Florida Republican apologizes for calling transgender people 'mutants, demons and imps'
The state lawmaker wasn't misquoted: “That’s right," he said, "I called you demons and imps who come and parade before us and pretend that you are part of this world." Plus: Iowa punishes rape victims
Welcome to Tuesday, April 11, 2023. It was on this day in 1945 that U.S. soldiers liberated Buchenwald, a Nazi concentration camp where Jews were tortured, experimented upon and died by the thousands. Among those rescued: Elie Wiesel, who would go on to win the Nobel Peace Prize on October 14, 1986. On that very morning, CNN sent me to interview Wiesel about this honor, a conversation and a man I will never forget.
Here Now the News:
EGYPT SECRETLY PLANNED TO SEND ROCKETS TO RUSSIA TO BOMB UKRAINE: A Washington Post exclusive, gleaned from the leak of Pentagon intelligence documents.
LEAK DEALS SEVERE BLOW TO UKRAINE WAR EFFORT: The Hill
GUNMAN KILLS FIVE, LEAVES SEVERAL WOUNDED IN LOUISVILLE: The New York Times
SUSPECT ARMED WITH AR-STYLE RIFLE KILLED BY POLICE, WAS LIVE-STREAMING ATTACK ON BANK AND EMPLOYEES: ABC News
GUN VIOLENCE ARCHIVE LOGS 146TH MASS SHOOTING: Click here
DRUGMAKERS CONDEMN ABORTION PILL RULING: More than 400 executives said that the decision by a federal judge in Texas to suspend FDA approval of mifepristone ignored both scientific and legal precedent, and that, if the ruling stood, it would create uncertainty for the pharmaceutical and biotech industries. —NYT
IOWA STOPS PAYING FOR “MORNING AFTER PILLS” AND ABORTIONS FOR RAPE VICTIMS: Iowa Attorney General's Office has put on hold its longstanding practice of paying for emergency contraception, and in rare cases abortions, for victims of sexual assault. —Des Moines Register
DANGEROUS COMBINATION: STREP THROAT CASES SURGE, ANTIBIOTICS IN SHORT SUPPLY: Gizmodo
TUPPERWARE MAY GO OUT OF BUSINESS, STOCK PLUNGES: CNN
RUTGERS UNIVERSITY TEACHERS “R ON STRIKE:” Philadelphia Inquirer
Politicukoos
ONE OF TWO OUSTED BLACK TENNESSEE LAWMAKERS WINS UNANIMOUS VOTE, RETURNS TO CAPITOL: NBC News
REMEMBER HIS NAME: REPUBLICAN STATE REP. WEBSTER BARNABY OF DELTONA, FLA: The conservative Christian rose before the Commerce Committee in Tallahassee yesterday to speak in favor of House Bill 1521, the Safety In Private Spaces Act, which would make it a misdemeanor offense for someone to use a public bathroom (or changing facility) that doesn’t correspond with the sex they were assigned at birth. LGBTQ+ advocates call it the Transgender Bathroom Ban bill. —Los Angeles Blade
After several speakers, some identifying as trans, spoke out against the bill during public comment, Barnaby sounded off: (Watch by clicking here, or read the transcription below)
“I’m looking at society today and it’s like I’m watching an X-Men movie with people that when you watch the X-Men movies or Marvel Comics — it’s like we mutants living among us on planet Earth. And, you know, some people don’t like that, but that’s a fact. We have people that live among us today on planet Earth that are happy to display themselves as if they were mutants from another planet.
“This is the planet Earth, where God created men male and women female. I’m a proud Christian, conservative, Republican. I’m not on the fence. There is so much darkness in our world today, so much evil in our world today, and so many people who are free to address the evil, the dysphoria, the dysfunction. I’m not afraid to address the dysphoria or the dysfunction.
“The Lord rebuke you Satan, and all of your demons and all of your imps who come and parade before us. That’s right, I called you demons and imps who come and parade before us and pretend that you are part of this world. So I’m saying my righteous indignation is stirred. I’m sick and tired of this.”
Some Republicans distanced themselves from Barnaby, 63, declaring they didn’t think trans people were evil. And then they advanced the bill to the full House, because of course they did. —Tampa Bay Times
That’s when Barnaby apologized: “I referred to trans people as demons,” Barnaby said. “I would like to apologize to the trans community for referring to you as demons.” Apology not accepted, Mr. Barnaby. —Politico
If the Florida GOP passes the bill, which it will, and Gov. Ron DeSantis signs it into law, which of course he will, the Sunshine State will join Iowa, Arkansas, Alabama, Oklahoma and Tennessee in banning transgender Americans from using a bathroom matching their gender identity.
Trans World
FEDERAL COURT: NO MISGENDERING IN SCHOOLS EVEN ON RELIGIOUS GROUNDS — Los Angeles Blade
SUE BIRD, MEGAN RAPINOE JOIN HUNDREDS AGAINST PROPOSED TRANS SPORTS BAN: Sports Illustrated
INSIDE THE CONTROVERSIAL MARKETING CAMPAIGN PROMOTING INFLUENCER DYLAN MULVANEY: Washington Post
ZACH BRYAN VS. TRAVIS TRITT: After Tritt vowed to remove Bud Light and all other Anheuser-Busch products from his tour rider over the trans-inclusive partnership with Mulvaney, Bryan spoke out on social media this past weekend and called out Tritt: “I just think insulting transgender people is completely wrong because we live in a country where we can all just be who we want to be It’s a great day to be alive I thought.” —Billboard
Chasten Buttigieg had a sly tweet on this topic. Click here to view that since Elon Musk won’t let me post it here. —Fox News
OMG News
FLORIDA TEACHER FIRED FOR ASSIGNING STUDENTS TO WRITE THEIR OWN OBITUARIES PRIOR TO ACTIVE SHOOTER DRILL: The Hill
FBI WARNS AGAINST USING PUBLIC CELLPHONE CHARGERS: Bad guys are using these to hack into phones and spread malware. —New York Post
HOUSES ARE SO EXPENSIVE (HOW EXPENSIVE ARE THEY?) BANKS ARE LOSING MONEY ON MORTGAGES: Business Insider
Star Trek Corner
WATCH A PREVIEW OF PART NINE, VOX, THE FIRST INSTALLMENT OF THE STAR TREK PICARD TWO-PART FINALE: startrek.com
PHOTOS FROM THIS WEEK’S EPISODE: TrekCentral
HOW TO SEE THE TWO-PART FINALE IN IMAX: startrek.com
WRITER HAS SOME INTERESTING THEORIES ABOUT JACK CRUSHER AND THE BIG BADDIES BEHIND THE FRONTIER DAY PLOT: Screenrant
MY ADVICE: Having seen Part Nine, I strongly suggest you avoid all theories, hints, spoilers and the like, and get ready for a BONKERS episode! It’s SO AWESOME. You won’t get any spoilers from me!
HOW TO VIEW THE ENTIRE SEASON OF STAR TREK PICARD AND PAST STAR TREK EPISODES: Click here to subscribe to Paramount+
That’s all for today. I’ll be back tomorrow with more news to help you rise up and start your day. Until then… May your news be good news!
© 2023 EnniBuddy Productions - All Rights Reserved