In a giant step into the dark ages, the newly adopted platform of the Texas Republican Party now officially declares that homosexuality is an “abnormal choice.”
The shocking platform, over which 5,100 delegates and alternatively voted at the party’s biennial convention in Houston on Saturday, also confirms Texas Republicans’ opposition to “all attempts to validate transgender identity” – and calls for a ban on any gender-confirming medical care, including hormone therapy, for anyone under the age of 21.
Yet the platform supports deposited and dangerous conversion therapy – which it calls “Reintegrative Therapy” – to turn members of the LGBTQ community into heterosexuals and eliminate “unwanted same-sex attraction”.
The platform spells out other positions that are explicitly opposed to the LGBTQ community under its section on “Homosexuality and Gender Issues.” It opposes the provision of any special protection for members of the LGBTQ community, and waives penalties for those who discriminate against the community.
Delegates to the convention were peppered with pamphlets attacking the LGBTQ community, including one warning: “Beware of the gay agenda.”
Chris Halbohn of the Log Cabin Republicans of Houston, who represents LGBTQ members of the party, in a lukewarm condemnation called the anti-LGBTQ language an “unnecessarily free” addition to the party’s platform, according to National Public Radio -affiliated KUT 90.5.
The Log Cabin Republicans of Texas were denied a stand at the convention, urging the national Log Cabin organization to condemn the actions as “narrow-minded” and “politically short-sighted.” The statement warned that the party must “expand the tent”To include members of the LGBTQ community or to face election losses.
Even Donald Trump jr. said in an interview that it makes no sense to attack fellow Republicans.
But one GOP area chairman told the radio station that the Log Cabin Republicans’ ideas were “about, evil”. Their “ideals will destroy our society,” he added.
The LGBTQ community is the new laser focus of the right in the increasingly hostile – and violent – cultural wars. Earlier this month, Idaho police arrested 31 members of the Patriot Front hate group who were crammed into a U-Haul truck with riot gear while on their way to a Coeur D ‘downtown Pride event. To disrupt alone.
In other platform issues, party delegates voted to support the ban on teaching sex and sexuality in schools, while calling on Texas schools to teach the “dignity of the native human being” and that life at fertilization begins.
Deputies also declared Joe Biden’s presidential election victory illegal.
