On June 16, Senator John McCain said that Barack Obama was “directly responsible” for the actions of Omar Mateen in Orlando, Florida, early Sunday morning June 12, when he killed 49 people and wounded 53 others in a shooting rampage at Pulse, a very popular LGBT night club. McCain claimed that President Obama withdrew troops from Iraq and that that action triggered a…
Tag: LGBT
Michigan Elections Board Approves Wording of LGBT Ballot Initiative
On December 29, 2015, the Michigan State Board of Canvassers approved wording of a petition to amend Michigan’s state constitution to prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. What is the likelihood that this petition drive for civil rights will be met with the same type of opposition as was recently used in Houston? In fall of 2015, the opponents…
Several GOP Presidential Candidates Back New “Religious Freedom” Bill
According to the Advocate and Think Progress, the majority of the GOP candidates for president are terribly confused about religious freedom and civil contract law. Six of those candidates (Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio, Ben Carson, Carly Fiorina, Rick Santorum and Mike Huckabee) have backed the First Amendment Defense Act. This is essentially a federal-level “RFRA” (Religious Freedom Restoration Act) bill…
Why Is Ted Cruz Obsessed With Gay People?
I’m beginning to wonder if Ted Cruz is slightly unhinged. I don’t bear any serious ill will toward him. He doesn’t know who I am, nor does he appear to know any other gay people. If Cruz were to find himself in a room of gay people he might run out screaming in a blazing fireball of horror because the mere presence of gay…
Michigan Legislator Proposes Harmful Anti-Gay Bills
I gave the MLive/Grand Rapids Press article covering Michigan State Rep. Cindy Gamrat’s proposed legislation some very serious thought. And I concluded the following: Michigan State Rep. Gamrat said, “Now, more than ever, Christians and those who do not embrace the homosexual lifestyle will need protections, legally and also from being forced to violate their deeply held convictions as clearly…
Up Next on the LGBT Discrimination Front, Arkansas
The Arkansas “religious freedom restoration” bill (HB 1228, “To Enact the Religious Freedom Restoration Act; and to Declare an Emergency”) passed the House in a 72 to 20 vote last month, with the Senate now poised to take it up on March 30. On Thursday, Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson said he plans to sign it into law if it reaches…
Texas GOP and Its Anti-Homosexuality Party Platform Plank
The following Texas Republican Party platform language was adopted at the Texas GOP convention the week of June 2, 2014. It reads like something straight out of the late 1950s or very early 1960s: “Homosexuality must not be presented as an acceptable alternative lifestyle, in public policy, nor should family be redefined to include homosexual couples. We believe there should be no…
Tea Party Nation President After Veto of SB 1062 in Arizona
Judson Phillips, president of Tea Party Nation, is a little upset about Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer’s decision last night to veto a bill that would have expanded the ability of business owners to discriminate against LGBT people and others,” according to Right Wing Watch. His comments appear to be a rant from someone infuriated by not being encouraged by law to discriminate…
Arizona Lawmakers Pass Bill to Allow Faith-based Refusal of Services
“Arizona lawmakers gave final approval on Thursday, Feb. 20, 2014 to a bill that would allow businesses to refuse service to customers when such work would violate their religious beliefs, in a move critics describe as a license to discriminate against gays and others,” according to Reuters. First of all, I would never try to give my money to someone who…
So Much Gay-Bashing, Where to Start?
There has been a lot of gay-bashing by church people lately. It’s a little disheartening. OK, it’s very disheartening. There’s this: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/04/tim-rabon-north-carolina-pastor-gay-marriage-_n_1478735.html He’s trotting out the old nutcase argument that if we allowed gay people to marry each other then of course people would want to marry their family pets, or apparently, other animals. This is truly nuts. If gay…