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Prominent Texas LGBT Voice Joel Burns, Who Gave Hope To Millions, Resigns

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You may not remember Joel Burns. You may not have noticed the handful of stories noting that Burns, a 45-year-old Fort Worth, Texas councilman announced his resignation from civic service earlier this week, noting that he was planning on enrolling in Harvard’s Masters of Public Administration program. You may have wondered why there was any coverage about a Texas pol not named Wendy Davis or Rick Perry, and whether, in light of the recent coverage of Davis’s (conditional) backing of a 20-week ban on abortions, there was much force remaining in Texas progressivism.

Indeed, if there is, it may lie, and return, in Burns. Because while Burns turned down the opportunity to replace Davis on the Texas Senate, his belief in at least one progressive cause is known throughout the state. And it’s likely why his name rings familiar.

Four years ago, Burns sat in a Fort Worth City Council meeting. Donning a pink polo, he adjusted his microphone, and looked out at his colleagues. Flipping on the projector, he began.

“Tonight, I ask my colleagues’ indulgence in allowing my announcement time to talk briefly about another issue that pulls at my heart.”

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A photo of a young boy — Asher Brown, 13 years old — lit the screen. A Houston-area teen, Asher experienced more bullying and intimidation that most kids will know. Bullied for the way he acted. Bullied for the way he was perceived. His parents called and cajoled school officials to help quell the harassment. Nothing. There was nothing done, and nothing put in the way of the bullies and Asher. Years, this continued, without end.

In late 2010, as Burns told his audience, Asher went home. He found his father’s gun, and he killed himself.

Another photo splashed on the screen, and then another, and more teens, and more suicides, piling on top of one another, impacting in their number and threads of similarities. Burns detailed these deaths. These kids. And then he paused. “Teen bullying and suicide has reached an epidemic in our country – especially among gay and lesbian youth, those perceived to be gay, or kids who are just different,” Burns said. Addressing the adults in the room, and those listening at home or online, he added: “There’s a conversation for the adults in this room, and those watching to have, and we will have it – that this bullying and harassment in our schools must stop, and that our schools must be a safe place to learn and to grow.”

But he wasn’t there to talk to the adults. He wasn’t there for the parents, or the administrators, or those shaping the laws and the state. He wanted to address the teens — the teens like Asher, and the others, whose stories he had just shared. “Tonight, I would like to talk to the 12-, 13-, 14-, 15-, 16-, and 17-year-olds in … any school in Fort Worth, or anywhere across the country,” Burns continued. “I know that life can seem unbearable, or that the people in your household may not understand you, and that they may even physically harm you. But I want you to know that it gets better.”

It gets better. This, too, shall pass, Burns said. And then he turned inward, and began to share his story. Or tried to. “I’m going to have too hard a time with the next few sentences. I don’t want my mother and father to have to bear the pain of having to hear me say them. … The numerous suicides in recent days have upset me so much, and have just torn at my heart. And even though there may be some political repercussions … this story is for the young people who might be holding that gun tonight, or the rope, or the pill bottle.”

Growing as an LGBT Texas teen can be difficult enough in this second decade of the 21st century. Decades prior, it was that much worse. But you’ll get out, Burns said. Beyond that world of forced normalcy and unmitigated bullying. Of backward mores. To those teens listening, Burns said, “There is so, so, so much more.”

Twelve minutes after he’d begun, Burns had created one of the largest — and most surprising — civic bursts of support for LGBT teens this decade has seen. Not only was Burns a councilmember from the most conservative of Texas’s major urban areas, but he was commenting at time when LGBT rights were far from assumed. 2010 can, and does, seem a world away. DOMA remained stuck on the books; only an isolated handful of states had passed same-sex marriage; Pres. Obama’s views on gay marriage were still evolving, and not yet finalized. Four years ago, there was anticipation, but no certainty, that dominoes were set to soon fall. The notions and realities of momentum hadn’t yet solidified.

But to Burns, the status of that momentum didn’t matter. And while his statement didn’t carry any political fallout — he’s remained on the council, now in his sixth year representing the city –  there was tremendous risk in his stance. Nor is that risk necessarily lessened now, in Texas. After all, the likeliest candidates for Texas’s lieutenant governor, one of the most powerful offices in the state, have further ensconced themselves into the state’s Christianist wing.

One of the front-runners, Tea Party-backed Dan Patrick, demonized Houston mayor Annise Parker’s recent same-sex marriage, noting, “I am not shocked that Mayor Parker decided to elope to California for a marriage that is unconstitutional in Texas. This is obviously part of a larger strategy of hers to turn Texas into California.”

Texas, though, has been warming to same-sex marriage. And while it remains far further than, say, Oregon or Nevada, hope remains. And it’s a hope that stems from people like Burns. It’s a hope that Burns needed as a teen, and which he hoped to share with those teens in his state, and in Oklahoma, and in Alabama, and anywhere adults and administrators and bullies seek to convince children that there’s only one way, and only one normalcy. Because, as Burns said, things change. Things get better. For them. And for the country.

“To those who are feeling very alone tonight, please know that I understand how you feel,” Burns finished. “That things will get easier. Please stick around to make those happy memories for yourself. It may not seem like it, tonight. And the attitudes of society will change. Please, live long enough to be there to see it.”

Casey Michel HeadshotCasey Michel is a graduate student at Columbia University, and former Peace Corps Kazakhstan volunteer. His writing has appeared in The Atlantic, Slate, and Talking Points Memo, and he has contributed multiple long-form investigations to Minneapolis’s City Pages and the Houston Press. You can follow him on Twitter.

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News

‘Antisemitism Is Wrong, But’: Marjorie Taylor Greene Pilloried for Promoting Antisemitic Claim

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May 1, 2024

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U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) was strongly criticized Wednesday after promoting a historically and biblically false, antisemitic claim while declaring antisemitism is wrong.

As the House voted on an antisemitism bill that would require the U.S. Dept. of Education to utilize a certain definition of antisemitism when enforcing anti-discrimination laws, the far-right Christian nationalist congresswoman made her false claims on social media.

“Antisemitism is wrong, but I will not be voting for the Antisemitism Awareness Act of 2023 (H.R. 6090) today that could convict Christians of antisemitism for believing the Gospel that says Jesus was handed over to Herod to be crucified by the Jews,” Greene tweeted.

The definition of antisemitism the House bill wants to codify was created by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance.

Congresswoman Greene highlighted this specific text which she said she opposes: “Using the symbols and images associated with classic antisemitism (e.g., claims of Jews killing Jesus or blood libel) to characterize Israel or Israelis.”

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What Greene is promoting is called “Jewish deicide,” the false and antisemitic claim that Jews killed Jesus Christ. Some who adhere to that false belief also believe all Jews throughout time, including in the present day, are responsible for Christ’s crucification.

Greene has a history of promoting antisemitism, including comparing mask mandates during the coronavirus pandemic to “gas chambers in Nazi Germany.”

Political commentator John Fugelsang set the record straight:

“If only you could read,” lamented Rabbi Dr. Mark Goldfeder, Esq., CEO and Director of the National Jewish Advocacy Center. The Antisemitism Awareness Act “could not convict anyone for believing anything, even this historical and biblical inaccuracy. It only comes into play if there is unlawful discrimination based on this belief that targets a Jewish person. Do you understand that distinction @RepMTG ?”

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“Not surprising,” declared Jacob N. Kornbluh, the senior political reporter at The Forward, formerly the Jewish Daily Forward. “Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, who has been accused in the past of making antisemitic remarks — including her suggestion that a Jewish-funded space laser had sparked wildfires in California in 2018, voted against the GOP-led Antisemitism Awareness Act.”

Jewish Telegraphic Agency Washington Bureau Chief Ron Kampeas, an award-winning journalist, took a deeper dive into Greene’s remarks.

“Ok leave aside the snark. The obvious antisemitism is in saying ‘the Jews’ crucified Jesus when even according to the text she believes in it was a few leaders in a subset of a contemporary Jewish community. It is collective blame, the most obvious of bigotries.”

“The text she presumably predicates her case on, the New Testament,” he notes, “was when it was collated a political document at a time when Christians and Jews were competing for adherents and when it would have been plainly dangerous to blame Rome for the murder of God.”

“Yes,” Kampeas continues, “that take is obviously one that a fundamentalist would not embrace, but it is the objective and historical take, and *should* be available to Jews (and others!) as a means of explaining why Christian antisemitism exists, and why it is harmful.”

CNN’s Edward-Isaac Dovere also slammed Greene, saying she “is standing up for continuing to talk about Jews being responsible for the killing of Jesus. (John & Matthew refer to some Jews handing over Jesus to Pilate,not Herod. But also: many, including Pope Benedict, have called blaming Jews a misinterpretation)”

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OPINION

MAGA State Superintendent Supports Chaplains in Public Schools – But Not From All Religions

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May 1, 2024

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Visitors to Oklahoma’s State Schools Superintendent’s personal social media page will notice a post vowing to “ban Critical Race Theory, protect women’s sports, and fight for school choice,” a post linking to a Politico profile of him that reads, “Meet the state GOP official at the forefront of injecting religion into public schools,” a photo of him closely embracing a co-founder of the anti-government extremist group Moms for Liberty, and a video in which he declares, “Oklahoma is MAGA country.”

This is Ryan Walters, a far-right Republican Christian nationalist who is making a national name for himself.

“God has a place in public schools,” is how Politico described Walters’ focus.

Last week the Southern Poverty Law Center published an extensive profile of Walters, alleging “hateful rhetoric toward the LGBTQ+ community, calls to whitewash curriculum, efforts to ban books, and attempts to force Christian nationalist ideology into public school classrooms.”

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“Walters is superintendent of public instruction, and public schools are supposed to serve students of all faiths, backgrounds and identities,” Sarah Kate Ellis, president and CEO of GLAAD, told SPLC.

Walters is supporting new legislation in Oklahoma that follows in Texas’ footsteps: allowing untrained, unlicensed, uncertified, and unregulated religious chaplains and ministers to be hired as official school counselors.

“We heard a lot of talk about a lot of those support staffs, people such as counselors, having shortages,” Rep. Kevin West, a Republican, said, KFOR reports. “I felt like this would be a good way to open that door to possibly get some help.”

Walters praised West, writing: “Allowing schools to have volunteer religious chaplains is a big help in giving students the support they need to be successful. Thank you to @KevinWestOKRep for being the House author for this bill. This passed the House yesterday and moves on to the Senate where @NathanDahm is leading the charge for this bill.”

As several Oklahoma news outlets report, there’s a wrinkle lawmakers may not have anticipated.

“With the Oklahoma House’s passage of Senate Bill 36, which permits the participation of uncertified chaplains in public schools, The Satanic Temple (TST) has announced its plans to have its Ministers in public schools in the Sooner State. If the bill advances through the Senate, this legislation will take effect on November 1, 2024. State Superintendent Ryan Walters, a vocal advocate for religious freedom in schools, has endorsed the legislation. The House approved SB 36 by a 54-37 vote on Wednesday,” a press release from The Satanic Temple reads. “The Satanic Temple, a federally recognized religious organization, has expressed its dedication to religious pluralism and community service.”

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Walters responded on social media to The Satanic Temple’s announcement.

“Satanists are not welcome in Oklahoma schools, but they are welcome to go to hell,” he wrote.

Former Lincoln Project executive director Fred Wellman served up an equally colorful response.

“Hahahaha!!! You are an idiot,” Wellman wrote. “How did you not see this coming? Satanists, Muslims, Jews, Buddhists, Pastafarians…come one come all! After all you’re not trying to establish Christianity as the state religion are you? We had a whole ass revolution about that. There are history books about it…oh…right. Not your thing. What a fool.”

The Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF) served up a warning.

“The state of Oklahoma cannot discriminate against people or groups based on their religious beliefs,” the non-profit group wrote. “Walters’ hateful message shows, one again, that he only believes in religious freedom for Christians and that he is unfit to serve in public office.”

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News

Potential Trump VP Pick Says ‘If You’re a Billionaire’ You Should Vote for Trump

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May 1, 2024

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One of the possible picks to be Donald Trump’s vice presidential running mate, seen as “rapidly ascending” the list, is urging billionaires to vote for the ex-president.

North Dakota Republican Governor Doug Burgum “is quickly moving up former President Trump’s list of possible vice presidential picks because Trump’s team believes he would be a safe choice who could attract moderate voters,” Axios reported on Sunday. “Burgum is on a long list of VP contenders, but Trump’s rising interest in the North Dakota governor has been clear in recent weeks — and reveals his latest thinking about how he thinks his running mate could help him with undecided voters.”

Praising Governor Burgum, the National Review’s Michael Brendan Dougherty on Monday wrote he was “the only candidate in 2024 to easily exceed expectations in the debates.”

“He is a well-liked governor from a small state. He projects seriousness and sobriety, two qualities Pence also had that were important to balance the 2016 Republican ticket. Burgum is also good at championing Republican policy, including our desperately needed policies of energy abundance and supply-side reform. He is also the right age — 67 — with no signs of slowing down. Burgum needs to survive the millions poured into opposition research, but, if he does, I think he would bring credit and balance to the Republican ticket.”

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On Tuesday, Gov. Burgum, appearing on Fox News, told Laura Ingraham, “when you see someone who cares this deeply about this country, what he’s going through and what the Democrats and the liberal media is putting him through, and how he gets up and fights for every day people in America every day, and then his policies are all in the right direction.”

“If you’re a billionaire and you care about your shareholders, you care about your family and your grandkids, you should be voting for someone that’s going to bring prosperity to America and peace to the world, that’s what President Trump is going to do, that’s what he did for us when he was president,” Burgum claimed.

The Hill adds, “Ingraham suggested a lot of billionaires are still planning to support President Biden, especially those that are the ‘Wall Street types.’”

Last year, asked if he would ever do business with Trump, Bergum told NBC News, “I don’t think so,” and added, “I just think that it’s important that you’re judged by the company you keep.”

Some reports call Bergum a billionaire, while Forbes last year reported it “estimates Burgum’s net worth to be at least $100 million.”

Watch the video below or at this link.

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