PWCSB passes anti-discrimination measures for LGBTQ students and staff

MoonHowler

Insidenova.com:

The Prince William County school board has passed new anti-discrimination measures for LGBTQ students and staff, a move that marks the end of a contentious fight that raged over the course of the last year.

The board voted 5-3 on June 21 to ban discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity, following a second lengthy meeting on the subject after the board previously voted to delay consideration of the policy change last September. Acting member Shawn Brann of the Brentsville District, Willie Deutsch of the Coles District and Alyson Satterwhite of the Gainesville District cast the dissenting votes.

More than 500 people attended the board’s meeting in Bristow, though purple-clad supporters of the nondiscrimination measures dominated the board’s chambers. When lawmakers considered the same change last fall, it was hundreds of opponents donned in red who packed the room.

But several advocacy groups, including Equality Virginia and Virginia’s chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union, focused on whipping support for the policy change over the last few weeks. A variety of local lawmakers — including Congressman Gerry Connolly, D-11th District, and many of the county’s Democratic state representatives — also wrote letters to the board urging them to support the policy alteration.
Read More

LGBT SCHOOL BOARD VOTE DELAYED UNTIL JUNE

MoonHowler

toilet-web-art-1460043984

Insidenova.com:

(credit to Alex Koma)

After more than five hours of public comments, the Prince William County School Board decided to delay a decision on whether to outlaw discrimination on sexual orientation or gender identity, as the Wednesday evening meeting dragged into Thursday morning.

 

The board was set to vote on a policy to outlaw sexual orientation or gender identity discrimination “in the provision of educational programs, services, and activities.” The policy currently bans discrimination based on race, sex and religion.

 

The board ultimately voted for more time to consider the policy, delaying the vote until June 2017 by a vote of 5-1. Only Chairman Ryan Sawyers opposed a motion to delay the vote, while Loree Williams of the Woodbridge District abstained.

 

Sawyers edited the policy to direct schools’ Superintendent Steven L. Walts to preserve existing standards for bathrooms and locker rooms, leaving room to comply with court decisions on the issue. The majority of the board still felt suitably concerned about the prospect of future legal action to delay a vote on the policy.

 Read More

Several pastors support Orlando execution

MoonHowler

 

Washingtonpost.com:

Following the deadliest shooting in U.S. history, a Baptist preacher stood at his pulpit Sunday night in Northern California and delivered an impassioned sermon praising the brutal massacre at a gay nightclub in Florida.

Pastor Roger Jimenez from Verity Baptist Church in Sacramento told his congregation that Christians “shouldn’t be mourning the death of 50 sodomites.”

“People say, like: Well, aren’t you sad that 50 sodomites died?” Jimenez said, referencing the initial death toll in Orlando, which authorities later clarified included 49 victims plus the gunman. “Here’s the problem with that. It’s like the equivalent of asking me — what if you asked me: Hey, are you sad that 50 pedophiles were killed today?’

“Um, no, I think that’s great. I think that helps society. You know, I think Orlando, Fla., is a little safer tonight.”

He added: “The tragedy is that more of them didn’t die. The tragedy is — I’m kind of upset that he didn’t finish the job!”

These clowns obviously do not represent Christianity any more than the Orlando shooter represents Islam.  Encouraging and supporting this heinous act is getting darn close to what I would call Christian terrorism.

Read More

Alex Meyers: Revolutionary

MoonHowler

So where would you have Alex Meyers use the rest room?  He seems like a guy to me.  I would chase him out of the ladies room in a New York minute.

I think the problem some of us have is that we can’t wrap our heads around our gender not always matching our genitalia.   I can’t imagine identifying as a male.  The closest I can get to it is attempting to use the bathroom standing up.  I got a good hard spanking for that stunt!    That has nothing to do with transgender.

I admit that “transgender” confuses me.  It probably confuses most of us who classify ourselves as “normal.”

Regardless, discrimination is simply wrong.

Disruptive protest: No place in a civilized society

MoonHowler

Towleroad.com:

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.

 

Indiana: Home of the gay Doritos

MoonHowler

Rainbow-Doritos

Huffingtonpost.com:

Indiana Gov. Mike Pence signed an executive order Wednesday that bans what he called “gay colors” to be worn by boys in public elementary and secondary schools in the state. 

Pence referred to pink, chartreuse, teal and magenta, in particular, as “gateway colors” for young boys who might have an inclination toward homosexuality.

“Governor Pence believes that if boys wear clothes with colors traditionally worn by young girls, this can cause gender confusion for the boy,” said Hugh Strait, a spokesman for the governor.

Pence’s announcement comes as the state prepares for Tuesday’s presidential primary.

 

Read More

Bathrooms: What’s all the hoopla about?

MoonHowler

 

 

pee 2

Why do politicians involve themselves in these issues?

If a girl becomes a boy, unless he has had surgery, he can’t use the urinal.  Therefore, he goes into the stall.  The door is closed, what’s the issue?

If a boy becomes a girl,  then she goes into the girls’ room where there are stalls with doors.  There are no urinals.  Close the door, do your business and leave.  No politician needs to be involved.

If we are speaking of school environment, if the Moon-Howler solution doesn’t work, then build a unisex bathroom with a single stall.  One at a time.  Mission accomplished.

We don’t need 500 rules to govern bathrooms.

For people who want less government interference, the Republicans in North Carolina have really out-done themselves in the invasion department.

elephant pee

Discrimination marches forwards in Virginia

MoonHowler

The House of Delegates passed the bill making it legal to discriminate for religious reasons.

According to the Washington Post:

The Virginia House passed a bill Tuesday that would block state agencies from punishing discrimination against people who are in same-sex marriages, transgender or have sex outside marriage.

Supporters say the Government Nondiscrimination Act is needed to protect what they call religious freedom in the face of shifting cultural attitudes toward gay rights and the legalization of gay marriage. Opponents say it amounts to a license to discriminate, with broad-reaching consequences.

The bill passed the Republican-controlled chamber 56 to 41, with seven Republican members voting “no,” two not voting and one absent. Although the vote is a win for the socially conservative wing of the party, the fact that some Republicans voted against it reflects a divide within the Republican Party in Virginia and the nation.

Read More

Kim Davis: Might have hold of the wrong end of the tiger

MoonHowler

Washingtonpost.com:

As reporters tried to figure out what was next for Davis — would she really allow marriage licenses for same-sex couples to be distributed once she returned to work? — “Eye of the Tiger’s” co-author was thinking about something else. Davis and/or her entourage hadn’t just co-opted his song for a cause he didn’t believe in. She had done it without his permission.

“I have not authorized the use of Eye of the Tiger for use by Kim Davis and my publisher will issue a [cease and desist],” Peterik tweeted. “This does not reflect my views.”

Peterik further explained his displeasure in a statement to Billboard magazine.

“I was very surprised and dismayed at the misuse of the song I co-wrote with Frankie Sullivan for Rocky lll,” he said. “The song has motivated thousands through the years to reach beyond their limits. Its use for the release of Kim Davis does not support my views or my politics. I have contacted my publishers to make sure this usage is stopped immediately.”

Sullivan chimed in as well.

“NO!” he wrote on Facebook. “We did not grant Kim Davis any rights … I would not grant her the rights to use Charmin!” Sullivan added a personal message for Huckabee: “C’mon Mike, you are not The Donald but you can do better than that.”

If you are going to co-opt a song for a national media event over a controversial issue, it really shouldn’t be the group’s signature song.  “Eye of the Tiger” is the song that turned Survivor into the band that Baby Boomers and their children still thing of today.  It crosses many generations.  Kim Davis can’t drape herself and her misguided cause in that song.
Read More

Same-sex marriage, Obamacare, the flag–It’s been quite a week

MoonHowler

Washingtonpost.com:

The Supreme Court on Friday delivered an historic victory for gay rights, ruling 5-4 that the Constitution requires that same-sex couples be allowed to marry no matter where they live and that states may no longer reserve the right only for heterosexual couples.

The court’s action marks the culmination of an unprecedented upheaval in public opinion and the nation’s jurisprudence. Advocates called it the most pressing civil rights issue of modern times, while critics said the courts had sent the country into uncharted territory by changing the traditional definition of marriage.

“The court now holds that same-sex couples may exercise the fundamental right to marry. No longer may this liberty be denied to them,” Justice Anthony Kennedy wrote in the majority opinion.

The country’s first legally recognized same-sex marriages took place just 11 years ago, the result of a Massachusetts state supreme court decision. Now, more than 70 percent of Americans live in states where same-sex couples are allowed to marry, according to estimates.

Holy cow, what a week.  Lots of change.  All of it was just a matter of time.  Now everyone can marry who they love, all over the nation.

Looking back, the end result of all these changes is that people have more rights.  This should be seen as a good thing.

Same-sex marriage was only a matter of time and is definitely a civil rights issue.  The LGBT community still has a long way to go to have full rights.  There still is no job protection, for example.  It’s been less than 50 years since Loving v. Virginia codified interracial marriage in Virginia.  At the turn of the century, there were places were homosexual sex was illegal.  Imagine the number of lives that have been ruined because former respected members of communities across the country were somehow discovered.  That is no longer an issue.

Just as a perspective, when I was a young psych major in college, homosexuality was by the  AMA  and the American Psychiatric Association as a mental illness.  We have come a long way, in so many respects.  The wheels of social justice march on.    Limbaugh has something to bitch about for decades.

Will same-sex marriage prevail as the law of the land?

MoonHowler

Washingtonpost.com:

Obergefell, 48, could become as famous as Brown (the lead plaintiff in the historic school-desegregation decision) or Roe (the pseudonym for Norma McCorvey in the case that legalized abortion nationwide). But his goal isn’t to make history; it’s to make sure he is listed as the surviving spouse on his husband’s death certificate.

There are two basic questions being asked of the Supreme Court:

The justices are considering two simple-sounding questions: whether the Constitution requires states to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples and, if not, whether states must recognize same-sex marriages performed in other states where they are legal.

But the arguments were filled with discussions of equal protection and fundamental liberties, how an understanding of the Constitution changes with society, and when majority rule must give way to minority rights.

 

Read More

Obama calls for an end to “conversion” or “reparative” therapy

MoonHowler

New York Times:

President Obama will call for an end to psychiatric therapies aimed at “repairing” gay, lesbian and transgender youth, White House officials said. His decision on the sensitive issue is the latest example of his continuing embrace of gay rights.
In a statement to be posted on Wednesday evening alongside a WhiteHouse.gov petition begun in honor of a transgender teenager, Leelah Alcorn, who committed suicide, Mr. Obama will condemn the psychiatric practice, sometimes called “conversion” or “reparative” therapy, which is supported by some socially conservative organizations and religious doctors.

Good for the President.  I am not sure this is a national issue legally but it should start discussion.   I can’t think of anything more harmful than to try to make someone something they aren’t.  Certainly no federal funds should go towards this type of quackery.

Indiana SB101: Legalized discrimination?

MoonHowler

Wikipedia:

Indiana Senate Bill 101, titled the Religious Freedom Restoration Act,[1] is a law that mandates that religious liberty of individuals and corporations can only be limited by the “least restrictive means of furthering a compelling government interest.”[2] The bill has been controversial. Opponents of the law claim that is targeted against LGBT people and other groups. The bill is similar to the controversial Arizona SB 1062 vetoed by Governor Jan Brewer in 2014, which expanded Arizona’s existing RFRA to include corporations.[3][4]

The bill was approved by a vote of 40-10[5] and on March 26, 2015, Mike Pence signed SB 101 into law.[6] The law’s signing was met with widespread criticism by such organizations as the NCAA, Tim Cook, CEO of Apple, the gamer convention Gen Con, and the Disciples of Christ. Technology company Salesforce said it would halt its plans to expand in the state.

Pence is speaking now.  He started off his speech by comparing himself to Clinton.  What a nerve.  He has probably spent a good portion of his life spitting on Bill Clinton.

Pence continues to make excuses.  He says he and the general assembly will craft legislation that makes it clear that businesses don’t deny services to anyone.  Then why have the law?

Meanwhile, Gov. McAuliffe has told Indiana corporations to come to Virginia.  I like a guy that sees opportunity.

Judicial showdown: Alabama misbehavior….again

MoonHowler

Politico.com:

Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore’s defiance of a federal court order on gay marriage is just the latest in a long line of bitter states’ rights fights on issues from school integration to the Confederate battle flag – and the latest potentially embarrassing political sideshow for the 2016 field of GOP presidential hopefuls.

In the end, some veteran Republican strategists suggest, Moore’s order barring county probate judges from issuing gay marriage licenses may serve mainly to harden the entrenched positions of supporters and opponents of a legal issue on which public opinion has been shifting with lightning speed, and which the Supreme Court seems likely to resolve by this summer.

Moore’s decision, however, increases the chances that Republican presidential candidates will be forced to discuss the issue — in the racially freighted framework of states’ rights, no less — before extremely conservative voters in the heat of a primary campaign.

If I were a GOP candidate, I would not want to discuss Judge Roy Moore under any circumstances.  He is political gasoline.

Read More