‘I hope more shootings happen’: The rise of anti-LGBTQ extremism in America
It's true in physics that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. It's largely true in psychology and sociology too. As someone trained in psychology who taught sociology for a number of years, I am well aware of that. And what we read below is an example of it.
The excessive valorization of homosexuality by the Left is only too evident. You can even lose your job by saying skeptical things about homoxsexuals. It has forced even some of the more more fundamentist religions -- such as the Salvation Army -- to abandon loyalty to the Bible -- which calls homoxsexuality "an abomination unto the Lord"
And that runs against justice for a start. Where is the equality or "equity" that Leftists are always preaching? Why must homosexuals get privileged treatment? Additionally, it runs against the instinctive distaste that many men have for the very idea of homosexuality.
And so we should not be surprised that Leftist extremism and imbalance sometimes produces an "equal and opposite reaction". There are of course reasons for unequal treatment of homosexuality but we must expect that to come at a price
First came the carnage, then came the vitriol. As a shattered community in Colorado Springs grieved the victims of last month’s mass shooting at gay hotspot Club Q, it didn’t take long for the condolences to be offset by hundreds of hateful, homophobic messages.
“The shooter was doing God’s work: five less faggots,” said one.
“I hope more shootings happen. Have a blessed day!” said another.
Club Q founder Matthew Haynes was saddened but hardly surprised as he saw the comments flash up on his screen. After all, LGBTQ people represent about 7 per cent of the US population, but make up 20 per cent of the nation’s hate crimes, according to the latest FBI data.
As a congressional hearing in Washington was told this month, the horrific attack that killed five people in Colorado Springs was merely emblematic of a growing trend of anti-LGBTQ extremism, fuelled in part by a rise in hostile public rhetoric - on social media, among some right-wing commentators or by politicians attempting to rile up their base.
Coupled with access to military-style assault weapons, Haynes said, “we were lucky that night that the casualties were not much higher.”
Demonstrators gather on the step of the Montana State Capitol in 2021 after the Senate Judiciary Committee voted to advance two bills targeting transgender youth despite overwhelming testimony opposing the measures.
According to tracking data by LGBTQ lobby group GLAAD, more than 300 anti-LGBTQ bills have been considered by state legislatures this year - from blocking trans participation in sports, to barring access to gender-affirming care, to removing books about sexual orientation and gender identity.
Among the most high profile has been Florida’s so-called “Don’t Say Gay” laws, enshrined by Donald Trump’s Republican rival Ron Desantis, which bans classroom instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity in kindergarten through to the third grade.
Reverend Paula Stecker of the Christ the King Lutheran Church stands in front of a memorial set up outside Club Q.
Reverend Paula Stecker of the Christ the King Lutheran Church stands in front of a memorial set up outside Club Q. CREDIT:AP
Twenty children’s hospitals that provide trans medical care to minors have also received bomb threats - prompting calls by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Medical Association for the Justice Department to intervene – and nearly 150 attacks on LGBTQ events have been reported publicly.
In Oklahoma last month, for instance, a doughnut shop was firebombed with a Molotov cocktail after hosting a drag event - its second attack in less than two months.
In Texas, an inclusive church’s drag bingo night was mobbed by hundreds of far-right extremists in September after Trump ally Steve Bannon amplified a call for the event to be protested.
And in Massachusetts, a man was charged two weeks ago for making a death threat against a physician who cares for gender-nonconforming children.
Both sides of politics accept that violence is a growing concern. About 7300 hate crimes were reported to the FBI in 2021, including nearly 1400 offences targeting LGBTQ people. However, due to under-reporting, varying definitions of hate crimes in different states and the patchy nature of the FBI’s hate crime data in general, these figures are widely accepted to be far worse.
But what both sides can’t agree on is what should be done about it. Republicans blame Democrats for “soft on crime” policies, particularly the push by some progressives to “defund the police” - a contentious slogan used to describe reallocating funds from police departments for other forms of public safety and community support, such as mental health services, youth services, housing and education.
They have also highlighted violent attacks by the left: such as the Bernie Sanders supporter who shot Republican whip Steve Scalise in 2017, or the dozens of church organisations attacked after the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn federal abortion rights in June.
“It’s easier to blame Republicans than have a serious discussion about the rise of violent crimes across the nation,” says deputy chair James Comer.
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Spain passes law allowing children 16 and over to change legally registered gender without medical supervision
Lawmakers in Spain have approved a bill allowing people over 16 years of age to change their legally registered gender without any medical supervision or parent supervision.
The measure, strongly backed by Spain’s left-wing Podemos party, was approved in the lower house of parliament on Thursday by a vote of 188 to 150 and means that anyone over the age of 16 can change their legally registered gender without consulting with a doctor, which was previously required.
Additionally, minors ages 12 and 13 will be able to change legally registered genders with a judge’s authorization, and people between 14 and 16 will have to be accompanied by their parents or legal guardians in order to make the gender I.D. change.
Up to now, Spaniards who identified as transgender needed a diagnosis by several doctors of gender dysphoria, which is the psychological condition of not feeling a match between one’s biological sex and gender identity. In some cases, they also needed proof they had been living for two years as the gender they identified with — or even records showing that they had taken hormones.
The legislation was not only fiercely opposed by conservatives in the Spanish government but also caused a rift between leftist factions of the feminist movement in Spain, BBC reported.
Equality Minister Irene Montero, a Podemos party member, said the law "de-pathologizes" individuals who identify as transgender.
"Trans women are women," Montero said.
Meanwhile, some members of the coalition government within the socialist party of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez have opposed the move, fearing that it will erode women’s rights.
"When gender is asserted over biological sex, it does not seem to me to be a step forward in a progressive direction; it seems to be a step backwards," Carmen Calvo, a former deputy prime minister Sanchez, said. "The state has to provide answers for transgender people, but gender is neither voluntary nor optional."
The bill will become law once it is passed by the Senate, which is a step expected by the end of the year.
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Christian Actor Reveals He Was Blacklisted by Hollywood Because He Wouldn't Abandon His Faith
It isn’t too often you find a successful, outspoken Christian in Hollywood. Perhaps that’s because many such actors are blacklisted in the industry.
According to veteran actor Neal McDonough, that was certainly what happened in his case.
McDonough is far from a Hollywood lightweight. The actor has starred in many highly regarded shows and movies, including “Minority Report,” “Captain America: The First Avenger,” “The Flash,” “American Horror Story” and, perhaps most notably, the hit television series “Yellowstone,” per IMDB.
Nevertheless, for a period of time, McDonough was blacklisted for refusing to do sex scenes.
“I couldn’t get a job because people thought I was this crazy religious guy. But that wasn’t the case. I love my wife, but I love my acting, too. I was hopeful that, at some point, someone would give me a chance again,” the actor told Fox News Digital.
McDonough, a devout Catholic, didn’t only have a no-sex scene rule. He also had a rule against kissing other co-stars because, according to him, “these lips are meant for one woman.”
The actor married his current wife, Ruvé, back in 2003. They have five children together, according to Fox.
McDonough’s no kissing rule caused some problems for him on “Desperate Housewives.” But at that time, he was still able to keep his job.
When it came to the 2010 series “Scoundrels,” however, McDonough’s refusal to act in sex scenes got him booted from the show. “I remember falling to my knees and saying, ‘God, why have you forgotten about me? Why am I being punished so much?’” McDonough said.
“And as soon as those words came out of my mouth, I realized what self-absorbed questions those were. God has given me so much. We all experience challenges in our lives. I should be grateful — and thankful — for all the blessings I’m given.”
But then he was given a chance with the show “Justified.” Apparently, unlike most Hollywood elites, the men and women behind the 2010 neo-Western were tolerant of opposing viewpoints.
The showrunners also casted Nick Searcy, an openly conservative Christian.
“And after ‘Justified,’ everything was kind of forgotten. I was determined to give a really great performance, and I did. And, you know, I realized that perhaps I was taking some of my acting for granted. I was working all the time, but perhaps I wasn’t dialed in enough in terms of what I could really do as an actor,” McDonough said.
More recently, the Catholic actor appeared in another Hollywood project that some argue goes against the political grain of Hollywood, “Yellowstone.”
If he could have one gift for Christmas, McDonough would want to appear yet again on “Yellowstone.” But whether or not that happens is up to showrunner Taylor Sheridan.
“Taylor’s a mighty busy guy right now,” McDonough said, according to Fox. “And you know, [my wife] and I are so busy doing our films that I’m not sure we’ll ever have the time to … get it done. But I certainly would love to do that for sure — get back in the saddle one more time against Kevin [Costner].”
https://thefederalistpapers.org/us/christian-actor-blacklisted-hollywood-faith
**************************************************Australia: Christian couple who were banned from adopting after saying they would force their child to 'fight the sin' of homosexuality win payout
A devout Christian couple denied the chance to have a foster child because they believe homosexuality is a sin, have been awarded hefty compensation for their 'humiliation and hurt feelings'.
Byron and Keira Hordyk, from Perth, sued the Western Australian government for religious discrimination and received a $3000 payout each, after Wanslea Family Services denied their application in 2017.
The independent agency contracted by the state refused their request after the couple, who have kids of their own, said they would tell a child who says they are gay to 'fight the sin'.
The Hordyks are members of the conservative Free Reformed Church, a denomination that told the Tasmanian law reform institute in February 2021 that they practiced 'conversion therapy' for which they issued 'no apologies'.
Conversion therapy, which has been banned in the ACT, Queensland, Victoria and Western Australia, attempts to change a person's identified sexual orientation through Bible study and prayer.
The Hordyks had responded to a theoretical question about fostering a gay child by saying they would try to convert them to heterosexuality and that if this was unsuccessful the placement would have to be terminated, the State Administrative Tribunal heard.
'We certainly would not drop them off that day to another home,' the Hordyks said. 'However, we are taught and do believe that all LGBTQ identities are wrong and sinful but there will be people who have to fight against this sin,' they wrote in their answer.
'We will therefore offer our help and try and do what we can to help this child, but if the child continues to be gay and goes on to date etc. the placement will not work as this goes against our beliefs.'
Wanslea denied the Hordyks a foster child on the grounds that they could not provide a physically or emotionally safe environment for a young person who might identify as LGBTIQ+.
In response the Hordyks took the agency to the State Administrative Tribunal claiming religious discrimination. They asked for $3000 each in compensation 'for hurt feelings and humiliation'. Mrs Hordyk told the tribunal she felt 'gutted' and 'devastated' that her beliefs were labelled 'dangerous'.
In his testimony Mr Hordyk said the rejection of the core principles of his life left him feeling 'deflated'.
'It feels unfair for me to have to throw away my beliefs on these issues just so I can be acceptable to Wanslea. My religious convictions take centre stage in all aspects of my life,' Mr Hordyk told the hearing.
Wanslea argued that the couple's rigidity on issues of homosexuality and gender did not flow from their religious convictions.
However, the tribunal did not agree and ordered both the Hordyks be paid 'for the loss and damage they suffered as a result of Wanslea's discrimination'.
At the time they were knocked back by Wanslea, the Hordyks said they were speaking up for other people of faith.
'We do feel we have been discriminated against and also we felt that if we were quiet about this and didn't say anything about it, it could potentially harm or limit any people with the same Christian values as ours from fostering,' Mr Hordyk told The West Australian.
'We hold traditional Christian views on how the Bible teaches us on sexuality and marriage.
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http://dissectleft.blogspot.com (DISSECTING LEFTISM)
http://edwatch.blogspot.com (EDUCATION WATCH)
http://antigreen.blogspot.com (GREENIE WATCH)
http://australian-politics.blogspot.com (AUSTRALIAN POLITICS)
http://snorphty.blogspot.com/ (TONGUE-TIED)
http://jonjayray.com/blogall.html More blogs
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Kristina Pimenova, once said to be the most beautiful girl in the world. Note blue eyes and blonde hair
Bliss: What every woman wants: to feel safe and secure in the arms of her man. Robert Irwin and Rorie Buckey. See 
1 comment:
A very good man can easily become a very bad man, or vice versa, by using their heads and hearts the opposite way.
There is much one can do wrong in the flesh and I do not think there is any harm in disliking what is wrong. It becomes harmful the moment dislike is accompanied or followed by plain or rigtheous ill will for others.
The concept of redemption may seem lost or rather weak in the presence of the appetite for destruction. But does said appetite have the strength to do what is right? Obviously not, it wants individual liberty and the learning that potentially follows for breakfast.
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