Tag Archives: Tennesee

Anti-Gay "Christian" Sues City For Not Being Allowed To Troll PRIDE Festival

Anti-Gay “Christian” Sues City For Not Being Allowed To Troll PRIDE Festival

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Timothy J. Brown filed the suit last month in U.S. District Court against the city of Cookeville, TN and one of its police officers for allegedly violating his rights to freedom of speech.  During last year’s Pride festival when police asked him to move 50 feet away from the festival because he was holding up a sign with anti-gay Bible verses and  saying offensive things to festival attendees.

Brown, calls himself an “equal opportunity preacher,” 

In the suit, Brown says he was “exercising his constitutional rights and free exercise of religion by peacefully sharing his Christian message in a public park in the city,” and that he was threatened with arrest under the city’s code.

“Plaintiff sought, and continues to seek, to discuss issues from a religious perspective, to distribute religious literature, to display signs and to engage in religious speech through sharing his faith,” part of what the 25-page suit states. “Plaintiff was deprived of his right under the First Amendment to the United States Constitution to engage in free exercise of religion activities prohibited by the code, as interpreted and enforced by defendants.”

Brown also alleges that the city’s code “unconstitutionally compels plaintiff to move out of a traditional public forum.” despite the fact that the Pride festival organizers paid a fee to rent a portion of the park.

The suit says Brown has suffered injuries and damages as a result of being deprived of his rights, requests a trial by jury and asks that the city be prevented from enforcing the city’s code against Brown, who also asks for “nominal and/or compensatory and/or special and/or punitive damages” against the city and attorney’s fees.

Cookeville City Attorney Dan Rader said there will be a case management hearing conference July 12, regarding the suit.

 

Tennessee Church Displays Sign About Orlando Massacre: God’s Wrath Is Falling Down On The Gays

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Tennessee Church Displays Sign About Orlando Massacre Gods Wrath Is About To Start Falling Down On The Gays

 

Tennessee NBC affiliate:

A local church displayed a message targeting the LGBT community following the largest mass shooting in U.S. history, nearly a week ago.

Three days ago Pastor Jesse price of Beech Cliff Pentecostal Holiness Church put a message on the church’s sign that alliances of the LGBT community say condemn the gay community. However, the pastor does not feel as if he is condemning anyone.

“It’s like the wrath of God is going to start falling on the gays that’s all it said,” said Pastor Jesse Price.

A message posted in response to a mass shooting targeting the gay community.

“Homosexuals got shot down in Florida. It looks like God’s wrath is about to start pouring down on the gays.”

Pastor Jesse Price said this isn’t the first time he has posted a message geared toward the LGBT community.

“We are not trying to kill them. I’ve had a lot of signs up here that homosexuals need to be saved but they didn’t say anything about that one the only thing I said here in this one that god’s wrath looks like it’s going to start being poured down on the gays.”

The message has been torn down since its posting, but the pastor said he plans to replace it.

Loving Christian American Taliban

 

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Government Grants Tennessee “Christian” University The Right To Discriminate Against Gays

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carson newman university

Carson-Newman University, a Baptist liberal arts university in Jefferson City, Tennessee was granted a Title IX Education Amendment of 1972 waiver from the Federal government that makes them exempt from provisions in the law that are not consistent with the Tennessee Baptist Convention’s tenets regarding marriage, sex outside of marriage, sexual orientation, gender identity, pregnancy and abortion

Shorter version: Carson-Newman University can openly discriminate against LGBT students and anyone else who offends their stick up the ass religion while still raking in those sweet, sweet taxpayer dollars.

Randall O’Brien, the university’s president, said the application for the exemption was made upon counsel from the school’s attorney, Jim Guenther, who has recommended the same for several other Christian colleges,

“The spirit of the exemption was to clearly identify each school as a Christian institution thereby strengthening First Amendment standing, which allows each school to operate according to their religious principles,” O’Brien said.

Carson-Newman University and the 27 other religious colleges and universities that have applied for and received similar exemptions within the last 18 months.

CNU alum Jared Champion was “absolutely humiliated” when he learned from his colleagues that his alma mater had applied for and been granted a waiver from provisions in the federal Title IX law.

“They basically filed a suit … legalizing discrimination,” he said. “Title IX represents a move against discrimination and they basically asked for permission to discriminate and those aren’t the values I understand as Christian values at all.”

 

 

Tennessee Hits New Low – General Assembly Introduces “Anti-Transgender Bathroom Amendment”

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The Tennessee General Assembly returned to business on Tuesday, and they did not waste any time setting a new low by blatantly attacking Tennessee’s transgender community by introducing SB 2282 by *Watson (*HB 2279 by *Floyd) aka The Tennessee Restroom Amendment that would stop transgender individuals from using their gender specific restrooms and force them to use their birth sex restrooms in public places or be punished by law.

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 68,Chapter 15, Part 3, relative to public restrooms and dressing rooms.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:

SECTION 1 Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 68 , Chapter 15, Part 3, is amended by adding the following language as a new section: 68-15-304 a) As used in this section:

(1) “Sex” means and refers only to the designation of an individual person as male or female as indicated on the individual’s birth certificate;

(2) “Public building” means a building owned or leased by the state, any agency or instrumentality of the state or any political subdivision of the state;

(3) “Restroom” means a room maintained within or on the premises of any public building and made available to the public, containing toilet facilities for use by employees or the public;

(5) “Dressing room” means a room maintained within or on the premises of any public building, used primarily for changing clothes. (b) Except as provided in § 68-15-303, where a restroom or dressing room in a public building is designated for use by members of one particular sex, only members of that particular sex shall be permitted to use that restroom or dressing room. (c) A violation of subsection (b) is a Class C misdemeanor punishable by a to a fine of fifty dollars ($50.00).

SECTION 2. If any provision of this act or the application thereof to any person or circumstance is held invalid, such invalidity shall not affect other provisions or applications of the act which can be given effect without the invalid provision or application, and to that end the provisions of this act are declared to be severable.

SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.

Republican Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam signed into law last May a bill that would prohibit local governments from creating anti-discrimination laws that are stricter than protections laid out by the state government. The law was specifically made to target a recently enacted Nashville ordinance that banned city contractors from discriminating against gay, lesbian and transgender people and specificlly used an  anti-LGBT propaganda commercial to help push the legislation through the House which insinuates that LGBT people will rape and murder their children if anti-LGBT laws are not enacted.

Tennessee Governor Bill Halscomb: "There’s Already Too Much Regulation To Start Protecting Gays"

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Republican Governor of Tennesse Bill Haslam’s name became synonymous with homophobia and bigotry in the past few months when he  a bill not only overturning Nashville’s LGBT non-discrimination protections but ushering in a law that would stop any city or town i the state from enacting discrimination protections for it’s LGBT community.

Nashville City Paper’s Jeff Woods talked with Haslam said said while he doesn’t think businesses should discriminate against people based on sexual orientation, businesses already have “plenty of regulation” from the government and don’t need more andf that he would be against adding sexual orientation as a protected class in the state’s laws.

Haslam also went onto admit that the Tennessee Chamber of Commerce, whose members included representatives from FedEx, AT&T, Comcast, DuPont, Pfizer, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Caterpillar, KPMG, Whirlpool, Embraer, Alcoa, and United HealthCare supported the discriminatory bill right up until he signed it, then immediately changed their position. (because they were found out)  But, Haslam says, if they had changed their position sooner, he still probably would have signed it.

Tracy Morgan’s Publicist Issues Statement Over Offensive Homophobic Rant: "No Comment"

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Unicorn Booty”s, Kevin Farrell reached out to Tracy Morgan’s publicist Nicole Chabot of BWR relations concerning Morgan’s latest anti-gay rant at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, TN in which Morgan thought it was okay to promote gay hate through comedy by saying such things as:

* Gays needed to quit being pussies and not be whining about something as insignificant as bullying.

* Born this Way” is bullshit, gay is a choice, and the reason he knows this is exactly because “God don’t make no mistakes”

*”If my son that was gay he better come home and talk to him like a man or he would pull out a knife and stab that little ni**er to death.”

* “I don’t fucking care if I piss off some gays, because if they can take a fucking dick up their ass… they can take a fucking joke.” 

(Note to Morgan:  I can take a joke as long as they are FUNNY and not harmful asshole.)

And the reply Kevin received from Morgan’s PR Rep Chabot?  “There is no comment, thank you for your inquiry.”

Well Ms. Chabot there better be a comment and it better be soon. 

Tracy Morgan has been spewing his homophobic bullshit on stage under the guise of “comedy” for years and IT HAS TO STOP. And please don;t think that the irony of this happening in Tennessee right after has stripped LGBT employment discrimination protections from the law, and of course passed the Don’t Say Gay Bill through the Senate.

Since Morgan’s publicist can’t be bothered making a statement and GLAAD isn’t anywhere on the scene becuse its probably trying to get NBC to sponsor or donate money now because this   Lets see if we can do something about it and exert some pressure on Morgan

CONTACT “30 Rock” via the NBC website by CLICKING HERE

And if you have a TWITTER Account contact  –  – @AlecBaldwin – and of course @IAMTracyMorgan

HRC Gives Tennessee Chamber of Commerce and Companies Behind TN Anti-Gay Bill A PASS!

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Get ready to blow a gasket.

The Human Rights Campaign issued a statement last night reacting to GOP Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslams signing of an ANTI-LGBT Discrimination Bill – SB 632/HB 600 which overturns which not only overturns Nashville’s non-discrimination ordinance but also  effectively outlaws all local LGBT rights laws statewide as it bans any discrimination protections not already offered by the state of Tennessee.

The Bill was originally backed by the religious right, the GOP, and the Tennessee Chamber Of Commerce, which consists of Nissan, FedEx, AT&T, Comcast, DuPont, Pfizer, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Caterpillar, KPMG, Whirlpool, Embraer, Alcoa, and United HealthCare.  But  HRC seems its okay to just blame the Governor and to absolve the TCC and the companies which backed the Bill  because SOME apologized and came out against it ONLY AFTER BEING CAUGHT AND IT WAS TOO LATE TO DO ANY GOOD!

HRC: In an apparent attempt to score cheap political points, Tenn. Governor Bill Haslam has ignored the business community and signed into law a bill that wipes out county and city anti-discrimination laws, despite the Tennessee Chamber of Commerce and Industry reversing their earlier support and now opposing the bill. The measure – SB 632/HB 600 – passed the legislature last week and was designed to remove protections for LGBT Tennesseans by prohibiting cities and counties from enacting discrimination bans. Since there are no state protections for sexual orientation or gender identity, the Governor’s signature of this bill becomes a green light for anti-LGBT discrimination across the state. 

So there we have it.  HRC is now providing cover to the TN Chamber and those companies that ACTIVELY met with the GOP and the religious right and lobbied for this. Could it be because many of the companies involved have a HIGH HRC Equality Index Score and have donated to HRC in the past?
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HRC should b disgraced because it is a disgrace.   Don’t buy into their bullshit with the above statement.  To not blame the companies involved and mount an action against them is another PRIME EXAMPLE of  HRC’s utter incompetence, lack of backbone and how instead of being totally committed to the LGBT community they are only in it for themselves and the corporate money they can raise.

PROOF FedEx, AT&T, Comcast, and 11 Other Companies KNEW They Were Backing Anti-LGBT Legislation In TN

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Nissan, FedEx, AT&T, Comcast, DuPont, Pfizer, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Caterpillar, KPMG, Whirlpool, Embraer, Alcoa, and United HealthCare who keep bragging about their diversity and their HRC Corporate Equality Scores and who have also said that they were unaware of the fact that the “The Equal Access to Intrastate Commerce Act” which they all  backed  that Gov. Bill Haslam signed into law last night  would repeal gay/trans rights protections in Nashville and would ban municipalities in the state from passing any future civil rights laws are LYING.

Each of the companies were given official notice by the Tennessee Chamber of Commerce of their role in this hate legislation nearly one month ago.

So despite the recent whishy washy press releases that Nissan, FedEx, AT&T, Comcast, DuPont, Pfizer, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Caterpillar, KPMG, Whirlpool, Embraer, Alcoa, and United HealthCare have released only after being pushed and only after it was too late they knew damn well the hateful ramifications that this Bill would cause the LGBT citizens of the state of Tennessee.

The real question now is are we going to let them and the State of Tennessee get away with it?

Source:  AmericaBlogGay

Tennessee GOP Gov. Signs Anti-Gay LGBT Protections Bill – All Statewide Pro LGBT Ordinances Now Banned

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Republican Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam signed into law on Monday night a bill that would prohibit local governments from creating anti-discrimination laws that are stricter than protections laid out by the state government. The law was specifically made to target a recently enacted Nashville ordinance that banned city contractors from discriminating against gay, lesbian and transgender people which will now be repealed. 

Under Tennessee state law it is illegal to discriminate against a person because of race, creed, color, religion, sex, age or national origin. BUT NOT sexual orientation.

The Tennessee Chamber of Commerce — chaired by Nissan, and whose other board members include such companies as Nissan, FedEx, AT&T, Comcast, DuPont, Pfizer, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Caterpillar, KPMG, Whirlpool, Embraer, Alcoa, and United HealthCare — actively lobbied for the bill.

BOYCOTT TENNESSEE – Video – "Gay Men Will Rape Your Children" PSA Used To Push LGBT Protections Repeal

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UPDATE:  May 24 – Tennessee GOP Gov. Signs Anti-Gay LGBT Protections Bill – All Statewide Pro LGBT Ordinances Now Banned.

UPDATE:  May 24 – PROOF FedEx, AT&T, Comcast, and 11 Other Companies KNEW They Were Backing Anti-LGBT Legislation In TN

All last week Back2Stonewall.com and AmericaBlog has been reporting on Legislation overturning Nashville’s anti-gay bias ordinance that would also set roadblocks up for any other city in Tennessee to also add LGBT protrections ever again.  The Tennessee Chamber of Commerce – chaired by Nissan, and whose other board members include such companies as FedEx, AT&T, Comcast, DuPont, Pfizer, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Caterpillar, KPMG, Whirlpool, Embraer, Alcoa, and United HealthCare – worked with the religious right to get “The Equal Access to Intrastate Commerce Act” Bill passed oh so quietly and is now on its way to Gov. Bill Haslam for his consideration after House members gave final approval.

Now comes to light the anti-gay propaganda commercial that was shown to help push the legislation through the House which insinuates that LGBT people will rape and murder their children.

From AnericaBlogGay:

Yes, that’s what was used to promote the anti-gay/trans legislation that Nissan, FedEx, AT&T, Comcast, DuPont, Pfizer, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Caterpillar, KPMG, Whirlpool, Embraer, Alcoa, and United HealthCare’s chamber of commerce in Tennessee lobbied for. A commercial showing a lecherous man stalking a four year old girl, with the intent to rape or murder her.

And these companies are saying they had no idea the legislation was intended to be anti-gay and anti-trans. It was only legislation intended to repeal a gay/trans civil rights ordinance, and to ban cities in the state from every passing another civil rights ordinance ever again. It was only legislation written by the religious right, and the chief lobbyist was from the religious right. And the ads showed men trying to rape small children. Yes, nothing intended to demean gays or transgender people there.

So this is what Tennessee thinks of us.  First teachers can’t say the word “gay” and now this?

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!

Back2Stoneall.com is calling for a BOYCOTT of the State of Tennessee.  Tourism, Products, and Companies by all LGBT’s and our straight allies.

Call the Tennessee Chamber of Commerce and tell them of your disgust in their involvement and you  will be boycotting the businesses, merchandise and the state of TN if they don;t immediately withdraw their support and if LGBT protections are repealed and the Bill is passed

Tennessee Chamber of Commerce & Industry
611 Commerce Street, Suite 3030
Nashville, TN 37203-3742
Telephone: 615-256-5141
Fax: 615-256-6726
E-Mail: info@tnchamber.org

And contact Gov. Bill Haslam and tell him to VETO “The Equal Access to Intrastate Commerce Act” which bans cities and counties from requiring government contractors to drop anti-gay policies. Or the state will face economic repercussions

And last but not least lets teach Nissan, FedEx, AT&T, Comcast, DuPont, Pfizer, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Caterpillar, KPMG, Whirlpool, Embraer, Alcoa, and United HealthCare a lesson

Sing the open letter that John Aravois and Joe Sudbury have written the companies involved and tell corporate America: “Hands off our civil rights!”

**PLEASE REPOST and RETWEET this information and keep up the pressure!.  This is a very important and harmful issue not just to LGBT’s in TN but everyone, no matter what state you live it. – Thank You!