93 Comments

This is horrible, but to be honest, it is what I have become to expect from Republicans - deflect, deceive, deny... act in the most repugnant way possible, and then accuse the people who call you out on it "out of line", "indecorous" and "disrespectful"

On the other hand they tout their "Christian Ethics" and "Family Values" - which are actually dogwhistles and code for racism, homophobia, xenophobia, misogyny etc... of course they also would be the first to crucify Christ if he actually did return.

I am so frustrated that the book that I am currently reading, "Amerikas Gotteskrieger" (America's Holy Warriors) by the German journalist Annika Brockschmidt, has not been translated into English - I think you and your readers would find it quite enlightening... and to be honest, scary as fuck... the problem is so deep rooted, that our generation will not be able to resolve it in my opinion

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Rep. Zephyr will eventually outshine these horrible people, just like the TN3. I'd like to see President Biden invite her to the WH as well to shine additional light on this blatant scheme. They say sunshine is the best disinfectant. We need that in abundance, these days. Before trump, it was unthinkable that the Republicans would be proudly saying and acting on the formally quiet parts. If we on the sane side of things don't take these things seriously, we deserve to lose it all. The Republicans are outright daring us to do something about this, counting on the spineless track record of Democrats to keep us from doing anything. We must confront this at every turn, lest we really do, lose it all.

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Yet they were heading that way before Trump. They just used him as a figurehead to spread all of their malicious, calculated lies. Right wing pundits are spreading these lies every day, and have been for decades.

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Trump is a mix of a symptom and a catalyst / accelerator... because of him they are losing the last shame and self-restraint they may have held before... they are no longer ashamed of the shit in their brains, they are reveling in it now

But Trump never would have happened without all the groundwork laid by people like Rush, Glenn, Sean, Tucker, and so on

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Trump as symptom is the scariest part because it means that millions of people were ready, willing, and able to throw most of the guardrails of civil society out the window and become unflinching cultists. It's not that shocking after all we witnessed in the 20th century but it certainly puts paid to the lie that our system of government is the best bulwark against authoritarianism.

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That is the thing that should really worry you guys... because even when Trump is gone, the next guy might be even worse. In fact, if he got the nomination and something happened to him (or was made to happen to him), he would be even more valuable to the GOP as a symbol than as a candidate... the remaining candidates would fall all over themselves to win over his supporters, by being the Trumpiest candidate they could be, in order to "continue and finish his great work in his spirit"

So while it may not be a popular opinion, I really hope that Trump remains in good health (for his standards) throughout the primaries, and then crashes and burns in the general. Because I don't see a viable alternative within the GOP, and I am more concerned about the guy after Trump, than the man himself. Trump is too flakey, too impulsive, too inconsistent. He does not have a plan for the presidency other than stroking his ego. DeSantis and his ilk have a plan and vision that goes beyond themselves... and that vision is pretty fucking dark for those of you who don't fit right in

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The funny thing is he's already a martyr. 75M cultists aren't just going to vanish within a few election cycles. Many, including DeSantis, have been trying to out-Trump Trump but as long as he still has a platform he will have his followers. Witness the fact that he's a 3x loser (much more than that IMO) and he's still the GOP standard bearer. They cannot outflank him as long as he's alive and kicking and anyone who does risks his ire, which remains very powerful.

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Back in the 2016 general it was interesting... you had Clinton, who was wanted by the party establishment, but only grudgingly accepted by the base, and Trump, who was wanted by the base, but only grudgingly accepted by the party establishment... in a way it was like the choice between the Beast and the Smiler in Transmetropolitan (excellent graphic novel, both thumbs and both big toes up)

But what I find really interesting is if you look at developments within the GOP over time... back in the 90s you had Newt and his Contract on America... then the party became even more radical, and you had the Tea Party... which is pretty much irrelevant now, because just a few years later you had the Freedom Caucus, which is even more hardline... and now you have MAGA... with every iteration, and every new batch of new representatives the party becomes more and more radical, more and more anti-democratic, and more and more insane...

Then again, Reagan was the greatest crook to become president ever...until Trump came

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Exactly.

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So exactly what can an individual do to reverse this abhorrent trend? My family and friends are disgusted by these fascist activities and write to our congress persons every chance we get, yet that seems like spitting into the wind.

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Become active. Work for candidates and issues. Knock on doors. Write letters - to your representatives, to newspapers, to companies/organizations who want your business; call them if possible. Take to the streets when appropriate. No individual alone can push the ball across the goal line. Democracy is all of us together running the play. It's often a shitty game, but if you don't play - you lose. We all lose.

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I wish I knew. It's heartbreaking. I'm going to continue to do everything I've been doing, but most days, it doesn't feel like it's even making a dent in this.

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Do we now need to see it's almost 1930?

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I see it, too. Fascism is insidious.

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American Academy of Pediatrics (not Association). I’m not being trying to be a pedant, but there is a much smaller organization with a very similar name to the AAP that gives antivax providers an air of legitimacy and is likely against gender affirming care.

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Thanks for the correction! Will do

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Ahh, here it is. The American College of Pediatrics. It is definitely anti-LGBTQ. https://www.splcenter.org/fighting-hate/extremist-files/group/american-college-pediatricians

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wow, this group is terrible. what a small bunch of lunatics

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Yup. I struggle to think of their members as pediatricians. As a pediatrician myself, I can’t imagine how one can spend a career caring for children while harboring such hateful convictions.

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I was unsure if CEO Iger was going to keep Disney dark on the whole free speech thing. I am happy to see him step into this issue with clear weight and backbone.

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Thanks for the link.

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Thank you for highlighting this.

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It is particularly alarming when you step away from the immediate circle of, say, reproductive rights, trans rights, etc, and understand that there is not just one target here, one scapegoated entity, awful in its own right, but, rather, a strategy, a political platform if you will, that is predicated on impugning other, silencing other, oppressing other, demeaning other, restricting rights of other, in order to both garner support from a select few, but also to establish provisions in order to ensure all that other cannot successfully mount a defense, neutralize their oppressors.

Who is all that other?

Every last one of us.

If we need to descend on Disney flash mob style, and take our show on the road- to Montana and anywhere else, well...let the We The People Tour begin.

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“Then they came for me-and there was no one left to speak for me.”😢

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Exactly.

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I love this idea!!!! Anybody else?? Any organizers here? Seriously, I see a lot of potential with this. "Changing the Status Kuo!"

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We're already working on a major Live aid -style concert in an effort to bring unity (2024 time frame, see WOLF Festival, had a small inaugural outing in 2022, but now projected to be much more global and of greater magnitude), but this mobilization of we the people can be immensely impactful....if a formed body wants to take it on or if we want to craft something new

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I'm liking this. Can you link to a place where I can find out more/sign up to help? Jay's Substack is public, so I don't want to broadcast contact info here. But, yes. And I can mobilize others.

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The mobilization piece is just in idea stage, but would love to collaborate and create a movement.

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Maybe contact you through your Togethering substack?

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My email is not covert- just my name at gmail

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Jay, once again you hit the nail on the head: DeSantis is doing all of his baby-dictator stuff to raise money. "DeSantis decided to go to war with the company. He began calling it “Woke Disney” and claimed in a fundraising email, “If Disney wants to pick a fight, they chose the wrong guy.”

At least Republicans are consistent -- it's ALWAYS all about the money. Trump paved that pathway with his first campaign, and with every stupid thing he has done since. It's remarkable to me that there are still enough shills in America to send these charlatans their hard-earned money. I know they are brainwashed, but still!

There will come a time of reckoning. We all need to do our bit in our local, county, state and federal ponds. I'm starting with personally attending our City Council meetings (had been "attending" via Zoom occasionally). Put our bodies where our mouths are, I say, as much as is possible. Thanks for everything you do, Jay!

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I shudder to think what happens to any LGBTQ+ kids born into GOP families.

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I can offer up an example that happened. A friend who is so close to me I call him my big brother is gay and has always known it. His parents were so conservatively Republican they sent him to Hillsdale College, which he escaped via transfer to Ohio State. He told his parents they didn't offer an accounting degree (they didn't, and he did go on to major in that). When his wealthy father died, my friend's two sisters got their inheritance directly. My friend's was put into trust "because he couldn't be trusted with money because of his lifestyle." That is what the will literally said. Meanwhile, he has a degree in accounting! The trust finally came to an end this year because JP Morgan Chase thought it was "too small." (It had grown small, he's now turning 70! and has had the trust since he was in his 30s) , One of his sisters died a couple of years ago, the other and the children of the deceased sister came after my friend for $7500 EACH just because "dear daddy" would have wanted him to "share."

I wouldn't believe it, either, if I didn't live through it with him. THAT's how gay kids in conservative families are treated. "Different." "Other." "Irresponsible." I canNOT tell you how much personal hurt this caused. FWIW, the two sisters became raving alcoholics, blew through their money, and my friend is getting ready to celebrate 40 years of being with the love of his life, and has been married for 12.

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Doesn't surprise me at all.

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I came out fine, but that was back when the GOP was rational. We should distinguish between that GOP and today's MAGAt GOP.

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Larry, I was referring mostly to today's GOP. However, I've heard stories from LGBTQ friends going 20-30 years back - and there's been disownings, throwings out of houses, no contact with parents and siblings, conversion therapy, etc. I am glad things worked out ok for you, but not everyone was so lucky.

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I realize how fortunate I was. I came out to my conservative Republican family in 1976; ex-military blue collar father, conservative stay at home mother. It was not easy, and did not go well at first, but unlike today's MAGAt Republicans I also knew that my diehard Republican father was a thoughtful and loving man. Years later, just before he died, we spent 4 weeks driving across the country together.

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That sounds really amazing. Wow.... so many great memories!

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Definitely great memories. I did not know at the time that he was probably terminally ill and that it was his "farewell tour" around the country visiting friends and relatives. We had never spent time together like that, just the two of us. Very fortunate to have had that and to have no regrets. I have friends my age (60's) who are still not out to their families!

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I am originally from Ukraine, and my parents still live there. I came out as bi to them about 20 years ago, but it didn't go over well. Ukraine is still quite a bit backwards about all things LGBTQ+. It's not that they are not aware we exist, it's that we confuse them, and they don't know what to do about us. My parents reacted like it was a phase or an illness to get over (which it wasn't - I was 28 at the time and I have known that about myself since I was about 12). They didn't hate me or disown me, we still talk, I financially support them, but we just don't talk about it anymore. Like it never happened.

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Larry, you are one of the fortunate ones. I'm very happy for you.

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I really was. As I said it wasn't always easy but most of my friends at the time were either still closeted to their families or alienated from them.

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The Mouse that roared!

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Troubling enough they have ‘riot police’ in Montana. Ask yourself what would prompt that at all (think about it...it will come to you); and it isn’t the possibility of trans people or their supporters. I’m bemused by the dichotomy.

Otherwise, there certainly is a Constitutional remedy for the silencing of dissent in this country? Do Montana lawmakers really want a 1A fight on their hands? Because they’ll lose. Her constituents could also sue. I don’t know what the state constitution might offer, and congressional rules also differ from state to state but this is a blatant federal violation of rights on Zoe’s part and likely the protestors rights as well.

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Actually, being a bit pedantic, Montana was founded on mining, and miners have a bad habit of being a rough crew -- or did in the 19th and early 20th centuries. That is how riot police came about.

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Disney/Desantis- The issue there is Desantis is going after the kids. Mickey Mouse is beloved by children and now his bright idea is to put a state prison next to disneyworld one of the safest most inclusive places in the world. Can you imagine if a convicted felon of a serious crime got out and hopped the fence to disneyworld? Parents won’t stand for it and why? Because they love their children, they would sacrifice anything for their children and I would bet even their political party for at least one election. What’s the harm in trying the other side to protect your children. Desantis is making it explicit now that he doesn’t care about your children and he doesn’t care about your economy or you but you can handle that as you are an adult, your children need you to protect them as best you can and your governor is telling you he’s going to put a state prison next to Disney world for exercising freedom and trying to stand up for children and people everywhere of every diversity.

Montana- it actually boils down to the same but different. Children need mental health care, they need medical care and here is the reality republicans aren’t considering gender affirming care could end up helping a child realize that they aren’t trans, they are instead just a bit more nurturing or masculine or feminine or tomboyish or any label you want but ultimately it boils down to they are little human beings who deserve to be cared for. One representative stood up to 21 to protect children of every single gender identity for health care because they are human beings and deserve love and care so they can figure out who they are. Everyone in this country has the freedom to decide who they are. And guess what some men are like “mama bears” and they are still masculine too they have that fierceness and love for their children so everyone father, mother, brothers sisters etc can stand up and fight for children’s health care and the understanding that they deserve space to figure out who they are. We are all imperfect don’t need people telling us we are, just give us the freedom to figure it out ourselves. Ironically it’s republicans who are acting like big government now, the very thing they despise, I guess they are having political identity issues at the expense of America, but you can help them figure it out by voting. Empower yourself with your God given freedoms and inalienable rights.

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The thing is that they are triggering these responses in those they know have been raised in a patriarchal authoritarian community. Those are the ones they want to reach, and they reach them along with their fundamental faith leaders who are on board with this hatred. This is the meat of their followers.

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DeSantis is all talk for the cameras and talk show appearances. He’s trying to scare his followers even more than Tucker did. He has no intention of building a prison or any of the other stupid things he’s threatened; but his loyal (and desperately paranoid) acolytes will believe him anyway. Fla is a shxx show right now because of him.

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Maybe all the companies Trump attacked for disagreeing with him should join forces with Disney to overwhelm the power the government has if it decides to be corrupt. Trump's list is very long, and includes companies like Harley Davidson, BMW, NYTimes, CNN, PBS, NPR, (insert news or science organization here, even Fox sometimes)... Someone who's been tracking would undoubtedly have a list of hundreds of companies and individuals, many of whom are popular celebrities, who are victims of his abuse.

And then every business DeSantis has attacked in his political games, including the cruise industry who also supplies a tremendous amount of funding to the state, whom he kept from doing business for 6 months after they were finally able to spin back up after COVID.

Seems there are enough that they should be able to put these guys in their place.

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I just realized our constitution is missing an amendment froṁ the bill of rights: The government shall not use its power and wealth (wealth provided by the citizens) to attack, intimidate, or silence the citizens of the country. That is a foundational requirement for a Democracy, and one the founders should have known well.

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I for one appreciate how the MAGAt GOP is unable to learn that trying to silence their opposition does quite the opposite and thrusts them onto the national stage, thereby amplifying their voices.

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They're such idiots

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Hello! Is anyone aware of organizations that may be supporting Rep. Zephyr in countering the restrictions approved by the supermajority in the legislature? Does Rep. Zephyr have any legal recourse and/or representation?

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I am sure folks are looking into it, but by the time she files suit the session may be over. The best defense here is mobilization and national press attention.

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Good questions!

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I think I’ll contact MontanaDemocrats.org — the group.

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(Not so) Fun Fact: James Dobson, the founder of Focus on the Family worked for a while as the assistant of a guy named Walter Popenoe... his Wikipedia entry actually mentions that in one quick throwaway sentence... Popenoe was a eugenicist who openly praised Hitler and advocated forcible sterilization... before becoming a "marriage counselor"... Dobson just praised DeSantis for his laws "protecting the family" just these days

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I fear fascism is no longer creeping but jerking violently against its chain. Not yet big enough or strong enough to break it. We have to starve this beast.

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