Texas sheriff hopeful threatens to beat trans women unconscious if he finds them in public bathrooms
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2016/04/26/texas-sheriff-hopeful-threatens-to-beat-trans-women-unconscious-if-he-finds-them-in-public-bathrooms/
Pink News/By Nick Duffy 04/26/2016
"A police officer in line to be the Sheriff of a major Texas county has threatened to assault any transgender women he finds using public bathrooms.
Tracy Murphfree is running to be the new sheriff of Denton County on a Republican ticket – and has no Democratic opponent. "
This is seriously messed up. Cops are telling people it's okay to take the law into their own hands and lynch folk they don't agree with. I never thought I'd live to see the day. :(
As I wrote elsewhere, this idiot would do well to remember he is in Texas and it's not only cisgender males who have carry permits. He just might try beating someone only to find himself in the hospital recovering. But if that happens, maybe they will play some Eric Clapton for him. :o
And people like this is the reason we can't have nice things.
In a lot of online articles I had recently been looking through on the basis of Target opposing the HB2, by reiterating their quality and stand for inclusion of their transgender bathroom policy (as being welcoming and accept of our gender identity), and reading through the comments I see too many "I will protect my wife and kids from all transgender individuals that need to pee" of up to threatening with up to murdering and or beating them up or even going so far as to bring in that they will bring their firearms into the equation.
We are not the anecdotal enemies, as far as I'm concerned, these vigilantes as such proclaimed from this article and among all bathroom news related articles are the enemies of America by far. The land of the free is not very inviting to say the least.
Kate <3
The way things are going, it won't be long till they start coming after us en masse with torches and pitchforks.
Quote from: Violets on April 27, 2016, 12:55:43 AM
The way things are going, it won't be long till they start coming after us en masse with torches and pitchforks.
In the game of Rock, Paper, Scissors, a Shotgun beats a Torch or a Pitchfork.
Denton County Sheriff's Candidate Clarifies Facebook Post On Transgender Community
April 25, 2016 9:54 PM By Jeff Paul
http://dfw.cbslocal.com/2016/04/25/denton-county-sheriffs-candidate-clarifies-facebook-post-on-transgender-community/
Murphree said he regrets that he did not explain himself better.
"I understand how they interpreted it, I understand how they saw it, I understand their anger. For that, I apologize," said Murphree.
Murphree said he understands the transgender community already faces enough problems and he was not trying to add to their list of concerns they face each day.
He said his words were aimed at people who might take advantage of new policies from stores like Target, which welcome guests to use the restroom that corresponds with their gender identity.
=========================
According to this later story he has apologized and clarified that he didn't advocate violence against trans people.
No, he was quite clear. It doesn't matter how one identifies, or whether one uses transgender as a ruse or as a sincerely held conviction...he's not going to ask about it.
How will he know for sure if the person he assaults is trans or not? Does he plan on inspecting everyone? Sounds like a pervert to me.
He's backpedaling - his rant caused a whole lot more attention and negative reaction than he ever expected and since he's essentially a politician (he's running for Sheriff) he's now in damage control mode. He is only sorry that he shot his mouth off and caused a stink.
I knew that area well since I lived near there for quite a number of years - most people in that area are staunch conservatives and think that they are good Christians, and they don't care for people like us. That area is a strange mix of old money, rednecks, and poor people, all of which would be quite receptive to his original message.
The town of Denton which is in Denton county is a college town - the University of North Texas is there, so you have a fair number of liberal kids wandering around, but they have no political and not much economic power. Denton county is mostly agricultural with large farms - thats where the old money is. His original message would resonate very well with the gun-toting Christian people that live in the area.
Quote from: Eva Marie on April 27, 2016, 09:37:42 AM
He's backpedaling
That's my read on it too, but I'm willing to admit the possibility that he really believed that all trans people were perverts and perhaps received something of an education after making his remarks.
Quote from: suzifrommd on April 27, 2016, 10:22:35 AM
That's my read on it too, but I'm willing to admit the possibility that he really believed that all trans people were perverts and perhaps received something of an education after making his remarks.
I thought it was spelled "pre-verts" down yonder Texas way?
;)
Even if he did get edumacated, if elected (in an unopposed election LOL) I would hope he will use his position to help educate those in the county who harbor similar violent thoughts against any group of people.
So being a staunch believer in the bible,being a conservative republican is a bad thing?
I wouldn't say so at all. None of those things are inherently bad at all. Hugs
Mariah
Quote from: cheryl reeves on April 27, 2016, 02:11:10 PM
So being a staunch believer in the bible,being a conservative republican is a bad thing?
Quote from: cheryl reeves on April 27, 2016, 02:11:10 PM
So being a staunch believer in the bible,being a conservative republican is a bad thing?
In my opinion, no, and I won't tolerate bashing of any political or religious viewpoint.
That being said, many members of this site have suffered at the hands of people using conservative ideology or religion as a cloak for their hate so I can understand it when feelings on the subject are quite raw.
Quote from: cheryl reeves on April 27, 2016, 02:11:10 PM
So being a staunch believer in the bible,being a conservative republican is a bad thing?
Not at all. And on the flip side of that, there is absolutely nothing wrong with being a liberal democrat. What does matter is what you do with those values, and by association, what the people you vote for do with those values.
Since this is a topic about trans people being threatened, it's more of an issue with the values themselves than what political party you want to identify with.
Can he legally threaten us like that?
I wouldn't think so. I thought they were held to the same laws that all of us are, but who knows. Hugs
Mariah
These silly and sometimes frightening attitudes are being stirred up by bigots seeking their next political issue to rally around and believe me they are running out of them.
The fact that they even associate it with religion is further evidence of their desperateness. Yes, it is mainly conservative areas but plenty of conservatives see through the idiocy as well.
Suddenly transgender women are a great danger to society? Suddenly the next big wave of criminal genius is to put on a dress and invade public bathrooms? I can see it now an evil mastermind somewhere in his lair is dispatching legions of evil ne'er-do-wells on the mother of all crime sprees, just waiting to try to contort themselves under bathroom stalls to take all the toilet paper and other dastardly deeds.
It would be more laughable if people like this guy were not so gullible
Quote from: cheryl reeves on April 27, 2016, 02:11:10 PM
So being a staunch believer in the bible,being a conservative republican is a bad thing?
well, when one's stance is only known for what one hates, yes...it is a bad thing.
Quote from: Kova V on April 27, 2016, 06:33:32 PM
Can he legally threaten us like that?
There's two parts to the law: theory and practice. In theory, his statement may be illegal, but even that is murky. In practice, he can say anything he wants because he's a cop.
He's not threatening anybody specific, and he's not actually suggesting that other people behave in this manner. So, it's not an imminent threat or incitement to violence. I just read a little about Texan law... they really love their freedom in Texas (duh)... it's nearly impossible to get a conviction on charges of hate speech. And cops are basically impervious to conviction because of how courts work. As far as I can tell, prosecuting this would be entirely untenable.