Trump Unaware of Effort to Legalize Homosexuality Abroad

In a recent post I conjectured that the reported Trump/Pence regime effort to decriminalize homosexuality in foreign nations where being gay is illegal (if not the basis for receiving the death penalty) could all be a charade.  Some thought the true goal of the purported initiative was to woo European Union nations into joining in sanctions against Iran, others simply found it lacking in credibility give the Trump/Pence regime's anti-LGBT record since assuming office.  Now, it is being reported that when asked about the effort, Der Trumpenführer knew nothing about it.  As for Pence, he quickly turned the conversation to Iran thereby adding justification for those who saw this as an anti-Iran stunt from the start.  Here are excerpts from the Washington Examiner:

President Trump drew a blank Wednesday when told about his own administration's push to legalize homosexuality across the globe.

A reporter asked Trump in the Oval Office about "your push to decriminalize homosexuality around the world," asking, "Are you doing that and why?"

Trump said, however, "I don't know which report you're talking about. We have many reports."

White House representatives did not immediately respond to a request for comment on whether Trump was aware of his administration's push to repeal anti-homosexuality laws in 71 countries.

On Tuesday, NBC News reported that the Trump administration was preparing for a global effort to decriminalize homosexuality, which is banned in many African, Caribbean, and Muslim countries.

The push is spearheaded by U.S. Ambassador to Germany Richard Grenell, the most prominent gay official in the Trump administration. Grenell's effort began Tuesday with a gathering in Berlin. 

A piece in the Washington Blade looks at Pence's response for comment.  As noted, Pence quickly turned the conversation to Iran.  As for Pence's true feelings towards gays, his past shows that he is no ally.  I cannot believe the Trump/Pence regime's supporters among the Christofascist are the least bit happy about any effort to decriminalize homosexuality.  Here are highlights from the Blade:

Vice President Mike Pence backs the newly announced Trump administration global initiative calling on nation’s to decriminalize homosexuality, a spokesperson for his office told the Washington Blade on Wednesday.

The global initiative seems aimed at highlighting the human rights record of Iran, a country that punishes homosexual acts with death. Highlighting Iran’s record is an independent goal Pence has made for himself, as evidenced by a speech he delivered earlier this month in Warsaw, Poland.

“The authoritarian regime in Tehran represses the freedom of speech and assembly, it persecutes religious minorities, brutalizes women, executes gay people, and openly advocates the destruction of the State of Israel,” Pence said. “The Ayatollah Khamenei himself has said, ‘It is the mission of the Islamic Republic of Iran to erase Israel from the map.’”

Pence’s support for an initiative to decriminalize homosexuality stands in contrast to his long anti-LGBT record as both a U.S. House member and Indiana governor.

As a U.S. House member, Pence voted against “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” repeal and the Employment Non-Discrimination Act.

As Indiana governor, Pence signed into law a “religious freedom” measure widely criticized for allowing individuals and businesses to refuse service to LGBT people. . . . . After an outcry from LGBT rights supporters and the business community, Pence was forced to sign a “fix” limiting the ability to discriminate under the Indiana law.

All in all, I remain a major skeptic about this alleged effort to decriminalize homosexuality across the globe.  I'd love to see it happen, but this effort is diametrically opposite of everything Trump and Pence have done over the past. 

McCain Backs Bill to Block Trump Transgender Troops Ban; Joint Chiefs Oppose Ban

Joseph Dunford Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff

As noted in previous pots, the only area in which Der Trumpenführer is keeping his campaign promises is in the realm of his promises to Christofascists to roll back LGBT rights and non-discrimination protections.  His effort to ban transgender Americans from serving in the U.S. Military is merely one part of an aggressive agenda that includes appointing anti-gay Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court, reversing Obama era policies and promoting the myth of Christian persecution. Thankfully, Trump is running into perhaps unexpected opposition to his transgender ban.  As the title to this post notes, a bi-partisan bill is in Congress that would thwart Trump's effort.  Moreover, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is in opposition to the outright ban.  First these highlights from The Hill:

Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman John McCain (R-Ariz.) is backing a bipartisan bill that would block President Trump’s ban on transgender people serving in the military.

“When less than one percent of Americans are volunteering to join the military, we should welcome all those who are willing and able to serve our country,” McCain said in a statement.

“Any member of the military who meets the medical and readiness standards should be allowed to serve — including those who are transgender," he said.

This is the latest show of resistance by McCain, who has frequently been a thorn in Trump's side. Most dramatically, McCain cast the deciding vote in July to kill the Senate's attempt at repealing Obamacare. As a Russia hawk, he's also blasted Trump's attempted rapprochement with Moscow, and as Armed Service chairman, has frequently criticized Trump for requesting lower-than-expected defense spending and taking months to develop an Afghanistan strategy.

Friday's bill would prohibit the Pentagon from involuntarily separating or denying the re-enlistment of currently serving transgender troops solely on the basis of gender identity.  It would also require Defense Secretary James Mattis to complete the study of accession — recruitment and training — of transgender recruits that he started before Trump announced the ban.

Finally, the bill would express the sense of Congress that individuals who are qualified and can meet the standards to serve in the military should be eligible to serve.

As for the Joint Chiefs, here are highlights from Politico:

The nation's top military officer on Tuesday told Congress that transgender troops who meet existing standards should not be kicked out of the military, underscoring the Pentagon leadership's reluctance to carry out President Donald Trump's earlier call to ban them from serving "in any capacity."

“I believe any individual who meets the physical and mental standards and is worldwide-deployable and currently serving should be afforded the opportunity to continue to serve," Marine Gen. Joe Dunford told the Senate Armed Services Committee during a hearing on his reappointment as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Dunford’s advice meshes with “interim guidance” that Defense Secretary Jim Mattis issued earlier this month for the military to follow while a study on transgender service members is underway.

Dunford’s testimony covered a wide range of front-burner issues, ranging from personnel and combat readiness to the current situations in Afghanistan and the Korean Peninsula.

Trump's effort to harm LGBT Americans needs to be resisted.  This ban does nothing but pander to Christofascist extremists.

Trump Judicial Nominee Calls Transgender Individuals "Satan's Plan"

Trump's anti-gay extremist judicial nominee

The canons of judicial conduct which apply to federal court judges require that judges avoid the appearance of impropriety and that they recuse themselves from any case where their personal beliefs prevent them from being unbiased.  This is the case also under most state canons of judicial conduct. Even Virginia's canons of judicial conduct (not that they are always properly enforced) provide that a judge cannot allow his views on homosexuality and gender identity to influence his ability to render an unbiased ruling in a case or to allow opposing counsel the be disrespectful or biased against an LGBT party to a case before the court.  Despite these established rules and norms, two of Donald Trump's recent judicial nominees would seemingly willing flout these restrictions on judicial conduct. Perhaps the worst is Jeff Mateer, Donald Trump’s nominee for the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, who has voiced extremely anti-LGBT animus.  Metro Weekly looks at this frightening nominee who is yet another cog in Trump's promises to Christofascists to roll back LGBT rights and to make our lives a living hell.  Here are excerpts:

Jeff Mateer, Donald Trump’s nominee for the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, once described transgender children as part of “Satan’s plan.”

In a pair of 2015 speeches, Mateer, the first assistant attorney general of Texas, bemoaned the trend of states banning conversion therapy for LGBTQ minors, denounced transgender rights, and alleged that allowing same-sex marriage would lead to efforts to legitimize polygamy and bestiality, reports CNN.

In a May 2015 speech titled “The Church and Homosexuality,” Mateer discussed a lawsuit in Colorado where parents of a transgender first-grader sued her school to allow their daughter to use the girls’ bathroom.

“Now I submit to you, a parent of three children who are now young adults, a first grader really knows what their sexual identity?” Mateer said. “I mean it just really shows you how Satan’s plan is working and the destruction that’s going on.”

Mateer previously served as general counsel of the First Liberty Institute, a conservative advocacy group that has been involved in pushing anti-LGBTQ initiatives or opposing expansions of LGBTQ rights, such as passage of a nondiscrimination ordinance in Plano, Texas.

In November 2015, Mateer was speaking at a conference hosted by controversial anti-LGBTQ pastor Kevin Swanson [who has advocated for the execution of gays], during which he took issue with attempts to ban conversion therapy in New Jersey and California.

Unsurprisingly, Mateer, who must be confirmed by the U.S. Senate, is facing criticism for his anti-gay statements.

“President Trump has once again demonstrated his complete disregard for the LGBT community by nominating a person to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas who opposes LGBT rights and dignity,” David Dinielli, deputy legal director at the Southern Poverty Law Center, said in a statement. “The nominee’s past statements prove that he cannot and will not rule fairly on issues affecting the LGBT community.

“Jeff Mateer has demonized the most vulnerable members of our community and expressed support for conversion therapy — the dangerous, fraudulent, discredited and inhumane practice that purports to change a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity.There is no place on our federal bench for people who harbor this sort of extreme and dangerous bias.”

“It’s concerning that the Trump Administration is trying to infuse its anti-transgender ideology into our judicial system,” Jennifer Levi, transgender rights project director at GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders, said in a statement. “Our courts must serve as a backstop to President Trump’s divisive and exclusionary policies, not promote discrimination. Courts must treat all Americans fairly and promote equal rights.”

Another of Trump's disturbing judicial nominees is AmyConey Barrett, a right wing Catholic law professor who once suggested that one’s religious beliefs ought to take precedence over the U.S. Constitution. As Huffington Post noted, the Alliance for Justice (a progressive judicial advocacy group) called on the Trump regime to withdraw Barrett’s nomination because of her past writings on the role of faith in the courtroom. The organization also objected to her views on the matter of stare decisis, or the doctrine of legal precedent.  Stated another way, Barrett would seemingly ignore standing case law precidents that do no conform to her religious views.