Following is my response to a proclamation read by the mayor of Twin Falls on June 3, 2019 at the weekly city council meeting. It is nothing new for any mayor to make non binding proclamations. It’s normal and even sought out by individuals and organizations who are looking for grant money, public recognition of achievements, or a call to action from the mayor to the citizens.
Usually a proclamation is made that the community at large will have little disagreement over. Somewhat of a politically safe statement. However, sometimes a proclamation is a misleading statement by a politician to use smoke and mirrors to distract a people from the eternal risk of their actions.
Yesterday, in the city of Twin Falls, like many other cities across the nation, our mayor made a proclamation declaring the month of June as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer Pride month.
There are a few things worth taking note of…
- most want to simplify the list of titles with the acronym LGBTQ. I think this is intentional; not to simplify and save time, but rather to not hear those titles spoken every time because the actual titles are perversions of all things natural and righteous. One can hear the term “LGBT” all day long and not have to really think about what it represents, abominations before God.
- The lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer pride month is nothing new to Twin Falls.
- Our neighbors requesting the proclamation should be treated with humanitarian dignity. It would be unthinkable to walk by a burning building and think those living there are not worth rescuing. Our response should be one of compassion and honesty.
Following is my letter to the mayor. I disclosed to him that I would be posting this as a public response to his public proclamation. It is my intent to always speak forthright while attempting to be respectful and kind. Not always easy to accomplish. It wouldn’t hurt for you to draft a letter to him expressing your opinion on this matter too.
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Dear Mr. Mayor,
I just want to follow up with you in regard to your Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer Proclamation yesterday. I want you to know I pray for you every week and I think you fairly govern the council meetings. I have witnessed your fairness and kindness to all who stand before the council, even when there is clear disagreement. For this I’m thankful.
I wish to communicate with you that I take issue with the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer Proclamation signed on May 20, 2019 and read in public on June 3, 2019. Within the proclamation, I notice some inconsistencies and likely unintentional discrimination against others in our community.
I understand the nature of a proclamation and that it is more ceremonial and not binding law. With this understanding I wish to communicate my disagreement concerning the need for such a proclamation. I also want you to be sure you are aware that I will be publicly responding to the proclamation in my personal blog page where I communicate on a broad array of topics.
This public proclamation requires a public response. My intent is not to be disrespectful, only to point out how many times in an effort to show fairness; unfairness is exposed.
The first two-thirds of the proclamation was a fair attempt to acknowledge the diversity in our community. I take issue with three parts of the proclamation.
First: I don’t think this kind of proclamation is needed in a community like ours. The citizens are generally fair to their neighbors and where there are shortcomings in this we already have laws that govern how we are to treat each other.
Second: The proclamation was about the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer pride month, not about all the other classifications mentioned. Why bring age into the proclamation if you are not going to defend my neighbor in the womb of a pregnant woman who will seek to murder that human in an abortion clinic? And you make no mention of the natural birth sex, only “gender identity” and “sexual orientation” no mention of “male” or “female”. This was either intentional or a mistake, in either case both are noticeably missing.
Finally: As the proclamation gets clearer and to the point, it does two things. 1) It misrepresents the population base in the city. To claim that the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer community are a “vital part of all fields and professions and contribute to a stronger community” is misleading. Are they valued because of their humanity and their skill or because of their sexual activity? I do not think it can be a supported truth that every field and every profession in our city has lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer workers in it, and it implies that every field or profession is not contributing to a stronger community unless there are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer workers in that field. Do you mean to communicate that an employer would be better to have a lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer employee than an honest, hard working, loyal workforce regardless of their sexual status? This is actually a discriminating point against those who contribute to our community who are not lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer. I don’t think that’s what the intent is, but it is unclear by the use of the words. And words are so important. 2) The best thing we can give our youth is truth. To live out a lifestyle that is a perversion of everything natural and righteous is not loving. It helps no one in the community to promote this kind of perversion. The community is not better, the community is at risk. We are not a stronger community when we promote that which is opposed to truth.
I will communicate my disagreement publicly but I want you to know I mean no disrespect to you. I do strongly disagree with this proclamation. Where I disagree with this proclamation I will continue to be kind to all of my neighbors.
The intent of my writing was to communicate my disagreement with the need for such a proclamation and to communicate with clarity that the promotion and approval of sinful activity puts all citizens in danger.
Thank you for reading this with understanding of my intent.
Paul Thompson
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