There is concern among our pro-family allies around the world that Ambassador Grenell will engage in LGBT activism as Acting Director of National Intelligence, a cabinet-level position. An effort to impose the same redefinition of marriage upon other nations that was imposed upon Americans by an activist Supreme Court would be reminiscent of the cultural imperialism of the Obama administration.
Eight countries permit the death penalty for homosexuality — most of them also known as abusers of religious freedom and other rights, and supporters of terrorism. An end to those laws, and other physical punishments such as flogging, is a legitimate goal.
But that does not mean we should engage in ‘cultural imperialism’ by imposing policies that were imposed upon us by our own Supreme Court on other countries with different cultures, traditions, and values. Let’s find common ground in calling for an end to all forms of physical violence against homosexuals — but let’s refrain from imposing the values of the sexual revolution on the rest of the world.
“We need better, we deserve better,” Adiel Pollydore, a 26-year-old program director with Student Action who is black and queer. “The people who disrupted that fundraiser were all queer people of color,” Pollydore said. “We’re allowed to want the gay candidate who is running to do better and be better for queer communities of color. There’s nothing homophobic about that.
“Pete Buttigieg represents a very small percentage of the experiences of queer and trans people in this country, being white and being cisgender and being a man, being someone who is highly educated,” Pollydore said. “We know queer and trans folks of color, especially black queer and trans folks, live at the intersection of so many systems of oppression in this country. This run for president could have been a really unique opportunity to lift up those experiences and talk about all the different ways we are criminalized and our safety is constantly threatened and we are shut out of institutions on the regular. But this campaign has not been about that ”
The group has no plans to protest any of the other candidates who do not agree with their tenants.
During a fundraiser of more than 300 people at the Standard Club in Chicago on Saturday, Pete Buttigieg, the first openly gay man running for the Democratic nomination for President of the United States, was interrupted by two self described non-binary “Queers Against Pete” demonstrators.
One of protesters asked Buttigieg, how a “transgender, queer, or nonbinary teen who is disowned by their wealthy, homophobic parents and therefore cannot afford college” can further their education “because you oppose universal free public education and the majority of voters do?”
“I have great news for you: That person will get free college under my plan because what we are doing is basing it on somebody’s ability to pay. Now, if you are in the top 10% by income, I am going to have to ask you to pay your own tuition,” Buttigieg replied to the protestor who ignored the answer.
A second demonstrator then jumped in confronting the mayor and rambling on for about three minutes on his record with the black community and criminal justice issues.
“I need you to respect me, and respect my question, and respect the people of South Bend! You’re saying solidarity, you’re saying rules of the road, and you’re not following them yourself. You don’t love me; you won’t let me ask my question,” shouted the protester, who also identified as “queer and nonbinary.”
Buttigieg replied: “I respect your activism, but sometimes love is not expressed by interruption. Sometimes love is expressed in a different way.”
The protester remained shouting which prompted a campaign donor to yell, “You’re not the only one in the room!” After the disruption continued Buttigieg finally relented, “You know what? Just go ahead. Let’s do this.”
The protester, who identified as queer and nonbinary but did not give a name, brought up the South Bend police shooting death last summer of a black robbery suspect, Eric Logan.
“Mayor Pete, as somebody who says you want to unify communities, as someone who says they want to follow the rules of the road, there are police officers in South Bend who kill people. What’s his name Logan …” the protester said.
“Not what’s his name.” Buttigieg said. “His name is Eric Logan.”
“How can we trust you will show up for queer and trans people and people of color when there were eight community meetings in South Bend about a police officer who killed someone in your community and you did not go to them?”
Buttigieg replied by noting he set up the series of community meetings with “rank-and-file officers to elected leaders to some of my harshest critics, and people who have been in my administration all along” to “empower the community” to help come up with solutions for better policing in South Bend.
“We wanted the conversations to be real. We wanted them to lead to actual change that could be implemented,” Buttigieg said. “In order for that to happen, we had to have conversations that got out of the circus and into the heart. And so those conversations, I knew, would be at their best when they were as far away as possible from presidential politics.”
“I’m not standing up here, as I hope to earn your vote, saying that I have earned it by getting everything perfect, that racism, poverty, homelessness and exclusion have come to an end in my city during my time as mayor any more than they’ve come to an end anywhere,” Buttigieg told the protester. “But we have made so much progress.”
The two protestors not caring what Buttigieg answered kept chanting and screaming “Queers Against Pete” over and over as the event ended.
Last night Saturday Night Live, in a cold opening that took aim at the Democratic presidential contenders who appeared at this week’s CNN LGBT Town Hall.
The skit featured a number of cameos from stars: Woody Harrelson (as Joe Biden), Lin-Manuel Miranda (as Julian Castro) and “Pose” star Billy Porter to the stage to serve as MC.
Donald Trump is set to give the keynote address at extreme right-wing anti-LGBT Family Research Council’s Values Voter Summit at the Omni Shoreham Hotel tonight in Washington, D.C. It will mark the fourth time Trump has addressed the group.
Since its inception, the Summit’s primary sponsor has been FRC Action, the legislative affiliate arm of Family Research Council. Through the years, FRC Action has had the privilege of partnering with other like-minded sponsors including American Family Association Action, Alliance Defending Freedom, Association of Mature American Citizens (AMAC), American Values, Christian Healthcare Ministries, First Liberty Institute, Inspire Investing, Liberty Counsel, Liberty Counsel Action, Liberty University, Ohio Christian University, Oklahoma Wesleyan University, and The Heritage Foundation,
This year’s “political” seminars include: Religious Freedom Successes under the Trump Administration, Advancing Religious Liberty in a LGBT World, Transgender Movement: Separating Facts from Fiction, and The Progressive Assault on (Christian) Freedom of Conscience.
Besides very stable genius Donald Trump. Other speakers this year include: Batshit crazy Rep. Louie Gohmert, anti-semite radio host Dennis Prager, former NRA spokes-bitch Dana Loesch, and recently fired FOX personality Todd Stames.
If you can stomach the vile, hate spewed propaganda of the VVS 13 Haterpalooza you can watch the live stream embedded below.
Democratic presidential candidates Sen. Kamala Harris, Sen. Cory Booker, and Bernie Sanders attended services and campaigned at an anti-LGBT Las Vegas Baptist church led by a pastor preaches “homosexuality is a sin and is “enough to send you to hell.”
Harris spoke at Las Vegas’ Victory Missionary Baptist Church on Sunday morning while Booker spoke on Saturday night while Sen. Bernie Sanders held a town hall at the church last month.
The Mercury News reported that Rev. Robert E. Fowler Sr.’s and the church’s stand on homosexuality is well known and easily searchable. The Las Vegas Review-Journal covered the provocative pastor in 2017 and Fowler himself spoke publicly about the subject long before that.
In a 2013 interview Fowler stated: [W]hether you commit adultery, whether you commit fornication, whether you’re a child molester, you gossip, you lie, you cheat on your taxes, you don’t pay your tithes, things of that nature — all of that is wrapped together as sin, along with homosexuality.”
So far only Harris’ campaign has released a statement saying that the California lawmaker’s “support and advocacy for LGBTQ equality has been unwavering throughout her career. She will continue to visit houses of worship across the country to address congregants about the pressing issues we face as a nation.”
Two weeks ago we reported to you about the Zero for Zeros campaign which is exposing and taking on the hypocrisy of businesses who say they are pro-LGBT but who donate money to anti-gay Republican lawmakers .
Microsoft, one of the business’ which was named by the group for donating money to Republican Ted Cruz among others have no announced that they will stop all political donations while they reorganize and align their Political Action Committees:
We have heard from many employees that greater transparency is needed when it comes to MSPAC policies, giving criteria, and how decisions are made in terms of the candidates we support. Our operations are realigning to reflect that feedback.
First, we are creating new advisory councils based on Employee Resource Groups and geographies to increase dialogue and transparency. These groups will play a role similar to the PAC’s Advisory Council, which provides feedback to the Operating Committee on their approach to contributions. We will announce the formation of the groups later this summer.
Second, while we take some time to align operations, I’ve implemented a brief hiatus for political contributions that began July 1 and will be in effect until the fall. Employees should anticipate one additional disclosure that will show the following contributions through the end of June. This giving reflects contributions to a bipartisan group of lawmakers on their work with us on a range of company priorities, including immigration and equality [!!], and policies to promote privacy, climate [!], trade and the Cloud.
Third, moving forward, you can look forward to more communication from CELA, and from me personally, abnout the MSPAC’s political giving. As a reminder, employees can engage on Yammer and advertised in-person meetings around campus to learn more about the MSPAC. Additionally, the MSPAC website provides regular updates on events and related activities.
Zero for Zeros campaign manager Blaine Hudson said in a statement to Washington Blade of Microsoft’s decision. “We discussed their concerns, they heard ours and their employees weighed in,” he said. “We are thrilled that they have responded to our campaign.”
Hudson added, “Their plan looks strong and may ultimately be a model for how other companies can ensure that politicians that undermine the values of a company and its employees do not receive the support of their corporate PACs.”
On Thursday, the eyes of the nation will be on Cincinnati when President Donald Trump takes the stage at U.S. Bank Arena for his seventh visit to the region since announcing his presidential candidacy in 2015. Pundits will be watching and waiting for chants of “send them/her back” or some other trope that can be deemed offensive to prove a point and paint our city, state and the Midwest in a negative light.
Don’t take the bait. We’re asking you, Mr. President, your supporters and your detractors to set a new example for presidential visits. Setting an example not only includes people at the rally or protesting it, but those commenting about it on social media. Let’s do our part to dignify the debate about how best to improve our nation and the lives of all Americans. Perhaps if we can show the way, the rest of the country might follow suit.
The Cincinnati Enquirer is a morning daily newspaper published by Gannett Company
While I rarely post anything re;lating to HRC, Last night gay Presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg spoke at the Human Rights Campaign annual gay-la in Las Vegas, warning Democrats and special social interest groups to stay away from “identity politics” in the 2020 election.
Buttigieg said that the country is “being buffeted by tectonic change” and said the focus needs to be on “winning an era… we are preparing our country for a better life.”
Buttigieg talked about “identity politics,” saying that it was used “usually to wave away our attention from some of the things that make our lived experiences different, and the political implications of those differences.” Adding that the Trump administration has “mastered the practice of the most divisive form of such politics, peak White identity politics, designed to drive apart people with common interests.”
Said Buttigieg:
I may be part of the LGBTQ community. But being a gay man doesn’t even tell me what it’s like to be a trans woman of color in that same community, let alone an undocumented mother of four or a disabled veteran or a displaced autoworker. But being gay just like every other fact about me means that I have a story and if I look to that story I can find the building blocks not only for empathy but for the impetus to action. Because the more you know about exclusion, the more you know about belonging, and we have a crisis of belonging in this country.
The wall I worry about most isn’t the president’s fantasy wall on the Mexican border that’s never gonna built anyway. What I worry about are the very real walls being put up between us as we get divided and carved up. … And what every gay person has in common with every excluded person of any kind is knowing what it’s like to see a wall between you and the rest of the world and wonder what it’s like on the other side. … Yes, I am gay. And I am the son of an immigrant and an Army brat. And I am a husband. And I am a musician. And I am an Episcopalian, and I am a Democrat.”
Kirsten Gillibrand’s presidential campaign hasn’t been going exactly as she expected much of which has to do with her #MeToo crucifixion to get him out of the way politically.
“Senator Franken was entitled to whatever type of review or process he wanted,” Gillibrand said. “He could’ve stuck it out, stayed in the Senate, gone through [the] Ethics Committee’s investigation. Those were his choices, but I had to make my choice.”
Some major Democratic donors, including Susie Tompkins Buell, have expressed frustration about Gillibrand’s decision to call for Franken’s resignation. But Gillibrand said that “if there are a few powerful Democratic donors who are angry,” then “that’s on them.
It’s funny she says: “Senator Franken was entitled to whatever type of review or process he wanted,” Gillibrand said. “He could’ve stuck it out, stayed in the Senate, gone through [the] Ethics Committee’s investigation…”
Perhaps if Gillibrand had called for an investigation – which she didn’t instead of insisting for his resignation without due process. He would have.
