Sally Kohn: GOP using gay rights to bash Muslims
CNN commentator notes that the GOP's own party platform wouldn't pass Trump's ideological test for immigrants
“Suddenly the Republican Party want[s] to use gay rights and women’s rights, not to actually give gay rights and women’s rights to people in this country, but simply as a fig leaf to bash Muslims.”
–Out lesbian CNN commentator Sally Kohn, in an Aug. 15 segment on CNN’s CNN Newsroom, responding to Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump’s proposal that immigrants be subjected to an ideological test before being allowed into the country. Trump’s advisors have said that such a test might include questions about support for religious pluralism, women’s rights and even LGBT rights.
As reported by Media Matters for America, when asked about Trump’s proposal, Kohn said: “If we’re going to start doing an ideological test, and not allow into this country people who don’t support gender equality and LGBT rights, then, I don’t know, how about the entire Republican Party Platform Committee, that voted to say that it should be okay to send your kids to anti-gay, destructive, homophobic conversion therapy? Why don’t we get rid of them?”
Republican strategist Boris Epshteyn interrupted Kohn, asking if she wanted to get rid of citizens of the United States, and kept interrupting her, pointing out that the test only applies to people from other countries wishing to resettle in America.
But Kohn pushed back against the idea that people Muslim countries are inherently “worse” on LGBT rights. “Let’s be clear,” Kohn said, “There are Muslims in this world, including in this country, who are far better on gay rights and women’s rights than many of the people in the Republican Party.”
Divisive Comments: LGBT Muslims react to Trump’s rhetoric
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