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STATE-SPONSORED TRAVEL TO TN “BANNED” IN AT LEAST 1 STATE FOR ANTI-LGBTQ POLICIES

Even in a deadly pandemic, the Tennessee legislature is already back to discriminating against anti-LGBTQ people.

Well, it turns out hate doesn’t come without cost.

  

It has come to our attention that because of the anti-LGBTQ policies adopted by Tennessee, which you can read about HERE, certain states have BANNED state-sponsored travel to Tennessee.

Here’s what California’s policy says:

In AB 1887, the California Legislature determined that “California must take action to avoid supporting or financing discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people.” (Gov. Code, § 11139.8, subd. (a)(5).) To that end, AB 1887 prohibits a state agency, department, board, or commission from requiring any state employees, officers, or members to travel to a state that, after June 26, 2015, has enacted a law that (1) has the effect of voiding or repealing existing state or local protections against discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression; (2) authorizes or requires discrimination against same-sex couples or their families or on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression; or (3) creates an exemption to antidiscrimination laws in order to permit discrimination against same-sex couples or their families or on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. (Gov. Code, § 11139.8, subds. (b)(1), (2).) In addition, the law prohibits California from approving a request for state-funded or state-sponsored travel to such a state. (Gov. Code, § 11139.8, subd. (b)(2).)

The travel prohibition applies to state agencies, departments, boards, authorities, and commissions, including an agency, department, board, authority, or commission of the University of California, the Board of Regents of the University of California, and the California State University. (Gov. Code, § 11139.8, subd. (b).)

The law also requires the Attorney General to develop, maintain, and post on his Internet Web site a current list of states that are subject to the travel ban. (Gov. Code, § 11139.8, subd. (e).)

Here are the states on the banned travel list:

Tennessee is not the only state banned. And we’re not sure how many other states have TN on the list.

We learned about this because the Society for Community Research and Action (SCRA) Biennial Conference was supposed to be hosted by the community programs at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, but California members altered the hosts that they would not be able to attend.

We’re also told it was the policy to allow discrimination by anti-LGBT psychiatrists which triggered the legislation.

We can’t help but wonder how many other events and how much other revenue our state has lost because of its unwillingness to leave intolerance behind.

As a reminder, Governor Bill Lee, who recently signed the anti-LGBT adoption bill, has a sister who is married to a woman.

VIDEO: “Y’all Means All!” — Sevierville Fights Back Against Homophobic Hate

After a homophobic outburst from county commissioner Warren Hurst, Sevier County showed up this week to say he doesn’t speak for them.

Most of the protestors couldn’t get in, but they made their voices heard, chanting outside the window of the meeting. There were a few actual Nazis who showed up to support commissioner Hurst and do “Seig Heils” in the parking lot, but they were vastly outnumbered.

Love outshined hate yet again. Watch the VIDEO:

Meanwhile inside, witnesses were speaking FOR and AGAINST Hurst. Watch the highlights/lowlights, courtesy of WBIR:

VIDEO: JAMESTOWN TEENS DRESS AS KKK FOR HALLOWEEN

Do better, Jamestown!

INTERVIEW: The Woman Who WALKED OUT on the Homophobic Sevier County Commissioner

 “I just did what I felt I had to do as a human being.”

Our interview with Sara Thompson, the ONLY one to walk out on Sevier commissioner Warren Hurst’s homophobic, bigoted rant where he said there’s a “queer” running for president and white men are somehow losing their rights… while on a panel of all white men.

FULL INTERVIEW.

PODCAST.

 

 

 

Cracker Barrel Gets It Right, Tells Hatemonger Fritts To Get Lost

In a story that has now made national news – picked up by Time, USA Today, Huffington Post and more – Cracker Barrel has made it clear that All Scripture Baptist Church, run by Pastor/Detective Grayson Fritts, would not be welcome at their establishment.

Fritts has called for the executions of LGBT people, and was forced into retirement from the Knox County Sheriff’s Department as a result.

The Cracker Barrel situation started with a Facebook post by All Scripture Baptist saying they would be heading to Cleveland, TN June 29th. The sharp eye of Blake Kitterman, a local resident, alerted us to the fact that the address on the post was in fact that of the Cracker Barrel in Cleveland.

We reached out to the Cracker Barrel to see if they knew anything about the event, and they told us they had heard of the post but were “blindsided” by it.

“All we do is feed people, we don’t do events,” the manager said. He clearly understood the seriousness of the situation, and gave us the number for Cracker Barrel’s national press relations.

Within hours, Cracker Barrel had issued an official statement saying they had no affiliation with Fritts and his church, and they would not be welcome to have an event at the restaurant.


Cracker Barrel’s support for the LGBT community was immediately clear, which showed how far they have come since the early 1990’s, when their policies were discriminatory.

Many in the LGBT community were appreciative of their quick action, saying they’d be making sure to eat there and would visit the Cracker Barrel booth at the Pride event Nashville this weekend.

All Scripture’s response was to accuse Cracker Barrel of a “double standard”, as U.S. News tells us:

In response to Cracker Barrel’s statement, All Scripture Baptist Church said they were only going to Cracker Barrel for “meeting and eating” and called the restaurant chain hypocrites.

“If the ‘LGBT’ community hosted an event there and Christians complained they wouldn’t ban the ‘LGBT’ group, they would tell us they don’t ‘discriminate’ against anyone,” the church said in an emailed statement. “But hey, it’s their business. They can have a double standard if they want to.”

Having one standard for people who don’t call for the execution of an entire community of Americans, and one standard for those who DO, is a pretty decent way to operate.

Bravo, Cracker Barrel. Bravo.

Sheriff Spangler Addresses Detective Fritts’ Comments

“Those violent, hate-filled comments are not reflective of our people.”

On Monday, Sheriff Spangler of addressed the sermons of Detective Fritts calling for LGBT people to be executed.

Fritts was relieved of duty, not fired. He still gets monthly retirement pay.

VIDEO: “My Uncle Is A Terrorist” – Detective Fritts’ Niece

Cherish Hope Newman, niece of Knox County Sheriff’s Detective/Pastor Grayson Fritts – who has called for the mass execution of LGBT people – speaks out.

She says that side of her family is “mostly full of racist bigots”, she won’t stand by silently as her uncle tries to turn Christianity into ISIS, and that God is a “merciful and loving God” who does not “hate” anyone.

Comment on her YouTube video HERE.

First spotted on WVLT.

 

VIDEO: Detective/Pastor Fritts Doubles Down On Hate Speech

“I am not an anomaly… If they hate you it means you’re doing the right thing.”

On Wednesday, in his first appearance since becoming national news, Knox Detective/Pastor Fritts said he’s “not calling anyone to violence” – while reiterating his monstrous attacks on LGBT people and calling out fellow preachers as “weak” and “spineless” for not backing him up.

VIDEO: PART 2 – Knox County Detective Wants LGBT People Executed

Knox Sheriff’s Detective/Pastor Fritts – who wants to execute LGBT people – says getting drunk & “committing” sodomy can be forgiven… Three’s Company & Bing Crosby were trying to desensitize us to sodomy… and we should tip LGBT people REALLY well.

Watch PART 1 HERE.

PART 2:

Knox County Sheriff’s Detective Wants LGBT People Executed

Knox County Sheriffs Detective Grayson Fritts – also a pastor at All Scripture Baptist Church – calls for the government to arrest and execute LGBTQ People.

He’s now on paid sick leave until July 19, and no longer on active duty.

Here’s the original Knox News ARTICLE.

Watch some of his monstrous speech below… and if you think he should be fired altogether, email the Knox County D.A. HERE: [email protected]