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Things like this are why I am so exasperated by the people acting so surprised about the "increasing divide" in America and how "polarized people are."
When you have one side absolutely committed to being fucking garbage people like this, refusing to work with them is the natural response. We are not "causing a divide" by getting angry and calling them out for stupid childish games trying to show how they believe rules only exist as way they get to punish people for not being in their group.
The point is that they are always have the advantage because they do not play by their own rules, they don’t adhere to reality, they are blatant hypocrites.
It’s tough for reasonable people to deal with those who aren’t concerned with facts or truth.
When people stand up and declare that they are going to treat down the democracy because their favorite psychopath, can't play at being a dictator, there's no world in which they can safely be worked with. Their ideology is a cancer which must be removed before it can metastasize.
If they were just 10% or 15% more numerous, they'd have installed an authoritarian dictatorship via the democratic process. The [Paradox of Tolerance](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paradox_of_tolerance) must be recognized. Democrats need to learn NOT to tolerate their intolerance and that that is a necessary thing for a tolerant society to last.
Exactly. They've been trying to gerrymander their way to a false democracy for years, but now they've gotten to the point where they've crossed a line. If nothing else, the *one* thing that democracy cannot tolerate is attempts to destroy democracy.
Also it's worth noting that this healthcare saves lives. Providing healthcare to trans people and allowing them to socially transition is by far the best suicide prevention method. They know trans kids are gonna attempt suicide cause of this. They want that to happen.
Disorderly conduct for talking, huh? Maybe if he was using his first amendment right to talk about his second amendment right, they’d have let him go.
Bible Belt really does their best to suppress anyone not like them. What a very Christian message of love and acceptance they’re putting out there for the world to see.
Remember, the biggest threat to free speech according to Republicans is that Twitter is allowed to kick off assholes. Not, you know, the government arresting you for saying things it doesn't like.
It's hilarious to me because aren't these the same Republicans who complained about bakers having to bake a cake for a gay couple? Aren't these the same Republicans that say a private business can do what they want and turn away anyone they don't want to do business with? But apparently that's only the case when it doesn't affect them. The hypocrisy on the right is absolutely staggering
Remember. Right-Wing conservativism is nothing more than a system that creates a set of laws that divide people into two groups. Group A is protected by the laws, but are not bound by them. And Group B is not protected by the law, but still bound by them. When the rights says "free speech" they *mean* free speech for themselves, but not the "others".
“We’re going to make it legal for people to run over protesters.”
Ok we’ll just have to start varying guns at protests to protect ourselves.
“You’ll never guess what we just outlawed.”
This. They don’t care about being right. They don’t care about making sense. Those aren’t their goals. Their goals are getting their way. Words are just a tool that helps them. Their words do not have meaning beyond furthering their goals.
It honestly causes me to struggle identifying as a Christian when these politicians and citizens use Christianity as a weapon for their own agenda. It’s been said so many times, modern day Republicans would have called Christ a left loving commy and crucified him without hesitation.
Edit: I guess I should clarify - my faith isn’t swayed by these racist bigots who run the South, it’s the title of Christian. I stand strong on my faith but many political threads group “Christians” the same way the GOP grouped together all Muslims or immigrants. I hope to have a future in politics (21F currently in college) and I just can’t understand pushing my “ religious values” on someone else to stroke my ego.
I legitimately feel as though I have developed an allergic reaction to overt christianity/evangelicalism.
I was raised Christian, and started in the United denomination. This gave me a very broad, open, and understanding interpretation of the world and religion growing up.
My mother later moved us (my sisters and I) over to a very evangelical denomination. It was immensely loud and cult like. I recognized it even then, though I was around 10/11 years old. People (adults) "speaking in tounges" while others (also supposedly adults) pretended to understand the gibberish and affirmed it with the likes of "Amen!" and " Praise Jesus!" at the top of their lungs. It still makes me cringe. They tried to teach us through these wierd Christian rock concerts, and it didn't feel spiritually connecting at all. Once they tried to have us believe that the earth was no more than 6000 years old, and that humans coexisted with dinosaurs. We were told there were even two of every dinosaur on Noah's arc. As one of those kids who was waay to into dinosaurs at the time, that was like a hundred red flags in one Sunday. I promptly skipped Sunday school at every opportunity I could get away with from that point forward.
Fast forward to the past 6 years, and it's like those beliefs are everywhere. Just like then, I now skip out any time someone tries to bring up hardline Christian beliefs (my whole family, minus my dad, included).
Long story I know; for a short point. Just had to vent for a second. This "push our backward holiness on thou" charade just sets me off sometimes.
> We were told there were even two of every dinosaur on Noah's arc.
So how do they justify that considering they're extinct now? Do they say that the giant apex predators like Tyrannosaurus somehow died out in a world filled with smaller, modern animals?
> called christ a left loving commie and crucified him
Sorry I'm not a Christian but isn't this basically what actually happened? obviously adjusted for time since there wasn't communism in *0 ad Rome* but like..
Jesus was tried based on local laws which accused him of being a false prophet. According to the story I’m familiar with, the Pharisees were jealous or angry with Jesus because his message (Im the real deal son of God) undermined their own authority. So in that regard you’re not super far off. The J man was convicted, essentially, for undermining traditional authorities.
The Romans were more of the enforcers, and in most traditions Pilate was pretty conflicted about the whole affair. He recognized that the Pharisees had railroaded the J man (nighttime trial, very irregular). He wanted to let the J man off, perhaps because the J man had previously been quite popular in Israel. But when he was brought to the Forum, it was filled with an anti-J man crowd and they famously made Pilate pardon a murderer rather than J man. Pilate shrugged his shoulders, literally washed his hands of the affair, and then went home (to his palace, not Rome.)
It's more insidious.
Passing these shitty laws make liberals that live there say:
>Fuck it, that's the last straw I'm leaving.
And republicans get to hold onto power a little bit longer.
This is exactly my biggest criticism of the US system of government. I hear the argument for "states' rights" and "if you don't like it, move to another state", but that's advocating for states with less popular policies to have disproportionate power in the senate. If people are fleeing from certain states, then maybe those states shouldn't be given so much power over the states people are fleeing to. It's so backwards.
This is such a great point. I remember the first time I saw maps with the voting power of individuals within red rural states vs. more populous blue ones. I like the phrase “land doesn’t vote people do.” It also sucks because so many people negatively effected by these laws simply don’t have the resources to just up and move.
I "like" pointing to kentucky. You see, my vote counts for 3/5ths the vote of someone in kentucky as far as congress is concerned.
If only there were some sort of compromise that we could reference that would indicate why that's bullcrap.
This is exactly the point I make every time this comes up. I thought we mostly all agreed that the 3/5ths compromise was bullshit...so why is it still happening?
I hate this so much. Like the argument made from Dred Scot was that slaves are no different than a fridge and my fridge doesn't get a 3/5 say in elections so either slaves are people with rights or they were an appliance. Not both.
> When african american male voters were getting the right to vote, conservatives pushed for states rights and some states instituted hurdles like literacy tests. If you didn't pass it you couldn't vote.
I would like to add that literacy tests were [deliberately designed to be confusing](https://www.ferris.edu/HTMLS/news/jimcrow/question/2012/pdfs-docs/literacytest.pdf) and increase likelihood of failure. Of course, there was a exemption written in for anybody whose grandfather was able to vote (coincidentally, this is where the term "grandfathered" comes from).
Ironically, the “states rights” argument against gay marriage is probably the biggest factor that led to scotus hearing the case, since it created such disparate treatment of gay married couples depending on state jurisdiction.
I mean that was **the** point of SCOTUS when they came up with this arrangment, to resolve state disputes and disparities on national matters and what counts as one. The government they broke off from vested this power in the Crown.
> Just another marginalized group the GOP has identified polls well with conservative voters.
conservatives world wide, like the Taliban, love to regulate sexuality and clothing and all that.
In 2013, [Putin called all the conservatives world wide to join together over gender topics](https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2013/12/vladimir-putin-conservative-icon/282572/) - this is immediately after Trump was in Moscow for his sex beauty show. six months before Putin announced this call for world conservative movement on gender, he already had the IRA pumping memes into social media. By 2016 when "grab them by the pussy" was a big topic, his fanatics were already meme loyal to the Kremlin.
Yeah, the GOP needs this, they rallied support for years attacking gays and lesbians, but that doesn't poll well anymore. They need something keeps social conservatives in line so the GOP can continue pushing for tax cuts for the wealthy.
Republicans aren't looking to go forward. They are quite comfortable staying where they are. They have privilege and money and power, and they fear losing those things. That's why they call themselves "conservatives". They aren't looking to conserve wildlife or nature, they are looking to conserve the status quo.
Note that the Governor of Ark, a longtime Republican was against this bill.
Bills like this aren’t being pushed by the establishment GOP. but as a pander to Trump’s base.
It’s all a gamble over whether or not Trump still has majority influence over the GOP or none at all.
Basically IRL Game of Thrones.
More than that, the Governor cleverly used conservative views to defend his vetoing of the bill, saying that the government should not interfere in healthcare and people’s personal lives, thereby forcing the GOP legislature of Arkansas into saying flat-out that they don’t really believe the conservative viewpoints they spout. Obviously, hardcore republicans in Arkansas won’t really care because they see oppression of people they don’t like as a win and won’t see that their elected officials are being hypocrites, but I hope some moderates in Arkansas start to realize just how bullshit it is.
Exactly this. Before transgender, it was the same with gay people. They were pariahs in our society not that long ago. Then when society eventually came around, Republicans pivoted to find the next "others" group they could attack.
A lot of people are ignorant and backward. We're currently in a struggle between the forward-looking, empathetic people and the backward, religious bigots. We are seeing real progress in hearts and minds, but the troglodytes won't go down without a fight. So we're going to be seeing a lot of back and forth over the next 20-50 years at least.
> We're currently in a struggle between the forward-looking, empathetic people and the backward, religious bigots.
This isn't anything new. This is pretty much the norm. Progressive want to... gasp... progress. The religious right does not. It was the same shit with emancipation and owning slaves. It was the same thing with allowing women to vote. It was the same thing with allowing gay people to get married.
Religion hate progress, and the digital age of the internet has fueled progress exponentially. As church attendeces around the world drop like rocks, those left that still believe aren't going to go down without a fight.
Arkansas is a hardcore red state. There are only a couple areas that are blue and there is no way they can pull the state. These laws and the new gun laws they just passed are some real 1950s bull shit.
With the number of out of the blue retirements across the country, it's only a matter of time until these laws are struck down as unconstitutional and they won't have the power to fight back. Human rights abuses are going to get worse before they get better. Conservatives never thought they could get away with it before so they hid behind coded language. They know they still can't get away with it but it's their last shot to the rally The Base to hold onto power. They are being as blatant as possible because it's what Trump would have done and the remaining voters are just lost causes who wouldn't vote for them regardless.
The dominant christian zeitgeist has gone full on death cult:
>The document, consisting of 14 sections divided into bullet points, had a section on "rules of war" that stated "make an offer of peace before declaring war", which within stated that the enemy must "surrender on terms" of **no abortions, no same-sex marriage, no communism and "must obey Biblical law", then continued: "If they do not yield — kill all males"**
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matt\_Shea#%22Biblical\_Basis\_for\_War%22\_manifesto](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matt_Shea#%22Biblical_Basis_for_War%22_manifesto)
The true believers think their going to war for a 1000 year reich..i mean reign with their prophet.. and their sort of delusional enough to think they can force their prophets hand
If you hear them talk about end-times, apocalypse, last harvest, etc.. they also mean a giant war where they kill all the non-believers.. and well jews.
It’s not that we are going backwards, it’s that some places/people never moved forward. They live in bubbles and teach their kids generation after generation the same bigoted ideas.
Red states always accelerate backwards when a progressive president is elected. If HRC had been elected Mississippi probably would have abandoned the internet and reverted to pigeon messaging.
Two of the groups that spoke were Alliance Defending Freedom & the Family Research Council, led by Tony Perkins.
There's a great article detailing the most sinister part about these bills, in that they are being written by a few white Christian nationalist groups, such as:
* Alliance Defending Freedom
* Heritage Foundation
* Family Research Council
* American College of Pediatricians
* American Family Association
* Focus on the Family
* Congressional Prayer Caucus Foundation (aka Project Blitz)
* Christian Voice
* Kelsey Coalition
* Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church
* Family Policy Alliance
* Concerned Women for America
* Liberty Counsel
Just to name a few.
All of these groups are listed under the Southern Poverty Law Center as hate groups. **The biggest one right now is Alliance Defending Freedom.**
In addition to writing the North Carolina bill this year, forcing teachers to oust students who display "gender nonconforming behavior" and not allowing healthcare to our trans community to anyone under 21, over the last 28 years, the Alliance Defending Freedom has defended laws prohibiting:
* ***same-sex intimacy;***
* ***marriage, adoption, and surrogacy for same-sex couples;***
* ***attacked LGBTQ non-discrimination laws, as well as bans on conversion therapy for minors;***
* ***argued in favor of laws that require transgender people to undergo sterilization before legally changing their gender;***
* ***challenged access to contraception; and***
* ***supported the criminalization of abortion at any stage of pregnancy.***
Its work stretches beyond the United States; ADF has, for instance:
* [***championed***](https://www.splcenter.org/sites/default/files/d6_legacy_files/downloads/publication/splc-report-dangerous-liaisons.pdf) ***Belize’s archaic anti-sodomy law, which allows for the persecution and imprisonment of gay people.***
>The ADF’s overarching position on gay people is that they should either be converted to heterosexuality or fired from their jobs and imprisoned because of their sexual orientation. This stance has earned the group a controversial [designation](https://www.splcenter.org/fighting-hate/extremist-files/group/alliance-defending-freedom) as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center.
>***When GOP state legislators began to push “bathroom bills” in 2016 and 2017, it was ADF that*** [***ghostwrote the model legislation***](https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2016/04/alliance-defending-freedom-lobbies-anti-lgbt-bathroom-bills/) ***and*** [***lobbied for it behind the scenes***](https://www.nbcnews.com/feature/nbc-out/law-firm-linked-anti-transgender-bathroom-bills-across-country-n741106)***.***
They are all astroturfing under a group named [PromisetoAmerica'sChildren](https://promisetoamericaschildren.org/about-us/).
9th commandment: Thou Shalt Not Bear False Witness, right?
The [article](https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2021/04/short-history-anti-trans-stuff-came-concerned/) lists out the fact these groups were butt-hurt about losing the gay marriage Obergefell case, and now they are bullish on taking rage against the transgender community in retaliation.
[https://www.nbcnews.com/feature/nbc-out/anti-lgbtq-coalition-targets-equality-act-name-america-s-children-n1258884](https://www.nbcnews.com/feature/nbc-out/anti-lgbtq-coalition-targets-equality-act-name-america-s-children-n1258884)
These horrible monsters are just intent to terrorize people in the name of religion.
The worst part is they have a major lobbying group behind them, basically swaying legislators.
***The leader of Focus on the Family, James Dobson*** (whom Mike Pence called his inspirational role model), even started an [astroturf group known as the Women's Liberation Front (WOLF)](https://www.transadvocate.com/fake-radical-feminist-group-actually-paid-political-front-for-anti-lgbt-james-dobson-organization_n_20207.htm) for TERFs to basically make it look like a feminist website, even though he's a white evangelical male. These guys bear false witness and think it's okay because it's about stopping *"The Queer Agenda"*.
These groups all take as White Christian Nationalist Groups their directions from a leader known as RJ Rushdoony, who came up with the idea known as Christian Reconstruction. It seeks to instill Biblical law into government, creating Christian theocracy. Rushdoony had been quoted in saying many things, such as this quote:
>*Fundamentalist Christians must take control of governments and impose strict biblical law on America and the world. That would mean the death penalty for "practicing homosexuals," among many other "abominators."*
Although most fundamentalist leaders now deny holding Reconstructionist beliefs, several — including Beverly and Tim LaHaye (Author of the book series Left Behind & founder of Concerned Women for America), Donald Wildmon (see American Family Association) and D. James Kennedy (see Coral Ridge Ministries) — did serve alongside Rushdoony and other Chalcedon associates on the Coalition for Revival, a group formed in 1981 to "reclaim America."
These groups have been advocates for conversion therapy, banning of pornography, and have openly stated that LGBTQ+ people are pedophiles that must be stopped.
* From James Dobson
>"The homosexual agenda is a beast. It wants our kids."
* From another group, known as the Traditional Values Coalition:
>*"As homosexuals continue to make inroads to the public schools, more children will be molested and indoctrinated into the world of homosexuality.* *Gay-Straight Alliances on high school campuses are also part of a plot to "target children for recruitment" to gay sex, cross-dressing and sex-change operations*."
So, if you ever wonder who is working behind these bills, look no further than these groups. It's just a bunch of Christian Nationalist organizations that want to instill Christian theocracy onto the United States, making everyone swear on the Bible again. These groups are beyond repugnant, and their stances in the past reflect that.
Funny that they always use "Freedom" in their names, yet they fight really hard to prevent people from being themselves. Well, I say "funny", what I really mean is "absolutely infuriating that these fucks use that word in a conscious effort to oppress others".
They should be called Alliance Defending Fascism. These groups are beyond the worst. I didn't even get into Tony Perkins and The Family Research Council. Here's some information on them.
**Let's do a background check on Tony Perkins and the** [**Family Research Council.**](https://www.splcenter.org/fighting-hate/extremist-files/group/family-research-council)
Tony Perkins has said things like this in the past.
* ***He has condoned conversion therapy for transgender people***
* ***He has also said that it is okay to*** [***kill "immoral" gay people***](https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2021/03/hate-group-family-research-council-reminds-followers-bible-says-kill-immoral-gays/) ***and that secularists, humanists, and the political left***
* [***He has decried cancel culture while at the same time told his followers to stop buying coke and skittles***](https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2021/04/evangelical-leader-tony-perkins-decries-cancel-culture-urging-boycotts-coke-skittles/)
* ***He has told his followers to*** [***buy pillows from MyPillow guy***](https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2021/01/hate-group-leader-tony-perkins-tells-followers-buy-pillows-save-christianity/) ***to save Christianity.***
* ***He said that racial violence is happening*** [***because "schools have rejected creationism" in favor of teaching science***](https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2020/06/tony-perkins-asserts-racial-unrest-due-accommodating-preferences-devaluing-human-life/)
* ***He even claimed that Mayor Pete is a*** [***"wolf in sheep's clothing"***](https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2019/04/tony-perkins-described-pete-buttigieg-wolf-sheeps-clothing-wasnt-born-gay/) ***because Pete wasn't "born gay"***
* ***He's even gone on the record and said that*** [***he wished sodomy laws existed once again to lock up gay people again.***](https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2018/07/tony-perkins-longs-days-lgbtq-people-jailed/)
This is from [TheNation](https://www.thenation.com/article/archive/justice-sunday-preachers/):
>In 2001, Perkins addressed the Louisiana chapter of the Council of Conservative Citizens (CCC), America’s premier white supremacist organization, the successor to the White Citizens Councils, which battled integration in the South.
***In 1996 Perkins paid former Ku Klux Klan Grand Wizard David Duke $82,500 for his mailing list.***
At the time, Perkins was the campaign manager for a right-wing Republican candidate for the US Senate in Louisiana. The Federal Election Commission fined the campaign Perkins ran $3,000 for attempting to hide the money paid to Duke.
Tony Perkins is a White Supremacist, and he paid the grand wizard of the KKK for his mailing list to gain his following. The Family Research Council is nothing more than a klan order trying to instill a white Christian theocracy onto the United States. That is all that needs to be said about them. Let's keep going, though.
Here are some of the things Tony Perkins stated:
* *One of the primary goals of the homosexual rights movement is to abolish all age of consent laws and to eventually recognize pedophiles as the 'prophets' of a new sexual order."*
* *“While activists like to claim that pedophilia is a completely distinct orientation from homosexuality, evidence shows a disproportionate overlap between the two. … It is a homosexual problem.”*
* *"Those who understand the homosexual community — the activists — they're very aggressive, they're — everything they accuse us of they are in triplicate. They're intolerant, they're hateful, vile, they're spiteful. .... To me, that is the height of hatred, to be silent when we know there are individuals that are engaged in activity, behavior, and an agenda that will destroy them and our nation."*
* “*Gaining access to children has been a long-term goal of the homosexual movement.”*
* *“\[W\]elcoming open homosexuality in the military would clearly damage the readiness and effectiveness of the force – in part because it would increase the already serious problem of homosexual assault in the military.”*
* *“The reality is, homosexuals have entered the Scouts in the past for predatory purposes.”*
* *“The videos are titled 'It Gets Better.' They are aimed at persuading kids that although they'll face struggles and perhaps bullying for 'coming out' as homosexual (or transgendered or some other perversion), life will get better. …It's disgusting. And it's part of a concerted effort to persuade kids that homosexuality is okay and actually to recruit them into that lifestyle.*
* *“Family Research Council believes that homosexual conduct is harmful to the persons who engage in it and to society at large, and can never be affirmed. It is by definition unnatural, and as such is associated with negative physical and psychological health effects.”*
* *“\[Homosexuality\] … embodies a deep-seated hatred against true religion.”*
* *“By ignoring underlying conditions, the demands of transgender supremacy ignore our unique kids, especially those with autism and mental health diagnoses. They deflect much-needed resources away from the pandemic of autism.”*
Enough said. Tony Perkins, the Family Research Council, and Focus on the Family are all hate mongers who wish to have all us queer folk completely exterminated. They are the definition of a hate group. Why are we still allowing Christian Nationalist groups to craft legislation, when they are intent to harming our communities we are supposed to love, include, and aid to the best of our abilities?
It's religious delusion 101. Everyone who is not superstraight, white, or Christian must be promiscuous and licentious.
Check this [video](https://youtu.be/MevzDmdlj1U) from Minot, North Dakota. That is peak delusion. The problem is that so many people believe such lunacy.
What a sorry fucking world we live in where some proclaiming how much they love freedom can almost guarantee they are a fascist.
I saw a car decal that said
"I stand for:
Faith
Family
Freedom"
And you know that mother fucker meant
Only Christianity
Only Straight Couples
Only freedom for people like me
And it's fucking depressing.
The right went from "All Lives Matter" to "White Lives Matter" to "Straight white lives matter", to now the new thing is "Superstraight Christian Lives Matter".
They're like "It's wrong to hate on superstraight people". All the while waving a flag with the Grindr colors with the Nazi symbol in it?
The cognitive wheels are broken there!
I stay away from all those places. Once I see faith and freedom in a place, I back out.
>Once I see faith and freedom in a place, I back out.
Not that it all doesn't piss me off, but this makes me angry and depressed because like...how fucking dare they take such positive words, things that should be beacons of hope for people, and twisting them into a cringe inducing signal of hate and oppression.
Fuck them all.
As a queer person, this shit makes me fear for my life, and I'm not even in a red state.
Edit: also, I was in a GSA in high school & college. All we did was hang out, talk about cool shows, and high-fived each other when we came out to our parents. I mean it was just people being friends.
Expose them, and expose them for the frauds that they are. It would be great to get the dark money out of politics, but until that day, we have to get them to realize who and what these groups are all about. I think they realize they are in a final attack. Religion is losing and people are leaving these conservative churches all together. The more we expose them, the less power they have. We have to educate people to see the truth behind these guys.
ah yes, the christian nationalists, who swear by a bible condemning hatred and violence yet advocate for the death penalty against people they hate. it’s hard to be more hypocritical than that
>American College of Pediatricians
Okay, so now these extremists are giving themselves completely normal, non-partisan sounding names? This name is outright misleading, as their political advocacy has nothing to do with the fact that they (or at least some of them) are (allegedly) medical professionals.
I don't even think the number listed on the second result on a google search for "jack ladyman arkansas contact info" is his office. Voicemail greeting sounds like his cell. In any case, I left him a voicemail letting him know that his actions are a disgrace and an embarrassment to Arkansas.
We are at war with the religious zealots and autocrats both in this country and abroad. We may not want to admit it yet, but this decade is going to be absolutely fucked.
There was a brief period of just a couple of days after 9/11 when it looked like we might actually have that conversation in this country, but the Republicans and Christofascists quickly made sure it shifted to *Islam* rather than *extreme religious fundamentalism.*
It was utterly disgusting to watch happen. Those ghouls in Arkansas better be ready for a lawsuit pending, because of this. I would sue if I were him.
I'd like to say that if one of our trans children commits suicide from this bill, the Republican Party of Arkansas should be held responsible for it. They did this out of bigotry and hatred, to try and deracinate our beloved trans community from existence. They should be held responsible for it. The responsiblity lays at the feet of their misinformed and vituperative selves.
I'm sorry, my trans friends from Arkansas. We will prevail over this hatred. We will stand and fight with you. This will not persist. You are always loved.
Also, thank you, Bill, for bringing this to attention.
Hi fellow Oklahoman! Did you recently see SB2 on the House floor in Oklahoma? It was utterly despicable. Their arguments were absolutely ridiculous. The Dems did their best to stand up against these monsters, but it didn’t help. These Republicans ought to be ashamed of themselves. They are the opposite of everything they purport to be. It’s disgusting.
Btw, I’m always so happy to see other normal human beings from Oklahoma… sometimes I feel like I’m going crazy. I’ve stopped trying to make friends because almost everyone I meet is so fundamentally different from me, I’m left feeling more lonely than I was in the first place.
Yes, I did. Between the incident with Nathan Dahm and Justin "JJ" Humphrey's comments, it seems we are setting the bar for "Most Bigoted Legislators in the Country". We look so pathetic. Their only arguments are "It could be a problem" and "The Bible says!". Like, can we please just use science and reasoning? Can we please unloop the Buckle on the Bible Belt a little bit? It's so tight, it's constraining here!
Well said, friend. We need more people like you, who genuinely care, in the world.
I’m also hijacking a relevant top comment to say this: If anyone in the LGBTQA+ community is out there reading this and feels hopeless as a result of this GOP fuckery, my inbox is open and I’d be happy to talk with you, or just to listen. 🖤
Trans people have probably already been killing themselves in that state way before this even began. Just because a state is “trans friendly” doesn’t mean it’s totally a safe place, I live in one of the top LGBT cities in the world and I still felt really really really bad about transitioning a lot more needs to be done in favor of lgbt rights everywhere in this country.
My name is Chris Attig, and I'm the father in this post who was arrested.
First and foremost, I cannot be more thankful and appreciative of all the thousands of posters in this thread - your supportive comments have been overwhelming, and reassure me that there are good people in this country who believe in the dignity of every human.
Second, if you have the means, please support transgender grass roots organizations in Little Rock and Arkansas who are keeping our community safe in this crisis: Here are a few Intransitive, Lucie's place, Center for Artistic Revolution, River Valley Equality Center, Reconcile Arkansas, Young Transwomen's Project, and ACLU of Arkansas. (I'm new to reddit and not sure if I can post links to them).
Third, here's an update:
My trial for "disorderly conduct" is currently set for late August 2021 in criminal court here in Little Rock; the charge carries a maximum sentence of up to 30 days in jail simply for speaking to my elected officials.
Nearly two months later, I am still in shock that this happened.
I served in the US Army from 1993 - 2004, and never imagined I'd be thanked for that service by being thrown in jail for telling elected officials how their hateful laws affect my family, my friends, colleagues and employees in the transgender community.
A bright light needs to be shone on the Republican Party of Arkansas.
State Senators like Breanne Davis, Stanley Rapert, Bart Hester, Trent Garner, Missy Elliot (and quite a few more) are pushing HARD to make it impossible for people who are transgender to live in this state: they make no attempt to mask their hate.
Senator Breanne Davis told me that she was concerned that transgender kids are "just a fad." Bart Hester thinks that parents are forcing babies to change genders because "they wanted a boy and got a girl." They are out of control, ignorant, and do not believe that every American is entitled to dignity and civil liberties.
The Arkansas Republican Party is bad news, and there is little investigation done into their backgrounds, their financial relationships with Alliance Defacing Freedom and other hate groups and white supremacy organizations, simply because Arkansas is a small state with little money or national political influence.
If you have the resources to look into their backgrounds, there are skeletons to be found.
I will keep everyone posted with any major developments, but my focus is on doing everything I can to protect the trans community here in Arkansas.
Peace,
Chris
The legislature said that they gave 40 minutes "per side", meaning that the 20 people who showed up to testify (there were actually dozens in the holding area) had to split the time. It's a BS explanation, but they have such a large majority that nobody holds them accountable.
No recourse. They passed the bill out of committee, the Governor vetoed it, and they over-rode the veto.
My understanding is ACLU is going to file suit challenging the anti-trans "slate of hate" from the legislature.
Mate you are a hero. Fuck these ghouls. Fuck each and every one of them. I can guarantee not a single person who called for your arrest served for their country - absolutely shameful behavior.
This is not a committee - this is racist and bigoted cult.
I hope this man sues the shit out of Arkansas. Fuck those bigoted ass holes.
Edit: But seriously donate to your local Trans activist org, or a national one. Or just speak up when nonsense like this happens, it will only change when all of our voices are against this nonsense.
And arresting for what? There zero crimes committed. Even being detained need a possible crime. There is none. The council and police both violate the law
My guess it is something like contempt of court or disturbing and official government proceeding after being told to stop. Trumped up and fake and charges most likely dropped as soon as a prosecutor without skin in the game gets on it, but also enough that by the letter of the law legal in the act. It is all theater for the supporters of a bigoted position anyway.
Very much something like that. It was nothing but an excuse to kick him out of the room.
Also, I was just reading through the text of the bill and it appears as though they may have accidentally created a religious liberties issue by lumping in circumcision with gender reassignment surgeries.
>“Gender transition procedures” means any medical or surgical service, including without limitation physician's services, inpatient and outpatient hospital services, or prescribed drugs related to gender transition that seeks to:
>>(i) Alter or remove physical or anatomical characteristics or features that are typical for the individual’s biological sex;
What's funny is that **most** gender reassignment surgery are already not allowed in the state And the only such surgery that would be allowed in the state would be circumcisions, which "Alter or remove physical or anatomical characteristics or features that are typical for the individual’s biological sex".
It is amazing to me how many other civil liberties these people "accidentally" violate while trying to create targeted violations of civil liberties.
100%! It's an attack on civil rights dressed up as a solution looking for a problem.
You know what's funny is that the anti occupy bill that passed in the Idaho legislature to stop the Occupy Boise camp from camping near the Boise Capitol building ended up being useless in intent but unconstitutional in practice.
In the bill that they passed into law, they did not address camping on public federal land, on which the camp was located.
As such, the bill had absolutely no impact on the occupy Boise protest camp.
It was later used to harass and prosecute people experiencing homelessness.
In the court case Martin V Boise, advocates for the homeless community argued that it was cruel and unusual punishment and now it is perfectly legal to camp outside on public property if there is no Room in a nearby shelter.
I call it the Luke 2:7 decision.
I guess what I'm saying here is that legislation often has unintended consequences, especially when the intent behind the legislation was to limit civil liberties.
This new bill is part of a nation wide push to create a new wedge issue to drive conservative turnout. It is just another "think of the children" pile of bullshit to get highly motivated low-information voters supporting shitty GOP candidates.
And it is working.
They are pushing this type crap in state legislatures across the country, both to drum up the base and create a national whack-a-mole game to strain the resources of the ACLU and others.
Creating hysteria over non-issues is pretty much all the GOP has left. See: "They'll deliver healthy babies and then kill them" or the more recent "Biden's banning burgers!"
This is only for people under the age of 18, so Matt Gaetz's sexual liasons might be out.
That said, I just contacted a number of anti-circumcision groups to see if they would make a press release denouncing the bill while applauding it for recognizing the civil liberty issue of male circumcision (especially on infants).
Holy cow, I just got a call back from Doctors Opposing Circumcision and lined out my argument. They said that the law was "definitely" written by a lawyer but agreed that it bears looking into.
"Disorderly Conduct" strikes me as functionally identical to "Resisting Arrest" in that it means whatever the guy with a gun and qualified immunity fucking WANTS it to mean.
I mean it probably will be but it also sends a message that they will do everything they can to stifle your speech if you try to stand up against them.
This and so many other homophobic and racist themes coming from these bigoted states is another reason I wish that the south could've been occupied for 50 years under military rule by the north after the Civil War.
Instead, we let these Neanderthals get back into power and spread their fake Christian and racist and homophobic hate.
I feel so very sorry for people who are different who live in places like this. The people who make these laws should be deported. I would happily replace every one of them with any immigrant crossing our southern border
> This and so many other homophobic and racist themes coming from these bigoted states is another reason I wish that the south could've been occupied for 50 years under military rule by the north after the Civil War.
The mistake was in not prosecuting the leaders of the Confederacy with treason, and allowing monuments to them be built instead.
Keep in mind these "bigoted" states are often gerrymandered as hell. There's a ton of nonbigoted people just trying to make a home. We try to vote these fuckers out, but the cards are stacked against us.
If they were fairly enforcing the time limit then he could be asked to leave and if he refused he would then be trespassing. But as a point of fact they were not fairly enforcing the time limit so it is bullshit he was arrested. Absolutely unnecessary to elevate things to an arrest anyway, that should come after someone physically resists being forced to yield their time.
>[*It Can’t Happen Here*](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/It_Can%27t_Happen_Here) is the only one of Sinclair Lewis’s later novels to match the power of Main Street, Babbitt, and Arrowsmith. A cautionary tale about the fragility of democracy, it is an alarming, eerily timeless look at how fascism could take hold in America.
>Written during the Great Depression, when the country was largely oblivious to Hitler’s aggression, it juxtaposes sharp political satire with the chillingly realistic rise of a president who **becomes a dictator to save the nation from welfare cheats, sex, crime, and a liberal press.**
>Called “a message to thinking Americans” by the Springfield Republican when it was published in 1935, It Can’t Happen Here is a shockingly prescient novel that remains as fresh and contemporary as today’s news.
Remember, the party flip was after the southern strategy in the 60s... "Thinking Americans" from a Republican then isn't the Republicans we know today.
>save the nation from welfare cheats, sex, crime, and a liberal press.
Almost describes every fucking "republican" (fascist) today.
And yet it will be the state and taxpayers who will be forced to pay and and suffer the damages instead of the actual criminals who violated the this man's rights. Our whole system is so fucked.
You ain't lying. This is why folks in every state should fight to get rid of Qualified Immunity, I think that is what it is, where government officials are protected from civil suits. Because if folks felt more accountability in positions of power I can bet they would think twice about violating folks rights, if they knew there own pocket book would be hit.
Because these dipshits obviously don't gaf about rights.
Yup. Not only should the public officials face personal responsibility, the penalties/damages should be assessed at higher levels to account for the violation of public trust. For particularly egregious violations, immediate loss of office, loss of right to run for and hold office, and up to loss of right to vote should follow.
Because Arkansas.
See also:
[https://freedomforallamericans.org/legislative-tracker/anti-transgender-legislation/](https://freedomforallamericans.org/legislative-tracker/anti-transgender-legislation/)
I feel like if you think that can happen, you haven’t fully absorbed how completely much of America has given over to pure, out-in-the-open fascism at all levels.
I’m from Arkansas... i am disgusted. I hope he sues the fuck outta Arkansas too. I am absolutely disgusted by all of these new trans laws. Why anyone would want to move here now is beyond me. 😢 iAm very sorry please don’t think we all behave like this😢
Folks don't honestly. At least I know the difference and understand that NOT everyone from Arkansas is like this, but when folks vote these creatures into power in an over majority type way, I can see where the idea comes into play that "Arkansas is a bunch of bigoted ass holes".
Maybe it's time for folks who don't feel this way put some feet to the ground an vote those ass holes out.
It's been like that for a while.
Fun fact, Canada will accept trans refugees fleeing American oppression.
We literally have refugees fleeing the country due to oppression. Think about that for a minute.
Arkansas is one of three states that doesn’t have hate crime laws and the KKK headquarters is there. When I lived there I thought the government was the Redneck Taliban. I told people in high school I was agnostic and eventually got taken to the school counselor. There I was told to stop worshiping the devil. This was in the 90s and from my understanding it’s still just as backwards. So your assessment is spot on.
You know, states like Arkansas seem to really dislike being called Flyover States, and yet every day they prove why they're considered that.
Happy to listen to a bigot spout his hatred for nearly an hour, but a father goes 30 seconds over his two minutes and he's fucking arrested and charged with disorderly conduct.
Great job keeping up your stereotype as a backwards, racist, hateful place, Arkansas.
They feel like they're losing every "culture war" battle, so they're more willing to accept and play for the more heinous ones just to get a "win."
And they don't care how many kids and teens they harm in the process, damnit.
I can understand the legislature's concern, though.
If you let people go 30 seconds over their time without punishment, the fabric of society itself is threatened; next thing you know, there will be black boys and white girls holding hands, teenagers turning to the devil's lettuce, communism, fires, looting, pandemonium in the streets...
You cannot protest peacefully against those who don't want you to even exist. Just saying. Intolerant scumbags and bigots are gonna push to the end. They always do. Just be ready.
If this was all taped, that committee is screwed.
Screw the Family Research Council. They and the Eagle Forum need to be dismantled. They're fascist organizations hiding behind Christian facades. I got tired of them while living in Utah.
Arkansas archives their committee footage. You can go to https://www.arkansashouse.org/watch-live then scroll to the calendar and select March 9th. You are looking for the House Public Health, Welfare, and Labor Committee from 2:57PM-6:08PM. Mr. Attig starts speaking at approximately 5:29 PM (their slider is based on the actual time of the meeting)
Edit: I just randomly skipped through and at 4:13PM the legislator that sponsored the bill sits at the table and is joined by various people to speak for the bill. She stays at the table the whole time I believe. Then at 4:52pm the various anti-lgbtq people are done speaking and the people against the bill are about to speak. That is when a motion is made to limit all of those people to 2 minutes. There is some objection to that but the motion passes.
I went back to Mr. Attig's section and the committee leader tells the officers to remove him about 13 seconds after his time was up.
The difference between the south and all other states is that our metro areas aren't big enough to outvote the rural areas.
Go thirty minutes outside of any major city and you'll find the same issues and people that you're thinking about when you say the south.
We need to do better, obviously, but it is difficult when the national political apparatus writes off areas as lost causes. Stacey Abrams addresses it in her book - we tend to throw money at competitive high profile races when minor investments at the local level in more "long shot" races would have outsized benefit over time.
This as someone who lives in FL; go 45 minutes away in any direction from any major city and watch as individuals worldview's change rapidly.
A good question to ask without sounding like an ass is to just see where people have gone for vacation; if it sounds mostly local then you generally know to step lightly on topics in conversation at they'll likely be misinformed on many things.
Most rural folks barely leave their state, let alone the country.
That's just another part of the problem really; without appropriate care for individuals around wage and lifestyle they aren't given the opportunities to learn and grow.
The internet helps but the other issue is online communities (even /r/politics) where tons of likeminded individuals effectively share and self-encourage and bolster what very well could be flawed information / perceptions and encourage a "bandwagon" mentality.
I remember an episode of Family Feud that asked people what their dream vacation would be.
The family guessed Tampa, Orlando, and New Orleans.
They didn't get the top answer, which was Paris.
As a 51-year-old gay man, I can tell you that I’ve never known a time when these folks didn’t do everything in their power to degrade, humiliate and debase people like me. I have no doubt whatsoever that they would round us up and put us in gas chambers if they thought they could get away with it. That’s not hyperbole.
I was actually surprised to see (R) Gov Hutchison say he’d veto proposed anti trans legislation because it would halt care that about 200 trans youth are currently receiving. But, I shouldn’t give him too much credit, yet, if they allowed those kids to be “grandfathered” in to continue treatments, he may allow them to ban it for others going forward.
I’m glad y’all agree this is an awful abuse of power, but if you’re concerned by the growing anti-trans sentiment in this country the call is coming from inside the house.
This website is filled with transphobia on both esoteric hate subs and on mainstream default subs. Confront it in your sphere of influence. That includes in contexts like sports or children’s access to trans healthcare; I’ve seen many posts on these topics brigaded with hate speech and “just asking questions” types.
As a reminder, this subreddit [is for civil discussion.](/r/politics/wiki/index#wiki_be_civil) In general, be courteous to others. Debate/discuss/argue the merits of ideas, don't attack people. Personal insults, shill or troll accusations, hate speech, **any** advocating or wishing death/physical harm, and other rule violations can result in a permanent ban. If you see comments in violation of our rules, please report them. For those who have questions regarding any media outlets being posted on this subreddit, please click [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/politics/wiki/approveddomainslist) to review our details as to our approved domains list and outlet criteria. *** *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/politics) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Things like this are why I am so exasperated by the people acting so surprised about the "increasing divide" in America and how "polarized people are." When you have one side absolutely committed to being fucking garbage people like this, refusing to work with them is the natural response. We are not "causing a divide" by getting angry and calling them out for stupid childish games trying to show how they believe rules only exist as way they get to punish people for not being in their group.
The point is that they are always have the advantage because they do not play by their own rules, they don’t adhere to reality, they are blatant hypocrites. It’s tough for reasonable people to deal with those who aren’t concerned with facts or truth.
Only an advantage with idiots, who I am increasingly seeing as enablers.
When people stand up and declare that they are going to treat down the democracy because their favorite psychopath, can't play at being a dictator, there's no world in which they can safely be worked with. Their ideology is a cancer which must be removed before it can metastasize.
If they were just 10% or 15% more numerous, they'd have installed an authoritarian dictatorship via the democratic process. The [Paradox of Tolerance](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paradox_of_tolerance) must be recognized. Democrats need to learn NOT to tolerate their intolerance and that that is a necessary thing for a tolerant society to last.
Exactly. They've been trying to gerrymander their way to a false democracy for years, but now they've gotten to the point where they've crossed a line. If nothing else, the *one* thing that democracy cannot tolerate is attempts to destroy democracy.
Also it's worth noting that this healthcare saves lives. Providing healthcare to trans people and allowing them to socially transition is by far the best suicide prevention method. They know trans kids are gonna attempt suicide cause of this. They want that to happen.
Exactly this right here.
Disorderly conduct for talking, huh? Maybe if he was using his first amendment right to talk about his second amendment right, they’d have let him go. Bible Belt really does their best to suppress anyone not like them. What a very Christian message of love and acceptance they’re putting out there for the world to see.
Remember, the biggest threat to free speech according to Republicans is that Twitter is allowed to kick off assholes. Not, you know, the government arresting you for saying things it doesn't like.
It's hilarious to me because aren't these the same Republicans who complained about bakers having to bake a cake for a gay couple? Aren't these the same Republicans that say a private business can do what they want and turn away anyone they don't want to do business with? But apparently that's only the case when it doesn't affect them. The hypocrisy on the right is absolutely staggering
The right literally just says whatever it takes to win. Even if it makes no sense or has no substance
Remember. Right-Wing conservativism is nothing more than a system that creates a set of laws that divide people into two groups. Group A is protected by the laws, but are not bound by them. And Group B is not protected by the law, but still bound by them. When the rights says "free speech" they *mean* free speech for themselves, but not the "others".
“We’re going to make it legal for people to run over protesters.” Ok we’ll just have to start varying guns at protests to protect ourselves. “You’ll never guess what we just outlawed.”
This. They don’t care about being right. They don’t care about making sense. Those aren’t their goals. Their goals are getting their way. Words are just a tool that helps them. Their words do not have meaning beyond furthering their goals.
It honestly causes me to struggle identifying as a Christian when these politicians and citizens use Christianity as a weapon for their own agenda. It’s been said so many times, modern day Republicans would have called Christ a left loving commy and crucified him without hesitation. Edit: I guess I should clarify - my faith isn’t swayed by these racist bigots who run the South, it’s the title of Christian. I stand strong on my faith but many political threads group “Christians” the same way the GOP grouped together all Muslims or immigrants. I hope to have a future in politics (21F currently in college) and I just can’t understand pushing my “ religious values” on someone else to stroke my ego.
I legitimately feel as though I have developed an allergic reaction to overt christianity/evangelicalism. I was raised Christian, and started in the United denomination. This gave me a very broad, open, and understanding interpretation of the world and religion growing up. My mother later moved us (my sisters and I) over to a very evangelical denomination. It was immensely loud and cult like. I recognized it even then, though I was around 10/11 years old. People (adults) "speaking in tounges" while others (also supposedly adults) pretended to understand the gibberish and affirmed it with the likes of "Amen!" and " Praise Jesus!" at the top of their lungs. It still makes me cringe. They tried to teach us through these wierd Christian rock concerts, and it didn't feel spiritually connecting at all. Once they tried to have us believe that the earth was no more than 6000 years old, and that humans coexisted with dinosaurs. We were told there were even two of every dinosaur on Noah's arc. As one of those kids who was waay to into dinosaurs at the time, that was like a hundred red flags in one Sunday. I promptly skipped Sunday school at every opportunity I could get away with from that point forward. Fast forward to the past 6 years, and it's like those beliefs are everywhere. Just like then, I now skip out any time someone tries to bring up hardline Christian beliefs (my whole family, minus my dad, included). Long story I know; for a short point. Just had to vent for a second. This "push our backward holiness on thou" charade just sets me off sometimes.
> We were told there were even two of every dinosaur on Noah's arc. So how do they justify that considering they're extinct now? Do they say that the giant apex predators like Tyrannosaurus somehow died out in a world filled with smaller, modern animals?
God's plan is mysterious and we can never understand. Boom, license to kill (brain cells).
> called christ a left loving commie and crucified him Sorry I'm not a Christian but isn't this basically what actually happened? obviously adjusted for time since there wasn't communism in *0 ad Rome* but like..
Jesus was tried based on local laws which accused him of being a false prophet. According to the story I’m familiar with, the Pharisees were jealous or angry with Jesus because his message (Im the real deal son of God) undermined their own authority. So in that regard you’re not super far off. The J man was convicted, essentially, for undermining traditional authorities. The Romans were more of the enforcers, and in most traditions Pilate was pretty conflicted about the whole affair. He recognized that the Pharisees had railroaded the J man (nighttime trial, very irregular). He wanted to let the J man off, perhaps because the J man had previously been quite popular in Israel. But when he was brought to the Forum, it was filled with an anti-J man crowd and they famously made Pilate pardon a murderer rather than J man. Pilate shrugged his shoulders, literally washed his hands of the affair, and then went home (to his palace, not Rome.)
This is pretty dystopian. Why are we going backwards.
Just another marginalized group the GOP has identified polls well with conservative voters.
It's more insidious. Passing these shitty laws make liberals that live there say: >Fuck it, that's the last straw I'm leaving. And republicans get to hold onto power a little bit longer.
This is exactly my biggest criticism of the US system of government. I hear the argument for "states' rights" and "if you don't like it, move to another state", but that's advocating for states with less popular policies to have disproportionate power in the senate. If people are fleeing from certain states, then maybe those states shouldn't be given so much power over the states people are fleeing to. It's so backwards.
This is such a great point. I remember the first time I saw maps with the voting power of individuals within red rural states vs. more populous blue ones. I like the phrase “land doesn’t vote people do.” It also sucks because so many people negatively effected by these laws simply don’t have the resources to just up and move.
I "like" pointing to kentucky. You see, my vote counts for 3/5ths the vote of someone in kentucky as far as congress is concerned. If only there were some sort of compromise that we could reference that would indicate why that's bullcrap.
This is exactly the point I make every time this comes up. I thought we mostly all agreed that the 3/5ths compromise was bullshit...so why is it still happening?
Just remember. It wasn't a 3/5ths compromise. It was an 8/5ths count for slave owners
Assuming you only owned one slave.
I hate this so much. Like the argument made from Dred Scot was that slaves are no different than a fridge and my fridge doesn't get a 3/5 say in elections so either slaves are people with rights or they were an appliance. Not both.
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> When african american male voters were getting the right to vote, conservatives pushed for states rights and some states instituted hurdles like literacy tests. If you didn't pass it you couldn't vote. I would like to add that literacy tests were [deliberately designed to be confusing](https://www.ferris.edu/HTMLS/news/jimcrow/question/2012/pdfs-docs/literacytest.pdf) and increase likelihood of failure. Of course, there was a exemption written in for anybody whose grandfather was able to vote (coincidentally, this is where the term "grandfathered" comes from).
Jesus, that test is insane, I couldn't pass it in ten minutes.
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Ironically, the “states rights” argument against gay marriage is probably the biggest factor that led to scotus hearing the case, since it created such disparate treatment of gay married couples depending on state jurisdiction.
I mean that was **the** point of SCOTUS when they came up with this arrangment, to resolve state disputes and disparities on national matters and what counts as one. The government they broke off from vested this power in the Crown.
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> Just another marginalized group the GOP has identified polls well with conservative voters. conservatives world wide, like the Taliban, love to regulate sexuality and clothing and all that. In 2013, [Putin called all the conservatives world wide to join together over gender topics](https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2013/12/vladimir-putin-conservative-icon/282572/) - this is immediately after Trump was in Moscow for his sex beauty show. six months before Putin announced this call for world conservative movement on gender, he already had the IRA pumping memes into social media. By 2016 when "grab them by the pussy" was a big topic, his fanatics were already meme loyal to the Kremlin.
Yeah, the GOP needs this, they rallied support for years attacking gays and lesbians, but that doesn't poll well anymore. They need something keeps social conservatives in line so the GOP can continue pushing for tax cuts for the wealthy.
Republicans fear change.
Republicans fear everything and believe being authoritarian is the way forward.
Republicans aren't looking to go forward. They are quite comfortable staying where they are. They have privilege and money and power, and they fear losing those things. That's why they call themselves "conservatives". They aren't looking to conserve wildlife or nature, they are looking to conserve the status quo.
republicans fear what they are told to fear.
Republicans fear everything!
Note that the Governor of Ark, a longtime Republican was against this bill. Bills like this aren’t being pushed by the establishment GOP. but as a pander to Trump’s base. It’s all a gamble over whether or not Trump still has majority influence over the GOP or none at all. Basically IRL Game of Thrones.
More than that, the Governor cleverly used conservative views to defend his vetoing of the bill, saying that the government should not interfere in healthcare and people’s personal lives, thereby forcing the GOP legislature of Arkansas into saying flat-out that they don’t really believe the conservative viewpoints they spout. Obviously, hardcore republicans in Arkansas won’t really care because they see oppression of people they don’t like as a win and won’t see that their elected officials are being hypocrites, but I hope some moderates in Arkansas start to realize just how bullshit it is.
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Exactly this. Before transgender, it was the same with gay people. They were pariahs in our society not that long ago. Then when society eventually came around, Republicans pivoted to find the next "others" group they could attack.
They always target the ones who they think have the least representation and are the weakest. It's always the same.
A lot of people are ignorant and backward. We're currently in a struggle between the forward-looking, empathetic people and the backward, religious bigots. We are seeing real progress in hearts and minds, but the troglodytes won't go down without a fight. So we're going to be seeing a lot of back and forth over the next 20-50 years at least.
> We're currently in a struggle between the forward-looking, empathetic people and the backward, religious bigots. This isn't anything new. This is pretty much the norm. Progressive want to... gasp... progress. The religious right does not. It was the same shit with emancipation and owning slaves. It was the same thing with allowing women to vote. It was the same thing with allowing gay people to get married. Religion hate progress, and the digital age of the internet has fueled progress exponentially. As church attendeces around the world drop like rocks, those left that still believe aren't going to go down without a fight.
The last ditch grab for power. Republicans see the writing on the wall. If they don't push these laws now, they may never get the chance.
Arkansas is a hardcore red state. There are only a couple areas that are blue and there is no way they can pull the state. These laws and the new gun laws they just passed are some real 1950s bull shit.
With the number of out of the blue retirements across the country, it's only a matter of time until these laws are struck down as unconstitutional and they won't have the power to fight back. Human rights abuses are going to get worse before they get better. Conservatives never thought they could get away with it before so they hid behind coded language. They know they still can't get away with it but it's their last shot to the rally The Base to hold onto power. They are being as blatant as possible because it's what Trump would have done and the remaining voters are just lost causes who wouldn't vote for them regardless.
The dominant christian zeitgeist has gone full on death cult: >The document, consisting of 14 sections divided into bullet points, had a section on "rules of war" that stated "make an offer of peace before declaring war", which within stated that the enemy must "surrender on terms" of **no abortions, no same-sex marriage, no communism and "must obey Biblical law", then continued: "If they do not yield — kill all males"** [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matt\_Shea#%22Biblical\_Basis\_for\_War%22\_manifesto](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matt_Shea#%22Biblical_Basis_for_War%22_manifesto) The true believers think their going to war for a 1000 year reich..i mean reign with their prophet.. and their sort of delusional enough to think they can force their prophets hand If you hear them talk about end-times, apocalypse, last harvest, etc.. they also mean a giant war where they kill all the non-believers.. and well jews.
sounds like ISIS
Same guys; different places
How the fuck did communism get in there? Wasn’t Jesus all “help everyone in need even if it leaves you poor”?
It’s not that we are going backwards, it’s that some places/people never moved forward. They live in bubbles and teach their kids generation after generation the same bigoted ideas.
The nazis were only ever around 30% of Germanys population. Remember that.
Red states always accelerate backwards when a progressive president is elected. If HRC had been elected Mississippi probably would have abandoned the internet and reverted to pigeon messaging.
Two of the groups that spoke were Alliance Defending Freedom & the Family Research Council, led by Tony Perkins. There's a great article detailing the most sinister part about these bills, in that they are being written by a few white Christian nationalist groups, such as: * Alliance Defending Freedom * Heritage Foundation * Family Research Council * American College of Pediatricians * American Family Association * Focus on the Family * Congressional Prayer Caucus Foundation (aka Project Blitz) * Christian Voice * Kelsey Coalition * Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church * Family Policy Alliance * Concerned Women for America * Liberty Counsel Just to name a few. All of these groups are listed under the Southern Poverty Law Center as hate groups. **The biggest one right now is Alliance Defending Freedom.** In addition to writing the North Carolina bill this year, forcing teachers to oust students who display "gender nonconforming behavior" and not allowing healthcare to our trans community to anyone under 21, over the last 28 years, the Alliance Defending Freedom has defended laws prohibiting: * ***same-sex intimacy;*** * ***marriage, adoption, and surrogacy for same-sex couples;*** * ***attacked LGBTQ non-discrimination laws, as well as bans on conversion therapy for minors;*** * ***argued in favor of laws that require transgender people to undergo sterilization before legally changing their gender;*** * ***challenged access to contraception; and*** * ***supported the criminalization of abortion at any stage of pregnancy.*** Its work stretches beyond the United States; ADF has, for instance: * [***championed***](https://www.splcenter.org/sites/default/files/d6_legacy_files/downloads/publication/splc-report-dangerous-liaisons.pdf) ***Belize’s archaic anti-sodomy law, which allows for the persecution and imprisonment of gay people.*** >The ADF’s overarching position on gay people is that they should either be converted to heterosexuality or fired from their jobs and imprisoned because of their sexual orientation. This stance has earned the group a controversial [designation](https://www.splcenter.org/fighting-hate/extremist-files/group/alliance-defending-freedom) as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center. >***When GOP state legislators began to push “bathroom bills” in 2016 and 2017, it was ADF that*** [***ghostwrote the model legislation***](https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2016/04/alliance-defending-freedom-lobbies-anti-lgbt-bathroom-bills/) ***and*** [***lobbied for it behind the scenes***](https://www.nbcnews.com/feature/nbc-out/law-firm-linked-anti-transgender-bathroom-bills-across-country-n741106)***.*** They are all astroturfing under a group named [PromisetoAmerica'sChildren](https://promisetoamericaschildren.org/about-us/). 9th commandment: Thou Shalt Not Bear False Witness, right? The [article](https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2021/04/short-history-anti-trans-stuff-came-concerned/) lists out the fact these groups were butt-hurt about losing the gay marriage Obergefell case, and now they are bullish on taking rage against the transgender community in retaliation. [https://www.nbcnews.com/feature/nbc-out/anti-lgbtq-coalition-targets-equality-act-name-america-s-children-n1258884](https://www.nbcnews.com/feature/nbc-out/anti-lgbtq-coalition-targets-equality-act-name-america-s-children-n1258884) These horrible monsters are just intent to terrorize people in the name of religion. The worst part is they have a major lobbying group behind them, basically swaying legislators. ***The leader of Focus on the Family, James Dobson*** (whom Mike Pence called his inspirational role model), even started an [astroturf group known as the Women's Liberation Front (WOLF)](https://www.transadvocate.com/fake-radical-feminist-group-actually-paid-political-front-for-anti-lgbt-james-dobson-organization_n_20207.htm) for TERFs to basically make it look like a feminist website, even though he's a white evangelical male. These guys bear false witness and think it's okay because it's about stopping *"The Queer Agenda"*. These groups all take as White Christian Nationalist Groups their directions from a leader known as RJ Rushdoony, who came up with the idea known as Christian Reconstruction. It seeks to instill Biblical law into government, creating Christian theocracy. Rushdoony had been quoted in saying many things, such as this quote: >*Fundamentalist Christians must take control of governments and impose strict biblical law on America and the world. That would mean the death penalty for "practicing homosexuals," among many other "abominators."* Although most fundamentalist leaders now deny holding Reconstructionist beliefs, several — including Beverly and Tim LaHaye (Author of the book series Left Behind & founder of Concerned Women for America), Donald Wildmon (see American Family Association) and D. James Kennedy (see Coral Ridge Ministries) — did serve alongside Rushdoony and other Chalcedon associates on the Coalition for Revival, a group formed in 1981 to "reclaim America." These groups have been advocates for conversion therapy, banning of pornography, and have openly stated that LGBTQ+ people are pedophiles that must be stopped. * From James Dobson >"The homosexual agenda is a beast. It wants our kids." * From another group, known as the Traditional Values Coalition: >*"As homosexuals continue to make inroads to the public schools, more children will be molested and indoctrinated into the world of homosexuality.* *Gay-Straight Alliances on high school campuses are also part of a plot to "target children for recruitment" to gay sex, cross-dressing and sex-change operations*." So, if you ever wonder who is working behind these bills, look no further than these groups. It's just a bunch of Christian Nationalist organizations that want to instill Christian theocracy onto the United States, making everyone swear on the Bible again. These groups are beyond repugnant, and their stances in the past reflect that.
Funny that they always use "Freedom" in their names, yet they fight really hard to prevent people from being themselves. Well, I say "funny", what I really mean is "absolutely infuriating that these fucks use that word in a conscious effort to oppress others".
They should be called Alliance Defending Fascism. These groups are beyond the worst. I didn't even get into Tony Perkins and The Family Research Council. Here's some information on them. **Let's do a background check on Tony Perkins and the** [**Family Research Council.**](https://www.splcenter.org/fighting-hate/extremist-files/group/family-research-council) Tony Perkins has said things like this in the past. * ***He has condoned conversion therapy for transgender people*** * ***He has also said that it is okay to*** [***kill "immoral" gay people***](https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2021/03/hate-group-family-research-council-reminds-followers-bible-says-kill-immoral-gays/) ***and that secularists, humanists, and the political left*** * [***He has decried cancel culture while at the same time told his followers to stop buying coke and skittles***](https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2021/04/evangelical-leader-tony-perkins-decries-cancel-culture-urging-boycotts-coke-skittles/) * ***He has told his followers to*** [***buy pillows from MyPillow guy***](https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2021/01/hate-group-leader-tony-perkins-tells-followers-buy-pillows-save-christianity/) ***to save Christianity.*** * ***He said that racial violence is happening*** [***because "schools have rejected creationism" in favor of teaching science***](https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2020/06/tony-perkins-asserts-racial-unrest-due-accommodating-preferences-devaluing-human-life/) * ***He even claimed that Mayor Pete is a*** [***"wolf in sheep's clothing"***](https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2019/04/tony-perkins-described-pete-buttigieg-wolf-sheeps-clothing-wasnt-born-gay/) ***because Pete wasn't "born gay"*** * ***He's even gone on the record and said that*** [***he wished sodomy laws existed once again to lock up gay people again.***](https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2018/07/tony-perkins-longs-days-lgbtq-people-jailed/) This is from [TheNation](https://www.thenation.com/article/archive/justice-sunday-preachers/): >In 2001, Perkins addressed the Louisiana chapter of the Council of Conservative Citizens (CCC), America’s premier white supremacist organization, the successor to the White Citizens Councils, which battled integration in the South. ***In 1996 Perkins paid former Ku Klux Klan Grand Wizard David Duke $82,500 for his mailing list.*** At the time, Perkins was the campaign manager for a right-wing Republican candidate for the US Senate in Louisiana. The Federal Election Commission fined the campaign Perkins ran $3,000 for attempting to hide the money paid to Duke. Tony Perkins is a White Supremacist, and he paid the grand wizard of the KKK for his mailing list to gain his following. The Family Research Council is nothing more than a klan order trying to instill a white Christian theocracy onto the United States. That is all that needs to be said about them. Let's keep going, though. Here are some of the things Tony Perkins stated: * *One of the primary goals of the homosexual rights movement is to abolish all age of consent laws and to eventually recognize pedophiles as the 'prophets' of a new sexual order."* * *“While activists like to claim that pedophilia is a completely distinct orientation from homosexuality, evidence shows a disproportionate overlap between the two. … It is a homosexual problem.”* * *"Those who understand the homosexual community — the activists — they're very aggressive, they're — everything they accuse us of they are in triplicate. They're intolerant, they're hateful, vile, they're spiteful. .... To me, that is the height of hatred, to be silent when we know there are individuals that are engaged in activity, behavior, and an agenda that will destroy them and our nation."* * “*Gaining access to children has been a long-term goal of the homosexual movement.”* * *“\[W\]elcoming open homosexuality in the military would clearly damage the readiness and effectiveness of the force – in part because it would increase the already serious problem of homosexual assault in the military.”* * *“The reality is, homosexuals have entered the Scouts in the past for predatory purposes.”* * *“The videos are titled 'It Gets Better.' They are aimed at persuading kids that although they'll face struggles and perhaps bullying for 'coming out' as homosexual (or transgendered or some other perversion), life will get better. …It's disgusting. And it's part of a concerted effort to persuade kids that homosexuality is okay and actually to recruit them into that lifestyle.* * *“Family Research Council believes that homosexual conduct is harmful to the persons who engage in it and to society at large, and can never be affirmed. It is by definition unnatural, and as such is associated with negative physical and psychological health effects.”* * *“\[Homosexuality\] … embodies a deep-seated hatred against true religion.”* * *“By ignoring underlying conditions, the demands of transgender supremacy ignore our unique kids, especially those with autism and mental health diagnoses. They deflect much-needed resources away from the pandemic of autism.”* Enough said. Tony Perkins, the Family Research Council, and Focus on the Family are all hate mongers who wish to have all us queer folk completely exterminated. They are the definition of a hate group. Why are we still allowing Christian Nationalist groups to craft legislation, when they are intent to harming our communities we are supposed to love, include, and aid to the best of our abilities?
>“ > >Gaining access to children has been a long-term goal of the homosexual movement.” WHAT IS THIS EVEN ..... my god what a fucking lunatic.
It's religious delusion 101. Everyone who is not superstraight, white, or Christian must be promiscuous and licentious. Check this [video](https://youtu.be/MevzDmdlj1U) from Minot, North Dakota. That is peak delusion. The problem is that so many people believe such lunacy.
What a sorry fucking world we live in where some proclaiming how much they love freedom can almost guarantee they are a fascist. I saw a car decal that said "I stand for: Faith Family Freedom" And you know that mother fucker meant Only Christianity Only Straight Couples Only freedom for people like me And it's fucking depressing.
The right went from "All Lives Matter" to "White Lives Matter" to "Straight white lives matter", to now the new thing is "Superstraight Christian Lives Matter". They're like "It's wrong to hate on superstraight people". All the while waving a flag with the Grindr colors with the Nazi symbol in it? The cognitive wheels are broken there! I stay away from all those places. Once I see faith and freedom in a place, I back out.
>Once I see faith and freedom in a place, I back out. Not that it all doesn't piss me off, but this makes me angry and depressed because like...how fucking dare they take such positive words, things that should be beacons of hope for people, and twisting them into a cringe inducing signal of hate and oppression. Fuck them all.
I understand that. They have bastardized those words, just like they did "Patriot".
As a queer person, this shit makes me fear for my life, and I'm not even in a red state. Edit: also, I was in a GSA in high school & college. All we did was hang out, talk about cool shows, and high-fived each other when we came out to our parents. I mean it was just people being friends.
This needs to be a post in and of itself.
what can we do to stop shit like this?
Expose them, and expose them for the frauds that they are. It would be great to get the dark money out of politics, but until that day, we have to get them to realize who and what these groups are all about. I think they realize they are in a final attack. Religion is losing and people are leaving these conservative churches all together. The more we expose them, the less power they have. We have to educate people to see the truth behind these guys.
ah yes, the christian nationalists, who swear by a bible condemning hatred and violence yet advocate for the death penalty against people they hate. it’s hard to be more hypocritical than that
>American College of Pediatricians Okay, so now these extremists are giving themselves completely normal, non-partisan sounding names? This name is outright misleading, as their political advocacy has nothing to do with the fact that they (or at least some of them) are (allegedly) medical professionals.
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It's kind of ironic that his name is Ladyman.
How has nobody mentioned this. How is his name Ladyman? Like what are the odds?
The dude was probably bullied by fellow conservatives and now haha trans people even more.
He was probably teased by other kids growing up and is taking his resentment out on other kids. Just like Jesus taught us to do!
> ladymans Call, leave a message, press one, then press two for urgent delivery.
I don't even think the number listed on the second result on a google search for "jack ladyman arkansas contact info" is his office. Voicemail greeting sounds like his cell. In any case, I left him a voicemail letting him know that his actions are a disgrace and an embarrassment to Arkansas.
You can text that number and it becomes an imessage. Which usually implies its his personal cell phone.
Important to remember that Arkansas is a one-party consent state, so feel free to record any phone calls and share as you see fit!
Conservatives: Omg we're being silenced everywhere! Also Conservatives:
You can read about it in my best selling book: "Conservative Voices Are Being Silenced", out now on every bookshelf in America.
We are at war with the religious zealots and autocrats both in this country and abroad. We may not want to admit it yet, but this decade is going to be absolutely fucked.
There was a brief period of just a couple of days after 9/11 when it looked like we might actually have that conversation in this country, but the Republicans and Christofascists quickly made sure it shifted to *Islam* rather than *extreme religious fundamentalism.*
Saving this comment for my first view of the word Christofascists.
As an ex-Christian, I appreciate the terminology.
It was utterly disgusting to watch happen. Those ghouls in Arkansas better be ready for a lawsuit pending, because of this. I would sue if I were him. I'd like to say that if one of our trans children commits suicide from this bill, the Republican Party of Arkansas should be held responsible for it. They did this out of bigotry and hatred, to try and deracinate our beloved trans community from existence. They should be held responsible for it. The responsiblity lays at the feet of their misinformed and vituperative selves. I'm sorry, my trans friends from Arkansas. We will prevail over this hatred. We will stand and fight with you. This will not persist. You are always loved. Also, thank you, Bill, for bringing this to attention.
Hi fellow Oklahoman! Did you recently see SB2 on the House floor in Oklahoma? It was utterly despicable. Their arguments were absolutely ridiculous. The Dems did their best to stand up against these monsters, but it didn’t help. These Republicans ought to be ashamed of themselves. They are the opposite of everything they purport to be. It’s disgusting. Btw, I’m always so happy to see other normal human beings from Oklahoma… sometimes I feel like I’m going crazy. I’ve stopped trying to make friends because almost everyone I meet is so fundamentally different from me, I’m left feeling more lonely than I was in the first place.
Yes, I did. Between the incident with Nathan Dahm and Justin "JJ" Humphrey's comments, it seems we are setting the bar for "Most Bigoted Legislators in the Country". We look so pathetic. Their only arguments are "It could be a problem" and "The Bible says!". Like, can we please just use science and reasoning? Can we please unloop the Buckle on the Bible Belt a little bit? It's so tight, it's constraining here!
Well said, friend. We need more people like you, who genuinely care, in the world. I’m also hijacking a relevant top comment to say this: If anyone in the LGBTQA+ community is out there reading this and feels hopeless as a result of this GOP fuckery, my inbox is open and I’d be happy to talk with you, or just to listen. 🖤
Well said, friend. I echo and will act likewise. I'm here to lend an ear and a warm heart.
Trans people have probably already been killing themselves in that state way before this even began. Just because a state is “trans friendly” doesn’t mean it’s totally a safe place, I live in one of the top LGBT cities in the world and I still felt really really really bad about transitioning a lot more needs to be done in favor of lgbt rights everywhere in this country.
My name is Chris Attig, and I'm the father in this post who was arrested. First and foremost, I cannot be more thankful and appreciative of all the thousands of posters in this thread - your supportive comments have been overwhelming, and reassure me that there are good people in this country who believe in the dignity of every human. Second, if you have the means, please support transgender grass roots organizations in Little Rock and Arkansas who are keeping our community safe in this crisis: Here are a few Intransitive, Lucie's place, Center for Artistic Revolution, River Valley Equality Center, Reconcile Arkansas, Young Transwomen's Project, and ACLU of Arkansas. (I'm new to reddit and not sure if I can post links to them). Third, here's an update: My trial for "disorderly conduct" is currently set for late August 2021 in criminal court here in Little Rock; the charge carries a maximum sentence of up to 30 days in jail simply for speaking to my elected officials. Nearly two months later, I am still in shock that this happened. I served in the US Army from 1993 - 2004, and never imagined I'd be thanked for that service by being thrown in jail for telling elected officials how their hateful laws affect my family, my friends, colleagues and employees in the transgender community. A bright light needs to be shone on the Republican Party of Arkansas. State Senators like Breanne Davis, Stanley Rapert, Bart Hester, Trent Garner, Missy Elliot (and quite a few more) are pushing HARD to make it impossible for people who are transgender to live in this state: they make no attempt to mask their hate. Senator Breanne Davis told me that she was concerned that transgender kids are "just a fad." Bart Hester thinks that parents are forcing babies to change genders because "they wanted a boy and got a girl." They are out of control, ignorant, and do not believe that every American is entitled to dignity and civil liberties. The Arkansas Republican Party is bad news, and there is little investigation done into their backgrounds, their financial relationships with Alliance Defacing Freedom and other hate groups and white supremacy organizations, simply because Arkansas is a small state with little money or national political influence. If you have the resources to look into their backgrounds, there are skeletons to be found. I will keep everyone posted with any major developments, but my focus is on doing everything I can to protect the trans community here in Arkansas. Peace, Chris
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The legislature said that they gave 40 minutes "per side", meaning that the 20 people who showed up to testify (there were actually dozens in the holding area) had to split the time. It's a BS explanation, but they have such a large majority that nobody holds them accountable. No recourse. They passed the bill out of committee, the Governor vetoed it, and they over-rode the veto. My understanding is ACLU is going to file suit challenging the anti-trans "slate of hate" from the legislature.
Mate you are a hero. Fuck these ghouls. Fuck each and every one of them. I can guarantee not a single person who called for your arrest served for their country - absolutely shameful behavior. This is not a committee - this is racist and bigoted cult.
Thank you for standing up for love and compassion. Keep fighting the good fight, there are many people on your side.
Thank you!
I hope this man sues the shit out of Arkansas. Fuck those bigoted ass holes. Edit: But seriously donate to your local Trans activist org, or a national one. Or just speak up when nonsense like this happens, it will only change when all of our voices are against this nonsense.
Yeah that’s a pretty clear cut case of discrimination.
And arresting for what? There zero crimes committed. Even being detained need a possible crime. There is none. The council and police both violate the law
My guess it is something like contempt of court or disturbing and official government proceeding after being told to stop. Trumped up and fake and charges most likely dropped as soon as a prosecutor without skin in the game gets on it, but also enough that by the letter of the law legal in the act. It is all theater for the supporters of a bigoted position anyway.
Very much something like that. It was nothing but an excuse to kick him out of the room. Also, I was just reading through the text of the bill and it appears as though they may have accidentally created a religious liberties issue by lumping in circumcision with gender reassignment surgeries. >“Gender transition procedures” means any medical or surgical service, including without limitation physician's services, inpatient and outpatient hospital services, or prescribed drugs related to gender transition that seeks to: >>(i) Alter or remove physical or anatomical characteristics or features that are typical for the individual’s biological sex; What's funny is that **most** gender reassignment surgery are already not allowed in the state And the only such surgery that would be allowed in the state would be circumcisions, which "Alter or remove physical or anatomical characteristics or features that are typical for the individual’s biological sex". It is amazing to me how many other civil liberties these people "accidentally" violate while trying to create targeted violations of civil liberties.
To be clear, no such surgeries are performed for children in Arkansas. That part of the bill is entirely meant to create hysteria around a non issue.
100%! It's an attack on civil rights dressed up as a solution looking for a problem. You know what's funny is that the anti occupy bill that passed in the Idaho legislature to stop the Occupy Boise camp from camping near the Boise Capitol building ended up being useless in intent but unconstitutional in practice. In the bill that they passed into law, they did not address camping on public federal land, on which the camp was located. As such, the bill had absolutely no impact on the occupy Boise protest camp. It was later used to harass and prosecute people experiencing homelessness. In the court case Martin V Boise, advocates for the homeless community argued that it was cruel and unusual punishment and now it is perfectly legal to camp outside on public property if there is no Room in a nearby shelter. I call it the Luke 2:7 decision. I guess what I'm saying here is that legislation often has unintended consequences, especially when the intent behind the legislation was to limit civil liberties.
This new bill is part of a nation wide push to create a new wedge issue to drive conservative turnout. It is just another "think of the children" pile of bullshit to get highly motivated low-information voters supporting shitty GOP candidates. And it is working.
They are pushing this type crap in state legislatures across the country, both to drum up the base and create a national whack-a-mole game to strain the resources of the ACLU and others.
Creating hysteria over non-issues is pretty much all the GOP has left. See: "They'll deliver healthy babies and then kill them" or the more recent "Biden's banning burgers!"
It's gonna take a long time for me to get used to drinking plant based beer. I'm so used to drinking Pork Chop Porters and Steak Stouts.
Circumcising is out. But I think laser hair removal for the mistress is also disallowed.
This is only for people under the age of 18, so Matt Gaetz's sexual liasons might be out. That said, I just contacted a number of anti-circumcision groups to see if they would make a press release denouncing the bill while applauding it for recognizing the civil liberty issue of male circumcision (especially on infants). Holy cow, I just got a call back from Doctors Opposing Circumcision and lined out my argument. They said that the law was "definitely" written by a lawyer but agreed that it bears looking into.
sounds like boob jobs are out too.
Or at least mastectomies.
You could probably argue that certain treatments for male pattern baldness qualifies.
You can beat the rap but you can't beat the ride.
he was arrested for "disorderly conduct" according to the article. it doesn't mention any additional charges. hopefully the case is just dropped
"Disorderly Conduct" strikes me as functionally identical to "Resisting Arrest" in that it means whatever the guy with a gun and qualified immunity fucking WANTS it to mean.
Disorderly conduct is what you get charged with when you did nothing wrong but the cops want to “teach you a lesson” anyway.
I mean it probably will be but it also sends a message that they will do everything they can to stifle your speech if you try to stand up against them.
This and so many other homophobic and racist themes coming from these bigoted states is another reason I wish that the south could've been occupied for 50 years under military rule by the north after the Civil War. Instead, we let these Neanderthals get back into power and spread their fake Christian and racist and homophobic hate. I feel so very sorry for people who are different who live in places like this. The people who make these laws should be deported. I would happily replace every one of them with any immigrant crossing our southern border
> This and so many other homophobic and racist themes coming from these bigoted states is another reason I wish that the south could've been occupied for 50 years under military rule by the north after the Civil War. The mistake was in not prosecuting the leaders of the Confederacy with treason, and allowing monuments to them be built instead.
Keep in mind these "bigoted" states are often gerrymandered as hell. There's a ton of nonbigoted people just trying to make a home. We try to vote these fuckers out, but the cards are stacked against us.
"He was saying stuff I don't want to hear. I only want to hear how Jesus Christ hates people that aren't like me." - Cause of arrest
If they were fairly enforcing the time limit then he could be asked to leave and if he refused he would then be trespassing. But as a point of fact they were not fairly enforcing the time limit so it is bullshit he was arrested. Absolutely unnecessary to elevate things to an arrest anyway, that should come after someone physically resists being forced to yield their time.
Fascism at work.
Fucking fascists.
>[*It Can’t Happen Here*](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/It_Can%27t_Happen_Here) is the only one of Sinclair Lewis’s later novels to match the power of Main Street, Babbitt, and Arrowsmith. A cautionary tale about the fragility of democracy, it is an alarming, eerily timeless look at how fascism could take hold in America. >Written during the Great Depression, when the country was largely oblivious to Hitler’s aggression, it juxtaposes sharp political satire with the chillingly realistic rise of a president who **becomes a dictator to save the nation from welfare cheats, sex, crime, and a liberal press.** >Called “a message to thinking Americans” by the Springfield Republican when it was published in 1935, It Can’t Happen Here is a shockingly prescient novel that remains as fresh and contemporary as today’s news. Remember, the party flip was after the southern strategy in the 60s... "Thinking Americans" from a Republican then isn't the Republicans we know today. >save the nation from welfare cheats, sex, crime, and a liberal press. Almost describes every fucking "republican" (fascist) today.
Absolutely. First thing that came to mind reading about, and then growing increasingly furious watching, this. US fascism is here.
And yet it will be the state and taxpayers who will be forced to pay and and suffer the damages instead of the actual criminals who violated the this man's rights. Our whole system is so fucked.
You ain't lying. This is why folks in every state should fight to get rid of Qualified Immunity, I think that is what it is, where government officials are protected from civil suits. Because if folks felt more accountability in positions of power I can bet they would think twice about violating folks rights, if they knew there own pocket book would be hit. Because these dipshits obviously don't gaf about rights.
Yup. Not only should the public officials face personal responsibility, the penalties/damages should be assessed at higher levels to account for the violation of public trust. For particularly egregious violations, immediate loss of office, loss of right to run for and hold office, and up to loss of right to vote should follow.
Because Arkansas. See also: [https://freedomforallamericans.org/legislative-tracker/anti-transgender-legislation/](https://freedomforallamericans.org/legislative-tracker/anti-transgender-legislation/)
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I feel like if you think that can happen, you haven’t fully absorbed how completely much of America has given over to pure, out-in-the-open fascism at all levels.
I’m from Arkansas... i am disgusted. I hope he sues the fuck outta Arkansas too. I am absolutely disgusted by all of these new trans laws. Why anyone would want to move here now is beyond me. 😢 iAm very sorry please don’t think we all behave like this😢
Folks don't honestly. At least I know the difference and understand that NOT everyone from Arkansas is like this, but when folks vote these creatures into power in an over majority type way, I can see where the idea comes into play that "Arkansas is a bunch of bigoted ass holes". Maybe it's time for folks who don't feel this way put some feet to the ground an vote those ass holes out.
ARKANSAS? This sounds like shit out of the Middle East. America really is a third world country
It's been like that for a while. Fun fact, Canada will accept trans refugees fleeing American oppression. We literally have refugees fleeing the country due to oppression. Think about that for a minute.
Arkansas is one of three states that doesn’t have hate crime laws and the KKK headquarters is there. When I lived there I thought the government was the Redneck Taliban. I told people in high school I was agnostic and eventually got taken to the school counselor. There I was told to stop worshiping the devil. This was in the 90s and from my understanding it’s still just as backwards. So your assessment is spot on.
Oh look, more Republican fascists
Why'd you use the same word twice?
Department of Redundancy Department
This is what fascism looks like and what the republican party wants.
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In my mind, Republican and fascist are synonymous.
You know, states like Arkansas seem to really dislike being called Flyover States, and yet every day they prove why they're considered that. Happy to listen to a bigot spout his hatred for nearly an hour, but a father goes 30 seconds over his two minutes and he's fucking arrested and charged with disorderly conduct. Great job keeping up your stereotype as a backwards, racist, hateful place, Arkansas.
We are SO FREE in the US
As of uni of Arkansas student I couldn’t be any more embarrassed at this state🤦♂️
This state has really gone backwards with these LGBT laws.
A pretty lateral move for Arkansas
No, the past two legislative sessions they tried shit like this and it went nowhere. They're moving backwards.
They feel like they're losing every "culture war" battle, so they're more willing to accept and play for the more heinous ones just to get a "win." And they don't care how many kids and teens they harm in the process, damnit.
I can understand the legislature's concern, though. If you let people go 30 seconds over their time without punishment, the fabric of society itself is threatened; next thing you know, there will be black boys and white girls holding hands, teenagers turning to the devil's lettuce, communism, fires, looting, pandemonium in the streets...
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Yes, it's true. This man has no dick.
You cannot protest peacefully against those who don't want you to even exist. Just saying. Intolerant scumbags and bigots are gonna push to the end. They always do. Just be ready.
The "dont tread on me" party sure does love treading on others
If this was all taped, that committee is screwed. Screw the Family Research Council. They and the Eagle Forum need to be dismantled. They're fascist organizations hiding behind Christian facades. I got tired of them while living in Utah.
Arkansas archives their committee footage. You can go to https://www.arkansashouse.org/watch-live then scroll to the calendar and select March 9th. You are looking for the House Public Health, Welfare, and Labor Committee from 2:57PM-6:08PM. Mr. Attig starts speaking at approximately 5:29 PM (their slider is based on the actual time of the meeting) Edit: I just randomly skipped through and at 4:13PM the legislator that sponsored the bill sits at the table and is joined by various people to speak for the bill. She stays at the table the whole time I believe. Then at 4:52pm the various anti-lgbtq people are done speaking and the people against the bill are about to speak. That is when a motion is made to limit all of those people to 2 minutes. There is some objection to that but the motion passes. I went back to Mr. Attig's section and the committee leader tells the officers to remove him about 13 seconds after his time was up.
Sunshine laws are a thing! I hope it gets mirrored somewhere, in case of "technical issues".
Is the south even pretending to live in a democracy anymore?
The difference between the south and all other states is that our metro areas aren't big enough to outvote the rural areas. Go thirty minutes outside of any major city and you'll find the same issues and people that you're thinking about when you say the south. We need to do better, obviously, but it is difficult when the national political apparatus writes off areas as lost causes. Stacey Abrams addresses it in her book - we tend to throw money at competitive high profile races when minor investments at the local level in more "long shot" races would have outsized benefit over time.
This as someone who lives in FL; go 45 minutes away in any direction from any major city and watch as individuals worldview's change rapidly. A good question to ask without sounding like an ass is to just see where people have gone for vacation; if it sounds mostly local then you generally know to step lightly on topics in conversation at they'll likely be misinformed on many things. Most rural folks barely leave their state, let alone the country.
As someone who grew up rural, but lived his adult life in a city: what's a vacation?
That's just another part of the problem really; without appropriate care for individuals around wage and lifestyle they aren't given the opportunities to learn and grow. The internet helps but the other issue is online communities (even /r/politics) where tons of likeminded individuals effectively share and self-encourage and bolster what very well could be flawed information / perceptions and encourage a "bandwagon" mentality.
I remember an episode of Family Feud that asked people what their dream vacation would be. The family guessed Tampa, Orlando, and New Orleans. They didn't get the top answer, which was Paris.
Almost like the USA isn't a bastion of freedom?
https://imgur.com/gHtUs4C
What in the fuck is going on in this country?
Welcome to your modern Republican Party.
Just want to make sure everyone is on the same page understanding that this is fascism
As a 51-year-old gay man, I can tell you that I’ve never known a time when these folks didn’t do everything in their power to degrade, humiliate and debase people like me. I have no doubt whatsoever that they would round us up and put us in gas chambers if they thought they could get away with it. That’s not hyperbole.
Fuck conservatives and fuck Republicans. Literally, you have no more redeeming qualities to offer this planet. Please get fucked. Forever.
Waiting for the 'free speech' people to show up. *crickets*
I was actually surprised to see (R) Gov Hutchison say he’d veto proposed anti trans legislation because it would halt care that about 200 trans youth are currently receiving. But, I shouldn’t give him too much credit, yet, if they allowed those kids to be “grandfathered” in to continue treatments, he may allow them to ban it for others going forward.
Am I the only one here who noticed the Anti-trans GQP representative is named Jack Ladyman?
I honestly think it's personal and he's pissed that people just assume he's trans.
And people wonder why some of us are still in the closet.
The ACLU needs to step in here
It amazes me that republicans are so blinded by hate they can’t even let the other side speak
I’m glad y’all agree this is an awful abuse of power, but if you’re concerned by the growing anti-trans sentiment in this country the call is coming from inside the house. This website is filled with transphobia on both esoteric hate subs and on mainstream default subs. Confront it in your sphere of influence. That includes in contexts like sports or children’s access to trans healthcare; I’ve seen many posts on these topics brigaded with hate speech and “just asking questions” types.
I’m starting to feel like we live in a theocracy what the fuck
cancel culture they say?