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Frank Kameny’s Fight For Gay Rights Honored By LGBT-Inclusive Christians

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Before the 1969 New York City riots at Stonewall Inn launched the gay civil rights movement, there was Dr. Frank Kameny. Last Thursday, the civil rights leader who died on National Coming Out Day was honored by the LGBT community in Washington D.C. As they remembered a man known as “one of the most significant figures in the history of the American gay rights movement,” I reflected on the audacious activism that has defined his work—an activism that improved the lives of each generation that followed.

Forty-six years ago, Dr. Kameny was one of the first in our country’s history to lead a gay rights protest on the White House. During a time when equality was virtually non-existent for LGBT people, the Harvard educated astronomer fought back when he was fired in 1957 from his post at the U.S. Army Map Service for being gay. He challenged the discrimination all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court.

When he was unsuccessful, he didn’t fall but was fueled to begin a new fight by organizing in the gay community. He co-founded the Mattachine Society of Washington D.C., in 1961; and what is now known as the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, in 1973. That same year, Dr. Kameny played a key role in moving the American Psychiatric Association to stop calling homosexuality a mental disorder—a shift, which helped disarm misleading rhetoric used by opponents to marginalize the LGBT community. But perhaps most importantly to his own experience, he was there in 1998 when President Clinton signed an Executive Order that banned discrimination in federal employment because of an individual’s orientation. His genuine drive for change made a big difference. And his fighting spirit lives on as the LGBT community continues to move forward in battles for equality across the country.

Today’s America is very different from the 1950s. While progress has been slow, it is happening in various parts of society. Federal and state governments continue to dismantle systemic discriminatory laws including the recent repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” and the expansion and defense of marriage equality across the country. LGBT teen bullying is being elevated to a national platform and given the critical eye it deserves. While there is still much work to be done, we celebrate his life by continuing and putting forth the same commitment in our work. Even in the faith community, which historically has been the primary source for anti-gay sentiment, American Christians are also remembering and honoring Dr. Kameny.

Rev. Troy Perry, founder of the Metropolitan Community Churches (MCC) remembers meeting Dr. Kameny in 1969. “[He] was a hero in what we then called the “homophile” movement. I was impressed with his clear conviction that civil rights should be afforded to everyone. Through all the changes in history in the years since the 1950s, when he was outed and then became an activist, he continued the fight, and he was always a supporter of the ministry of MCC.” Rev. Dr. Nancy Wilson also remembers Kameny not being a “religious person” but someone who was “respectful” of the role of LGBT-inclusive Christians.

In the last year, Believe Out Loud has grown to more than 35,000 direct constituents, including clergy, laypeople, agnostics, even atheists who recognize the justice behind LGBT-inclusive Christianity. The community represents veteran advocates whose years of activism have lead to the dismantling of systemic discrimination within America’s core Christian institutions. These include expanding LGBT ordination rights in the Presbyterian, Episcopalian, Lutheran and United Church of Christ. There are also newcomers to the battle – folks who sport inclusion, talk about the issue on their Facebook pages or feel inspired to challenge the religious right’s hostile anti-LGBT rhetoric by preaching love in their sermons or blogs.

These institutional and culture battles are being fought with compassion and grace. And every day we see more Christians and congregations who are breaking the silence and declaring their support of the LGBT community. What we continue to learn watching these institutional changes and the growing grassroots support, is that the culture in the church is shifting to keep up with the historic majorities of Americans and American Christians who believe in the fundamental right to welcome the LGBT community.

While Dr. Kameny is remembered for his compassionate brand of activism and in many ways helping to create the foundation of the gay civil rights movement in America, there are many ways we can celebrate his life and the legacies of LGBT advocates before him. This can be done by standing up to state legislatures, organizations or individuals who refuse to let our community have access to basic civil rights. Or by standing up to the religious rights anti-gay rhetoric, which does nothing but create division in our country. But most importantly, when we find ourselves talking to those who are conflicted towards LGBT-inclusion issues, we can use the same pride and compassion shown by Dr. Kameny to help turn them into allies. “Gay is Good,” as he famously put it, and the LGBT community will continue to show that to the world.

(Image by DCVirago: Pioneering gay rights activist Frank Kameny in 2009 standing in front of signs once used during protests.)

Joseph Ward is the Director of Believe Out Loud, an online network that empowers Christians to work for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality, and a writer on religion and LGBT equality issues. Follow him on Twitter @JosephWardIII.

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‘Might Use it to Vote’: Kudlow and Blackburn Fearmonger Biden Giving Undocumented Green Cards

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May 15, 2024

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U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and Fox News Business host Larry Kudlow are promoting a false, fearmongering conspiracy theory President Joe Biden will be handing out green cards to undocumented immigrants in an effort to help them vote. Their remarks come as ex-president Donald Trump, running to retake the White House, has amped up his anti-immigrant focus.

Kudlow on Wednesday said he worries “a lot” that President Biden will be giving green cards to undocumented immigrants who will use them to vote. Senator Blackburn agreed, telling the former Trump National Economic Council Director, “they’re gonna try to vote.”

Green card holders are not U.S. citizens, and only U.S. citizens can vote, with a handful of exceptions in local jurisdictions, but only U.S, citizens can vote in federal elections. Presenting a green card as “proof” of citizenship in states that require it to vote would have the exact opposite effect, proving ineligibility.

Kudlow and Blackburn falsely suggested both undocumented immigrants and asylum seekers who are legally in the United States, may be voting using green cards, with Sen. Blackburn increasing the fearmongering by falsely implying all undocumented immigrants are dangerous.

READ MORE: ‘Long History of Playing Games’: Biden Campaign Shuts Down Trump’s Tantrum

“I mean, I don’t know, is Biden – he’s not going to address any of that,” Kudlow told Blackburn. “He’s not going to really reform asylum policy. He’s gonna give everybody [a] green card. That’s my biggest concern. As you probably know, ma’am, you know, you have a green card or some kind of temporary visa, you might use it to vote. You might use it to vote, even though you’re not a citizen. That worries me a lot.”

“Well, it should,” the Tennessee Republican who has a history of fear-mongering, and has been accused of promoting white Christian nationalism, told Kudlow.

“These are really bad people and your audience needs to think of this in terms of the population of a city of that size, of one and a half million people, and then you’re so right there,” Blackburn said. “This administration is saying we’re going to give you IDs this summer. We’re going to give you work permits if you’re a[n asylum] parolee, what are they gonna do, they’re gonna try to vote.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Kudlow replied.

Watch below or at this link.

READ MORE: Johnson Promotes Making ‘Crime a Crime Again’ After Standing Up for Trump at Courthouse

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‘Long History of Playing Games’: Biden Campaign Shuts Down Trump’s Tantrum

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May 15, 2024

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The Biden campaign on Wednesday proposed a series of two debates with very specific rules, including shutting off the microphone of the candidate not answering a question, and Donald Trump quickly accepted the invitations, including the stipulations, before turning around and proposing an additional series of debates.

In a stinging response the Biden campaign rejected Trump’s proposal.

“Donald Trump has a long history of playing games with debates: complaining about the rules, breaking those rules, pulling out at the last minute, or not showing up at all – which he’s done repeatedly in all three cycles he’s run for president,” said Biden-Harris 2024 Chair Jen O’Malley Dillon in a statement received by NCRM. “He said he would debate President Biden anytime, anywhere, anyplace. In fact, he’s said and posted it dozens of times with varying degrees of comprehension and basic grammar. President Biden made his terms clear for two one-on-one debates, and Donald Trump accepted those terms. No more games. No more chaos, no more debate about debates. We’ll see Donald Trump on June 27th in Atlanta – if he shows up.”

Politico warned Wednesday afternoon the “agreement does not ensure that either of the debates will happen. In fact, shortly after the campaigns agreed to two debates, the Trump campaign proposed two more.”

READ MORE: Johnson Promotes Making ‘Crime a Crime Again’ After Standing Up for Trump at Courthouse

Early Wednesday morning President Joe Biden posted a video to social media, saying, “Donald Trump lost two debates to me in 2020. Since then, he hasn’t shown up for a debate. Now he’s acting like he wants to debate me again. Well, make my day, pal. I’ll even do it twice.”

Biden also ridiculed Trump’s schedule, which currently has him in court four days a week.

“I hear you’re free on Wednesdays,” Biden mocked.

Barely hours later, Biden, keeping the same tone, posted to social media: “I’ve also received and accepted an invitation to a debate hosted by ABC on Tuesday, September 10th. Trump says he’ll arrange his own transportation. I’ll bring my plane, too. I plan on keeping it for another four years.”

Trump on his social media website wrote, “It is my great honor to accept the CNN Debate against Crooked Joe Biden, the WORST PRESIDENT in the History of the United States and a true Threat to Democracy, on June 27th. Likewise, I accept the ABC News Debate against Crooked Joe on September 10th. Thank you, DJT!”

Also on his Truth Social page Wednesday, Trump had written, “I would strongly recommend more than two debates and, for excitement purposes, a very large venue, although Biden is supposedly afraid of crowds – That’s only because he doesn’t get them. Just tell me when, I’ll be there. ‘Let’s get ready to Rumble!!!'”

CNN’s Kristin Holmes reported Wednesday afternoon the Trump campaign is “a little bit irked right now, the fact that Joe Biden somehow took over the debate narrative despite the fact that Donald Trump has been using this as a narrative at all his campaign rallies.”

Watch the videos above or at this link.

READ MORE: Why Are One in Five GOP Voters Still Voting for Nikki Haley Over Donald Trump?

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Johnson Promotes Making ‘Crime a Crime Again’ After Standing Up for Trump at Courthouse

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6 hours ago

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May 15, 2024

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Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, promoting a California sheriff who was once a member of a far-right extremist antigovernment group that has been called “instrumental” in the January 6 insurrection, on Wednesday demanded making “crimes criminal again” just one day after traveling to the Criminal Courts Building in lower Manhattan to stand up for Donald Trump. The indicted ex-president faces 34 felony charges in his election subversion, business records falsification, and “hush money” trial.

“We’ve got to make crimes criminal again,” Speaker Johnson told reporters at a “Back the Blue” Police Week news conference Wednesday, paraphrasing Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco. “I mean, it’s just common sense. And I think everybody in the country who looks at this objectively understands that anybody who’s not involved in the radical woke progressive left understands clearly that you gotta maintain the peace.”

Sheriff Bianco had been invited to speak at the House GOP event. In 2021, NPR reported he “defended” his membership in the Oath Keepers extremist group, which he insisted stands “for protecting the Constitution.”

READ MORE: Johnson Would Contest 2024 Election Results Under the Same ‘Circumstances’

“If you love America, if you’re proud to be an American and you support the Constitution, you are labeled as an extremist,” Bianco said.

Speaking at the House GOP Back the Blue event Wednesday, Bianco launched an attack on the left.

“Over the past decade or so, the rule of law has been severely eroded by a sick and twisted progressive social experiment, fraudulently called criminal justice reform. In this alternate universe, law enforcement officers are the bad guys,  criminals are somehow victims of society. We cannot have a country without respect for law enforcement and adherence to the law and order of our country. There must be consequences for criminal behavior. It is time to make crime a crime again.”

The Speaker on Wednesday also slammed Attorney General Merrick Garland, declaring, “the Department of Justice has clearly been politicized. Some of us consider this actually to be a weaponized DOJ and Merrick Garland is in charge. He is the Attorney General at the top, and I think that they have, they have used our system of justice against political opponents, of course, the most prominent of which is Donald J. Trump. I was with him yesterday in Manhattan, and many in the press have asked, ‘Why did you go there?’ Because I’m a former litigator, I’m a I’m an attorney. This is an egregious violation. a travesty of justice. They are using the judicial system for political purposes and this is something that framers warned us against.”

The Associated Press on Tuesday reported Speaker Johnson had become “the highest-ranking Republican to show up at court, embrace the former president’s claims of political persecution and attack the U.S. system of justice.”

READ MORE: ‘Grave Danger’: Trump’s ‘Raw Display’ of Power at Court Alarms Conservative

“It was a remarkable moment in modern American politics: The House speaker amplifying Trump’s defense and turning the Republican Party against the federal and state legal systems that are foundational to the U.S. government and a cornerstone of democracy,” the AP continued. “Johnson, who is second in line for the presidency, called the court system ‘corrupt.'”

“The speaker is leading a growing list of Republican lawmakers who are criticizing the American judicial system as they rally to Trump’s side, appearing at the courthouse to defend the party’s presumptive presidential nominee. Trump is accused of having arranged secret payments to a porn actress to hide negative stories during his successful 2016 campaign for president.”

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