Page 2 - aruba-today-20220615

A2 UP FRONT
Wednesday 15 June 2022
Continued from Front Still, she tries to focus on her
Last month, a fundamen- computer science studies
talist Idaho pastor told his at Boise State University. On
small Boise congregation the weekends, she plays
that gay, lesbian and trans- board games with friends,
gender people should be or occasionally heads out
executed by the govern- for an evening downtown.
ment. Another fundamen- "Being trans is a big part of
talist pastor in Texas gives my identity, but it's definite-
similar sermons. ly not everything," Latimer
Rep. Heather Scott, an Ida- said. "Still, the reality is, it's
ho Republican lawmaker, scary being a trans person
recently told an audience in America right now."
that drag queens and oth- Northern Idaho has long
er LGBTQ supporters are been associated with ex-
waging a "war of perver- tremist groups, most promi-
sion against our children." nently the Aryan Nations,
And last week, Florida Gov. which was often in the
Ron DeSantis said he would news in the 1990s. The area
consider sending child pro- drew disaffected people
tective services to inves- after white supremacist
tigate parents who take Richard Butler moved there
their kids to drag shows. in 1973 from California.
The Department of Home- After the Aryan Nations'
land Security warned last heyday, many local offi-
week that white nationalists Authorities arrest members of the white supremacist group Patriot Front near an Idaho pride event cials tried to disassociate
and supremacists are using Saturday, June 11, 2022, after they were found packed into the back of a U-Haul truck with riot the region from extremism.
social media platforms like gear. But in recent years, some
Instagram, Telegram and Associated Press politicians, civic leaders
TikTok to present skewed and real estate agents
framing of divisive issues like instigate a riot at the park in rhetoric against specific past people in the grocery have boasted about north-
abortion, guns and LGBTQ where families, children groups, supporters can in- store aisles — do they know ern Idaho's conservatism
rights, potentially driving and supporters were gath- terpret it as a call for ac- that I'm trans? If they do to draw like-minded peo-
extremists to attack public ered to celebrate the LG- tion. know, are they going to say ple.At a news conference
places across the U.S. in the BTQ community. Those ar- "This can happen regard- something? Are they going Monday, Coeur d'Alene
coming months. rested came from at least less of the intent or specific to follow me into the park- Mayor Jim Hammond said
Online court records do not 11 states, including Illinois, wording of the message, ing lot? Am I going to get the city is no longer a locus
yet show if the Patriot Front Arkansas and Virginia. and is common in highly called a groomer or some- of hate.
members have obtained Coeur d'Alene Police Chief polarized contexts such as thing? It's just constantly liv- "We are not going back to
attorneys. All were released Lee White said Monday that the U.S. is currently expe- ing in fear," Latimer said. the days of the Aryan Na-
from jail after posting $300 since the arrests, his agen- riencing," McCoy wrote in She gets frustrated when tions. We are past that," he
bond, and court dates cy had received nearly 150 an email Monday. people call the anti-LGBTQ declared.
have yet to be set for the calls, evenly split between For Bree Latimer, a 22-year- rhetoric a "culture war," Scott, the northern Idaho
misdemeanor charges. people thanking officers for old trans woman from Boi- saying it feels much more lawmaker who said drag
Thomas Rousseau, a averting a riot and people se, the news of the arrests ominous. queens are waging a "war
23-year-old from Grape- angry about the arrests. was alarming. Even in Boise, "That diminishes what we're of perversion" on kids, did
vine, Texas, has been Many of the calls included one of the most progressive going through. We feel like not respond to an email re-
identified by the Southern death threats, Lee said, cities in deep-red Idaho, there's almost an impend- quest for comment.
Poverty Law Center as the and some came from as far harassment or hostility is a ing trans genocide," Lat- Elsewhere around the
Patriot Front founder and away as Norway. daily risk, Latimer said. Just imer said. "They want us country, authorities in the
was among those arrested. Jennifer McCoy, a profes- last week Boise police were to stop having access to San Francisco Bay Area
He did not immediately re- sor of political science at investigating after dozens our hormone therapy, to are investigating a possible
spond to an email request- Georgia State University, of pride flags were stolen be banned from talking to hate crime after a group of
ing comment. said that when people with or damaged from a scenic trans youth — they want men allegedly shouted an-
Police say the men piled influence like political fig- neighborhood boulevard you to be so unhappy with ti-LGBTQ slurs during Drag
into a U-Haul truck wear- ures, sports or entertain- for the second year in a your life that you kill yourself. Queen Story Hour at the
ing balaclavas and bear- ment stars, religious leaders row. And now the hate speech San Lorenzo Library over
ing riot gear, with plans to or media figures engage "I always wonder as I walk is getting even scarier." the weekend.q
House OKs security boost for Supreme

Court judges, families

By KEVIN FREKING naugh's house after threat- ugh's house, asserting that
Associated Press ening to kill the justice. Democrats were essentially
WASHINGTON (AP) — The The Senate passed the bill trying to intimidate the jus-
House gave final approval unanimously last month, tices as the court weighs a
Tuesday to legislation that but it languished in the potential landmark ruling
would allow around-the- House as Democrats sought on abortion.
clock security protection to broaden the measure The House passed the se-
for families of Supreme to include protection for curity measure overwhelm-
Court justices, one week families of court employ- ingly, 396-27. All of the
A U.S. Marshal patrols outside the home of Supreme Court Jus- after a man carrying a gun, ees. Republicans ramped votes in opposition came
tice Brett Kavanaugh, in Chevy Chase, Md., June 8, 2022.
Associated Press knife and zip ties was arrest- up pressure to pass the bill from Democrats.q
ed near Justice Brett Kava- after the arrest at Kavana-