Concerned Citizen comments

@Mister X

It seems there has been a misunderstanding about who was talking about whom and what.

Anyway, just to be clear, I'm not advocating nor agree with religious or any other countries hurting the LGBTQ community in any way.

You accused another poster of thinking he has higher ethics just because he disgagrees with certain countries which force LGBTQ people to cease their lifestyle and I agree with that other poster.

To clarify, my 'accusation' was not concerning the other poster's ethics regarding religious nation's treatment of LGBTQ people, but rather that poster's ethics regarding LGBTQ sexuality and how society handles these matters.

My apologies to you and the other poster for any misunderstanding. All the best to you.

@Mister X

When I and others say that no archaic religion has the right to harass, discriminate or physically hurt people from a different sexual orientation your damn right I consider that a higher ethical value that the believers of such faith.

Agreed.

Why are you bringing that up? No one is advocating for "the right to harass, discriminate or physically hurt people from a different sexual orientation" on behalf of religion.

@Strangerland

No. I don't tolerate discrimination due to faith in a vengeful sky fairy - or any other sky fairies for that matter.

These people can either learn to treat other humans with dignity and respect, or they can be treated as they deplorables they are. Because they're pathetic disgusting humans hiding their fears of that which they don't understand behind some veil of "but my deity told me to do it".

Wow, that's a strong and intolerant statement. Probably blurted in the heat of the moment. Normally you're a advocate for tolerance, so I'll give it a pass. Just please don't try to force your viewpoints on other OK?

@Strangerland

And therefore I don't think they have an ethical obligation to follow those laws.

This would give license to harassers and discriminators to not follow ethical laws in Western nations that forbid it. You are also assuming that your version of ethics trumps other people's. Let's have tolerance for all viewpoints.

@goldorak

Lol! Come on guys, no one's trying to convert ppl into becoming gay, trans etc!!

That's good.

But there are those who are suing and coercing others who don't want to participate, teach, promote etc. This also needs to stop.

@Strangerland

Fair enough. I suppose I should have said people who live in countries with ethical laws, must obey the ethical laws of the countries they live in.

What's the difference? This would still mean that LGBTQ people would have to cease their lifestyles in many countries. And probably you would be unable to hold or act out many of your ethical viewpoints in those same countries, even in Japan. That's not individual freedom and tolerance.

@Mister X

Wrong they have to obey the law and ethics of the country they live in.

So, LGBTQ people should cease their lifestyle because the Muslim country they live in threatens them with the death penalty?

Rather, let's let everyone let others live as they please without harassment, law suits and coercion whether they are LGBTQ or not, or whether they want to teach it or not, etc, etc.

@Strangerland

I think we need to get past this stupid idea that religious beliefs deserve special protections.

While some religious groups are arguing for special 'religious freedom' protections, I am not. I'm simply calling for all people to be allowed to live, think, educate their kids, etc. they please without harassment, law suits, coercion etc.

@Toasted Heretic

Note the use of "such lifestyles" as if it's wrong or abnormal. Kind of negates the progress made on the issue, don't you think?

Being LGBTQ is completely normally and natural. Surely, it can be promoted in the same way that heterosexuality is promoted and unquestioned.

There are parents and other people who feel that such sexual orientations are not natural as they don't lead to procreation or for other reasons. It's their right to have their own personal viewpoint and to not be forced to teach or have their kids taught otherwise, provided the kids are also taught to love and respect all people regardless of their sexual or other identity. That's fair. It's a free world. No malice intended,

Also, there are parents and others who have no interest in LGBTQ lifestyles and don't care to have it taught to their kids. They might also prefer their kids to learn to have children so they'll have offspring to care for them in their old age, Or they want their boys to avoid high risk sexual behavior (men with men anal sex). Again, it's a free world. Let's not force, sue etc just because people have other preferences.

So, why not adopt the stance - I don't like that, so I don't do it, rather than I don't like that, so you can't do it?

Not at all saying LGBTQ poeple can't live their chosen lifestyle. Just asking for tolerance for those who don't like it or don't want to be forced to teach it, etc. Let everyone live as they please with mutual respect.

Really? Get along, after attempting to divide people by setting up heterosexual and LGBTQ people as rivals?

No one is a rival. My point is that I agree with the article's call to non harassment of sexual minorities and that the same tolerance should be extended to those who are not interested in it. It's a two way street.

In light of agreeing with this article's call to stop harassment of sexual minorities I'd like to offer more examples of how this would practically work including

-LGBTQ people shouldn't be denied service by businesses or other service providers simply for their sexual identity. It's absolutely wrong to hurt others in this way.

-No business or service provider should be forced to provide service in a way that violates their principles or conscience. Confectioners, bakers etc ought to provide regular products to everyone. But shouldn't be forced to include messages they don't agree with. Eg; Promotions of LGBTQ lifestyles, political or religious messages, etc. We shouldn't force Jewish providers to bake a cake with a 'Free Palestine' message. If one service provider doesn't like or agree with your message please respect them and find another who does. Don't sue them into bankruptcy like many activists have.

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/oct/10/uk-supreme-court-backs-bakery-that-refused-to-make-gay-wedding-cake

A little mutual love and respect shown by all would bring peaceful co-existence.

This topic requires a nuanced common sense approach which respects the rights and preferences of everyone.

Any sort of harassment and mistreatment of the LGBTQ community is wrong and should be discouraged. There is no question about that.

At the same time, highlighting the need to respect the LGBTQ community should not be used as a trojan horse vehicle to promote such lifestyles to school children against the wishes of parents. Nor should it be used as a virtue signalling, victim/aggressor wedge as a way to browbeat those who have an aversion or non preference to such lifestyles to have them shoved into their faces to employ, embrace, etc.

Examples:

-Gay students should have the same right to education, respect and love as any other student

-All members of society should be employable regardless of sexual identity provided they work well and are not disruptive or in your face about anything (sexual or otherwise) that upsets work place harmony.

-Schools are free to teach LGBTQ lifestyles if they want to and if a majority of parents agree. otherwise they should not be forced to.

-We should not force anyone or any group to do anything that they don't feel comfortable with. Christian or Muslim organizations should not be forced to employ LGTBQ people if such people don't support their teachings on sexual ethics. Neither should LGBTQ organizations be forced to hire religious or other people who don't support their viewpoints on sexual ethics. The same goes for everyone else. Should Apple Inc employ someone who doesn't like their products and openly promotes rival company's products? Obviously not.

Let there be mutual acceptance of everyone's choices and preferences. Then we can all get along.

Poor girl.

Such horrible incidents are why we are always in direct supervision of our young children, or ensure that they are supervised by other trusted adults or teens.

Which is fine for celibates and suchlike but people are going to have sex. Best way forward is always use protection.

Agreed that always using protection is necessary.

I'm not advocating celibacy.

These matters are up to the individual to decide. Having said that, there are some routes of infection that are statistically proven more dangerous than others and so for complete safety avoidance of such 'risky behavior' should be considered. Eg: Men with men anal sex (66% of new infections), intravenous drug use (25% of new infections), etc.

Again, up to the individual, but I think worth considering.

From an interview with Miley Cyrus. Thier marriage was doomed from the start.

After the wedding, Miley revealed she still considered herself “pansexual”, would “never be faithful” and hated being called a “wife”.

> “I mean, do people really think that I’m at home in a f***ing apron cooking dinner? I’m in a hetero relationship, but I still am very sexually attracted to women.”

> She continued: “I have a new song, Never Be Me, and the chorus says, ‘If you’re looking for faithful, that’ll never be me. If you’re looking for stable, that’ll never be me.

“If you’re looking for someone that’ll be all that you need, that’s never going to be me.’

How sad. The frivolous attitude towards marriage, sex and relationships of many of the rich and famous doesn't satisfy, but rather leads to more and more loneliness in the end.

It's great that these new drugs are so helpful to at risk people, also that HIV/AIDS is no longer a relatively swift death sentence. Of course, the very best prevention is to avoid risky behavior, sexual or otherwise.

Send Sheriff David Clark to Baltimore immediately! A black 'no fuss' leader who cares about his people and acts decisively to improve thier lives.

Rather than highlight Rep Cumming's disgraceful failure to do something effective about the suffering of the people of his city, this article chooses to focus on the president pointing this out? Is this not absolutely diabolical? Shame on JT and other media editors for publishing such drivel!

No wonder Jesus said 'The poor you always have with you' Because they always get absolutely used and shafted by people like Cummings, big business, and media outlets like JT. It's a disgrace.

How can anyone in good conscience defend rep Cummings and his ilk? This shows how little real concern for the poor some Democrats/liberals have. Baltimore IS a disaster on Cumming's watch. THROW HIM AND ALL LYING, GET RICH ON THE BACKS OF THE POOR POLITICANS OUT! And put in leadership, either Democrat or Republican who are sincere and who actually clean up the city, reduce crime and improve the lives of its residents.

@Kestrel

Baltimore is a disaster area. Cummings has been enriching himself for decades while his city is a mess.

Exactly. This is the age old problem with socialistic/communist leaders and policies. They deceive poor communities by portraying themselves as thier saviors promising 'bread and land' via big govt handouts. In the end the poor end up dependant on the government, lacking initiative, neighborhoods a wreck, while thier 'saviors' end up rich, like rep Cummings.

How sad all the Washington DC mudslinging and endless media coverage of it, when the country has real problems and real lives affected to focus on.

Nevertheless I believe President Trump, despite his counter punching trash talk, is defending the honest hard working person from the degrading policies of the race baiting, limousine liberals who say they favor the working person but just use them, while thier lives and neighborhoods descend into more and more chaos.

'We are a certain color, therefore we demand you give us what we want!'

I thought we are supposed to be judged by the content of our character and the product of our hard work.

Based on these girls morality, all white average NBA players should demand equal pay as the African American superstars. That's not gonna happen and shouldn't unless they are of equal ability.

@Toasted Heretic

What's needed is fresh blood, someone that can unite the working class, the poor, the marginalized and stop them from being shafted by successive Republican and Democratic administrations...

.....by draining the DC swamp.

Exactly. Which is what President Trump is succeeding at doing.

Joe Biden would a much more palatable candidate that many of the other immature, whacky, in your face, bound to lose identity politics espousing candidates. Mr. Biden is a seasoned and knowledgeable politician and a generally reasonable and trustworthy man.

However, I can't see him beating President Trump. Trump has done too much good for the working person and will be seen as having more positive economic clout and stronger border security policies.

Besides, the Democratic Party has left it's working class roots and has embraced too many unpalatable policies such as anti white racism, anti men misandry, chaotic open borders, unproven climate change, etc. Plus they come across as religious snobs. 'We're better than you. We're moral. You're bad. You're a bigot.' Etc.

@Strangerland

Mueller clearly stated Trump wasn't exonerated.

That's true Strangerland, but I believe that in the court of public opinion, this is being viewed as a massive failure on the Democrats part.

As I said, I wish the Democrats would ditch their failing policies, reverse course, and return to their roots. The present situation is very sad.

This is a massive public relations disaster for Democrats. They have absolutely shot themselves in the foot.

How sad the demise of the once working person's party. They have descended into a farcical hodge-podge of hate riddled, identity politics spewing, anti-white racist, anti-men, limousine liberal, abortion up to 40 weeks supporting, mud slinging, losers with nothing positive to offer the average person.

I wish they would get back to their roots, as they were in the days of Jimmy Carter. They ought to ditch the above bound to lose policies and focus on positive policies that benefit working people, such as Medicare for all and a minimum wage, which I am favorable towards.

@HJSLLS

What Marvel sees a need to do is continue diversifying its actors and the types of roles they play to counter the generations of biased role casting. I’m sure we can all grasp that.

Agreed! How about more of the following cast in positive lead roles to truly reflect U.S. society as it really is....

Republicans

Conservatives

Christians

Southern state Americans

Muslims

Buddhists

Latinos

Etc.

Unfortunately I'm not hopeful.

@HJSLLS

What Marvel sees a need to do is continue diversifying its actors and the types of roles they play to counter the generations of biased role casting. I’m sure we can all grasp that.

@Strangerland

........reverse racism does exist.........But that said, the degree to which it happens is hardly that to which the right often tries to claim it does.

Perhaps you'll reconsider your opinion of the degree of racism and exclusion in Hollywood after looking at my earlier post outlining what true diversity would look like.

Not to mention that it is common knowledge that a very large percentage of Hollywood owners and power brokers are from a single ethnic group that comprises only 2% of the U.S. population. I don't foresee them willingly diversifying any time soon. Nor would I expect them to. Just spare us the lies about diversity and inclusion.

Moderator: Readers, please stop bickering.

@Toasted Heretic

This is, of course, blatant paranoid nonsense that has really taken off in recent years as film becomes more inclusive and representative.

'More inclusive and representative' would make lead Hollywood actors demographic make up reflect the U.S. as it really is. See below.

Hollywood execs casting Republicans, Christians, Muslims, (in a good light), Latinos, Asians etc as lead actors? This would definitely not be their idea of diversity. Certain 'privileged' groups are over represented in Hollywood while others that make up large sections of society are made to look as if they don't exist.

They are free to cast who they want. Just spare is the claims of 'diversity' and 'inclusiveness'.

Gender:

Female 51

Male 49

Race:

White 60%

Latino 18

Black 13

Asian 6

Other: 3

Religion:

Christian 69

Unaffiliated 24

Judaism 2

Islam 1 

Buddhism 1

Hinduism 1

Other religions 1

Unnkown 1

Political persuasion:

Democrat 48

Republican 46

Other 6

Sexuality:

Straight 97

LGBTQ 3