#KY #CA California extending travel ban to include Kentucky

The Earth Equality Alliance, Kentucky Equality Federation, and Marriage Equality Kentucky (an alliance of more than eight (8) organizations with a common spokesperson and unifying secretary-general) today commented on the California Attorney General adding the Commonwealth of Kentucky to its travel ban.

After the passage of Kentucky Senate Bill 17, Kentucky Equality Federation promised to sue should a student suffer from discrimination as a result of the law, as reported by the Lexington Herald-Leader.

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CONTACT:
Dillan Marsh, Executive Director
Secretary General Jordan Palmer's Office of Special Affairs
PH: (502) 219-2533
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"Fanatics are now trying to turn religious freedom into a license to discriminate and it will not be tolerated,” stated Secretary-General Jordan Palmer.

“Kentucky Equality Federation and its attorneys have never lost a lawsuit, from NKU, Hazard, to the Warren County Detention Center to striking down Kentucky’s same-sex marriage ban by a Kentucky judge. We are eager to sink our teeth into what fanatics are twisting as so-called religious freedom. Perhaps it is the religious belief of someone to sell they're first born female child into slavery, but that person would also be convicted of a criminal act and this is much the same.

The freedom of religion gives you permission to worship as you see fit as per the constitution of this Commonwealth. If someone believes that isn't the definition of religious freedom, then they do not understand the meaning of it. But, religious freedom is commonly understood.

No law may supersede the Constitution, even with a ballot outcome (see Kentucky Equality Federation v. Governor Steve Beshear)."

Section V of the Commonwealth's Constitution states (bold emphases added):

No preference shall ever be given by law to any religious sect, society or denomination; nor to any particular creed, mode of worship or system of ecclesiastical polity; nor shall any person be compelled to attend any place of worship, to contribute to the erection or maintenance of any such place, or to the salary or support of any minister of religion; nor shall any man be compelled to send his child to any school to which he may be conscientiously opposed; and the civil rights, privileges or capacities of no person shall be taken away, or in anywise diminished or enlarged, on account of his belief or disbelief of any religious tenet, dogma or teaching. No human authority shall, in any case whatever, control or interfere with the rights of conscience.

Palmer continued: “The Kentucky Constitution guarantees freedom of religion as intended, that neither the commonwealth nor any power shared with the federal government, shall ever force a religious belief on its citizens or force them to attend any particular religious services.”

The travel ban was first put into effect January 1 when state measure AB 1887 became law. The law says California is "a leader in protecting civil rights and preventing discrimination" and should not support or finance "discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people."

The California travel ban included Tennessee, North Carolina, Mississippi and Kansas, and now included Alabama, Kentucky, and Texas.

This will also have a great impact on sports.

Condemnation of Black Youth Project Statements: "Keep your white friends and partners away from Black Pride events," and "When white people enter a space, anti-Blackness always does too"

SPECIAL STATEMENT
SECRETARY-GENERAL JORDAN PALMER

Condemnation of Black Youth Project Statements: "Keep your white friends and partners away from Black Pride events," and "When white people enter a space, anti-Blackness always does too"

LEXINGTON, KY -- #Pride #AllLivesMatter #DefendEquality The Kentucky Equality Federation, the American Federation of NGO’s, and their member organizations recognize the renewed energy of activists in the Trump era, but we must act with tact and skill and resist a relapse to what Trump represents, especially to the LGBTI, Black, Latino communities and Women. Additionally, we will not permit so-called Right Wing ‘Christian’ fundamentalism to conquer and divide us. We shall stand tall and walk tall, united in love and friendship, that is the biggest threat we represent to the current era, but we shall not falter, we will prevail. Love and friendship are stronger than hate and prejudice.

However, we must strongly condemn the recent Black Youth Project communication titled “Keep your white friends and partners away from Black Pride events,” and “When white people enter a space, anti-Blackness always does too,” and they call for segregationism and racism in the LGBTI community and the same between White and Black America.

The use of the word queer is also condemned and vehemently rejected, by the brain fart organization (credit to Bruce A. Dixon of the Black Agenda Report for the use of the name ‘Brain Fart’ when describing this organization) and its sub-units; I am not a queer nor a fag, but I am gay.

The statements of Hari Zared and the parent, Black Youth Project 100 (BYP100) a non-government organization (NGO) identified as being part of, or the power behind, #BlackLivesMatter.

In the published articles, the Black Youth Project dismisses #jurisprudence, coalition building with other communities, and is constantly bombarding our Black youth with anti-Black articles, pictures, and opinions attempting to ‘conquer and divide.’

The true mentality of these articles is pure racism, bigotry, and hate.

Additionally, I will attend whatever events I so desire. The information these organizations are bombarding our youth with is an offense to individual rights, with delusions of being politically correct or remotely accurate.

LGBTI pride belongs to all members of the community, including our Black family. We must continue to pursue acceptance within our efforts, rather than seeking to segregate them. It is unthinkable that this brain fart organization and its subunits would seek to divide the community, down to individual partners and relationships, using racism as a weapon.

This year, the broader LGBTI community finds itself under more pressure and attacks than it has been since the dawn of the marriage equality struggle, nearly two decades ago. Now is a time for us to all stand firmly together. When we divide due to pettiness and prejudice, the forces of inequality and intolerance gain an advantage against all of us.

We will not be shoved back in the closet, and we will most certainly never allow it to be done because of neo-segregationism in our midst. We can overcome with love, but we must do so together and reject the offensive rhetoric of brain fart organizations who teach hatred and racism.

People from all walks of life are welcome at LGBTI pride events, united in love and friendship.

#GayLivesMatter, #AllLivesMatter, #WhiteLivesMatter, #BlackLivesMatter, and to use the Flag of the Races (also called the Flag of the Human Race) #RedLivesMatter, #WhiteLivesMatter, #BrownLivesMatter, #YellowLivesMatter, #BlackLivesMatter. The Flag of the Human Race has five horizontal stripes (from top to bottom they were red, white, brown, yellow, and black). This is said to be the inspiration behind #TheFreedomFlag, also called #NewGlory, and #PrideFlag, created by #GilbertBaker who passed away earlier this year.