The presence and deep influence of virulently anti-LGBTQ+ hate groups
and other far-right extremists cannot be ignored.
Anti-LGBTQ+ groups have ties to International Religious Freedom Summit
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R. G. Cravens Read the full piece here
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Friend,
The International Religious Freedom (IRF) Summit that ended earlier
this month in Washington, D.C., has been praised
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for bringing together a diverse, seemingly incompatible group of
politicians, activists and dignitaries in furtherance of a common
goal: the promotion of international religious freedom, a concept
deeply embedded in our nation's ideals and a sign of a healthy
and open democracy.
But make no mistake: The presence and deep influence of virulently
anti-LGBTQ+ hate groups and other far-right extremists - some of
whom have used religious rhetoric to advocate for the criminalization
of and even the death penalty for LGBTQ+ people - cannot be
ignored.
To many of these extremists, religious freedom means, simply, the
right to discriminate - particularly against the LGBTQ+
community.
The IRF Summit is a production of the Tom Lantos Foundation for Human
Rights and Justice. According to its website, the summit is used to
"raise the profile of international religious freedom on a wide
variety of issues using an array of mechanisms best suited for each
circumstance." Summit co-chairs Sam Brownback and Katrina Lantos
Swett have said
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this third iteration of the event was meant "to bring together
experts, lawmakers, activists, survivors, advocates and leaders to
educate, elevate and advance the cause of religious freedom in every
corner of the world."
Summit leaders, including Brownback, have claimed that religious
freedom means
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"the profound right of all people to live their lives in
accordance with the dictates of their own conscience" and that
IRF "advocates are as robust in their defense of the rights of
humanists and atheists in Iran or Saudi Arabia as they are in
advocating for persecuted Christians, Ahmadis, Baha'is, Muslim
Uyghurs and all others who face discrimination for their
beliefs."
Brownback's history suggests otherwise - as does that of
many of the summit sponsors. For example, last year, Brownback
published an op-ed with anti-LGBTQ+ hate group leader Tony Perkins
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that included white and Christian supremacist dog whistles about
threats to "Western culture" and took aim at the growing
acceptance of LGBTQ+ people by claiming, "Western culture is
growing increasingly hostile to foundational Christian beliefs about
marriage, sexuality, and ethical behavior."
Brownback, the former governor of Kansas, whom former President Donald
Trump appointed
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as the U.S. ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom,
previously banned
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state assistance to Syrian refugees in an order so broad that legal
activists worried it could be used to deny assistance because of a
refugee's religion. And, in a nod to prominent anti-Muslim
extremists like Robert Spencer
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and Pamela Geller
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who lauded the move, Brownback also signed
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a bill that banned the state from using "Sharia law."
Brownback's appointment as a U.S. ambassador was supported
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by people like Frank Gaffney
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who are part of a network of far-right extremists who spread
anti-Muslim propaganda.
Brownback also issued an executive order in the wake of the U.S.
Supreme Court's landmark ruling legalizing same-sex marriage
that purportedly allowed
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religious groups, cities, counties and school districts in Kansas to
continue to legally discriminate against LGBTQ+ people. He also signed
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a bill allowing religious groups at state universities to exclude
LGBTQ+ people while retaining state funding.
Read More
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