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Anti-Gay Parents Tell TN School Board Gay-Straight Alliance Will Be Used To ‘Recruit’ Children

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‘Christian’ Flags Waved To Oppose LGBTQ Students And Allies At Packed School Board Meeting

Anti-LGBT parents battled students, equality allies, and local leaders at a Franklin County school board meeting Monday night.

District officials at the meeting announced they don’t plan to try to shut down a newly formed Gay-Straight Alliance at Franklin County High School (FCHS) in Winchester, Tennessee, as some supporters of the club had feared.

However, school board members do intend to enact new requirements for all student clubs – including that they maintain a minimum number of members and keep minutes of their meetings — in response to a weeks-long controversy over the GSA, during which some parents compared the GSA to ISIS.

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Four members of the public, two in support of the GSA and two against it, addressed the Franklin County school board at the start of its much-anticipated regular meeting Monday, which took place in a packed gymnasium at the high school. Supporters of the GSA held up rainbow-colored placards and other signs, while opponents raised Christian flags. Prior to the meeting, about 50 GSA supporters rallied outside the school. 

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“People who want to start a gay club in our high school say it will be all about coming together because of common interest to talk about diversity and political issues,” said one parent who addressed the school board (video below). “But the teachers and administrators and parents need to know that the GSA is a youth recruitment strategy carefully laid out by gay activists that carefully avoids addressing the health issues involved. The mainstream media won’t report it, but the Internet is packed with truths about the radical gay political agenda and lifestyles. In order to get what they want, they’re targeting kids. If you’ve ever heard of Kevin Jennings, he’s the founder of the GLSEN (Gay Lesbian Straight Education Network). In 2006, they had a conference up in Massachusetts where they bused in middle school and high school kids that were members of the GSA, and they were subjected to stuff like fisting, rimming, oral sex, anal sex. The GLSEN does not belong in our schools.” 

Loud cheers and boos erupted in the gymnasium at the end of the man’s remarks, with some attendees calling for him to be removed from the meeting. Speaking in favor of the GSA were a ninth-grade member of the club who is straight and a Sunday School teacher from a local church. 

“For those of you saying this is a gay club, it’s not. I’m heterosexual. It’s called the Gay Straight Alliance. Go figure,” the freshman GSA member said, adding that the club isn’t sexually based and has almost 50 student and faculty supporters. “We have it to end the demeanign of the LGBT community. My point is, this community needs this group, and not just the school. You can’t tear the club down unless you get rid of all non-curricular clubs. You can tear our signs down, and you can tear the tears out of our eyes … but so far we have the legal right to keep meeting.” 

The Sunday School teacher who spoke said some of the founding members of the GSA are members of his church. 

“Love overcomes fear,” the man said. “That’s years of Sunday School in three words. Love your neighbor. That’s three more words. Please retain for these children their God-given right, their legal right, to just be themselves, and to be safe.”

After the public remarks, board chairman Kevin Caroland explained that officials decided to consider new requirements for student clubs so that the district’s policy is consistent for all schools and everyone understands it. Currently, the district’s policy for student clubs is “not very specific” and “provides only general guidance,” Superintendent Amie Lomas told the board as she introduced the new proposed rules, some of which appeared to be geared specifically toward the GSA. 

For example, the new policy would prohibit clubs from “soliciting members,” which may be a response to parents’ misguided fears about the GSA “recruiting” their children into “the gay lifestyle.” And advertising of club meeting times would be restricted to certain areas, after the GSA’s posters were vandalized and torn down. 

School board members also said student clubs should have a minimum number of members, and undergo periodic sunset reviews to ensure they’re still active and adhering to the policy. And officials want clubs to keep minutes of meetings, including a record of who attended, which could serve to discourage people from participating in the GSA if they’re worried about being outed to school administrators or their parents. 

Board members didn’t vote on the proposed new rules, but directed Lomas to amend them to reflect Monday’s discussion before they consider the policy again next month. 

 

EARLIER:

Tennessee Parents Wage War On Gay-Straight Alliance, Compare Club To ISIS

Anti-LGBT Parents Force Tennessee School Board To Consider Shutting Down Gay-Straight Alliance

Students Wear ‘Straight Pride’ Signs In Tennessee High School After Gay-Straight Alliance Formed

 

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News

‘Utter Cowardice’: Jim Jordan Blasted for Telling Reporter He Can’t Read Trump’s Violence-Threatening Post Without Glasses

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Countless GOP lawmakers over the years have professed ignorance over Donald Trump’s tweets as reporters ask them to respond, often claiming they hadn’t read them, but House Republican Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan took that performance to a whole new level Friday afternoon.

NBC News senior national political reporter Sahil Kapur asked the Ohio Republican congressman to weigh in on Trump’s social media post threatening “potential death & destruction” if he gets indicted.

“Jordan said he hasn’t seen Trump’s post,” Kapur said via Twitter. “When I showed [it] to him on my phone, he said he can’t read well without his glasses.”

“He added he’s reviewing DA Bragg’s letter,” Kapur added.

READ MORE: ‘Big Shoe Drops’: Bad Day for Trump on Multiple Fronts in Special Counsel’s Grand Jury Probes

Jordan, who didn’t need glasses to appear on Fox Business just two days ago (photo) is getting blowback.

VICE News Deputy DC Bureau Chief Todd Zwillich explained the progression.

“The stages of ignoring incitement,” he tweeted. “2016: I don’t respond to tweets —> 2018: I havent seen the tweet —-> 2023: I literally can’t see the tweet.”

“Utter cowardice,” declared former GOP Congressman Joe Walsh. “Not at all the @Jim_Jordan I knew & served with in Congress 10 yrs ago. Or…maybe it is.”

“The sheer dishonesty and cowardice of these people,” lamented MSNBC’s Mehdi Hasan, echoing Walsh’s remarks.

Government watchdog group Citizens for Ethics said the “extent to which Trump’s backers in Congress are going to not condemn [his] calls for violence are ludicrous.”

RELATED: Ninth Wrestler Comes Forward to Say Jordan ‘Snickered’ When He Complained of Sexual Abuse: Report

Some tied Jordan’s inability to see the post to his apparent inability to see or remember all the Ohio State wrestlers who say they complained to Jordan when he was their assistant coach, about being sexually harassed or assaulted by the team doctor. To this day despite numerous reports and people publicly coming forward, Jordan denied it ever happened.

“Apparently, Jim Jordan is unable to see wrestlers being sexually abused or Donald Trump social media posts,” attorney and Republican turned Democrat Ron Filipkowski tweeted.

“Well, @Jim_Jordan has shown before that he has trouble seeing threats right in front of his nose, so this checks out,” tweeted historian Kevin M. Kruse.

But Jordan’s Democratic colleagues on the Judiciary Committee may have served up the best response: “Why do you need your glasses to condemn violence @Jim_Jordan?”

READ MORE: ‘Pits Parents Against Parents’: House Republicans Pass Anti-LGBTQ Florida-Style K-12 ‘Parents’ Bill of Rights’

 

 

 

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CRIME

‘Big Shoe Drops’: Bad Day for Trump on Multiple Fronts in Special Counsel’s Grand Jury Probes

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Judge Nixes Trump’s ‘Executive Privilege’ Claim, Orders Mark Meadows, Stephen Miller, Other Top Aides to Testify as Corcoran Completes Grand Jury Appearance

It’s a bad day behind the scenes for Donald Trump.

First, his own attorney, Evan Corcoran, just past noon on Friday walked out of a federal court building after completing more than three hours of testimony before Special Counsel Jack Smith’s grand jury investigating the ex-president’s unlawful retention and refusal to return hundreds of sensitive, classified, and top secret documents.

His testimony, compelled by a subpoena, is seen by a former top DOJ official as “the most critical evidence in the case,” and should “allow DOJ to make a charging decision without significant delay.”

READ MORE: ‘Pits Parents Against Parents’: House Republicans Pass Anti-LGBTQ Florida-Style K-12 ‘Parents’ Bill of Rights’

Prosecutors, citing the crime-fraud exception, were able to convince a federal judge that Trump likely committed a crime via his attorneys, enabling them to bypass attorney-client privilege.

Trump had strived to block Corcoran from testifying, but a federal judge and an appeals court, in an extraordinarily quick turnaround – some legal experts saying for reasons likely related to national security – ordered him to testify.

Also Friday, U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell rejected Trump’s claims of executive privilege and ordered testimony before Special Counsel Jack Smith’s grand jury investigating Trump’s actions related to the January 6 insurrection from eight former top Trump White House aides.

Among them, Trump’s White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, former Senior Advisor to the President Stephen Miller, and former Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe. Also, former national security adviser Robert O’Brien and former deputy chief of staff and social media director Dan Scavino, ABC News reports.

READ MORE: ‘Chilling’: Law Enforcement ‘Seriously’ Investigating Threats Ahead of Possible Trump Indictment Says Top WaPo Reporter

Meadows is a former GOP congressman seen by many as integral to the events of January 6.

“Former Trump aides Nick Luna and John McEntee, along with former top DHS official Ken Cuccinelli, were also included in the order, the sources said,” according to ABC News.

Former U.S. Attorney and Deputy Assistant Attorney General Harry Litman weighed in, saying: “Another really big shoe drops: [Judge] Howell rejects Trump’s executive privilege claim and orders Mark Meadows and others to testify before Jan 6 [grand jury]. Meadows has really been able to stay on the sidelines. No more–even if he takes the 5th, which [would] then force [question] of immunity.”

 

Image of Donald Trump via Shutterstock

 

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RIGHT WING EXTREMISM

‘Pits Parents Against Parents’: House Republicans Pass Anti-LGBTQ Florida-Style K-12 ‘Parents’ Bill of Rights’

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The Republican-majority U.S. House of Representatives Friday morning passed HR 5, the “Parents’ Bill of Rights,” legislation similar to Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’ laws that have led to book bans and targeting of LGBTQ children.

The bill passed 213-208, with 14 Members not voting. All yes votes were from Republicans only. Five Republicans joined Democrats to vote no.

Democratic U.S. Rep. Ted Lieu of California warned the legislation “pits parents against parents.”

“The extreme MAGA H.R. 5 bill will let other parents dictate what books your child gets to read. It’ll make it easier for other parents to know if your child has an eating disorder, or is experiencing a mental health crisis,” Lieu warned.

READ MORE: Watch: GOP Lawmaker Orders Grieving Parkland Parents Removed From ‘ATF Overreach’ Hearing

U.S> Rep. Steve Cohen (D-TN) warned, “H.R. 5 would codify Republican book bans all over the country. Stories of Holocaust survivors, enslaved Americans, and over 1,600 other stories have already been pulled from shelves.”

U.S. Rep. Maxwell Frost (D-FL) said HR5 is “a vehicle for hate and political nonsense.”

Congressman Greg Murphy, Republican of North Carolina, in a recorded statement falsely claimed the bill was needed because “Children are being taught to hate our country,” and “parents are labeled as domestic terrorists.”

In his speech before the bill passed, Speaker Kevin McCarthy declared, “We believe parents should know what your children is [sic] learning.”

CNN reports the bill would also “require elementary and middle schools that receive federal funding to obtain parental consent before ‘changing a minor child’s gender markers, pronouns, or preferred name on any school form; or allowing a child to change the child’s sex-based accommodations, including locker rooms or bathrooms.'”

Senate Democratic Majority Leader Chuck Schumer called the legislation “Orwellian to the core,” and promised it “will not see the light of day.”

Watch the videos above or at this link.

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