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#AM_Equality Tip Sheet: October 11, 2016
NC SHOWDOWN TONIGHT: As North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory and Attorney General Roy Cooper head into their first gubernatorial debate, everyone’s awaiting their face-off over McCrory’s controversial and hateful HB2 law. New polling shows Cooper pulling away, leading McCrory 49-42, as an explosive new story overnight exposes the depths of the Governor’s unwillingness to fix the HB2 debacle that has harmed countless people and saddled North Carolina with six months of ongoing economic fallout. The debate will air statewide starting at 7 p.m. What’s driving the pre-debate coverage in North Carolina today:
- McCrory courted anti-LGBTQ pastors as deadly hurricane bore down on NC: BuzzFeed’s Dominic Holden (@dominicholden) reports exclusively that as Hurricane Matthew barreled toward his state, McCrory “spent the night on stage addressing far-right pastors, asking them to support the state’s controversial anti-LGBT law and back his reelection.” McCrory engaged in his usual self pity, complaining he is being “shunned” for HB2, and whining about reports, including recently in The New York Times and The Washington Post, that the discriminatory law is damaging the state and sinking his political fortunes. More here.
- “McCrory: Willing to Discriminate at Any Cost” HRC is releasing a new video highlighting the economic backlash North Carolina has suffered since McCrory hastily signed HB2 into law after legislators rammed it through in less than a day.
- Tonight’s debate comes as McCrory is sinking in the polls and opposition to HB2 continues to grow — a recent poll found that seven in 10 NC voters say that McCrory’s discriminatory law has been bad for the state.
- President Obama will be in Greensboro today, rallying students at North Carolina A&T University for Hillary Clinton.
- WRAL’s editorial board urges voters to back candidates who will repeal HB2, writing that “any candidates for public office who won’t support and vote for its immediate repeal, should not have the honor of receiving anyone’s vote or holding public office.” The state has “suffered enough,” the board writes, due to McCrory and crew’s “desperate, needless and misguided grasp to foment a campaign wedge issue…”
- The matchup will be moderated by Chuck Todd (@ChuckTodd), host of NBC’s Meet the Press, who has closely questioned McCrory previously about HB2. It didn’t go so well for McCrory, who made the specious claim that he “didn’t know” of any employment discrimination targeting LGBTQ people and admitted that parts of HB2 were “poorly thought out.”
- Meanwhile, McCrory has finally agreed to a second debate on Oct. 18.
#turnOUT THE VOTE:
- In Iowa: Yesterday, HRC President Chad Griffin (@ChadHGriffin) rallied phone bankers in Council Bluffs, Iowa, to get out the LGBTQ vote.
- In Nebraska: Today, Griffin kicks off early voting in Omaha. In 2008, President Obama won Nebraska’s 2nd Congressional District, which includes Omaha, by just 1,260 votes — in a state home to more than 39,000 LGBTQ voters.
HRC CELEBRATES NATIONAL COMING OUT DAY WITH VIDEO FEATURING OUT CELEBRITIES: Today, HRC marks National Coming Out Day by releasing a new video highlighting actors, athletes, musicians, and others who are helping to advance equality by coming out and sharing their stories. HRC is also featuring guides and resources that are part of its National Coming Out Project. “Coming out — whether as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or as an ally — is incredibly important in our fight to advance LGBTQ equality,” said Mary Beth Maxwell, HRC Senior Vice President for Programs, Research, and Training. “It takes bravery and courage to come out, and by speaking up and sharing our stories, we are helping to make the world a better place by changing hearts and minds.” More from USA Today.
- Musician Rayvon Owen (@RayvonOwen), who came out this year, is taking over the @HRC twitter feed today at 11:30 a.m ET.… he’s among many celebrities and public figures who have come out for equality in 2016.
- LGBTQ visibility has also increased in sports, thanks in large part to athletes, coaches and staff who have bravely come out over the last several years. More here.
TUESDAY TWEET: Mother Jones reporter Kevin Drum (@KDrum) calls out Trump’s ridiculous assertion yesterday at a Pennsylvania rally that he considers himself to be “a blue collar worker”…
Donald Trump today: “I consider myself in a certain way to be a blue collar worker.” pic.twitter.com/YYWVj6l2BN
— Kevin Drum (@kdrum) October 10, 2016
FLORIDA FEDERAL COURT EXTENDS VOTER REGISTRATION DEADLINE: Yesterday, the Florida’s Federal Court extended the voter registration deadline to 5 p.m on Wednesday to give Floridians affected by Hurricane Matthew the opportunity to vote in the 2016 elections. Yesterday, HRC called on Florida Governor Rick Scott to extend the deadline after he rejected similar requests; the Florida Democratic Party filed a lawsuit seeking an extension. Florida is home to 20 million voters, including at least 550,000 LGBTQ adults.
- In a conversation with Logo TV’s political correspondent Raymond Braun (@RaymondBraun), Griffin emphasizes the importance of the LGBTQ vote in this election. Watch at Logo TV.
HRC ENDORSES DEBORAH ROSS OF NORTH CAROLINA FOR U.S. SENATE: Yesterday, HRC announced its endorsement of Deborah Ross for the U.S. Senate seat currently held by Richard Burr. As a candidate, Ross has spoken out and called for the repeal of the vile and dangerous HB2. Meanwhile, Burr has repeatedly opposed LGBTQ equality during his time in office. He has refused to support the Equality Act, and voted against the bipartisan Employment Non-Discrimination Act, the Student Non-Discrimination Act and hate crimes protections. More from HRC.
CAMEROON POLICE RAID LGBTQ BAR: This weekend, police in Cameroon blockaded the entrance to a bar, arresting dozens of LGBTQ people inside. More from Pink News.
READING RAINBOW
Manila Times explores the lives of transgender Indonesians, and the discrimination they face… The New York Times reviews the memoir of a transgender boy growing up in New York City… Pink News shares Australians’ frustrations with Parliament’s stall on marriage equality… San Diego LGBT Weekly says that TV station Logo will censor LGBTQ content on National Coming Out Day in solidarity with foreign countries who ban LGBTQ media… Culturess highlights 30 LGBTQ characters on TV…
www.hrc.org/blog/am-equality-tip-sheet-october-11-2016?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss-feed
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