Real Life "Segregation Law"

We figured now is as good of a time as ever to explain this to him. Sure, we had some choice words for outgoing Assembly Member and current NV-04 candidate Cresent Hardy (R) after he let slip his (lack of) qualification to serve in Congress. But ultimately, we at Nevada Progressive are here to help. And yes, this means we're even willing to help Cresent Hardy.

But before we can help Cresent Hardy, he really needs to help himself. And that means he needs to be willing to reevaluate his idea of "segregation laws".

While Hardy has been engaged in a philosophical debate (with himself?) on the nature of anti-discrimination laws, real Americans have been enduring real life wrongful discrimination. Matthew Hileman was fired from AT&T after he spoke out on the nasty notes being left on his chair. Hobby Lobby still refuses to allow Meggan Somerville the same treatment afforded to other female employees. And Colin Collette was fired from his church for getting engaged.

And that's not all. Sometimes, wrongful discrimination can turn violent. Earlier this week, Philadelphia police arrested Kathryn Knott (ironically, the daughter of a Bucks County police chief), Philip Williams, and Kevin Harrigan in relation to the brutal beating of a Philadelphia gay couple. While Knott, Williams, and Harrigan face several serious charges, including aggravated assault, this case has revealed the lack of protection Pennsylvania state law provides its LGBTQ residents. This has infuriated Pennsylvania State Rep. Brian Sims (D), especially since this attack occurred in his district.



This isn't just Pennsylvania. This is Texas. This is Utah. This is New York. And this is a shocking number of states across the nation. This is real life "segregation law".

Fortunately, Nevada has improved in recent years in moving closer to equal protection under the law. However, that's no thanks to Cresent Hardy, as he's voted against nearly every single piece of pro-LGBTQ civil rights legislation. He even voted against SB 139 last year, the hate crimes law that Brian Sims is now fighting for in Pennsylvania.

Back in February, Cresent Hardy claimed he couldn't support any advances in LGBTQ civil rights "because of my religious beliefs, the way I was raised [...] For me to vote for it would be to deny the same God that I believe in." Has he ever met Former President Jimmy Carter? He still teaches Sunday School at his local Baptist church. And when asked about this matter at a Michigan college earlier this month, Carter had this to say.


And Cresent Hardy should pay attention to this. This is real life "segregation law". When loving couples are prohibited from marrying because of their respective genders, that's "segregation law". When someone is fired from the job because of who one is, that's "segregation law". When someone is beaten to near death because of how someone looks, that's "segregation law". And when someone can't even count on being treated like a human being because of someone else's definition of gender, that's "segregation law".

There. Now, no one can say we never did Cresent Hardy a favor.

Qualified?

Who could have guessed? Who could have guessed he would go there?

Oh, yes. That's right. We did.

Back in February, outgoing State Assembly Member and current NV-04 candidate Cresent Hardy (R) decided to expound on his philosophy of "segreation laws". According to Hardy, ENDA, civil marriage equality, and other policies aimed at ending wrongful discrimination are somehow "segregation laws". And "by continuing to create these laws that are what I call segregation laws, it puts one class of a person over another".

Yep, we also have trouble following his logic (or lack thereof) there. However, we had a feeling that wouldn't be the last time Cresent Hardy would try to explain his philosophy of "segregation laws". Oh, no. He went there again last Thursday at Falcon Ridge Golf Club in Mesquite.

Women, minorities and young voters are the reason the country is in trouble, according to Nevada Assemblyman Cresent Hardy, who is running for 4th District Congressional seat.

Hardy said they were the ones who elected President Barack Obama, which led to the Patient Protection and Affordable Health Care Act, among other things.

Oh, really. So now, "women, minorities, and young voters" are the reason why everything has gone wrong? And they're the reason why the Affordable Care Act (aka Obamacare) is destroying the country?

Here's a news flash for Cresent Hardy: Obamacare is actually helping the country. As of September 18, 7.3 million Americans have enrolled in health insurance plans through the Obamacare exchanges. The rate of uninsured Americans has dropped precipitously since Obamacare implementation began. And another 8 million Americans have obtained health insurance coverage through the Medicaid/CHIP expansion that Obamacare made possible.

Last Thursday, Hardy tried to blame President Obama and the Members of Congress who voted for the Affordable Care Act for Nevada's exchange problems. Here's another news flash for Cresent Hardy: He was one of the state legislators who voted to approve Governor Brian Sandoval's (R) plan. And now that we've all had to learn the hard way that outsourcing doesn't always work out the way we wanted, Governor Sandoval has agreed to move Nevada onto the very federal Obamacare exchange that Hardy's fellow G-O-TEA Culture Warriors were screaming about last fall.



Ironically, Cresent Hardy chided others over financial woes last Thursday at his Falcon Ridge Golf Club fundraiser... While refusing to take responsibility for his own financial woes. Even though Hardy was the one in charge when Legacy Construction & Development filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy, he spoke as if bankruptcy court was somehow a blessing for everyone. Perhaps Hardy hit the jackpot when his partner bought him out, but we doubt others affected by Hardy's mismanagement of Legacy were as happy about that.



Yet while Cresent Hardy spoke about Legacy's little bankruptcy issue, he didn't speak about the other issue that's launched his former company back into the news: Highland Hills. People have become ill as they've discovered their homes lie on top of an unsealed landfill. And many of these Highland Hills houses are actually sinking as their foundations are coming apart.

Last May, Cresent Hardy provided a rare candid moment when he admitted, "The reason that I feel qualified to do this is I don't." (See the video above.) That truly says it all. And perhaps he should have cut himself off right there. After all, his "segregation laws" philosophy, his continued refusal to take any responsibility for the Highland Hills fiasco, his continued refusal to take any responsibility for the Legacy bankruptcy, and his blatant dishonesty over Obamacare really prove his point.

"Rebranding" BS

Earlier this month, we noted the lower House of Congress' failure to ensure equal access to military family benefits. Yes, you read that right. The G-O-TEA led House could not even agree to that.

Rep. Dina Titus (D-Paradise) has been working on this issue for some time. And finally, she succeeded this month at securing a committee vote for her legislation as an amendment to a related veterans' bill. It then lost by one vote.

Obviously, Rep. Titus was upset. However, she's not alone on this.



And she isn't stopping on this one issue. Yesterday, Rep. Titus joined Rep. Steven Horsford (D-North Las Vegas) in signing a discharge petition for ENDA. And as of today, Rep. Jared Polis (D-Colorado) now has 75 signatures for his ENDA discharge petition.

The catch? All 75 of those signatures are from Democrats. And House Republican "leaders" just canceled all remaining work days until after the election. How sweet. So right after Congress returns from summer recess, the House will essentially enjoy a fall recess. We wonder where else one can find so many paid vacation days.

Unfortunately for millions of LGBTQ American workers, it's far from easy to even feel safe at work. Rep. Polis has amended the House version of ENDA to close any & all loopholes opened by the US Supreme Court's Hobby Lobby decision. Even though President Obama did sign an executive order forbidding federal contractors from engaging in employment discrimination, that still leaves millions of LGBTQ Americans throughout the nation who simply have the misfortune of living in a state without a state level ENDA and working for a company without any federal contracts.

Last November, the US Senate passed ENDA on a broad, bipartisan 64-32 vote of approval. Yet since then, the House has refused to take it up. Just like House Republican "leaders'" blithe dismissal of military equality legislation, they've been awfully swift in shooting down any & all attempts at bringing ENDA to the House floor.

Last November, the Republican Party's internal culture war burst onto national media headlines when Liz Cheney nearly disowned her sister in preparation for a US Senate campaign in Wyoming. Yet while Liz Cheney later abandoned her diastrous attempt at electoral politics to return to the cozy confines of the Northern Virginia DC suburbs, her sister Mary Cheney continues to plead with her party to make peace with the 21st century. Unfortunately for her and other Republican campaign consultants hoping to "revamp the party's image", the 21st Century Know Nothings continue pulling the G-O-TEA in more of a 19th century direction.



They're still struggling to accept marriage equality. They're still attacking transgender Americans with reckless abandon. They won't allow a floor vote on ENDA. And they can't even allow equal access to military spousal benefits. And we're supposed to believe "Republican rebranding" is real?

Sure, it's real... Bull$h!+.

The Real Issue

Goodbye, "rebranding". And hello, stone cold silence. We've actually known for some time that Republican rebranding" was going nowhere fast. As soon as it was manufactured, that facade began to fall apart.

Sure, G-O-TEA party "leaders" still occasionally deploy "soft language". However, that's only meant to deflect from the hard reality of their "political issue".

So how do they really feel? Listen to their base. Here's world renowned G-O-TEA s--t stirrer Laura Ingraham attacking the Whittington and Jackson families, as well as all other American families who strive to do what's best for their children.



Wait, aren't Republicans the party of "family values"? No, not really. They're just the party of doing whatever it takes to continue placating their deranged 21st Century Know Nothing base while tricking just enough non-extreme voters to win some more elections. Hell, they're not even above playing into their base's apocalyptic fantasies of Ebola delivering them from the plague of "teh gayzzz".



We know G-O-TEA Culture Warriors love to play the victim. Yet while they engage in melodramtic temper tantrums, real LGBTQ Americans continue to face real bigotry, real discrimination, and real danger. If they won't listen to us, they should listen to Laverne Cox.



And if G-O-TEA politicians like Cresent Hardy and Adam Laxalt still have trouble understanding "segregation laws', they need to go to Arizona and see Monica Jones. She was essentially convicted of "walking while trans*", as the full time Arizona State University student walked into the car of an undercover Phoenix police officer... And a bogus "prostitution" conviction.

Aren't Republicans supposed to be the party of "free enterprise", "limited government", and "individual liberties"? Then why don't they pay attention to the many business leaders who have endorsed marriage equality? Why don't they notice the economic benefits of workplace equality and marriage equality? Oh, and why don't they just drop the scare tactics they're using to butt into people's lives?

Sure, G-O-TEA politicians don't want to talk about "social issues" now. That's simply because their campaign consultants told them they'll lose their elections if they do so. However, they still haven't stopped pandering to their Culture Warrior base. They still haven't changed their position on civil rights. Nope, they've only changed some rhetoric here and there.

This is the real issue. Let's not forget that.

Political Stunt

They did it. They really did it. And as expected, they did it nearly entirely along party lines.

The final vote was 225-201. 5 Republicans ended up joining 196 Democrats in voting against HR 676. Both Reps. Joe Heck (R-Henderson) & Mark Amodei (R-Carson City) voted in favor.

So what did they vote for last night? Essentially, they celebrated the "Prelude to Impeachment".



Congress is about to leave for August recess. And the lower House of Congress had a lengthy "to do list" to tackle before leaving. The House accomplished nothing on that list. Instead, House Republican "leaders" embarked on their last ditch effort to placate their party's true leaders.

Suffice to say, they're still not amused. And suffice to say, none of the House Democrats were amused by this maelstrom of nonsense. Rep. Dina Titus (D-Paradise) certainly was not.



We can understand why Rep. Titus is upset. That full "to do list" remains completely unfulfilled. Comprehensive immigration reform? Nope, and they couldn't even agree on a supplemental border bill. Unemployment insurance (UI) extension? Nope, there's still no end date for the unnecessary #RenewUI tragedy. All inclusive ENDA? Nope, instead they want to launch this law suit because President Obama dared to make up for their inaction with a limited executive order targeting some anti-LGBTQ workplace discrimination! Oh, and they want to launch this law suit because the President may take some further executive action on immigration reform.

And of course, the list goes on. Among other things, they have screamed at President Obama for doing what they refused to do to combat both climate change and economic ruin. They have also fumed at President Obama for trying to fill some of the void they left when they refused to even consider raising the minimum wage and America's standard of living. Congress had the chance to do something on all this and more, but instead House Republican "leaders" decided to throw an Impeachapalooza pre-party.

And here we are. Here we are, gazing at perhaps the most epic of EPIC FAILs we've ever seen emerge from Congress. No wonder why Rep. Steven Horsford (D-North Las Vegas) is not impressed.



Neither are most Americans outside the Beltway. Hell, even the Republicans' own "TEA" fueled base are not satisfied by this barely veiled political stunt. House Speaker John Boehner (R-Grand Marnier) may be patting himself on the back over this blatantly political stunt... And he's the only one amused by this.

Not Their Strong Suit

We know where they're going with this. We've known for some time where they're going with this. We already know their final destination is Impeachapalooza.

House Speaker John Boehner (R-Newport) can cry all he wants about his beloved law suit, but we all know what's actually hiding behind it. (Here's a hint for all who are still wondering what is: impeachment.) Oh, and speaking of that law suit against President Obama for daring to do his job, the House Judiciary Committee voted strictly along party lines (7-4) to authorize it.

So why do House Republicans want to impeach sue President Obama? Apparently, he issues executive orders every once in a while. And sometimes, he'll issue executive orders on major policies, such as the one barring federal contractors from discriminating against LGBTQ workers. Occasionally, he's even refused to defend certain statutes in court when he's considered them unconstitutional (such as DOMA, and the US Supreme Court ultimately agreed with him on that). Even though numerous other Presidents have issued executive orders and exercised broad discretion when enforcing statutes, House G-O-TEA "leaders" now express "OUTRAGE!!!" over this President and his executive actions.



Why might that be? Do they truly object to executive power? (If so, where were they when George W. Bush was President?) Or do they just object to what President Obama is doing with it?



If House Republican "leaders" so strongly object to the content of the President's executive actions, they can always correct this by actually allowing floor votes on permanent legislation. They can finally allow a floor vote on an all-inclusive ENDA. They can ensure transgender Americans have the same access to health care coverage as everyone else. And they can guarantee that married LGBTQ families receive equal treatment under the law.

However, they're not doing any of that. Instead, they whine about "teh gay cootiez" as they complain about President Obama still being President Obama. And they wonder why we simply can't take this farce of a law suit seriously?

The Order

Last month, President Obama agreed to sign an executive order that has essentially been years in the making. He agreed to an executive order barring federal contractors from discriminating against LGBTQ workers. While it's not comprehensive, it is a step forward. And it can help fill the gap left by (the lower House of) Congress' failure to pass ENDA.

But in recent days, a new controversy has emerged. In the wake of the US Supreme Court's Hobby Lobby ruling, several LGBTQ civil rights organizations pulled their support of the current version of ENDA due to its religious exemptions. They then urged the President not to include any religious exemptions in his planned executive order.



He listened to them. The executive order that President Obama signed earlier today has no religious exemptions beyond what then President George W. Bush ordered for "faith based initiatives". And keep in mind that those "faith based" grants are separate from the federal contracts covered by this new executive order.

However, this may not be the end of it. Now that Hobby Lobby is on the books, it may inspire legal challenges to this executive order. While a full judicial overturn of the executive order seems unlikely now, LGBTQ civil rights advocates aren't taking anything for granted just yet.

And then, there's that other prickly issue, the issue that forced President Obama to sign this executive order in the first place. There's still no national ENDA in place. And now, the usual G-O-TEA suspects on Capitol Hill are blocking any legislative fixes to the statute the Supreme Court majority cited in Hobby Lobby.

As we've discussed here before, wrongful discrimination is still very much a reality for many people throughout the nation today. It can happen to food pantry workers. It can happen to police chiefs. It can happen to sport shop workers. And it can happen to college students.

Perhaps it won't happen at companies that happen to accept federal contracts any more... But when will the day arrive when all workers can live free of the fear that it might happen to them?

Who Are You?

Who are you? No really, stop and think about that. And think about what makes you who you are.

Who are you? What defines you? How do you see yourself? And why?

Debi Jackson had to confront this when her daughter came out to her. She was 4 at the time, and she already knew she's a girl. Debi Jackson did a Google search, realized her daughter is indeed a transgender girl, and then moved quickly to provide her daughter with the love & support she needed.



If only more people had the insight and compassion of Debi Jackson. Students like Jayce Marcus, Domaine Javier, & Christian Minard now have to fight against discrimination at the very institutions of higher learning that are supposed to provide a safe & supportive environment for them. Trudy Kitzmiller & Kristen Skinner had to threaten legal action to just to obtain proper customer service at the West Virginia DMV. And Mia Henderson was found murdered in Baltimore yesterday.



And now, LGBTQ Americans must ponder a new threat to equality. Last month, the US Supreme Court issued a ruling in the Hobby Lobby case that caused epic confusion. And now that 5 Supreme Court Justices seem to believe that corporations have license to do a number of things under the guise of "religious freedom", several LGBTQ civil rights organizations have decided to back away from the current version of ENDA in Congress due to its religious exemptions. In addition, they're urging President Obama to refrain from including religious exemptions in his executive order barring federal contractors from discriminating against LGBTQ workers.

Think about that. It's 2014. And still, millions of Americans must worry about things like whether they can live as "normal" families, whether they can hold a job, whether they can stay in school, and even whether they can manage to live another day.



Who are they? Who are these people? We are people. We are workers. We are students. We are veterans. We are DREAMers. We are parents. We are families. We are Americans, Americans with Constitutional rights.

Who are you? Are you a mere "political issue"? Or are you a real human being who deserves real respect?

Variations?

Today marks a major anniversary. Just a year ago today, the US Supreme Court issued its ruling on US v. Windsor. And ever since then, we've seen a flurry of federal court rulings throughout the nation in favor of marriage equality.

Earlier today, Rep. Dina Titus (D-Paradise) took to the House floor to celebrate the anniversary.



However, she didn't stop there. In recent weeks, Rep. Titus has also been speaking up and demanding full equality for LGBTQ veterans.



LGBTQ families still face difficulties in securing the veterans' benefits they earned. And while "Don't Ask Don't Tell" may be over for gay, lesbian, and bisexual soldiers, trans* soldiers still can't serve their nation openly. There's still plenty of unfinished business in and out of The Pentagon when it comes to LGBTQ civil rights...

So why can't Rep. Joe Heck (R-What?!) and Senator Dean Heller (R-Why?) see this? Rep. Heck still can't serve anything other than a tossed word salad. And Senator Heller? Well, he... He... He... Actually, we'll let Ralston try to explain this one.

What does @SenDeanHeller mean? He's against gay marriage, but there are "variations" in marriage between a man and a woman? Jabberwocky.

Now we'll give credit where credit is due. Last November, Senator Dean Heller did ultimately vote for ENDA. He has made some progress in accepting LGBTQ civil rights. So why is it so difficult for Senator Heller to accept what Rep. Steven Horsford (D-North Las Vegas) now celebrates, Senator Harry Reid (D) cheers on, and most other Nevadans now strongly support?

Do he and Rep. Heck share the same "political issues" with Adam Laxalt? Are they just as confused about "segregation laws" as Cresent Hardy? Or do they actually believe "Republican rebranding" can magically make this inconvenient "political issue" go away?

This may be an inconvenient "political issue" for G-O-TEA politicians like Heller, Heck, & Hardy. But for Americans like Yaz’min Shancez and Brittany-Nicole Kidd-Stergis, this literally means life or death. For millions of American workers, this means dollars and sense. For millions of American families, this means love and honor. And for a number of American veterans and active servicemembers, this means dignity & respect.

Senator Heller and other G-O-TEA politicians might like to believe there are "different variations" of equality, but the only true type of equality is actual equality. How many "different variations" of this simple message must spread before they finally get it?

Work for Us

What? How? Why? Really?

Those were some of the reactions when the keynote speaker was announced for the Nevada State Democratic Party 2014 Convention. But when Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minnesota) took the stage in Reno last Saturday, the only question on people's minds was, "When will she come back?" Well, that and, "For the Caucus?"



On Saturday, Senator Klobuchar fired up the crowd in Reno by making it clear what she, Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Massachusetts), and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D) are fighting for. (Hint: It's the same agenda Rep. Steven Horsford [D-North Las Vegas] is fighting for in that other House of Congress, as well as the same agenda President Obama is advancing in The White House.)



Why must young Americans be shackled down by student loans? Why must the working poor work to remain poor? Why must workers live in fear of losing it all for simply being who they are? Why must American families live in fear of being torn apart? And why must American women be required to take so much crap?

Why can't we change things for the better?



What? How? Why? Really?

Must we simply accept a raw deal? Must we simply accept that Congress can't work? Or should we try to make Congress work for us? Senator Klobuchar really got us thinking last weekend.

Do Just That

He may very well be one of the hardest working members of Congress. He's delivered packages. He's served cupcakes. He's helped constituents sort their way through the federal government. And he's worked to keep American families together and in their homes.

Rep. Steven Horsford (D-North Las Vegas) has been trying his hardest to serve his constituents in NV-04. And believe it or not, he has reaped some results. It's just been difficult for him to push more actual legislation through the 113th Congress...



But that doesn't mean he won't stop trying. Rather, Rep. Horsford made clear he wants to continue pushing to secure House passage of comprehensive immigration reform (CIR), ENDA, real jobs bills, and more. At the Nevada State Democratic Party Convention this past weekend, Rep. Horsford made it clear that he won't let G-O-TEA obstruction stop him from continuing to work on legislation that so many Nevadans and other Americans would benefit from.



While House G-O-TEA "leaders" are debating when (not if?!) to embark on another Shutdown Shitfest and how little they intend to accomplish by the end of the year, Rep. Steven Horsford is actually reaching out to other Members of Congress who also want to accomplish something. And they're out to do just that.



Rep. Horsford's first term in Congress hasn't always been an easy one. Obstructionism has reached new lows. Vitriol has occasionally reached new highs. And we're all still enduring this.

Yet through it all, Rep. Horsford has been focusing on being productive and delivering the real goods for his constituents. And whenever he's been able to find an opening, he's found ways to do just that. We suspect NV-04 constituents are noticing.

Political Paradox

We're now used to hearing about "the next big march in DC". How many times have we heard this from the usual G-O-TEA suspects? Anyone remember "Operation American Spring"?

They're already back. But this time, they're doing the #March4Marriage. All those tens of 21st Century Know Nothings descended upon the nation's capital to try to stop marriage equality. No, we're not kidding. This actually happened.

But why? Why did this have to happen? Why are G-O-TEA Culture Warriors still fighting against civil rights? Are they truly that threatened by parents like Jason Hanna & Joe Riggs raising their children?



Are they that afraid of American innovators like Martine Rothblatt making even more positive contributions to science, medicine, and society?



Or are they just too caught up in Adam Laxalt's "political issues" and Cresent Hardy's "segregation laws" to realize we're all living in the 21st century now?

Here's the strange paradox of the G-O-TEA's relationship with LGBTQ civil rights. They're trying so hard to make us believe "Republican rebranding" as some real phenomenon, yet they keep following the marching orders of an ever shrinking yet somehow still quite vocal minority who refuse to accept LGBTQ Americans as real people. They're trying so hard to make us believe politicians like Rick Perry, Daryl Metcalfe, Kevin Cramer, and Joe Heck have "rebranded" their way to being "refreshed and renewed"... When they're simply supporting the same old agenda of bigotry and discrimination.



There were only tens of #March4Marriage agitators on Capitol Hill. So why are they still allowed to dictate nationwide policy? Why do they still have so much juice in Congress? And why must we still take them seriously?

How can so few have so much power to discriminate against so many? Perhaps this is the great political paradox of our time.

The Sound of Silence

Yesterday, we saw a major breakthrough. President Obama announced he was preparing an executive order barring federal contractors from discriminating against LGBTQ workers. While this is no substitute for a nationwide ENDA, it will fill some gaps.

Since President Obama's announcement, Congressional Republicans have responded with...



Actually, not completely. Senator Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) wants more "religious exemptions"... You know, so the Southern Baptists won't "feel too offended".

Oh yes, since outstanding parents, workers, and all around good Americans like Willy Wilkinson are so "offensive". How dare these American families raise kids and be such productive members of society!



And speaking of families, Freedom Nevada recently announced its advisory committee and first endorsements. Senator Harry Reid (D) and Reps. Steven Horsford (D-North Las Vegas) & Dina Titus (D-Paradise) are all on board for marriage equality here in Nevada.

Notice anyone missing? Senator Dean Heller (R)? Rep. Joe Heck (R-Henderson)? Rep. Mark Amodei (R-Carson City)? Where are they?

Are they stuck in Cresent Hardy's "segregation laws"? Are they trapped in Adam Laxalt's "political issues"? Or are they just too chicken to stand up to Rush Limbaugh and his army of 21st Century Know Nothings?

Oh, wait. It's probably just more "Republican rebranding". But wait, how does one "rebrand" silence? Is silence actually a legitimate policy position? Or is silence just another attempt at an "easy way out"? Whatever the case, silence is certainly not a polite way to wish us a happy PRIDE Month.

A Little Closer

Earlier this month, we experienced a breakthrough in the federal government. Medicare's ban on covering transition related medical procedures had been lifted. And while that alone was welcomed by transgender Americans, was it also a sign of further good news to come?

Perhaps so. Just last week, federal employees learned that their employer lifted its ban on insurance coverage of transition related health care. This morning, the Army finally rectified its wrongful discharge of Lisa Weiszmiller 35 years after booting her because she's a lesbian. And now, President Obama is releasing an executive order requiring all federal contractors to refrain from discriminating against workers due to sexual orientation and/or gender identity/expression.

Last November, the US Senate passed ENDA. Both of Nevada's Senators, Harry Reid (D) & Dean Heller (R), voted for ENDA along with 62 other Senators. Yet despite this big bipartisan vote, ENDA has been stalled in the lower House of Congress.

But why so? Oh, House Speaker John Boehner (R-Courvoisier) called ENDA "unnecessary". Rep. Joe Heck (R-___) had nothing but "soft lighting" in response to a question about LGBTQ civil rights. And NV-04 candidate Cresent Hardy (R-Stupid) is still trying to explain his philosophy on "segregation laws".

This is why President Obama had to finally agree to the executive order. While G-O-TEA "leaders" in Congress continue to pander to the 21st Century Know Nothings, something needs to be done to address the fact that LGBTQ workers in 33 states continue to face some sort of "legal" wrongful discrimination. And while this is no substitute for a universal nationwide ENDA, at least a larger group of workers nationwide will be able to work without worrying about negative repercussions simply because of who they are.

As we've been noting throughout this LGBTQ PRIDE Month, we've experienced plenty of progress in recent years. And yes, the future looks quite bright. President Obama's big announcement today reminds us of this.

We just have further to go before we finally reach full equality. We have further to go before both houses of Congress finally recognize that we all deserve basic human rights. But at least today, we're a little closer to that final goal.

Can't They Just Say, "Happy PRIDE Month"?

On Tuesday, we learned who would advance to the November general election. In NV-04, Rep. Steven Horsford (D-North Las Vegas) will be up against outgoing Assembly Member Cresent Hardy.

Remember Cresent Hardy? He's a self-proclaimed expert in "segregation laws". He doesn't want to "create classes" and "separation"... Unless that separation is called for by his "religious beliefs".

When he and Adam Laxalt launched their puzzling campaign against LGBTQ civil rights just as other Nevada Republicans were trying to "rebrand" their way out of the Stone Age, we could sense that "Republican rebranding" wouldn't accomplish much of anything. After all, it's not just a Nevada problem. It's a nationwide problem for their party.



Scott Esk is a Republican running for a Oklahoma State Legislature seat. Normally, a candidate running for state legislature doesn't attract national headlines. However, this is a special case. In this case, Scott Esk supports the death penalty (stoning, specifically) for "homosexuality".

But wait, there's more. Remember Rick Perry (R)? He's the future ex-Governor of Texas. He made a total @ssclown of himself when he tried running for President in 2011/12. And he's still making a total @ssclown of himself now. Just this week, he compared being queer to alcoholism... Because he's such a "compassionate conservative".

Wouldn't it just be easier for the Republican Party to send out a nice press release wishing everyone a happy PRIDE Month? Couldn't they just follow Katie Couric's lead and learn from their past mistakes? Why are they so hell-bent on repeating their mistakes over and over and over again?

Republicans in Nevada and elsewhere have been trying so hard to "rebrand" when they simply need to reevaluate their Stone Age era platform. Seriously, there's no way to "rebrand" "the right side of the Bible". Perhaps instead of constantly trying to sell us on "Republican rebranding", they can try treating us with some respect & dignity for a change? Oh, and they can start by simply wishing us a happy PRIDE Month.

A Brighter Future

Jeff & Hillary Whittington have a six year old son. Their son, Ryland Whittington, is enjoying a happy childhood. One of the reasons why Ryland Whittington is enjoying a happy childhood is because his parents decided to listen to him when he gave them a critical message.



Isn't this what ultimately matters? Doesn't Ryland deserve a happy and fruitful childhood? Must he endure the kind of pain, hardship, suffering, and sometimes even abuse that defined the childhoods of so many of us who had to hide in the closet when we were young?

Even after growing up, far too many transgender Americans still experience immense hardship. They're at risk of being shut out of the locker room, questioned over their actual identity, denied shelter, thrown out of the classroom, beaten on a train, and even murdered. This isn't rhetoric. This is reality.

Perhaps all of this is a joke to Rush Limbaugh, but not to the trans* community. Perhaps he and some others want to keep "debating language". But for the rest of us, this isn't a debate. This isn't "rhetoric". This is real life.



Why should we force anyone to suffer? Why must we subject certain people to wrongful discrimination simply because of who they are? Why should anyone have to hide one's true self?

Zoe and Ofelia have had to tackle these questions because this is their life. Zoe is a 7th grader who attends a Los Angeles County public school, and Ofelia is her mother. Zoe had been struggling because she felt no one else truly understood her. But when her mom provided her with love & support, and when the State of California took action to ensure safe schools for all, Zoe had the space she needed to flourish.



Now this is what we call family values. And if Cresent Hardy (or anyone else, for that matter) still has questions about "segregation laws", perhaps he should speak with Zoe & Ofelia and the Whittingtons. We're sure they can educate him on value of true acceptance and the meaning of equality.

And really, we can all learn something from them. After all, don't we want to give more kids the chance to enjoy a happy childhood? Shouldn't we give all our kids a brighter future?

Transition

Once again, violence was on full display. But at least this time, no guns were used. Rather, the perpetrators simply used their fists & feet to attack two women on an Atlanta subway train.

What made this even worse was that no one even bothered to help these women under attack. Everyone else was busy recording video and/or cheering on the assailants. Apparently because these women happened to be trans women, the other MARTA passengers saw this as some sort of luridly entertaining "circus".

Hate crimes against transgender Americans still occur... All too frequently. Don't believe us? Believe the official crime reports. And believe what just happened in Atlanta.

At least here in Nevada, our Legislature has taken action on matters like hate crimes and workplace discrimination. However, other parts of the nation still lack even basic consideration of transgender people's civil rights. And even to this day, we still witness epic slander, fearmongering, and hate speech used to condone discrimination, and sometimes even violence, against the trans* community.



As LGBTQ Pride Month begins today, we have a chance to examine how far we've come... And how much further we still must go to achieve full equality.

At least we have seen some progress in recent days. G-O-TEA politicians in Maryland have just failed to collect enough signatures to place a referendum on trans* civil rights on the November ballot. The US Department of Health & Human Services recently announced it overturned Medicare's ban on covering medically necessary transition related surgical procedures. And Time Magazine will feature Laverne Cox on its June 9 cover along with an extensive article on the state of trans* civil rights today.



Much progress has been made in recent days. But again, there's still so much more to do. ENDA is still not nationwide yet. License to Discriminate "Segregation Laws" are still being considered throughout the nation. Trans* Americans are still banned from open military service. And hate crimes like the brutal MARTA attack still occur all too frequently.

In recent years, we've seen a tremendous transition on LGBTQ civil rights throughout America. Marriage equality is approaching the tipping point of becoming a nationwide reality. And overall, gay & lesbian Americans are increasingly being accepted into the cultural mainstream. Still, let's remember that L & G aren't the only letters that form our community. Our nation's great transition on civil rights has come along, but it's not complete just yet.

"Rebranding"... A Hashtag?

As we noted yesterday, House Republicans are now too busy investigating a hashtag to accomplish anything that can actually help Americans. Yet while they're once again obsessing over ridiculous #Benghazi conspiracy theories, they're leaving real legislation to die grisly deaths in committee back rooms.

Case in point: ENDA. It easily passed the Senate last November. It's quite popular. And it's absolutely necessary to combat anti-LGBTQ discrimination and ensure that everyone who wants a chance to work can work.

Yet it's now languishing in some back room of the House side of the US Capitol. But why? Oh, Rush Limbaugh doesn't want "teh gay cootiez". Mike Huckabee wants us to be on "the right side of the Bible". And Cresent Hardy wants us to take his advice on "segregation laws".

A number of prominent Republicans want us to believe in "Republican rebranding". How are we supposed to believe it when hardly anything has really changed? House Republicans still refuse to give ENDA a floor vote. Instead, they're feigning concern over phantom "frivolous law suits".

And of course, they're pursuing their own sort of "frivolous suits"... Like #Benghazi. Because wasting their time and our money on already debunked #Benghazi conspiracy theories is more important than ensuring that Americans who want & need to work can work.

G-O-TEA politicians can spew out as many hashtags as they want. That won't change the fact that "Republican rebranding" has failed to bring that party into the 21st century. And really, no amount of cosmetic "rebranding" can supplant the need for real, substantive policy.

Can't Rebrand "Culture War"

Every so often, we hear about it. Party "leaders" boast about it. Candidates hint at it. And a number of "mainstream" media pundits hype it to death.

Ever since the polls closed in November 2012, we've been hearing about "Republican rebranding". It was supposed to bring the Republican Party into the 21st century. And it was supposed to retool & revitalize the Republican Party in time for the 2014 & 2016 elections.

We can't help but wonder if this is what Republican National Committee (RNC) operatives had in mind when they announced "Republican rebranding". G-O-TEA politicians in Nevada & nationwide rallied in support of Cliven Bundy. G-O-TEA politicians are now rallying behind Donald Sterling. Maryland Republicans are now trying to strip transgender people of basic civil rights. Mississippi Republicans are now jumping on board the "License to Discriminate movement". And regardless of what they say is in their party platform, Nevada Republicans are mostly still lining up against marriage equality.

We can't help but wonder what RNC operatives wanted in terms of "Republican rebranding". They drove Sue Wagner away in favor of embracing "Uncle Sugar". They've let Cresent Hardy trumpet his "philosophy" on "segregation laws". And they follow Rush Limbaugh's lead in slut shaming, race baiting, and homophobic/transphobic fear-mongering.

Shortly after the 2012 Election, the RNC ordered an autopsy. That autopsy report ultimately called for an end to the G-O-TEA Culture War. But instead of doing that, the party has been doubling down on that Culture War to the point of celebrating "outlaw cowboys", "cantaloupe calves", speculation of voting for slavery, and even "freedom to discriminate". Oh, what a "rebranding" Republicans have accomplished!

And they're wondering why the 2016 polls are not looking good for them (and even the 2014 polls are not looking as great for them as they claim)? They've been doubling down on "Culture War" for so long that they've succeeded in locking in the 21st Century Know Nothings... While alienating nearly everyone else. And no amount of cosmetic "rebranding" can change this reality.

Right Side (of What?!)

He's back! What, you thought he could stay away from making headline news (for all the wrong reasons)? Oh no, "Uncle Sugar" Mike Huckabee is back to tell us to get on the "right side of the Bible".



And why's that? Mr. Huckster thinks "hunting with other men" is A-O-K... So long as it's clearly done in a "not gay way".

Oh, but Huckabee is "not a homophobe". He's just fighting against LGBTQ civil rights because he thinks LGBTQ Americans are not on "the right side of the Bible".

So how's that "Republican rebranding" coming along? Adam Laxalt wants to "respect our Constitution" by disrespecting & undermining it. Cresent Hardy embraces "segregation laws". And Rep. Joe Heck? Good luck trying to get a straight answer out of him.

And that's just the Nevada Republican Party. Nationally, the G-O-TEA still seems to be following the lead of Mike Huckabee & Rush Limbaugh. That's why it's now taking a strong stand against "persecution"... By blocking ENDA and fighting against marriage equality?! So discrimination is wrong, except when it's "the right side of the Bible"?

We know G-O-TEA politicians & media spinners have been trying hard to change the media narrative on LGBTQ civil rights. What they fail to realize is that no one believes their "family values" rhetoric when they won't actually value families or live up to their own supposed "values". "Right side of the Bible"? How about trying the right side of common sense, logic, & HERstory?