Sudbay said. “We’re vehemently opposed to his policies. He’s out of touch, and we need to tell him, and we need to tell him all the time.”

Friday, January 27, 2017

'Gay State Dept. employee resigns rather than work in Trump Administration' & other Fri. midday news briefs

Trump proves that the religious right is a 'religious fraud' - And speaking of our Orange Encrusted Overlord and the religious right, a repeat of this morning's post.

 Citing HB2, national group pulls out of meeting planned at Rowan-Salisbury Schools - Just a reminder that the boycott of North Carolina because of HB2 is still on.  

Browns’ Joe Thomas: Every NFL locker room would welcome gay teammate with open arms - I don't know . . .  

While Trump Grabs Headlines, Texas Republicans Launch New Wave of Assaults on LGBT Rights - We are paying attention.

Trump proves that the religious right is a 'religious fraud'

The religious right have their 'Jesus.'
In a short but sweet post, Mother Jones blogger Kevin Drum  nails something I've mentioned on this blog and what we all need to be pointing out every chance we get.

Trump's election and the silence of religious right organizations with regards to his behavior since then only proves that their entire routine about upholding morality and Christian values is just talk.

Groups like the American Family Association and the Family Research Council cheerlead the possible elimination of Obamacare (even though it will leave millions of Americans without health care) or urge Trump to push against a law which restricts pastors and churches from endorsing political candidates. Meanwhile so-called religious leaders like Franklin Graham and the Catholic Church are silent when Trump threatens to sign executive orders against immigrants, which doesn't exactly hold up to the tenet Jesus spoke about when he told the parable of  The Good Samaritan.

In the case of Graham, the silence is truly sad, seeing that he doesn't ever seem to be at a loss for words when it comes to denigrating lgbts and especially smearing the transgender community.

As Drum points out, religious right groups and leaders aren't interested in acting as Trump's moral conscience. They are too busy providing him with an alibi.

The entire piece is wonderful reading. But I especially loved this part:

The Christian right has never been about actual faith. Like any other interest group, they just want what they want: abortion restrictions, money for private schools, opposition to gays, and so forth. As long as you're on board, they don't care what's in your heart. They never have, and that's why the suggestion that Democrats need to be more publicly devout has always been so misguided. Faith doesn't matter. Empathy for people of faith doesn't matter. The only thing that matters is supporting the Christian right's retrograde social views, and Democrats were never going to do that.