Latest news with #Wokeism
Axios
20 hours ago
- Politics
- Axios
Scoop: Clearwater snubs Pride, backs faith month with anti-LGBTQ+ ties
After several years of commemorating LGBTQ+ Pride Month, Clearwater leaders skipped the recognition this year, instead designating June for the first time as "Faith and Family Month." Why it matters: While the celebration on its face seeks to strengthen families through religion, Faith and Family Month's website denies the existence of transgender people and defines marriage as between a man and a woman. It dismisses climate change and critical race theory — a concept that links racial discrimination to the nation's foundations and legal system — as "false doctrines." And it attributes that belief system to the American Pastor Project, a network of church leaders with a mission to "eradicate Wokeism from the American pulpit." What they're saying: The city "is making a statement that they don't want LGBTQ+ people to be acknowledged [or] respected," said Wendy Vernon, a Clearwater resident and the president and founder of LGBTQ+ advocacy group PFLAG Safety Harbor. "That's definitely very hurtful to the community when they're already being shunned away everywhere," Vernon told Axios. She also questioned why city leaders didn't issue a Pride Month proclamation in addition to Faith and Family Month, as was the case in Lakeland. Between the lines: Proclamations are largely symbolic and typically requested by community organizations or city staff. Clearwater's Diversity Leadership Council, made up of city employees, didn't request a Pride proclamation this year due to disruptive protests at a Pride event last year, city spokesperson Joelle Castelli told Axios. "It was very uncomfortable for the members of the committee as they were personally targeted," she said. Committee members instead invited their colleagues to participate in the St. Pete Pride parade this month and offered free tickets to a Clearwater Threshers game. Driving the news: Faith and Family Month was organized by Christian service nonprofit Somebody Cares Tampa Bay, co-founder Daniel Bernard told Axios. Bernard said he was inspired by a discussion with Clearwater Mayor Bruce Rector, who said he wanted to see a pro-family event in the city. At the request of Somebody Cares, Rector presented the proclamation at the May 15 City Council meeting. His support features prominently in promotional social media posts and on Faith and Family Month's website. "We look forward to … celebrating an entire month with family-friendly activities and talking about how faith can help families be stronger," he says in a promotional video. Reality check: Navigate to the website's "Statement of Faith" page, and a much broader belief system comes into focus. Zoom in:"We recognize God's created order, in making male and female, determined by divine imprint, genetically encoded at conception, and changeless," it says, echoing language used by the Trump and DeSantis administrations to deny rights to transgender people. It goes on to say that pastors have a role "to protect our nation from the deceptions of false teaching and anti-Christ agendas," including abortion, CRT and "climate alarmist theory." The statement is attributed to the American Pastor Project, an organization founded by Lucas Miles, an Indiana-based pastor, conservative activist and author of "Woke Jesus: The False Messiah Destroying Christianity." Rector said the purpose of the proclamation was to encourage people of all different faiths and belief systems to "celebrate the importance of faith and families." Had an organization approached the city with a Pride proclamation, he "probably" would have signed it, he said, adding that he presented one last year. He said he hadn't seen the statement of faith until an Axios reporter showed it to him. He also wasn't familiar with the American Pastor Project, Rector said. "We're not trying to come against anybody or do anything of that nature," Bernard said. "We are just promoting the truth as we understand it."
New European
05-02-2025
- Politics
- New European
Trump is both a symptom and a cause
Throughout President Trump's first administration, the same question resurfaced at virtually every roundtable on US democracy. Was Donald Trump a symptom of grievance and change in US democracy or a cause of them? Most people concluded he was a symptom of grievances, especially those of white working class men, but also of Americans tired of being responsible for the rest of the world. At the beginning of Trump's second term, there can be little doubt that Trump is far more than a symptom – he is also set to be a game-changer for US democracy and its global role. Today the question is not ' why Trump ?' Instead we are mired in a comparison of Trump to himself. What is the difference between Trump 2.0 and Trump 1.0? In fact there are many. The most obvious difference is preparation. When Trump was elected the first time, he was caught off guard. His cabinet reflected this. Many of them were not especially loyal to the president, and did not share his views on policy. Today, Trump's top team are ideologically diverse, but they are united by their loyalty to the president and they are prepared. The technology billionaires that back the president bear little resemblance to the MAGA wing of his party. This group are key to the president's economic success and reassuring to America's business class who also hope to see tax cuts and deregulation. Trump's MAGA agenda is different today. It is backed by the force of preparation (read Project 2025) and the urgency of a second term president. At home this means rooting out 'Wokeism' from across US government. Within days, the president brought a halt to diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives and the government workers associated with them were sent home. It also means excising Washington of the 'deep state' of permanent bureaucrats so that the president can execute his agenda. In just two weeks, Trump's team stopped almost all foreign assistance and the USAID website quickly disappeared. They have shuttered diversity programs and rooted out civil servants deemed insufficiently loyal to the president. Some things look the same as last time but carry far more force. Tariffs remain Trump's favoured economic instrument. But they are being used to deliver a far broader agenda, not only to fix America's bilateral trade deficits. The first threat of tariffs was to coerce Colombia to accept US airforce planes returning illegal migrants. He threatened tariffs of 25% against Canada and Mexico, but then 'paused' them. Their apparent goal was to stop fentanyl and immigrants from crossing the border into the US. China faces 10% tariffs. The prospect that Europe will be punished with tariffs to force their hand on defence spending looms large. Trump's ambition to assert US dominance in the Western hemisphere is also new. His gambit to seize territory is another break from his first term. Powerful states have often encroached on the sovereignty of weaker states. But not usually friendly states with friendly governments, and not usually in times of peace. Trump's bids on the Panama Canal and on Greenland seems to be a harbinger of the 19th century. But it should not be dismissed. In fact it is far more likely a sign that Trump has clear ambitions for the US's geopolitical power in the 21st century. Trump 2.0 is more determined, and more prepared. Trump is both symptom and cause, and he is going for broke. The world needs to prepare. Dr Leslie Vinjamuri is director, US and Americas Programme, Chatham House, Royal Institute of International Affairs and Professor of International Relations, SOAS University of London
