Anti-LGBT Bible-bearing Christians entered Target stores in Tennessee, Illinois, and Oregon this week telling customers they need to repent for shopping there because of the transgender bathroom policy.
Says the man:
“Target this is your wake up call. The Bible says that from the beginning God made them male and female. He didn’t make them transvestites. He made them male and female…Target, this is your warning. You will be judged according to God’s standards. Not man’s, but God’s…You need to repent…You will be judged. And if there are Christians in here, supporting this abomination, shame on you! … But you justify this place. You have to stand by the bathrooms because perverts can go in there. Because transvestites allowed.”
The customers aren’t amused, many of them telling him to “shut up and leave.”
In Bradley, Illinois one of these “Christians” put a mall on lockdown and prompted a massive police response because store shoppers thought the man was an “active shooter”….
So is this what it has come to? This dude obviously doesn’t understand the difference in transgender and transvestite. I seriously doubt that I would be able to detect a transvestite in the bathroom.
It is obviously anyone’s own choice whether to shop at Target or not. If you dislike their policy, write them, tell them, and go elsewhere. No one has the right to go in a store and disrupt the shopping experience for others.
I might also add this is how I feel about political gatherings. No candidate should have to hop a fence to go speak. A rally is not the time to act out, throw objects at cops and disrupt society. We are a nation of laws and not thugs. We aren’t a banana republic.
What if you don’t like the candidate? Protest peacefully or stay home. Political rallies cost the taxpayer a fortune anyway. Let’s not pile on more because of disruptive, criminal behavior.
This “Operation Rescue” approach to politics and ideas we don’t like is just un-American.
Protests against a store need to occur on the sidewalk outside the store, not inside. Protests inside that are disruptive are trespassing. Protest that cause injury (violence) are always unacceptable.
A political rally is different because of our unique participatory style of government.. We need to allow protesters in any political event that is open to the public. (All campaign stops must be open to the public.) If some attendees can cheer for the speaker others must be allowed to boo. If some can hold up signs approving of the candidate others must be allowed to hold up equal sized signs denouncing the candidate.
There cannot be a heckler’s veto. Protestors cannot prevent a speaker from speaking. However, security must also not be able to remove people simply because they are not sufficiently supportive of the candidate who organized the rally. The campaigns have a bully pulpit so protestors should have lots of latitude given they are at a disadvantage in getting out their message compared to those in power.
The rules are simple. Anything that wouldn’t be acceptable if you switched sides in a dispute means it probably isn’t fair.
Not to mention that they have their facts wrong- God DOES in fact make sexual variations. They apparently haven’t heard of hermaphrodites, for example.
Once again, religion being used to promote ignorance and oppress people. Like everything else, a few bad apples spoil it for the vast majority of those who believe in religion.
And another good point….
Of course, I have never proclaimed to know what God thinks.
I agree, disruptive protests have no place in a civil society. Your right to wave your arms ends where my nose begins. This protest was being conducted on private property, and without the consent of the property owners, and infringed on the rights of the property owners to engage in lawful commerce with those who wish to patronize the establishment. As a free-market Republican, this flies in the face of principles I hold dear. These protesters have a right to protest, adjacent to the property, but not on the property. Doesn’t matter that I happen to agree with the reason they are protest, as I strongly disagree with the way they’ve chosen to express their opposition.
I’ve also noticed quite a bit of “selective outrage”, though. I understand that everyone has their own perspectives and opinions. Articles and commentary condemning people who “occupy” an unoccupied building on federal land, but none condemning the actions of BLM protesters invading a library and assaulting students they have determined are “racists”. Articles questioning the viability GOP because a bloviating spray-tanned billionaire managed to defeat 16 other candidates, to become the presumptive nominee, but none questioning the viability of the Dems, for passing over an old-school liberal and a true patriot centerist, in favor of a socialist/marxist and a corrupt (possibly criminal) member of a political machine, who is little more than a modern version of Big Tim Sullivan.
Articles condemning Republican legislators for passing legislation with which they disagree, as an abuse of power, but praising the President and our Governor for actions exceeding their limited executive authority.
Unless and until self-declared “independents” can point out hypocrisy on both sides of the spectrum, or professing members of either of the two major parties can admit that their party is just as screwed up as the other party, their prospective nominee(s) just as flawed as the other side’s, our country will continually fail to live up to the low standards we set for ourselves.
I’m going on a break. I need to process Trump’s impending nomination, the fraying of our society, the absolute insanity that appears to be gripping this country, the very real threats to our safety and security that are ignored by our current leaders…figure out how this may impact me an my family and prepare accordingly. Regardless of who gets elected, I think we are terminal.
Steve, the bottom line is, you and I will both rationalize governmental behaviors according to our belief systems. Its the human condition. Where that varies is, you are a dedicated party member. I am not.
But, for the record, I have crawled all over BLM. I just don’t feel like giving them the attention they want any more.
I defend people when I think they are being railroaded, even if I dislike their politics intensely. (Bob McDonnell)
I think Trump is one of the most dangerous politicians to ever come down the pike. I would still rather see him that Cruz–if for no other reason than I think he lacks convictions other than getting his own worthless hide elected. Whatever you say about Bernie and Hillary, I don’t see the danger that I see with Trump or Cruz.
I guess that’s what Mark Twain meant about horse races.
When I saw this I thought of the kids. They must be so embarrassed. But someone pointed out that these kids are probably home schooled with little if any contact with outsiders. It made me feel even worse for the kids.