A co-founder of PayPal and an early investor in Facebook Inc who rests on that company’s board of directors, Thiel is widely known for contrarian as well as eccentric views: a Libertarian who supports gay rights and legalizing cannabis, and who has actually proposed drifting cities beyond the federal government’s reach while encouraging trainees to drop out of college and start companies. Coupled with billionaire Peter Thiel declaring he was a gay, a proud Republican and an American; the Republicans have come into the 1990’s with respect to LGBT acknowledgement.
Advertisement
Peter Thiel may have received applause from Republicans in Cleveland, but he didn’t win many fans from Silicon Valley. His speech acted like a set of blackout shades descending on the Quicken Loans Arena and obliterating everything that had come before it: all of the hope, all of the light, all of the outreach to Americans who want something to believe in. Convention officials in neon-colored hats rallied the crowd in a chant of “U-S-A!”
As he spoke, three other openly gay delegates from California – Charles Moran, Ric Grenell and Juan Hernandez – were positioned in seats in the front row.
Thiel will be going against a majority of Silicon Valley in supporting Donald Trump, although he’s never been a stranger to controversy before: He once advocated for an autonomous island without government regulation of business, and has also suggested that giving women the vote may have damaged capitalist democracy. At that time, then-Rep. But Kolbe didn’t address his sexuality in his remarks.
Green Bay-area delegate Jerry Murphy also supports the push for inclusivity, saying, “I, myself, as an individual Republican voter, very much support including everybody–and by that I mean everybody has the same liberties in this country”.
Thiel said while he does not agree with every facet of the party’s platform, he warned that “fake culture wars” distracted the public from America’s economic decline.
And the platform continues its intimidation and increases the risk for harassment, violence, and shame by mandating trans* people to enter only the restroom of the sex listed on their birth certificates rather than the one aligning with their gender identities.
“We are told that the great debate is about who gets to use which bathroom”. “That is a distraction from our real problems. Who cares?” Thiel told the Republican convention on Thursday, referring to the debate over new laws restricting the use of bathrooms by transgender people. “I am proud to be a Republican”.
Last night, Thiel became the first openly gay speaker to take the stage at the RNC.
The day after Sen. She focused on how the election of Trump, who in his career as a businessman “has seen challenges” and “learned his lessons”, could lead the country to greatness.
Falwell touted Trump’s pledge to repeal the 1954 Johnson Amendment, which prohibits tax-exempt organizations from endorsing or opposing political candidates.
“I have no doubt that Donald Trump would be better for LGBT Americans”, Barron said in an interview with CNN this week.
Daoud said that as a Christian, she can “love the person but not love their lifestyle”, adding that she’ll always support HB 2 because “99 percent of the population shouldn’t have to go along with the 1 percent” of transgender people.
Liberty University President Jerry Falwell, Jr. speaks at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland on July 21.
Advertisement
On the other hand, Steve Bailey, Superintendent of the North Coast District United Methodist Church, delivered the invocation that night using the term “whom you love” – a term of art often used to indicate gay people.
