The Lie: From Hitler to Trump.

[Editorial]

 

All through history, The Lie has been there — demonizing the opposition. Back in the Roman Empire, Octavian (later Augustus) waged a propaganda war against Mark Antony, portraying him as a traitor enslaved by Cleopatra.

The modern lie can be traced back to Hitler, through Stalin to Trump.

"The Lie" is used to erode trust and rally their base of support. Authoritarian regimes, use the lie as a method of control: not just lying, but forcing everyone to participate in the lie. In the novel 1984 believing in the truth was a criminal offense.

Yuri Bezmenov, a former KGB informant and Soviet defector said,

We know they are lying,

they know they are lying,

they know we know they are lying,

we know they know we know they are lying,

but they are still lying

We know Trump is lying, we knew that they were not eating "dogs and cats" during the elections but the supporters ran with it. While everyone knew it was a lie, people were afraid of foreigners and locking up their pets. “The Lie” isn’t necessarily meant to be believed, but to signal loyalty and create an “us vs. them” dynamic. The point is no longer truth, but identity and dominance. It has because a test of loyalty to "The Donald."

Mass media has jumped on the ban wagon with podcasts and social media creating a was networks of woven lie. You could trust the mainstream media but that all has been bought out by "Billionaire!" NPR & PBS they have been decimated by the Republican budget cuts for speaking the truth. Now AI makes you question what you see and hear.

The "Art of the Lie" has been put on a pedestal to be worshiped, while the truth is being burned at the stake.

[/Editorial]   

Mini-Post: Control The Media

One of the first things a dictator does is control the media!

• We have seen in the past... the denial of unfavorable news outlet access to the government.
• Attacking unfavorable news article and suiting the reporters.
• Using regulatory agencies to attack unfriendly news outlets

Oh wait that's not Joseph Goebbels but rather Trump & Company!

President Trump orders Corporation for Public Broadcasting to end federal funding for NPR and PBS

By Clay Voytek, CNN

May 2, 2025

President Donald Trump signed an executive order Thursday directing the Corporation for Public Broadcasting to end federal funding for America’s two biggest public broadcasters, which have faced a series of attacks from the White House and Republican lawmakers accusing them of biased reporting.

The order instructs the CPB’s board to terminate direct funding for National Public Radio and the Public Broadcasting Service to the “maximum extent allowed by law and shall decline to provide future funding.” It also orders the board to take steps to “minimize or eliminate” indirect funding to NPR and PBS.

The executive order also directs Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to investigate NPR and PBS for possible employment discrimination, and it instructs the heads of all other federal agencies to “identify and terminate” any direct or indirect funding of the media organizations, as allowed by the law.

Goebbels is smiling up at them.

"He who controls the message, controls the masses"

Or in Trump's case... He who controls the press room, controls the masses.

The White House is now deciding who can cover the president, reversing decades of precedent

CNN

By Hadas Gold

February 25, 2025

The White House is stripping the White House Correspondents’ Association of its role in managing the White House Press Pool, taking control of deciding who will be a part of the small rotating group of journalists and photographers who accompany the president.

The press pool includes rotating representatives from television, print, radio, wire services and still photography outlets that travel with the president on Air Force One and in other small settings like the Oval Office or Roosevelt Room. They communicate information back to their counterparts at other outlets through what’s known as pool reports disseminated by email.

Since the 1950s, the independent WHCA, made up of representatives from hundreds of different outelts, has managed who is part of the rotation (in coordination with the White House). That now will change, Leavitt said.

But when they start asking hard questions they now get shown the door, so now the White House coverage is limited to right-wing pundits that tow Trump's line.

White House takes control of press pool that covers Trump

BBC News

By Bernd Debusmann Jr

February 26, 2025

The White House plans to determine which news outlets have access to President Donald Trump, taking control from an association of journalists after more than a century.

The changes, announced by Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt on Tuesday, mean the White House will determine which outlets participate in the "pool" that covers presidential events and shares material with other media outlets.

The rotation of pool reporters was previously determined by the White House Correspondents' Association (WHCA), which said the decision "tears at the independence of a free press".

The surprise announcement comes as the Associated Press fights to restore its access to presidential events after it was blocked.

"The White House press team in this administration will determine who gets to enjoy the very privileged and limited access in spaces such as Air Force One and the Oval Office," Leavitt said at a news briefing on Tuesday.

Gee... where else have we seen the government trying to control the news media? Hmm... Let me think.

Oh... Oh... I know when they controlled the news media!

The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum writes,

Nazi Propaganda and Censorship

The Nazis used propaganda to win the support of millions of Germans. Censorship helped to suppress ideas that the Nazis saw as threatening. 

When the Nazis came to power in 1933, the German constitution guaranteed freedom of speech and freedom of the press. Through decrees and laws, the Nazis abolished these civil rights and destroyed German democracy. Starting in 1934, it was illegal to criticize the Nazi government. Even telling a joke about Hitler was considered treachery. People in Nazi Germany could not say or write whatever they wanted. 

Examples of censorship under the Nazis included:

Closing down or taking over anti-Nazi newspapers; 

• Controlling what news appeared in newspapers, on the radio, and in newsreels;
• Banning and burning books that the Nazis categorized as un-German;
• Controlling what soldiers wrote home during World War II.

I don't know about you but it sure looks like Trump is following the Nazi playbook.

CNN goes on to write that,

“For decades, a group of DC-based journalists, the White House Correspondents Association, has long dictated which journalists get to ask questions of the president of the United States in these most intimate spaces. Not anymore,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt announced at Tuesday’s press briefing.

Leavitt added, “Moving forward, the White House press pool will be determined by the White House press team.”

It sure does look like Trump is trying to gut the First Amendment!

We Know Nothing... Nothing...

It was funny when Sergeant Schultz said it but it is not funny when major news organizations are shut out from the news!

The is a systematic attempt to control the news you get from the Trump White House, only right-wing news outlets are being allowed at White House news conference,

Opinion | News outlets backed the AP against Trump’s White House. Now what?

40 news organizations — including Fox News and Newsmax — asked Trump to lift his ban on the AP. Here’s why it probably won’t matter.

Poynter 

By: Tom Jones

February 21, 2025

Dozens of news organizations are urging the White House to reconsider its ban on The Associated Press over a dispute about what to call the body of water between Florida and Texas. The AP is calling it the Gulf of Mexico. President Donald Trump wants it called the Gulf of America.

And Trump, as recently as early this week, said he will continue to ban the AP from certain media events, including inside the Oval Office and on Air Force One, until the wire service gives in and calls it the Gulf of America.

However, 40 outlets wrote a letter to the White House this week asking Trump to lift the ban. The outlets include many of the news organizations that you would expect to fight for press freedoms: The New York Times, The Washington Post, NBC, CNN and The Wall Street Journal.

But it also included two outlets that you might not have expected: Fox News and Newsmax — conservative outlets that usually support Trump.

[...]

The New York Times’ Katie Robertson reports that Newsmax, which is a staunch supporter of Trump, said in a statement, “We can understand President Trump’s frustration because the media has often been unfair to him, but Newsmax still supports the AP’s right, as a private organization, to use the language it wants to use in its reporting. We fear a future administration may not like something that Newsmax writes and seeks to ban us. This is why news organizations like Newsmax and Fox News are supporting the AP’s First Amendment rights though we may disagree with its editorial point of view from time to time.”

But you know this is all personal for Trump, he only want news agencies that tow his line! What got my attention is that Fox News and Newsmax also want the mainstream media back in the Oval office again.

But, will it have any kind of meaningful impact?

It seems unlikely that Trump and his White House will reverse the ban just because other news outlets sent a letter and showed solidarity. It feels more likely that Trump and his White House will simply shrug their shoulders.

But that is not the only First Amendment issues... Poynter write in another article,

Firing of FOIA officers leaves experts worried about public records access under Trump

‘Anytime that whole FOIA offices are getting fired, it portends terrible things’

By: Angela Fu

February 21, 2025

The federal government — no matter the administration in charge — has always had issues fulfilling public records requests in a timely manner. But the recent firings of staff responsible for handling such requests have left some experts worried about access to government records under President Donald Trump.

“I think that reporters, as is the American citizen, are in for a boatload of trouble in the next four years in this regard,” said Terry Mutchler, an attorney and former journalist who serves as the vice president of the National Freedom of Information Coalition’s board.

CNN reported Tuesday that it had used the Freedom of Information Act to ask the Office of Personnel Management for records related to the security clearances for billionaire Elon Musk and the staff of the Department of Government Efficiency. An OPM email responded, “Good luck with that” — the staff responsible for responding to FOIA requests at OPM had been fired.

This is going to end up in the court because by law a FOI request has to be replied to in 20 days!

Not having staff available to process records requests does not relieve a federal agency of its legal obligation to respond, experts said. The law requires agencies to respond to requests within 20 business days and allows requesters to sue for records if that deadline is missed.

“It’s going to come down to the courts, and it’s going to come down to whether or not this administration has any honor in honoring court opinions,” Muchler said.

[...]

“Let the public know about their losses: ‘We requested this information under FOIA. Public, don’t you think that you have the right to it?’” Jones said. “Be transparent with the readership about the federal government’s failings in following the law or withholding information.”

You know that the Trump administration are just going to tie it up in the courts.

Now tell me where else is the news media under attack?

• Eritrea
• North Korea
• Turkmenistan
• Saudi Arabia
• China
• Vietnam
• Iran
• Equatorial Guinea
• Belarus
• Cuba

And now we can add us to the list!

Where Seldom Is Heard, A Discouraging Word

There is a reason why never a discouraging word is heard.

Pentagon Removes NBC News, NYT, Other Media From Offices in New Rotation Program
New participants will include One America News Network, the New York Post, Breitbart News and HuffPost

The Wrap

By Josh Dickey
February 1, 2025

The Pentagon will begin a new annual rotation program for media that requires several outlets, including NBC News, the New York Times and National Public Radio, to vacate their physical offices to allow for others – like Breitbart News, the New York Post and One America News Network – to get their turn.

The Friday announcement from the Department of Defense, now led by former Fox News host Pete Hegseth, will also remove Politico from its established in-house workspace.

The outgoing news orgs learned about the directive in a wide memo without individual notification or additional explanation, and takes effect in two weeks. The move comes a week after Hegseth was confirmed in the Senate by a narrow margin.

You have to ask yourself, "What are they hiding?"

The New York Times writes...

Mr. Ullyot said The New York Post would replace The Times as a print outlet; the conservative cable channel One America News would be swapped in for NBC News; Breitbart News would be a radio outlet instead of NPR; and the news outlet HuffPost, owned by BuzzFeed, would switch with Politico

Notice that it is all the mainstream media that being removed being replaced my right-wing media propaganda outlets. It will reduced the access for the MSM, and the ability of millions of Americans to hear unbiased news.

---

Updated: 2/8 @ 4AM

The Trump administration is throwing more Pentagon reporters out of their workspaces

AP News

By  DAVID BAUDER

February 7, 2025

The Trump administration on Friday doubled the number of news organizations it is evicting from their workspaces at the Pentagon in order to rotate in more friendly outlets.

CNN, The Washington Post, the Hill and War Zone will be asked to leave their spaces, with Newsmax, the Washington Examiner, the Daily Caller and the Free Press moving in, according to a memo from John Ullyot, acting assistant to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.

The decision, which the Pentagon Press Association called “unreasonable,” continues a pattern of hostility toward journalists by the administration, which this week said it was looking to cancel media subscriptions paid for by agencies of the federal government.

He filling the openings with those news organizations that toe the party line just like they do in dictatorships like Venezuela, Russia, China, and North Korea!

Allies Speak!

And they say enough is enough. Over 400 groups say stop persecution trans people!

More than 400 civil rights groups call on Congress to reject transgender athlete ban

The Hill

by Brooke Migdon

January 13, 2025

More than 400 LGBTQ and civil rights groups on Monday urged lawmakers to reject legislation that would bar transgender athletes from competing in women’s sports, claiming the measure, which the House is expected to consider this week, “would harm women and girls and undermine civil rights for all students.” 

The letter, led by the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, an umbrella group of U.S. civil rights organizations, argues that preventing transgender and gender-nonconforming youths from participating in school sports nationwide will further isolate and stigmatize an already vulnerable population. 

“If schools mark some students effectively as outcasts, they foster an environment where no student is included and safe,” the letter states.

Our allies will make a difference, when we talk we have an “ax to grind” but allies speak from the heart. The Republicans have already begun the attack with new anti-trans legislation.

Opponents of similar laws passed in more than two dozen states say such restrictions will inevitably fuel speculation about whether female athletes look feminine enough to compete in women’s sports without having their gender questioned.

So what they are really saying… that only trans women who don’t pass will be questioned! Those who don’t look trans will have no problem but only those look masculine will be challenged even cis women. Can you imagine what it will like for cis-women to be questioned all the time?

Opponents of similar laws passed in more than two dozen states say such restrictions will inevitably fuel speculation about whether female athletes look feminine enough to compete in women’s sports without having their gender questioned. 

A former Utah state school board member was censured last year after she falsely suggested in a Facebook post that a 16-year-old student-athlete in her district is transgender, resulting in a wave of online threats to the student’s social media accounts. 

To the Republicans, she’s only collateral damage on the quest to eradicate us.

In October, an Oregon school district requested that Sen. Ted Cruz’s (R-Texas) campaign take down two ads targeting transgender athletes because they included a photograph of two minor girls who are not transgender and whose parents did not give the Cruz campaign permission to use the photo. 

We need allies to speak up! As one meme said…

They came after the trans people and I spoke up because I know Martin Niemöller poem.

It is time for the news media to speak the truth and not kowtow to Trump in fear of lawsuits. We need the clergy to speak up, our gay brothers and sisters need to speak up, and we need our allies to speak up.

The Lies

What do you expect from the right-wing... lies, lies, lies, and more lies!

No, the Wisconsin school shooter wasn’t transgender

Every time a mass shooting happens, right-wing influencers falsely claim that the shooter is trans; rarely is that true.

The Advocate

By Christopher Wiggins

December 17 2024

In the aftermath of yet another devastating school shooting in America, misinformation spread rapidly across social media, falsely claiming the alleged 15-year-old school shooter in Wisconsin — identified as Natalie Rupnow, who went by Samantha — was transgender. Law enforcement officials in Madison are pushing back, emphasizing that these baseless claims only distract from the lives lost and the urgent need to address gun violence.

[...]

Barnes was responding to a reporter’s question that specifically pointed to Moms for Liberty as a source of false claims that the alleged shooter was trans. The Southern Poverty Law Center has designated Moms for Liberty as an anti-government extremist group. “I don’t know whether Natalie was transgender or not, and quite frankly, I don’t think that’s even important,” Barnes said. “What happened today has nothing to do with how she or he or they may have wanted to identify, and I wish people would leave their own personal biases out of this.”

It figures that it is an organization who started the rumors

Yet, almost immediately, a now-familiar pattern emerged. A prominent user on X (formerly Twitter), with 1.4 million followers, falsely claimed, “The Wisconsin school shooter has been identified as a 17-year-old trans identified male. Another mentally ill girl on testosterone.” The account referenced a locked Google Doc “manifesto” allegedly linked to the shooter. Another widely followed account wrote, “They cannot tell if the shooter is male or female. So my guess, it’s a mentally unstable transgender, because, let’s be real, it’s always them.” These inflammatory claims spread like wildfire despite the absence of evidence.

In 2022 the Uvalde, Texas school shooting, we got blamed for that. The politicizing of us in the aftermath of tragic events, often leading to the spread of lies and animosity against us.

 

Tell a lies often enough and it becomes the truth.

 

Only one of the shooters listed was trans the others are all lies spread by right-wing organizations! Newsweek ran a hatchet job on us where it listed

A tweet listing four mass shootings in the past five years that were perpetrated by transgender people has gone viral, attracting 5.4 million views as of 8 a.m. ET on Tuesday and the attention of Twitter's owner, Elon Musk.

Benny Johnson, a political columnist and Turning Point U.S.A. official, wrote in his viral tweet: "One thing is VERY clear: the modern trans movement is radicalizing activists into terrorists."

Musk—who has expressed varying views on transgender issues and is reported to have a transgender child—replied to the tweet with an exclamation mark, itself seen 2.2 million times.

USA Today wrote that,

Our rating: False

There's no evidence the shooter was transgender. No official sources or credible media outlets have reported this, and none of the images or videos included in the post prove the shooter identified as male.

Claim about transgender shooter is baseless

Police reported a 15-year-old-girl shot and killed two people and injured several others before taking her own life at Abundant Life Christian School in Madison, Wisconsin, on Dec. 16. Police later identified the shooter as 15-year-old Natalie Rupnow, who went by the name Samantha.

Like many past shootings, the incident has become the target of online speculation regarding the shooter's gender identity. But there's no evidence Rupnow was transgender.

However Reuters reports...

Fact Check: Most mass school shootings are not carried out by transgender people

By Reuters Fact Check

September 6, 2024

The mass shooting at a Georgia school on Wednesday sparked a narrative on social media that all mass shootings at schools in the U.S. in recent years have been carried out by transgender people, which is false.

Fourteen-year-old Colt Gray killed two students and two teachers and wounded nine others at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia, on Sept. 4 and is being charged as an adult.

A Facebook post, opens new tab that suggests Gray identifies as transgender reads in part, “Every single mass school shooting in the last 2 years has been carried out by a transgender individual.”

[...]

A search of the entire GVA database, opens new tab in September 2024 with “Incident Characteristic” filters for “mass shootings,” “school incident” and “trans: suspect” returns just one result, opens new tab referring to a 2023 Nashville school shooting that killed six people, in which the suspect reportedly identified as transgender.

Once again what Joseph Goebbels said about lies it true, the right-wing conservatives are demonizing us!

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The House negotiated a spending bill that included funding for pediatric cancer research, bans on junk fees, and provisions to lower prescription drug costs. But then two billionaires blew up the deal because it didn't help them enough.

How Trump and Elon Musk caused Congress' nightmare before Christmas

Still a month away from the White House, Trump and his billionaire backer threw Congress' plans to get home for the holidays into chaos over a government funding bill.

NBC News

By Matt Dixon

December 19, 2024

It was government shutdown season in Washington, and all through the House, many creatures were stirring — most notably Elon Musk.

Lawmakers in Congress were expecting a glide path to the holidays. They had a bipartisan deal that would keep the government funded and send them all on their merry way back to their districts.

But then they got a taste of what the next four years might be like with Donald Trump back in the White House and Musk, the world’s richest man, wielding enormous power over the political process.

[...]

Less than a day later, House Republicans released a 116-page plan to keep the government open through March 14. The plan had the support of both Trump and Musk, the billionaire who was Republicans’ biggest 2024 political donor and a frequent presence in Trump’s orbit. 

But even after a significant arm-twisting and primary threats from Trump and his allies, the new plan went down in flames on the House floor Thursday night with significant Republican opposition.

This is what $250 million dollars buys!

Musk has his money, but he also has his megaphone. He has the most followers on the social media platform X — more than 208 million — which is not entirely surprising since he owns the site. 

Musk, who spent more than $250 million getting Trump elected, posted about his opposition to the original spending deal well over 100 times over the past two days, with threats to fund primary challenges to anyone who voted for the plan, which was six weeks in the making.

“Any member of the House or Senate who votes for this outrageous spending bill deserves to be voted out in 2 years!” Musk posted Wednesday afternoon on X. 

We have the best government money can buy!

This And That Potpourri

A collection of news articles that caught my eye… First “They got our backs.”

Lincoln Square Neighbors Staged A Dance Party To Run Off Group Protesting Drag Story Time
The confrontation occurred outside Jerry’s Sandwiches, which hosts the story time. It also led to a bizarre incident where a gay couple tracked anti-LGBTQ+ protesters to Wisconsin to retrieve their missing phone.
Block Club Chicago
By Alex V. Hernandez
September 20, 2024

Neighbors near the heart of Lincoln Square chased away a group of protesters who targeted a popular drag story hour at Jerry’s Sandwiches over the weekend.

Jerry’s Sandwiches, 4739 N. Lincoln Ave., hosts Jerry’s Tales, a drag story time led by drag artists Ginger Forest and Candi Forest on the third Sunday of each month.

Anti-LGBTQ+ protesters showed up about 10:30 a.m. Sunday to try to disrupt the most recent story time, Ginger Forest told Block Club.

“The minute I walked out of my car, they started chanting, ‘Drag queen story hour is child abuse’ and screaming ‘child molester’ and ‘shame,’” Ginger Forest said.

---

Family values… or in this case, lack of family values.

Marlon Wayans Slams Elon Musk for Not Accepting His Transgender Daughter: 'Love Your Child'
"I don't like what he be saying about his trans child, that made me mad," Wayans said on a recent episode of 'Club Shay Shay'
People
By Liza Esquibias
September 19, 2024

Marlon Wayans has an issue with the way Elon Musk speaks about his transgender child.

On a recent episode of the podcast Club Shay Shay, hosted by Shannon Sharpe, Wayans opened up about his child, Kai, coming out as transgender. Reflecting on his process of acceptance, Wayans said it is hard for him to hear Musk’s comments disproving his own transgender daughter, 22-year-old Vivian Wilson.

“I have a Tesla that I'm about to drive off a cliff,” he joked. “I don’t like what he be saying about his trans child, that made me mad. You don’t treat them babies like that. You don’t disown your baby.”

He added: “Love your child!”

---

Lady Gaga Says She Let Transgender Rumor Slide For Community
Blast
By Afouda Bamidele
September 19, 2024

Lady Gaga is finally setting the record straight after years of speculations about her gender.

The "Bad Romance" hitmaker recently addressed the decade-long misconception about her sex, noting she let the transgender rumors fly to protect the community.

Lady Gaga is a well-known supporter of the LGBTQ+ community, but her love for them started long before she achieved her megastar status.

[…]

In 2011, Gaga went viral for shutting down a question about the rumors by declaring, "Why the hell am I going to waste my time and give a press release about whether or not I have a penis? My fans don't care, and neither do I."

As for why she never gave a straight answer, Gaga told Bill Gates, "The reason why I didn't answer the question is because I didn't feel like a victim with that lie."

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Dallas County resolution chooses sides in transgender debate
County should resolve to stay out of medical debates and support all its constituencies.
By Dallas Morning News Editorial
September 22, 2024

On Tuesday, Dallas County commissioners passed a resolution that managed to support some parts of the LGBTQ+ community and condemn several other constituencies.

The resolution, like those handed out by almost every public body before almost every meeting, should have been innocuous and apolitical, recognizing the important contributions of the LGBTQ+ community in Dallas County — a constituency, it should be noted, with a history of being discriminated against.

“Dallas County remains committed to ensuring that all constituents are free from discrimination and harassment of any form,” the resolution began. “Dallas County recognizes the significant contributions made by transgender people and affirms that they are vital members of our community.”

So far so good. If this resolution stopped there, it would have been inclusive and appropriate.

But then it went further. It made scientific determinations, declaring that “gender affirming healthcare has been proven to be evidence-based, medically necessary, and lifesaving” including, presumably, for minors since the resolution cited the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and the American Academy of Pediatricians. That’s choosing sides in a scientific debate that is far from settled, as researchers have told us again and again and again.

Um… there are no two sides when one side lies and denies the our existence.

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The inaugural Gender Liberation March linked the fights for reproductive and transgender rights
Thousands marched in Washington, D.C., on Saturday to protest anti-LGBTQ+ legislation and the overturning of Roe v. Wade — and to display their power as a voting bloc.
19^th
By Orion Rummler, Kate Sosin
September 17, 2024

Under Pride flags, Black Lives Matter flags and Palestinian flags, thousands of LGBTQ+ people and their loved ones danced and chanted through the inaugural Gender Liberation March in Washington, D.C., on Saturday to send one unifying message: that fights for reproductive rights and transgender rights are inextricably linked.  

“The overarching goal here is to make these connections, to get folks to start understanding that all of our rights are on the chopping block,” said Raquel Willis, a transgender writer and activist who co-organized the march. She wants to remind Democrats that abortion is also a trans issue, she said in an interview with The 19th.

Protesters marched in defiance of state legislation restricting their access to gender-affirming care, of the Supreme Court decision that overturned the constitutional right to an abortion, and of the extreme anti-LGBTQ+ agenda detailed in Project 2025. They traveled to Washington on buses from Atlanta; Baltimore; New York City; Chattanooga, Tennessee; and Durham, North Carolina. The protesters wanted to show the powers that be that their power is limited — and that trans joy and queer joy do not need permission to exist.

On the streets surrounding the U.S. Capitol, roughly 2,000 protesters echoed chants led by Qween Jean, activist and founder of Black Trans Liberation: “We are America too,” followed by “Wake up, wake up, this is your fight too,” “Abortion is a human right,” and “Our bodies, our business.”

---

Lastly sad news, one of our community was struck down. (Georgia is the country in Eastern Europe and not the state.)

Trans woman killed in Georgia day after anti-LGBT law passed
BBC News
By Frances Mao
September 20, 2024

One of Georgia's most well-known transgender women has been killed in her home, a day after the country's parliament passed a major anti-LGBT bill.

Local officials say Kesaria Abramidze, 37, was stabbed to death in her flat in the capital, Tbilisi, on Wednesday.

The interior ministry said it was investigating a "premeditated murder committed with particular cruelty and aggravating circumstances on gender grounds".

A 26-year-old man has been arrested in the case that has shocked the small South Caucasian nation. Georgian media reported he was known to the victim.

Rights groups have linked the killing to the new anti-LGBT law, arguing the government's promotion of it had fuelled transphobic hate crime.

Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili, who opposed the new law, said the "horrendous murder" raised urgent questions about hate crimes and discrimination.

The legislation from Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze's government severely restricts rights for LGBT people.

It introduces a ban on same-sex marriage, gender-affirming surgeries, child adoption by non-heterosexuals and the promotion of same-sex relationships in schools.

The bill sailed through parliament on Tuesday in an 84-0 vote, despite criticism from rights groups.

The ruling party said the "Protection of Family Values and Minors" bill was designed to protect a majority of Georgians seeking protection from "LGBT propaganda".

But local LGBT rights campaigners said the government had used homophobic and transphobic language and ideas in promoting the bill.

World wide, the right-wing conservatives are using animosity toward us to gain power, fascists always need a scapegoat to gain power.

Bad News…

This isn’t a fun post, I write about all the sh*t that is piling up against us.

First off from the Salt Lake Triburne,

Opinion: I’m tired of young, transgender Utahns like me being used as political pawns
I am a friend, student, athlete, son and brother — but, most simply, I’m a person.
By Leo Pickron
July 20, 2024

My first interaction with trans rights was in 2022 with the introduction of HB11. In the coming months, I planned to compete in school sanctioned sports, and I was worried this would be impossible. I felt let down by legislators attempting to limit such a small number of teen athletes, but I felt safe with Gov. Spencer Cox, who was willing to fight for us and vetoed legislation banning transgender girls from competing in high school sports. Gov. Cox had said it would be OK. As a young, naive Utahn who had yet to be let down by our politicians, I believed this empty promise.

Over halfway through Gov. Cox’s term, the Utah Legislature advanced onto my healthcare. I spent dozens of hours attending legislative hearings with my family. A year after I started hormone replacement therapy, a decision made by myself, my parents and my doctors, Gov. Cox signed SB16, a bill that indefinitely barred minors from beginning gender affirming treatment. While I was “grandfathered” in and would not have to immediately stop my treatment, I knew that somewhere in the state of Utah there was a child entering the wrong puberty, just as I had, and unable to get necessary medical care.

Anti-trans laws had stripped my childhood innocence away. That was the moment I lost faith in Utah’s elected leaders’ ability to protect me. Gov. Cox had fallen back on his promise; it was no longer OK.

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Nebraska Supreme Court upholds law restricting both medical care for transgender youth and abortion
The Nebraska Supreme Court has upheld a law restricting access to both medical care for transgender youth and abortion
ABC News
ByMARGERY A. BECK Associated Press
July 26, 2024

A Nebraska law that combined abortion restrictions with another measure to limit gender-affirming health care for minors does not violate a state constitutional amendment requiring bills to stick to a single subject, a majority of the Nebraska Supreme Court ruled Friday.

The state’s high court acknowledged in its ruling that abortion and gender-affirming care “are distinct types of medical care,” but found the law does not violate Nebraska’s single-subject rule because both abortion and transgender health fall under the subject of medical care.

The majority relied, in part, on a passage from an 1895 ruling to find the state constitution offers wide latitude on what composes a single subject.

“Ultimately, ‘if a bill has but one general object, no matter how broad that object may be, and contains no matter not germane thereto, and the title fairly expresses the subject of the bill, it does not violate’” the state constitution's single-subject rule, Chief Justice Mike Heavican wrote for the court.
While this ruling doesn’t address our healthcare per se it does address the law affecting our healthcare, I imagine that there will be other law suits addressing out healthcare.

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Florida school board unlikely to fire mom whose transgender daughter played on girls volleyball team
AP News
BY  TERRY SPENCER
July 23, 2024

A Florida school board appeared unlikely Tuesday to fire an employee whose transgender daughter played girls’ high school volleyball in alleged violation of state law, but postponed their final decision until next week.

The board is in Broward, one of the state’s most politically liberal counties, with twice as many Democrats as Republicans, and a large LGBTQ+ community. In recent years, attention on transgender children has spiked as conservative leaders seek to make trans rights a hot-button issue both in Florida and across the country.

Most of the nine members of the Broward County school board appeared ready to reject Superintendent Howard Hepburn’s recommendation that Jessica Norton be fired as a computer information specialist at Monarch High School, where her daughter played on the varsity team last year.

But many also said they didn’t think Norton should go unpunished for violating the state’s Fairness in Women’s Sports Act, which Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Republican-led Legislature approved in 2021. The law, which the Broward board lobbied against, bars trans students from participating in girls and women’s sports.

---

New Hampshire governor signs bill banning transgender girls from girls' sports
CBS News
July 20, 2024

Republican Gov. Chris Sununu of New Hampshire has signed a bill that would ban transgender athletes in grades 5-12 from teams that align with their gender identity, adding the state to nearly half in the nation that adopted similar measures.

The bill passed by the Republican-led Legislature would require schools to designate all teams as either girls, boys or coed, with eligibility determined based on students' birth certificates "or other evidence." Supporters of the legislation said they wanted to protect girls from being injured by larger and stronger transgender athletes.

Sununu signed the bill Friday, saying in a statement it "ensures fairness and safety in women's sports by maintaining integrity and competitive balance in athletic competitions." It takes effect in 30 days.

Megan Tuttle, president of NEA-New Hampshire, a union representing public school employees, criticized Sununu.

"Public schools should be safe, welcoming environments for all students, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity," she said in a statement. "Shame on Governor Sununu for signing into law this legislation that excludes students from athletics, which can help foster a sense of belonging that is so critical for young people to thrive."

---

This is bad, really bad!

Man accused of stabbing transgender teen 18 times at Miami airport
The 17-year-old was having a meal on the floor when she was attacked with a butcher knife Sunday. Officials say they aren't yet ruling out hate crime charges.
NBC News
By Mirna Alsharif
July 23, 2024

A man accused of stabbing a transgender 17-year-old girl with a butcher knife at Miami International Airport on Sunday was arrested and charged with attempted murder, police said.

Alexander Love, 29, was charged with first-degree attempted murder with a deadly weapon and attempted premeditated murder, according to an arrest report from the Miami-Dade Police Department.

Officers responded to Terminal J around 11:30 p.m. after reports of a stabbing, officials said in a news release. The victim was eating a meal while sitting on the floor when, officials say, Love attacked her without provocation, stabbing her about 18 times in her face, head, arms, shoulders, neck and legs before he tried to throw her over a safety retaining glass, officials said.

"The victim was able to escape the attack and ran down the stairs to the third-floor level, which is where the officers found her," police said.

She was taken to a local medical center in critical condition and had emergency surgery, officials said. Her condition Tuesday afternoon was not available.

---

I saved this for last…

I won't stay silent about the scars from my transgender experience
I won’t back down to bullies
Fox News
By Prisha Mosley
July 25, 2024


Young people are very susceptible to ‘social contagion’: Prisha Mosley

Did you know that you could “catch” Gender Dysphoria? Do you catch it like the common cold? Though sneezing or coughing?

When I was a child and suffering from numerous mental health issues, I learned about transgenderism. Vulnerable and in distress, I was given false hope by the pseudoscientific idea that I could become a boy.

Encouraged by doctors that this could solve my issues and alleviate my unhappiness, I began a medical journey to make a "female-to-male transition" that left enormous physical and emotional scars. It did not solve my problems, but rather created new ones.

My breasts are gone and what’s left in their place feels numb or painful. I haven’t decided which is worse - I miss one when I experience the other. Unnecessary prescription hormones have damaged my voice, my skeletal structure, and my hormonal system.

That is the narrative that the right-wing is pushing… that the doctors are forcing you into transitioning.

First of all she must have been over 17 or 18 to get the surgery so she wasn’t a child and she was old enough to give her consent. Second, I doubt very much that she saw the doctor only once and that it was a series of office visits and I will be that they asked her many, many times about why she thought she was trans.

So exactly how did this ‘social contagion’ come about? Did they lock her in a room a room and beat her with a rubber hose until she signed the consent letter?

In the June 12 issue of the Santa Fe Reporter, ahead of the one-year anniversary on June 16 of New Mexico’s HB 7 taking effect, Independent Women’s Forum paid for an advertisement featuring my story.

Maybe what they are not upset at you, but at you telling others that it is wrong for everyone?

New Mexico’s HB 7 forbids public entities and associated individuals from "restrict[ing] or interfer[ing] with a person’s ability to access… gender-affirming health care." Essentially, this bill discourages anyone from telling young people like me about the risks associated with attempting to medically "transition."

That is just bull! The law does not prohibit explaining the risks with transitioning but rather with programs like conversion therapy.

The ad in the Santa Fe Reporter included a QR code linking to IWF’s Identity Crisis documentary series, which tells my story and the stories of numerous others who experienced transition and ultimately "detransition." I think it’s information that children and their parents deserve to have.

According to research something like 13 percent detranistion.

New Study Shows Discrimination, Stigma, and Family Pressure Drive “Detransition” Among Transgender People
Fenway Health
April 7, 2021

A new study published in LGBT Health found that 13.1% of currently identified transgender people have detransitioned at some point in their lives, but that 82.5% of those who have detransitioned attribute their decision to at least one external factor such as pressure from family, non-affirming school environments, and increased vulnerability to violence, including sexual assault. The study was authored by researchers at The Fenway Institute and Massachusetts General Hospital (Harvard Medical School) and is believed to be the first rigorous study of the factors that drive transgender and gender diverse people to detransition.

“These findings show that detransition and transition regret are not synonymous, despite the two phenomena being frequently conflated in the media and in political debates,” said Dr. Jack Turban, fellow in child and adolescent psychiatry at Stanford University School of Medicine and lead author of the study. “For most people, it appears detransition is forced upon them. Our results highlight the extreme barriers transgender people in the U.S. face when trying to live their lives authentically.”

I have known three people who detransitioned and they all detransitioned because of eternal reasons… family and jobs. Two out of the three that I know detransitioned because they couldn’t find a job and the other detransitioned because of family reasons.

A growing body of literature shows that exposure to discrimination and stigma increases the risk of poor mental health outcomes among transgender and gender diverse people. But findings from “Factors Leading to ‘Detransition’ Among Transgender and Gender Diverse People in the United States: A Mixed-Methods Analysis” suggest that stigma and discrimination should also be understood as obstacles to safely living in one’s gender identity and expression.

The study also buttresses public statements by the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Association of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, and the American Public Health Association opposing the 82 bills that have been filed in a majority of states this year that would contribute to the external factors that lead to detransition, such as making it illegal to provide gender-affirming health care to children and teenagers, or restricting transgender students’ access to school facilities and/or participation in school activities.

We do not know why Ms. Mosley detransitioned, was it family pressure? Was it religious pressure? Or did she realize that she that transitioning wasn’t for her? Or did she realize that she wasn’t trans? We don’t know.

However, I know a child who transitioned before kindergarten and that was twenty years ago and she is a happy woman today.

Would You Vote For A Racist?

Many people would, many people in the far-right are White Nationalist.

While the media was in a feeding frenzy over President Biden they let Trump get away with racism.

Ali: Racism and bigotry get a pass in 2024 as Trump talk that once shocked is normalized

The Los Angeles Times
By Lorraine Ali
June 28, 2024


President Biden has “become like a Palestinian.” The comment from former President Trump at Thursday’s debate in Atlanta was meant to be an insult aimed at his opponent’s handling of the Israel-Hamas war.

Despite the implicit bigotry of the barb, Trump’s vilification of an entire people in the form of a crude jab barely made the news.

There is plenty of analysis coming out of the 90-minute live debate — Biden’s terrible performance, Trump’s fountain of lies — but what I find most heartbreaking is the quiet acceptance of casual racism as part of our political discourse.

The former president’s bigoted rhetoric onstage last night doesn’t even qualify as a minor talking point in today’s discussions about the CNN telecast.

But the media gave Trump a “bye” on his racist comments because they were so focused on giving it to Biden.

Omarosa slams Donald Trump's 'Black jobs' debate comments, compares remarks to 'slavery'
USA TODAY
By Jay Stahl
June 29, 2024

Omarosa Manigault Newman is criticizing former boss Donald Trump for his "Black jobs" comment at this week's debate.

Trump’s remarks arrived as he slammed President Joe Biden on the hot-button issue of immigration. The former president argued that “the millions of people he's allowed to come in through the border, they're taking Black jobs.”

But in an interview with TMZ about Trump's remarks, Newman asked, "What is a Black job? I don't know where he got that from unless he's taking it all the way back to slavery because you know the only 100% Black job in this country was back during slavery time."

[…]

“Yes, I will acknowledge many of the exchanges, particularly in the last six months, have been racially charged,” she said. “Do we then just stop and label him as a racist? No.”'

Why has not media not been calling out Trump racists remarks?

His ardent followers all know that he uses code words for racist…

Trump criticized for 'Palestinian' insult in debate with Biden
Reuters
By Kanishka Singh
June 28, 2024

Human rights advocates on Friday condemned former President Donald Trump's references to Palestinians, and immigrants allegedly taking Black American jobs, during Thursday's debate with President Joe Biden, calling the remarks racist or insulting.

Biden and Trump had a brief exchange on the war in Gaza but did not have a substantive discussion on how to end the conflict which has killed 38,000 in the enclave, according to the Gaza health ministry, and caused a massive humanitarian crisis with widespread hunger.

[…]

"The only one who wants the war to continue is Hamas," Biden said. Trump responded by saying Biden has "become like a Palestinian," which rights advocates said came across as a slur.

"Actually, Israel is the one (that wants to keep going), and you should let them go and let them finish the job. He (Biden) doesn’t want to do it. He's become like a Palestinian but they don't like him because he's a very bad Palestinian. He's a weak one," Trump said.

Trump has been using “code words” for racist for years, and in the past he has been called out… but not at the debate, no one called him out on his racism.

I Noticed Something About The Debate Coverage It Was Biased.

Did you notice it also?

All over the front pages… Biden Blows It!

Did you see any headline saying something like… Trump lied from the beginning to end of the debate! The only time I read about his lies it was buried down in the article.

Opinion | Media reaction to the newsworthy first presidential debate
Joe Biden had a bad night. That was the story from Thursday’s debate — not anything Trump said, whether it was true or not.
Poynter*
By: Tom Jones    
June 28, 2024

If you didn’t watch Thursday night’s debate between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump, and you only read a transcript, you might have a different view than those who watched and listened to the debate.

Based on substance, and substance alone, Democrats thought Biden had a decent night, pointing out the accomplishments of his presidency and his vision for the next four years while slamming Trump for repeating lies and avoiding tough questions.

But if you watched and listened to the debate, well, that was another story.

Here’s how bad it went for Biden: Even the Democratic analysts on CNN and MSNBC needed some spicy mustard because of the way they were twisting themselves into pretzels trying to defend how Biden looked and sounded.

Ultimately, however, it was a tough spin, and even they knew it. To their credit, they called it like they saw it, and what they saw was not good.

Yeah, it was hard to say anything about the debates about President Biden awful night, but if Biden showed his age, Trump showed his character.

Just look at these headline...

Major Democratic Donors Ask Themselves: What to Do About Biden?

New York Times

American media heavyweights tell president: it’s time to quit

Guardian

The Question on Democrats’ Minds: How to Replace Biden?

Bloomberg

Can Joe Biden be replaced as the sitting president?

Fox News

On the evening news all they had were video clips of President Biden, nothing on Trump lies other than a voiceover of a clip of Trump.

But the media seems to have focused on Biden age and glossed over Trump lies. Where are the headlines calling for Trump step down for lying?

Opinion  What the debate told us: Biden’s facts are no match for Trump’s lies
Trump can shamelessly lie when debate moderators don’t fact-check in real time.
The Washington Post
By Jennifer Rubin
June 28, 202

What caught my eye
The problem for President Biden during his debate with felon and former president Donald Trump: He looked and sounded his age. He may have had his facts in a row, but in this format, it hardly matters. Unfortunately, allowing Trump to blather lies nonstop without fact-checking plays right into a compulsive liar’s hands.

Biden recited his economic accomplishments, reiterated figures on the debt, pounced on Trump for getting Roe v. Wade overturned (and made the case Trump would sign a nationwide ban on abortion), repeated the details of his border plan and called out Trump for “lies” on veterans and immigration. Biden showed real anger when he repeated Gen. John Kelly’s revelation that Trump called dead military “suckers” and “losers.”

[…]

Trump, on the other hand, unsurprisingly lied and lied some more. He claimed Biden had only given jobs to illegal immigrants; claimed the world now did not respect the United States; claimed illegal immigrants were on Social Security and Medicare; pretended that other countries pay tariffs; claimed babies are killed after birth; insisted “everyone” wanted abortion brought back to the states; claimed Biden “opened” the borders; and insisted we have “no borders.” On immigration, Trump dreamed up illegal immigrants in luxury hotels. He denied saying that military personnel who died are “suckers” and “losers.” He bizarrely insisted NATO went broke — over and over again. (He still doesn’t understand that our European allies support NATO through their own defense budgets, not by “paying up.”) Most appalling, he claimed Biden encouraged Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. He even claimed credit for Biden’s effort to lower insulin drug prices.

[…]

Trump can shamelessly lie when moderators don’t fact-check in real time. The format simply does not work with an inveterate liar. But at points, Trump showed his true colors and his utter inability to answer straight policy questions (e.g., he could never answer a question on child care or on opioids). One is left somewhat despondent that millions of Americans will nevertheless vote for him.

The Hill,

Mike Huckabee suggests media ‘quickly’ turned on Biden after debate
By Lauren Irwin

June 29, 2024

Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee (R) said the media “quickly” turned on President Biden after his debate performance.

Huckabee joined NewsNation’s “On Balance with Leland Vittert” Friday, where he said it’s hard to say how long Biden’s performance will dominate the news cycle.
But he saw it from a different angle…

“I think the media has to accept some responsibility for the big lie that they have been telling for months now, and that is that Joe is top of his game, sharpest he’s ever been, just absolutely amazing,” Huckabee said.

[…]

Biden’s shaky debate performance caused panic among Democrats and prompted several news organizations to call for Biden to step aside Friday, letting someone else take on former President Trump.

It is the media that is causing the panic, by showing only one side. The whole next evening news show was about President Biden, talk about reinforcing the negative.

 

I asked my favorite AI…

Perplexity AI: “Was the Post-debate analysis biased in not pointing out Trump lies as much as Biden, it seems that the media focused on Biden but hardly covered Trump lies?”

 

Answer:

Based on the search results, there is evidence to suggest that post-debate analysis did show some bias in its coverage, focusing more on Biden's performance while not giving equal attention to Trump's numerous false statements. Here are the key points:

    Quantity of false claims: Post-debate fact-checking revealed that Trump made significantly more false claims than Biden. CNN's fact-checker Daniel Dale reported that Trump made over 30 false claims, while Biden made around nine misleading statements

•  Despite this disparity, the media coverage seemed to focus more on Biden's overall performance rather than highlighting the extent of Trump's falsehoods.
•  Shift in focus to Biden's performance: Much of the post-debate coverage centered on Biden's perceived weaknesses and subdued performance, rather than extensively covering Trump's numerous false claims
•  This shift in narrative could be seen as a form of media bias, as it downplayed the significance of Trump's misinformation.

[…]

While post-debate analysis did include fact-checking of both candidates' statements, the overall narrative appears to have been skewed towards critiquing Biden's performance rather than giving equal weight to the higher number of false claims made by Trump. This imbalance in coverage could be interpreted as a form of media bias, potentially influencing public perception of the debate outcomes.

So even an AI saw bias in the coverage.

One last word... Did President Biden get any of his fact and figures wrong? No he didn't, it was his presentation that was off, his memory is fine. It is the media with it harping Biden's performance and not taking Trump to task for his lies. 

*****

* About the Poynter Instituter from their website…
The Poynter Institute is a global nonprofit that strengthens democracy by improving the relevance, ethical practice and value of journalism. Through teaching, publishing, convening, fact-checking and media literacy, Poynter creates a crossroads where communities come together to use journalism to confront society’s complex problems.

Poynter has long represented the gold standard for the professional development of journalists, For the last 50 years, Poynter has worked to bolster local news infrastructure and sustainability. In the last year, we’ve trained thousands of local journalists and their newsrooms in craft, digital audience and revenue growth, innovation, diversity, equity and inclusion, and effective management. Our work with local newsrooms has led to millions of dollars in new revenue, millions in new digital audience, and local newsroom leadership that is more equipped to recruit and retain diverse staff, lead from an ethical framework, and create newsrooms that will thrive and continue to grow for years to come.

News Flash! President Biden Pardon Ex-GIs!

  A Proclamation on Granting Pardon for Certain Violations of Article 125 Under the Uniform Code of Military Justice

     Our Nation has made tremendous progress in advancing the cause of equality for LGBTQI+ Americans, including in the military.  Despite their courage and great sacrifice, thousands of LGBTQI+ service members were forced out of the military because of their sexual orientation or gender identity.  Many of these patriotic Americans were subject to a court-martial.  While my Administration has taken meaningful action to remedy these problems, the impact of that historical injustice remains.  As Commander in Chief, I am committed to maintaining the finest fighting force in the world.  That means making sure that every member of our military feels safe and respected.

     Accordingly, acting pursuant to the grant of authority in Article II, Section 2, of the Constitution of the United States, I, Joseph R. Biden Jr., do hereby grant a full, complete, and unconditional pardon to persons convicted of unaggravated offenses based on consensual, private conduct with persons age 18 and older under former Article 125 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ), as previously codified at 10 U.S.C. 925, as well as attempts, conspiracies, and solicitations to commit such acts under Articles 80, 81, and 82, UCMJ, 10 U.S.C. 880, 881, 882.  This proclamation applies to convictions during the period from Article 125’s effective date of May 31, 1951, through the December 26, 2013, enactment of section 1707 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2014 (Public Law 113-66).

     The purpose of this proclamation is to pardon only offenses based on consensual, private conduct between individuals 18 and older that do not involve any aggravating factor, including:  

     (1)  conduct that would violate 10 U.S.C. 893a, prohibiting activities with military recruits or trainees by a person in a position of special trust;
     (2)  conduct that was committed with an individual who was coerced or, because of status, might not have felt able to refuse consent;
     (3)  conduct on the part of the applicant constituting fraternization under Article 134 of the UCMJ;
     (4)  conduct committed with the spouse of another military member; or
     (5)  any factors other than those listed above that were identified by the United States Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces in United States v. Marcum as being outside the scope of Lawrence v. Texas as applied in the military context, 60 M.J. 198, 207–08 (2004).

     The Military Departments (Army, Navy, or Air Force), or in the case of the Coast Guard, the Department of Homeland Security, in conjunction with the Department of Justice, shall provide information about and publicize application procedures for certificates of pardon.  An applicant for a certificate of pardon under this proclamation is to submit an application to the Military Department (Army, Navy, or Air Force) that conducted the court-martial or, in the case of a Coast Guard court-martial, to the Department of Homeland Security.  If the relevant Department determines that the applicant satisfies the criteria under this proclamation, following a review of relevant military justice records, the Department shall submit that determination to the Attorney General, acting through the Pardon Attorney, who shall then issue a certificate of pardon along with information on the process to apply for an upgrade of military discharge.  My Administration strongly encourages veterans who receive a certificate of pardon to apply for an upgrade of military discharge.  

     Although the pardon under this proclamation applies only to the convictions described above, there are other LGBTQI+ individuals who served our Nation and were convicted of other crimes because of their sexual orientation or gender identity.  It is the policy of my Administration to expeditiously consider and to make final pardon determinations with respect to such individuals.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-sixth day of June, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-four, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-eighth.

                             JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.

I Said It,

I said that trans people and drag queens were just the beginning that the far right-wing evangelicals has marriage equality in their sights.

America Got Gay Marriage, but It Came at a Cost
New York Times
By Omar G. Encarnación
June 24, 2024

It’s a strange time for gay rights in America. As the country nears the 10th anniversary of the legalization of gay marriage nationwide, support for same-sex unions has risen to 70 percent of the American public. But at the same time, L.G.B.T.Q. people are being targeted in ways not seen since the days of Save Our Children, Anita Bryant’s infamous 1977 campaign against gay rights that depicted gay men as human garbage and pedophiles.

In recent years, Republican-controlled state legislatures have banned drag shows, gender-affirming care for minors and adults, and the teaching of sexual orientation from kindergarten through the third grade, including the passage of Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” law. Panic about “grooming,” a homophobic slur that exploits people’s worst fears about gay people and children, is having a moment.

Even Obergefell v. Hodges, the 2015 Supreme Court ruling that legalized gay marriage nationally, is under attack. In 2020, Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas cast doubt on the legality of the ruling, which could yet go the same way as Roe v. Wade. The Respect for Marriage Act, passed by Congress in 2022, did not codify the ruling into law and would provide scant protection.

We all knew this was coming, the hand writing was on the wall… they hate anything LGBTQ+ they want us wiped off the face of the earth, they want to bring back pre-Stonewall.

To be sure, extending marriage rights to same-sex couples was a major step for American society. But it did not require Americans to question their fundamental assumptions about L.G.B.T.Q. people. And despite its modesty, the campaign didn’t stop backlash or the sense among conservative activists and lawmakers that attacking L.G.B.T.Q. people is a low-risk proposition.

Yeah, the Republicans know that not many people will stand by us, that we were easy pickings to distract the people from the real issues in the world today… war, poverty, the gap between the have’s and the have’s not.

The author sees the way we worked to get marriage equality and our human rights as working against us now,

Inspired by the civil rights movement’s struggle for equality under the law, the campaign — which ran for roughly two decades until the ruling in 2015 — was framed around rights and benefits. It spotlighted the rights denied to same-sex couples, including tax deductions, inheritance provisions and hospital visitation privileges.

But the message backfired, coming across as sterile, materialistic and unpersuasive. It also invited the criticism that gay people were comparing their struggle for marriage to the fight against racial discrimination by African Americans. A different message, centered on love and commitment, was introduced late in the campaign to show that same-sex couples wanted marriage for the same reasons heterosexuals do.

Neither messaging, however, made the case for L.G.B.T.Q. equality beyond pleading for opening the institution of marriage to same-sex couples. For the most part, gay marriage activists did not defend the morality of homosexual unions. Nor did they refute the claim by the Christian right that gay marriage was a threat to the family and religious freedom.

Um… I don’t know… I think he is off base.

But just because the conditions surrounding the struggle for gay marriage were different abroad does not mean that there’s nothing for American gay activists to learn. After all, the culture war over gay marriage in countries like Spain, Brazil and Ireland was won with smaller and less seasoned gay rights movements than in the United States and against formidable opponents like the Catholic Church and the evangelical movement.

I think this guy is way out in left field. If you look at the polls you will see strong support for LGBTQ+ community. According to Gallup...

Same-sex marriage: 69% of Americans believe that marriage between same-sex couples should be legal, according to a Gallup poll conducted in May 2024. This is near the record high of 71% recorded in 2022 and 2023.

And according to a survey by the Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI) as reported by the Guardian,

Nondiscrimination protections: Support for policies protecting LGBTQ+ Americans from discrimination in employment, housing, and public accommodations fell slightly from 80% in 2022 to 76% in 2023.

There is strong support for our rights by Democrats, and independents, but even among Republicans there is some support. It is the far right-wing agenda that wants to do away with us, unfortunately that is the cult that is controlling the Republican party right now. But the PRRI survey shows the Republican lies are having the effect on public opinion. We need to better educate the public about healthcare for minors and counter their lies about puberty blockers, and surgery for minors. The Times article ends with,

American gay activists would be wise to recalibrate their activism, shifting from a rights-based approach, with its emphasis on litigation, to one more oriented toward citizenship and dignity. They may also want to embrace a more ambitious and idealistic mind-set, aiming squarely at public persuasion. Modesty has its virtues, of course. But when it comes to struggles for fairness and equality, it pays to go big and aim high.

Um… sir. We have been doing that. But if you follow the news you would know that the Republicans just don’t care about public opinion, they care about radicalizing their evangelical base.

We Lost A Pioneer

On Tuesday I wrote the passing of Lynn Conway, now the mainstream news media picked up on her death.

Lynn Conway, microchip pioneer and trans rights advocate, dies at 86
After confiding to supervisors that she was transgender, she was fired from IBM. She later helped popularize a radically simplified method for microchip design.
Washington Post

Column: Lynn Conway, leading computer scientist and transgender pioneer, dies at 86
Los Angles Times

Lynn Conway, microchip pioneer who overcame transgender discrimination, dies at 86
AP News

Microchip pioneer and transgender activist Lynn Conway dies
Silicon Republic

‘The bravest person I ever knew’: Transgender computing pioneer Lynn Conway dies at 86
Born in a time when gender variance was violently suppressed, Lynn Conway helped invent the modern world – and ultimately found lasting happiness
Independent

I looked for her obit in the conservative media and couldn’t find any, I asked Perplexity AI…

While her life story and accomplishments were widely reported by mainstream media outlets, the search results do not indicate whether conservative media specifically covered her passing.

Chat GPT AI answered…

The death of Lynn Conway, a pioneering computer scientist and transgender activist, has not been extensively covered by major conservative media outlets. Most of the coverage has come from mainstream and progressive media sources, reflecting Conway's significant impact on both the tech industry and LGBTQ+ rights.

Townhall, a prominent conservative media site, did not feature any articles about Lynn Conway's death as of now​ (Townhall)​. Similarly, The Daily Signal, another conservative outlet, did not report on Conway's passing either​ (The Daily Signal)​.

Here she was one of the greatest computer pioneers and was awarded major recognition for her work but she doesn’t fit into the conservative view of us as degenerates. The right-wing media don’t want people to know about our success stories.

Breaking News: Guilty On All Count!

Wow! A former president found guilty on all counts... Amazing! He is now a convicted felon and cannot vote in his home state of Florida, they do not allow convicted felon vote.

So now what?

What will Trump do? You know that there will be an endless appeals but what do you think he will do?

online polls

---

Update: 7:00PM

What do I think will happen is he will get probation. With his big mouth he will turnoff many of the voters with his conduct on the campaign trial, I believe that he will be bad mouthing President Biden, and everyone else. People will see what a vindictive little man he is. You watch the more he mouths off the lower the poll numbers.

---

Update: 6:00AM May 31

The party of Law & Order seems to be only in favor if it goes in their favor and they control the courts. Politico reports,

Congressional Republicans wasted no time in blasting former President Donald Trump’s Thursday conviction on 34 felony counts in New York, projecting confidence that the verdict would further motivate the GOP base ahead of November’s election.

GOP lawmakers blasted the trial as a thinly veiled effort to meddle in Trump’s bid to return to the White House, predicting that he would prevail on appeal — and against President Joe Biden later this fall. Underscoring the clear link between their fury over the verdict and their Election Day hopes, some Republicans — like House Majority Whip Rep. Tom Emmer (R-Minn.) — immediately posted a Trump fundraising link alongside their statements of support.

“Today is a shameful day in American history. Democrats cheered as they convicted the leader of the opposing party on ridiculous charges, predicated on the testimony of a disbarred, convicted felon,” Speaker Mike Johnson said in a statement. “This was a purely political exercise, not a legal one.”

I would like to point out that two juries ruled against him. A Grand Jury found that there was enough evidence to lead to a conviction and now this jury where not one of the jurors thought he was not guilty of the crimes. That his lawyers could not convince at least one juror of his innocence.

 Another staunch Trump ally, top Senate Judiciary Committee Republican Lindsey Graham (S.C.), said in a statement that “I expect this case to be reversed on appeal” and added a forecast that Democrats would pay a price for a trial that Trump supporters see as designed to hurt him.

“This verdict says more about the system than the allegations,” Graham added. “It will be seen as politically motivated and unfair, and it will backfire tremendously on the political left.”

Isn't it funny how they praise a verdict in their favor but tear apart the judicial system when it goes against them.

---

Spectrum News reported that the Democrat response was,

Democrats who celebrated the verdict largely echoed the same sentiment — that no one is immune from following the law.

"America is a nation built upon the rule of law," said House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, a New York Democrat. "The jury has spoken and carefully rendered a decision. Responsible leadership requires the verdict to be respected."

"Today, twelve ordinary American citizens found a former president guilty of dozens of felonies," said California Rep. Adam Schiff, a U.S. Senate candidate who became a household name during Trump's presidency as a foil against the Republican president. "Despite his efforts to distract, delay, and deny – justice arrived for Donald Trump all the same. And the rule of law prevailed."

"Everyone is entitled to due process, and Donald Trump had his," Maryland Sen. Chris Van Hollen wrote on X. "This guilty verdict and the many ongoing criminal cases against Trump make it clear to the world: in the United States, no one is above the law."

Rep. Jasmine Crockett of Texas said she knows many are celebrating the verdict, “but my heart f****** breaks for our country!" 

"How did we get here?!” she said. “When did we stop requiring some darned decency of the most powerful person on Earth?! The grand jurors, the prosecutors, the judge, the witnesses & this jury deserve so much more than they will receive. This was a brave undertaking in an unnecessarily violent & politically charged America. FYI, today was a win for the rule of law!"

California Rep. Maxine Waters did not hide her excitement.

"Hallelujah!!! My predictions came true!" she said. "I predicted three years ago at a speech with the Human Rights Champaign that Stormy Daniels would be the one to get Trump. My faith in the criminal justice system has been strengthened!"

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It turns out that there is a loop hole in Florida's felon voting law, if the state where you are convicted allow felons to vote you can vote in Florida. The Guardian writes,

Despite his 34 felony convictions, Donald Trump will likely still be able to cast a vote for himself in November because of Florida and New York’s voting rights restoration laws.

Florida, where Trump has his primary residence, allows people convicted of felonies to vote depending on the law in the state where they are convicted.

New York is one of 23 states where people convicted of a felony can vote, even if they are on parole or probation, as long as they are not incarcerated.

Protestors holding signs that say "guilty" and "Trump is guilty". Jury Finds Former President Donald Trump Guilty On All 34 Counts In Hush Money Trial

“A felony conviction in another state makes a person ineligible to vote in Florida only if the conviction would make the person ineligible to vote in the state where the person was convicted,” Florida’s department of state website reads.

My advice to Trump, contact a good lawyer before you vote or you may find yourself in court again.

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Update 1:00PM

You all do know that Trump has a big mouth.

And that I'll tell right now is sealing his tomb. He is a convicted felon and he keep showing that he does agree with that, he is not contrite, he is not showing remorse and how do you think the judge will view that.

Trump calls trial a ‘scam,’ vows to appeal historic verdict

The Washington Post

Former president Donald Trump, speaking at a rambling news conference Friday in New York, vowed to appeal his conviction on all counts in his hush money trial, calling it “a scam.” On Thursday, a New York jury found Trump guilty on 34 counts of falsifying business records to conceal a hush money payment to an adult-film actress. During Friday’s remarks, Trump renewed his attacks on the judge and prosecutor and aired other grievances about the process, making multiple false and misleading claims. He took no questions from reporters.

Now tell me how do you think the judge will view this. Trump is digging his owe hole, every word he speaks he is digging it deeper.

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Update: June 1 @ 5:00AM

I tell you, Trump is putting his foot in his mouth.

Trump adviser blasts College Republicans statement on New York verdict
The Hill
by Julia Mueller
June 1, 2024


Former President Trump’s adviser Chris LaCivita knocked College Republicans for issuing a statement arguing the outcome of Trump’s New York trial, in which he was convicted on 34 felony counts, should be respected.

“Today’s convictions are the result of a politically motivated prosecution, but a verdict was handed down by jurors whose decisions were made in accordance with our criminal justice system. As such, the outcome of this trial should be respected. Just like the decision of voters on November 5th,” College Republicans said in a post on the social platform X.

[…]

After former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R), who is running for the Senate, said the verdict should be respected “regardless” of the outcome, LaCivita argued Hogan had just ended his campaign.

Can you imagine, he, the former president, the convicted felon, has to go for a meeting with his probation officer. I can just hear Trump now gripping about his “PO”