Virginia
Related: About this forumHe Bullied My LGBTQ Child Online- and Va. Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) Promoted Him
- Daily Kos, June 21, 2022. Ed. - Kellen Squire is an emergency dept. nurse from Barboursville, Va., running for the Va. House of Delegates in the 55th District, serving Albemarle, Louisa, Nelson, & Fluvanna counties. -
Almost immediately after I decided to run for the Virginia House of Delegates, the Virginia GOP went after my kids. I can't say I was surprised by that. Not even close. The rural district I'm running in is the bluest district they hold; it may well be the battleground race of the cycle. I was expecting the worst from the Virginia GOP- and I got it. So, going after my kids? Doesn't surprise me. That the Governor decided to hire the guy who bullied my LGBTQ kid to an advisory panel on LGBTQ issues? Well... that one did take me a little aback.
Link to tweet
I've alluded to what happened on several occasions, but never more than that publicly. I haven't wanted to expose my kids and family to the new reality of politics any more than I have to. I had several journalists contact me immediately after it happened, offering to write about it- but I demurred to each of them. Which, I know, is sort-of the point of those kinds of attacks. If I make a bunch of noise about it, it only makes those attacks go farther, get more attention. If I don't say anything, they can get away with doing it again and again.
I won't post any of the screenshots or links to what happened here; they are easy enough to find. Instead, I'll just give the Cliff Notes version. The gentleman in the story cited above- who is the President of the Richmond, Va. chapter of the Log Cabin Republicans- took umbrage towards my Tweets on the realities of what the pandemic did to emergency services providers. So he found pictures of my family and kids, posted them publicly on his Twitter feed, and encouraged his followers to come up with the best insults they could think of, offering a few of his own. Amazingly, he saw nothing wrong with mocking the physical appearance of my five-year old, and being incredibly vile towards my 14-year old.
Again, lets discuss the dichotomy of someone being appointed to a gubernatorial board on LGBTQ issues electronically bullying an LGBTQ teenager, knowing full well that more than 50% of LGTBQ youth in middle & high school reported being bullied in the past year, with a full 3 fold increase in the incidence of suicidal ideation & attempts for those same kids. That's why I sat down with my 14-year old to talk with her about what had happened. She is very technologically savvy, & I knew that especially going into high school, she or someone she knows would be able to find out what had happened... & I wanted her to hear about it from me, instead of them. It was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do- she has been through so much the past few years, more than I ever had to deal with growing up when I was her age. And now she was being viciously attacked solely because I was running for office...
- More + Comments,
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2022/6/21/2105317/-He-bullied-my-LGBTQ-child-online-and-Glenn-Youngkin-promoted-him
IngridsLittleAngel
(1,962 posts)The QOP cares so much about children.. Especially the overgrown ones like Ben Shapiro and Charlie Kirk the Jerk. But those kids who might get shot? Forget them. And those LGBTQ kids? Hah, they really don't care about them.
It's sickening how time and time again the actions of these Nazis is a complete 180 from their words.
I wish I could say Youngkook promoted Incel Flores in spite of his online bigotry and bullying. But we're talking about the QOP... So I'm inclined to believe he promoted him because of his bigotry and bullying.
"Drumpf 2016: Fuck your feelings/safe space/blah blah blah..."
appalachiablue
(42,984 posts)hypocrisy. Despicable behavior and intentional move. People who are aware and paying attention can see it, but far too many others are indifferent, clueless or in agreement.
IngridsLittleAngel
(1,962 posts)They don't think they have to hide it anymore. Because their base believes everything they say, they know they can say anything and it'll be taken at face value. Then toss in how they've been programmed to "blame the Dems" for everything...
Drumpf could say tomorrow "The sun will rise from the north and set to the south." When the sun winds up rising from the east (as it has for about 4.5 billion years), they'll say "Biden did that! Drumpf would never lie to us!"
It'd be funny if it wasn't so scary.
So, they no longer hide the cruelty or hypocrisy. They can be as mean as they want - it's now seen as a positive. They can lie all they want - somehow, it's the truth and everyone else lied.
30-40% of our country. It'd be hilarious if it was in another comedy/documentary like Idiocracy. In reality, though, it's downright horrifying.
Initech
(102,261 posts)They'll "protect" children from groomers (whatever that is) and drag queens and a same sex kiss in a Disney animated movie, but they are actively taking this country backwards to prevent kids from getting killed in a mass shooting. They have given us bulletproof backpacks and bookcases, and make kids participate in mass shooter drills. But they won't ban the damn guns, because "shall not be infringed!!!!". Just the stupid...
IngridsLittleAngel
(1,962 posts)When they rant and rave about drag queens and trans people and same-sex kisses and "WoN't SoMeOnE ThInK Of ThE ChIlDrEn?!?!?" the ones they really want to protect are small-minded "children" like Ben Shapiro and Charlie Kirk and Empty Greene. It's that these "adults" who stopped developing mentally or emotionally at 5 can't handle it.
Real children? As you said, they don't care.
School shootings? "Won't someone think of the guns?!" and "We need better doors!"
Real groomers, like Groomer Gaetz? "He's a good man, family values, a real patriot!" No problem at all with Drumpf in girls' dressing rooms, either...
Things like budget cuts to education, or school lunches? Meh, who cares. More important to build a wall!
And we sure haven't heard any of them chime in on child sex trafficking, child beauty pageants, and plenty of other issues where children really are being harmed.
They talk big games about protecting children... The truth is, all lies as usual. They don't care about the children - just themselves.
Initech
(102,261 posts)But in the batshit crazy Q Anon conspiracy theory world that stuff only happens in the basement of pizza parlors that don't have a basement. I think it's absolutely insane that the Q nuts claim that they are doing this stuff "for the children" when their insane leader and preferred political party are doing everything the exact opposite.
It's funny how they're oddly silent about the Uvalde shooting because it might take away their "right" to use a murder weapon that could take out a small army.
IngridsLittleAngel
(1,962 posts)They won't come out and say they're fine with child sex trafficking.. But they obviously are. Look no further than the nice long list of Republiqans who have been accused, or even convicted, of sexual abuse of children.
The Q nuts don't care about kids either - unless by "kids" you mean themselves. They just love Drumpf and the modern day QOP and Q and Fux because they make it okay to let their hate flag fly.
What little they've had to say about Uvalde is insane and hateful. "Better doors" and "arm the teachers" and of course "it was a trans person." Talk of really doing something - like gun control? Not a chance. Their right to be armed to the teeth is more important than people's lives - even the "children."
Tommymac
(7,334 posts)appalachiablue
(42,984 posts)- Youngkin appointee disparaged people online, made sexual reference about VP. Richmond Times Dispatch, 6.20.22.
> A governors appointee to the Virginia LGBTQ+ Advisory Board publicly disparaged people on Twitter and trolled accounts with obscenities, writing that Vice President Kamala Harris sucked the right d--- to advance in her career.
Gov. Glenn Youngkin appointed Casey Flores to the board, which includes 21 citizens who advise the governor on LGBTQ+ policy issues. Flores is active in the Log Cabin Republicans, an organization that represents LGBTQ conservatives. The appointment begins July 1. The governors press secretary this month referred reporters to Flores as someone who can defend Youngkins position on LGBTQ+ issues.
Listen, people tweet, Flores said in an interview when asked about his tweets. After reviewing them, he said Monday, The tweets were funny. I needed a good laugh. He said the tweets in question were not reflective of his broader postings on Twitter about such things as the economy, global affairs and China, and not how I talk to people normally....
https://richmond.com/news/state-and-regional/govt-and-politics/youngkin-appointee-disparaged-people-online-made-sexual-reference-about-vice-president/article_a33be11f-f22b-5ae7-a8dc-34cf245c4db6.html#tracking-source=home-top-story
Tommymac
(7,334 posts)appalachiablue
(42,984 posts)whathehell
(29,840 posts)being accused of doing the same thing for HIS job?
mahatmakanejeeves
(61,302 posts)Youngkin appointee disparaged people online, made sexual reference about vice president
Patrick Wilson Jun 20, 2022 Updated Jun 21, 2022
A governors appointee to the Virginia LGBTQ+ Advisory Board publicly disparaged people on Twitter and trolled accounts with obscenities, writing that Vice President Kamala Harris sucked the right d--- to advance in her career.
Gov. Glenn Youngkin appointed Casey Flores to the board, which includes 21 citizens who advise the governor on LGBTQ+ policy issues. Flores is active in the Log Cabin Republicans, an organization that represents LGBTQ conservatives. ... The appointment begins July 1. The governors press secretary this month referred reporters to Flores as someone who can defend Youngkins position on LGBTQ+ issues.
Listen, people tweet, Flores said in an interview when asked about his tweets. After reviewing them, he said Monday, The tweets were funny. I needed a good laugh. ... He said the tweets in question were not reflective of his broader postings on Twitter about such things as the economy, global affairs and China, and not how I talk to people normally.
{snip}
Youngkin is replacing five members of the LGBTQ+ Advisory Board whose terms expire July 1. The board, which was created in 2021 to focus on policy related to LGBTQ people, is focused on education and the workforce, health care, housing and safety. ... LGBTQ communities are under rising attack by right-wing hate groups.
{snip}
By Patrick Wilson
pwilson@timesdispatch.com; (804) 649-6061; Twitter: @patrickmwilson
mahatmakanejeeves
(61,302 posts)Youngkins LGBTQ board pick vows to stop crude tweets
By Laura Vozzella
June 21, 2022 at 5:56 p.m. EDT
RICHMOND One of Gov. Glenn Youngkins appointees to the state LGBTQ+ Advisory Board promised to tone down his language on social media Monday after a news report highlighted a series of crude tweets he had authored.
Youngkin (R) recently appointed Casey Flores, president of Log Cabin Republicans of Richmond, to the board, effective July 1. On Monday, the Richmond Times-Dispatch reported that Flores had used profane and vulgar language on the platform to disparage people in a series of tweets over the past two years.
[Gov. Youngkin, who ran on culture wars, takes cautious approach to Pride]
His targets included national political figures lobbing profanity at President Biden, for instance, and suggesting that Vice President Harris had advanced her career by performing a sex act. Flores also used harsh language while tangling over politics with ordinary Twitter users, calling one a fat, racist, self-hating white in an exchange in January.
{snip}
By Laura Vozzella
Laura Vozzella covers Virginia politics for The Washington Post. Before joining The Post, she was a political columnist and food writer at the Baltimore Sun, and she has also worked for the Associated Press, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram and the Hartford Courant. Twitter https://twitter.com/LVozzella