The Kind-Hearted Smart Aleck

There's been a great deal of controversy swirling around HB2, a bill recently passed in North Carolina and signed by Governor Pat McCrory. The law prevents transgender individuals from using public restrooms of the gender with which they identify. This has led to a series of boycotts, ranging from businesspeople to athletes to musicians and beyond. One musician who cancelled a show in North Carolina due to the controversial bill was "The Boss" Bruce Springsteen. In response to his cancellation, several conservatives criticized the rock star for being hypocritical, as he cancelled a show in the U.S. due to anti-LGBT legislation yet didn't do so in foreign countries which possessed far more extreme anti-LGBT laws. I've heard this line of reasoning on multiple occasions from conservatives, especially with regard to the LGBT community: "Things aren't so bad here. Just be grateful you don't live in Africa or the Middle East" or "Why do you critic...

I've heard plenty of ridiculous arguments supporting legislation which bars transgenders from using public bathrooms of the gender with which they identify, but none were nearly as asinine as the one I read today. If you don't believe me, read what right-wing talk show host Rick Wiles recently said about the matter: "How about if I just urinate on your floor (Target spokeswoman Molly Snyder)? How about that, Molly? Because you're defecating on this nation. ... Our minds are being capture, Doc, by perverts (directed toward co-host Doc Burkhart). This is what happened in Germany. The Nazis were perverts. They took over Germany. It was a radical, socialist, homosexual movement called the Nazi Socialist Party. They're now in control of America, and sane people better rise up and oppose it quickly. This is just the beginning. ... It's either shut down Target or their type is going to shut down this nation, because there's no end to their insanity and their imm...

While I've lauded Caitlyn Jenner for coming out as transgender and even had no qualms about her winning ESPN's Arthur Ashe Courage Award, I can't help but laugh at her ridiculous comments with regard to politics. She's made it known that, despite a large majority of Republican politicians fighting against the LGBT community's aspiration to attain equal rights, she's a conservative Republican. In an article The Advocate recently released, Jenner even said she'd be incredibly interested in potentially being Ted Cruz's "trans ambassador." Not only that, but in her reality show, I Am Cait , Jenner made the following comments when discussing politics with trans activist and writer Jennifer Finney Boylan: - "...None of the Republicans [say], 'Oh, I hate trans people,' or, 'I hate gays.' Nothing like that. They do more, 'I want a thriving economy so every trans person has a job.'" - "...Republicans and conser...