Donald Trump claims he supports gay equality, one day after supporting legal discrimination
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Donald Trump has claimed he supports gay equality, one day after he signed a proclamation supporting legal discrimination against gay people.
The US leader this week signed a Presidential proclamation on religious freedom that appeared to back the freedom to discriminate against LGBT people.
It says: “Unfortunately, not all have recognized the importance of religious freedom, whether by threatening tax consequences for particular forms of religious speech, or forcing people to comply with laws that violate their core religious beliefs without sufficient justification.
“No American — whether a nun, nurse, baker, or business owner — should be forced to choose between the tenets of faith or adherence to the law.”
The proclamation also praises the actions of Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who has systematically worked to undermine civil rights protections for LGBT people.
(Photo by NICHOLAS KAMM/AFP/Getty Images)
But just one day later and Trump is singing a different tune.
A letter signed by the billionaire was released by the Log Cabin Republicans, a group that claims to advocate for LGBT rights within the Republican Party..
The letter says: “I send my congratulations to the Log Cabin Republicans on the celebration of your 40th anniversary.
“We are a Nation founded on the undeniable truth that all of us are created equal. We are equal in the eyes of our Creator. We are equal under the law. And we are equal under our Constitution.
“No matter the color of our skin or our sexual orientation, we all live under the same laws, salute the same great American flag, and are made in the image of the same Almighty God.
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“As we write the next great chapter of our Nation, we reaffirm our commitment to these fundamental truths and will work to ensure that all Americans live in a country where they feel safe and where their opportunities are limitless.
“Melania joins me in sending our best wishes during this special milestone.”
(Photo by JIM WATSON/AFP/Getty Images)
The group added: “Thank you to President Donald J. Trump and First Lady Melania Trump for your kind commemoration of Log Cabin Republicans and best wishes for our future as we forge ahead, together, toward a more equal America.”
The letter is signed by Trump and written on White House headed paper, but uses language that seems atypical for the leader.
DNC Director of LGBTQ Media, Lucas Acosta, said in a statement to PinkNews: “Since day one of this administration, the LGBTQ community has been attacked, ostracized, and ignored.
“Donald Trump says one thing yet does another – he claims to support our equal protection under the law but then strips away rights and protections from LGBTQ Americans.
“Too many LGBTQ Americans are denied the full equality they deserve and despite their promises, the Trump administration is determined on rolling back progress.
“The Democratic Party will continue to fight these efforts to erode the rights of LGBTQ people and work to expand their freedom to work, live, and love.”
The Log Cabin Republicans has officially opposed a string of Trump policies, opposing the ban transgender people from the military, the administration’s lack of anti-discrimination protections for LGBT workers, and the revocation of civil rights protections for trans kids in schools.
A few months ago Trump gave his wholehearted backing to extreme homophobe Roy Moore’s ill-fated bid for the Senate, ignoring pleas from the Log Cabin Republicans.
The White House confirmed Trump had spoken to Republican Alabama Senate candidate Roy Moore by phone and endorsed his campaign.
The Log Cabin Republicans group, which advocates for LGBT rights within the GOP, had urged him not to back Moore’s candidacy.
The released a campaign ad that parodies some of the rhetoric used about LGBT people, urging voters to reject Moore at the ballot box.
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In the ad, the narrator says: “There is a war on Christianity happening right in our midst. Morals are decaying.
“The very fabric of America is being torn apart. Politicians are attacking our values, our churches, our children.
“It’s a time for choosing. We can’t stand on the sidelines any more. It’s time for good Christians to do what good Christians do – reject Roy Moore.”
Log Cabin Republicans President Gregory T. Angelo said: “Roy Moore has spent his entire career using his bigoted brand of Christianity as a weapon to relentlessly attack members of the LGBT community, all the while allegedly preying upon the most vulnerable in our society.
“Moore’s myopic faith prevents him from seeing that a significant number of LGBT individuals are devout Christians themselves, including many members of Log Cabin Republicans.
“Regardless of one’s sexual orientation or gender identity, it’s time for good Christians to do what good Christians do: REJECT Roy Moore.”
The Log Cabin Republicans lasrt held a gala at a Trump hotel in Washington DC.
But the group – which has repeatedly opposed decisions on LGBT issues taken during the Trump administration’s time in office – didn’t seem at its most combative during its $200-per-ticket gala dinner last night, at the Trump International Hotel in Washington DC.
Not once during the entire event was Trump or his anti-LGBT policies mentioned.
The event was headlined by failed Presidential hopeful Carly Fiorina, who likewise avoided direct criticism of the leader.
The Log Cabin Republicans instead focused on celebrating the 40th anniversary of their work “to promote LGBT equality” inside the party.
It is unclear what fantastic achievements they hailed, aside from electing zero openly gay Republican Congressmen, electing zero openly gay Republican Senators, the appointment of zero openly gay Cabinet members, and 40 years of GOP lawmakers resisting anti-discrimination protections for LGBT people.
Republicans continue to oppose federal anti-discrimination protections to protect people from discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, and state-level Republicans in a string of states also continue to oppose hate crime protections.
Successive Democrat-led bills have sought to bring the law into line with civil rights protections that cover sex and race, but few GOP lawmakers are willing to break ranks on the issue.
Just two Republicans in Congress support the Equality Act, which would introduce federal rights protections.
The law has amassed the support of nearly 200 Democrats in the House and 43 in the Senate.
The only Republicans to declare support are Florida Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, who is not seeking re-election in 2018, and Virginia’s Rep. Scott Taylor.
