Discussion
  • Read More
    ElephantShoe2Rachel Vorona Cote
    4/24/16 11:13pm

    Van Kuilenburg’s appearance at Cruz’s rally was meant to call attention to the violent impact of such prejudice. He went, he told The Frederick News-Post, “to show Cruz supporters that rhetoric about gay and transgender rights hurts real people like him.”

    This teen is a badass. He did something that is brave and important. People absolutely do not let go of their bigotry until they are forced to confront the “types” they hate as real people, individuals. Spot on. Also, super relieved he wasn’t hurt.

    Reply
    <
    • Read More
      ILikeThunderstormsElephantShoe2
      4/24/16 11:35pm

      Seriously, this kid is very brave and an amazing citizen. I’m also relieved that he wasn’t harmed, since Cruz and his ilk really don’t seem to believe that transgender people are, you know, people.

      Reply
      <
    • Read More
      gommerthusElephantShoe2
      4/24/16 11:36pm

      Yes, and it was also incredibly risky. That said, this is not a Trump rally, where something could have happened. This is a Ted Cruz rally.

      He went in there to “prove” that there’s nothing to fear from “his kind”, but in the end, what exactly was accomplished?

      These are people, who are there, to support Cruz and what he stands for. They are not there to do anything else. So did these people look at this kid and suddenly change their minds?

      Freedom of speech is everyone’s right to exercise. There is also a strategic time and place to exercise it too, and I’m not sure that doing that at a Ted Cruz rally would be the right place to be draping yourself in a flag to represent an idea/entity that the target audience there would be too thrilled to see.

      Again, thank the stars that this wasn’t a Trump rally that he went in on.

      Reply
      <
  • Read More
    GrumpyEagleRachel Vorona Cote
    4/25/16 12:17am

    The fever pitch around the “imminent dangers” of allowing transgender people in bathrooms has really exploded among the conservative community, though. Just got into an argument yesterday with someone who was convinced that transgender bathrooms will now “open the floodgates” of men dressing as women to molest women and kids in women’s restrooms. I had a hard time getting him to understand that indecent exposure and sexual assault would still be illegal, but he felt that pervy guys will be donning dresses and freely assaulting innocents, as they’ll be protected by transgender-friendly laws. And Christianity is under assault (although I mentioned that there are quite a few Muslims and orthodox Jews that have the same kind of doctrinal freakout about similar issues, and he came back with the classic rejoinder, “It’s just not the same!”).

    Reply
    <
    • Read More
      qdanielsGrumpyEagle
      4/25/16 1:50am

      The entire”pervy guys will dress up as women to get access to young girls in bathrooms” has now reached the level of a complete urban legend. I hear this crap repeated all the time, even without the usual “and my dad’s gardner’s tax attorney’s secretary knew the guy” that usually accompanies an actual urban legend. I wish I knew who started this crap and where it came from originally. The first person I can remember talking about it was Huckabee, at least in this election cycle. But it has to be older than that. Where did it start? Where is there any factual proof to substantiate this fear?

      Reply
      <
    • Read More
      Nosirrahqdaniels
      4/25/16 5:30am

      If you Google it, there has been men who have done exactly that. I think the problem is that people are so set on the “but trans people have never been implicated in an assault” that they forget that it’s not trans people that is the issue. It’s people PRETENDING to be trans.

      However, upon reading more about this, I heard more than a few good arguments against this idea. For instance, a rapist won’t really stop just because of a sign. They don’t really “need” to wear a wig or even claim to be trans. They just need to get the victim alone. Most rape stats indicate unless the rapist is caught in the act, the person will get away with it scott-free. If people really cared about the little girls being raped, they would start challenging the “false accusation” narrative that sees only 5% (and less) of rapists in jail.

      Reply
      <
  • Read More
    MotherOfUnicorns will only call Trump Cheeto JesusRachel Vorona Cote
    4/24/16 11:18pm

    Can we just ship Ted over to Dorne* and let the Sand Snakes handle him?

    *Ted sucks so much he doesn't deserve to go to Westeros.

    Reply
    <
    • Read More
      Supernova: Bullshit JediMotherOfUnicorns will only call Trump Cheeto Jesus
      4/24/16 11:28pm

      Hey! Let’s send him to the waiting room from Beetlejuice. That’ll take eternity!

      Reply
      <
    • Read More
      PoodletimeSupernova: Bullshit Jedi
      4/25/16 12:45am

      Now, that is a good idea! Maybe he’ll try to take someone else’s number and get his head shrunk down to a normal size.

      Reply
      <
  • Read More
    femi-what?!Rachel Vorona Cote
    4/24/16 11:32pm

    That’s a lot of dignity, eloquence, and integrity, especially for someone at a Republican candidate’s rally.

    Reply
    <
    • Read More
      DantleyDeathGlarefemi-what?!
      4/25/16 12:54am

      That’s a lot of dignity, eloquence, and integrity, especially for someone at a Republican candidate’s rally.

      I agree. In fact, I’m pretty sure that just kicking Mr. Van Kuilenberg out, that security guard/local cop combo lowered the attendees’ average IQ by about 4~5 points, easy.

      It’s a tough sell to say that the hateful law you support isn’t designed to marginalize and oppress a minority, when you’re kicking that very minority out of the events where you’re saying it.

      Reply
      <
    • Read More
      OnGreyStreetDantleyDeathGlare
      4/25/16 2:34am

      Right? He really says it best when he points out that he was removed from a presidential rally, not because he was saying or doing anything disruptive but simply because of who he is.

      Reply
      <
  • Read More
    zoe_koala (on_a_tricycle)Rachel Vorona Cote
    4/24/16 11:18pm

    James, you are damn brave! I urge you not to try that at a Trump rally , as they seem to enjoy punching people way too much.

    That being said, Ted Cruz once told a young girl her parent would be deported if he was president. I’m pretty sure he can tell that kid to his face he would be reeducated or put in an asylum if he was president.

    Not to mention that he is the Zodiac Killer.

    Reply
    <
    • Read More
      Slay.douché - (dreams to be a puppy)zoe_koala (on_a_tricycle)
      4/25/16 6:15am

      AND - Freddy Kruger’s *College Nightmare Bunkmate*

      Reply
      <
    • Read More
      deerlady83Slay.douché - (dreams to be a puppy)
      4/25/16 6:56am

      Even Freddy doesn't like him.

      Reply
      <
  • Read More
    DreamingmatthewRachel Vorona Cote
    4/25/16 2:12pm

    Why the hell isn’t everyone covering this?

    Reply
    <
    • Read More
      Rachel Vorona CoteDreamingmatthew
      4/25/16 3:25pm

      I don’t know. It needs to be made extremely visible.

      Reply
      <
  • Read More
    OfmanynamesRachel Vorona Cote
    4/24/16 11:03pm

    Is it sad I’m just glad the kid wasn’t beaten or worse?

    Reply
    <
    • Read More
      DdhdOfmanynames
      4/24/16 11:12pm

      I had the same reaction. At least the only thing they did was laugh at him.

      Reply
      <
    • Read More
      ZeeniaOfmanynames
      4/24/16 11:12pm

      Yes its sad when a rational persons first thought is “I hope he got out in one piece.” About a child. At a public event. Attended by people with kids of their own.

      Reply
      <
  • Read More
    jemandthehologramsRachel Vorona Cote
    4/24/16 11:15pm

    Do these candidates not realize or care that when they throw attendees out of the rallies, they are just making themselves look hateful? It's so easy to ignore someone in the crowd as long as they aren't being disruptive.

    Reply
    <
    • Read More
      VeryVickyjemandtheholograms
      4/24/16 11:36pm

      Sure but gayness is contagious, just like the need to change gender. Republican politicians are just protecting their supporters. /s

      Reply
      <
    • Read More
      jpomonkeyjemandtheholograms
      4/25/16 12:39am

      I don’t think they care because they are pieces of shit.

      Reply
      <
  • Read More
    Cocopop!Rachel Vorona Cote
    4/25/16 12:18am

    RIGHT ON, JAMES! You did an important thing, and I want to thank you. Somewhere out there, a trans kid was inspired by your actions. Visibility is a big deal.

    We expect great things from you, but right now, just make sure you get a good night’s sleep. You’ve got school in the morning. :)

    Reply
    <
    • Read More
      MeMeMeMineMineMineNowNowNowCocopop!
      4/25/16 7:21am

      Waaah. That last bit you wrote made me tear up, for some reason.

      Reply
      <
  • Read More
    yousayclamato, joeRachel Vorona Cote
    4/24/16 11:26pm

    If a presidential candidate is so terrified of a kid who is ‘different’ from him, it doesn’t bode particularly well for his ability to deal with the whole wide world as president.

    Reply
    <