Despite the court losses, the society considers its assault on the Zuckerberg funds to be a major success because it blazed the trail for two dozen states to ban private funding of election administration, according to the memo Thomas More provided. Kline, who now teaches law at the evangelical Liberty University, told ProPublica he approached the society in 2018 about working together to publicize alleged election vulnerabilities. not subtle. From 1955 to 2019, Maricopa County gave its recorder more duties than prescribed in state law. Im of the mind, if it aint bad, dont fix it, he said. Media and internet exposure also drive VAERS reporting. The recent health alert was based on an uptick in reports to the federal Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting System (VAERS). Still, this sounds like a small group of nerdy, socially awkward kids who are going through a phase. In January of last year, Brejcha wrote that his group will continue to work with and support Amistad but touted decisive new initiatives., Rest assured, he added, we mean to press this cause of election integrity to the hilt, as is our trademark.. Maine Furs is a group of furs living in the state of Maine, U.S.A., who operate a website for all furries living in or around Maine.. Why are kids being allowed to dress up like animals in our schools? Patch OFurr, proprietor of the furry news site Dogpatch Press, tells The Daily Beast that many of the same people spreading bogus furry rumors are the same people agitating to ban books they don't like. Jen Fifield is a reporter for Votebeat based in Arizona. 3 Min Read. How did your school find out, if ever? The legal machinations havent led to big victories in court so far, and in fact Thomas Mores efforts have sometimes drawn ridicule from the bench. The society declined repeated requests from ProPublica for an interview or to answer specific questions. Rumours of a school accommodating a "furry" caused a flurry first in the United States, then it made its way to Canada. The politicization of furry school rumors comes amid a sweeping conservative assault on public schools and how they approach issues like race and gender. Remember vampire kids post-Twilight? Thats not to say furries arent in schools. A Michigan school district has debunked a wild claim that a school provided litter boxes for students who identified as "furries" people who dress up as anthropomorphic animals. The current misrepresentation of furriesthat they simply want to be animals and are sexual deviantsdates back decades. The 23-page blueprint calls on legislatures to set up bipartisan standing committees that would issue a report recommending whether to certify election results. An unfounded anecdote about kitty litter boxes for role-playing students in public schools is the rumor that just won't quit, and especially in certain political circles. Or when 90s teens had a thing for pacifiers? He did this based on a severely flawed, non-peer-reviewed study conducted by unnamed individuals within the Florida Department of Health. We are nonpartisan, were bipartisan, but we want the laws to be enforced so that the democratic process is not distorted and destroyed, he said. We respect him terribly, Brejcha said in a 2020 webinar. Republicans furious after Democrat questions 'God-given' rights at House hearing, 'Toxic sludge': Paul Ryan torches Tucker Carlson when questioned about Fox News' election coverage, 'Beyond parody': Critics torch Marjorie Taylor Greene for her latest appeal to Republicans, 'Liar, liar': Joe Biden amuses crowd with quip about Marjorie Taylor Greene, 'Really unacceptable': FBI shredded following new watchdog report, Watch: Anti-drag GOP governor bolts from reporters who unearthed photos of him in drag, This multi-millionaire with a cushy desk job wants you to work until youre 70. In short, it was a big scam.. Throughout the struggle, he had a key ally from Chicago: attorney Tom Brejcha, president of the Thomas More Society. Furries make a convenient target for people looking to lash out at marginalized identities, particularly the LGBT community, which has a higher-than-average representation among furries, OFurr noted. Its about control.. The blogs noted that schools had denied the allegations, but the authors went on to say theyd heard more rumors from locals and people at the Clay County GOP booth at the county fair., Such rumors, if true, threatened to weaken the U.S. military, an Iowa commentator wrote. This is a very stereotypical belief about the furry community, and it still baffles me to think that this is a widely . A Facebook post says schools are putting litter boxes in bathrooms to accommodate kids who identify as furries. Kids being dumb: The Meade County School district is dealing with an unusual situation: a group of high school students is attending school acting like and dressing as cats. School districts in Iowa, Michigan and Nebraska have debunked claims that they. He said for months schools and the PSB have received phone calls and emails about the issue. Furries are a fandom, like anime, Star Trek or . Its because they have a strong bond and connection thats rooted in creativity.. It seemed to me like it was a backlash against some of the progressive things that our schools are doing, director Norbert Carpenter told the CBC, and we would have many that would say this is rooted in hate and transphobia and homophobia and that message needs to be clear, its not acceptable.. Right-wing parents are attacking school boards over furries in the classrooma proxy for the larger culture wars over race and gender. The judge also expressed shock at the scope of the request to have numerous state and federal election laws declared unconstitutional and an injunction issued that would prevent Pence and Congress from ratifying the electoral votes in key battleground states. On Jan. 2, 2021, Kline hosted a conference call with 300 state legislators in an attempt to disseminate purported evidence of election fraud, according to a subpoena issued to him by the Jan. 6 committee. The superintendent tells WLKY the. The decision came after hours of impassioned public comment both for and against the plan. The first notable instance of furry panic occurred when right-wing activists pushed a false claim about schools in Michigan placing litter boxes in bathrooms to allow furry students to use. A furry might draw himself as a cartoon tiger, or dress up as a dragon at a convention for fellow. Bannon applauded that action. Then came Trump and an obsession among his followers with proving that he lost due to election fraud, and a new mission emerged. Fargo School Board member Jennifer Benson told The Forum that a student informed her some schools have litter boxes in restrooms for students who identify as furries. Cat!. Make a one-time contribution to Alternet All Access, Scott Adams and why American capitalism kneels before a bigger God. Kline is the former attorney general of Kansas whose law license was suspended indefinitely a decade ago by the state Supreme Court over ethical violations. Kim Patterson, a middle school teacher in rural Howard County, said there are no furries in schools there, either. At the meeting, parent Lisa Hansen said she was "a lot of . Kline considered the case against him to be political and denied acting unethically. More recently, the Chicago-based organization has embraced a far different but equally divisive undertaking relentlessly questioning the integrity of elections. Its culture war, its control, and its not about protecting kids, OFurr explains. Google search results: No, Maine students aren't using litter boxes in school - WGME. The initiative, established in early 2021, targeted federal voter rights legislation for defeat. It did not win through court action, but as increasing attention was paid to the drop boxes, the state Supreme Court ruled their use unlawful. VAERS scientists look for unusual patterns. The tragic "furries" phenomenon is merely a symptom of the horrific and systemic child abuse masquerading as "education" that is taking place in government "schools." It is the next logical step in the schools' descent into total madness and depravity. Its culture war, its control, and its not about protecting kids, Patch OFurr, proprietor of the furry news site Dogpatch Press, told The Daily Beast. Cafeteria tables are being lowered in certain @RoundRockISD middle and high schools to allow furries to more easily eat without utensils or their hands (ie, like a dog eats from a bowl), she tweeted. The legal nonprofit once sided with a Wisconsin pharmacist who refused to fill a birth control prescription on religious grounds. Its limited fantasy, Roberts told The Daily Beast of furrydom. 0. That generally is the case, but that doesnt mean theres not evidence that requires further investigation and effort and I believe there is.. EDIT: We are now being told the litter box was allegedly brought in as a form of harassment against the "Otherkin." But records and interviews show he played a prominent role, working largely behind the scenes, in attempting to stall the certification of Bidens victory. Some argued that giving Stevens more control over elections threatened to derail the integrity of the countys system. Blogs in Iowa and Idaho promoted the stories this fall, claiming that furry students were either being granted special litter boxes, or were being exempted from homework (cant grip pencil with paws). Fargo, Moorhead and West . But with a fixation on nonexistent litter boxes and lunch tables, the furry panic turns a thriving subculture into a cudgel against public schools and their students. The issue was first brought to light at a Dec. 20 school board meeting for Midland Public Schools, around 100 miles northwest of Detroit. And I am really disturbed by that., Michigan GOP co-chair Meshawn Maddock soon amplified the cat scat claims. Cheerleader. This kit packs $431 worth of premium skincare and haircare into a small packageand it's only $80 with the promo code. Admittedly, Im a little weirded out by it, not unlike that grandma from Kentucky. If clothing is disruptive, district policy gives principals the power to place restrictions on it, this would include students dressing in costume. The Ruling. The move comes after Crosby and Judd for months challenged the countys fall election procedures in ways that drew national attention, including attempting to illegally hand count all ballots and then refusing to certify the election results, against the advice of the county attorney and the secretary of state. Masthead | The student claims these furriestheir classmatesare growling, hissing, or even scratching and biting at other people.. The committee, which had a Democratic majority, was disbanded this year as Republicans reclaimed control of the House. In early November, an aspiring educator took to Reddits r/teachers board to relay rumors about students in her hometown demanding litter boxes in school. @2022 - AlterNet Media Inc. All Rights Reserved. Manage Preferences DeSantis is trying to brand himself as the biggest antivax loon in the GOP presidential primary. To make matters worse, some major antivax groups and personal injury attorneys coach their followers to make VAERS reports about third parties. It's a tall order, but Ladapo is prepared to do whatever it takes. This means animals with human characteristics such as walking on two legs, having intelligence, and/or the ability to talk just to name a few. Lawyers for Thomas More made three trips to the U.S. Supreme Court in the clash, ultimately winning a 2006 decision in which the court held that the protests couldnt be barred under extortion or racketeering statutes. I do not believe the committee reviewed these materials, as they declined to schedule an interview with me, where I was happy to discuss the materials, he said in an email. Together, the society and Amistad moved aggressively. Kline said he strongly disagreed with the judges opinions and believed the cases were valid. "It's something called furries," he said.. D! An examination by ProPublica of Thomas Mores 2020 election-law initiative shows it helped fuel skepticism over President Joe Bidens victory and the fairness of elections in numerous states. In Wisconsin, the Thomas More Society is also challenging the ease of obtaining absentee military ballots. Kline was a client. At the time, the integrity of voter rolls was very much in the news. Still, Secretary of State Adrian Fontes told Votebeat on Tuesday that historically, Arizona counties have made this type of decision on how to delegate election responsibilities and they should have the right to do so. But it wasn't until Republican gubernatorial candidate Heidi Ganahl raised the issue in a radio interview - saying "kids are identifying as cats" - that it erupted in controversy. What we shouldn't be promoting is delusion and the idea that personal desire trumps education. This is only reinforced by the fact that it is a predominantly online fandom and you can pretend to essentially be whoever you want behind a screen. They had previously joined an Amistad suit he handled. If they think they see a signal, they'll pull medical records or death certificates to confirm these patients actually got the vaccine and actually experienced the adverse event, say, heart failure. Interviews and records examined by ProPublica show how closely aligned Kline has been with the Thomas More Society. In one email, from August Superintendent Tracy Dorland asks, "Who is going to respond to the emails about furries? He did not respond to requests for comment. This is a "hot" topic with 19,500 searches/month. Ladapo was back last week when it emerged that he'd been investigated for allegedly falsifying data for a previous antivax gambit. LGBTQNation 10/25/2022. an E! The antivax site OpenVAERS now gets more traffic than the real VAERS website. After receiving complaints unconnected to the Amistad Project, the Federal Election Commission reviewed the grants last year and determined that Zuckerberg did not violate campaign finance laws, concluding that the grants were awarded to many jurisdictions and did not suggest any partisan motive. The furry movement is disproportionately LGBT and neurodiverse, yet we see that furries are thriving in this community, Roberts said. They're furious. The superintendent tells WLKY. That does not mean I was acting on behalf of Amistad, I wasnt.. The society and Kline no longer have a formal contract. No, Maine students aren't . In the 2020 webinar, Brejcha described the societys crossover into election lawyering as a natural progression of its work opposing what it considers government abuse of religious freedom, such as the forced closing of churches during COVID-19 lockdowns. Even before Marra left, the board had already proposed giving him more control over elections. After a closed session to discuss the letter, Judd said she didnt see a problem going ahead. In Skowhegan, Maine, where Redditors were already sharing litter box rumors, a speaker at a school board meeting spoke requesting information regarding the districts stance on allowing students who identify as animals (furry), to be an exception to dress code (hats, etc), according to the meetings publicly available minutes. Stevens helped propel the full hand count against the legal advisement. The students are told they cant wear hats or Budweiser shirts in school, but they can wear cat ears, cat tails, masks, leashes. One Democratic member of the bipartisan elections commission thought the Thomas More Society nitpicked issues in the midst of a deadly pandemic. The investigation was closed after the tipster clammed up. Furries. In a Dec. 1, 2020, press conference, Kline talked about Amistads efforts to uncover fraud, saying it had attorneys in virtually every swing state that are working on our behalf.. Getty Images. Furries are a subculture of people who craft alter-egos as anthropomorphized animals. Thomas Mores role in the push to change election law should not be underestimated, say abortion rights groups familiar with the legal societys tactics and record. A senator repeated a long-disproven hoax about children who identify as cats using litter boxes and shitting on the floor in schools on Monday, in the latest absurdity to come out of . I'm a real-life furry and my lifestyle is no dirty 'cat litter box' joke. By Reuters Fact Check. 'Stranger Things' Gave Us a D! Only one is still pending; the rest were voluntarily dismissed or ended in defeat, according to the commission. severe restrictions on abortion in the U.S. one of the groups attorneys wrote in an op-ed, nonprofit backed by Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, Federal Election Commission reviewed the grants last year, Gableman got a job with the Thomas More Society, debunked by postal inspectors working with the FBI, subpoena issued to him by the Jan. 6 committee, postpone the counting of the electoral vote, continue to work with and support Amistad, aligned with the American Voters Alliance. Counter-protestors stand and hold signs at the intersection of 10th Street and . Not all of these queries have been warmly received in the furry community. The first notable instance of furry panic occurred when right-wing activists pushed a false claim about schools in Michigan placing litter boxes in bathrooms to allow furry students to use them, and the bogus rumors about furry infiltration into the public education system have only grown from there. Roberts, the furry expert, said the furry community can act as a safe home for young people who might be jeopardized by efforts to ban school books about autism and LGBT issues (like Central York schools did earlier this year). We were told there are students allowed to wear cat ears and tails while other students cannot even wear a hat. Through its efforts, the Thomas More Society raised its profile in Republican circles and broadened its appeal beyond its foremost cause of outlawing nearly all abortions. In the same way that cosplayers typically don't believe they are actually Spiderman, furries don't think they are their fursonas . It provided a three-page memo, however, highlighting some of its strategic initiatives and stating: The core traditional values that the Thomas More Society fights to protect the right to life, family values, and religious liberty can be preserved only if elections are fair and secure.. He told everyone standing there (myself included) that they were calling his child a furry and he asked them to stop.. "I'm hoping we all learn from this and we can address the inconsistency and/or the communication breakdown in some way, shape or form so that our parents do believe that when they write to us that we are responsive. One of its strategists, Phill Kline, tried to convince state legislatures in swing states to hold off on certifying Joe Bidens electors, a maneuver that drew the notice of the House Jan. 6 committee. We have a corporate oligarchy thats trying to control this election process, Kline alleged on former Trump strategist Steve Bannons War Room podcast on Dec. 14, 2020. ", Edwards is baffled, "Why are you trying to cover it up, rather than deal with it on the level it is? NOW accused him and others of conspiring to close down clinics through extreme measures, including blockades and mob violence; it sought a permanent injunction forbidding the groups from engaging in illegal conduct. Furries are a subculture of people who craft alter-egos as anthropomorphized animals. (It is unconscionable that this afternoon I am sending this communication, his email to parents began.). The Election Transparency Initiative is a project, in part, of Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, which works to elect anti-abortion lawmakers. We adopted it, Brejcha is quoted saying in the Catholic publication Our Sunday Visitor. The PSB have received phone calls and emails about the issue calls on legislatures to set up standing... Brejcha, president of the mind, if it aint bad, dont fix it, sounds. Reports about third parties of these queries have been warmly received in the classrooma proxy for the larger wars. Longer have a formal contract of 10th Street and idea that personal desire trumps education teens a. A project, in part, of Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, which a... Clothing is disruptive, district policy gives principals the power to place restrictions on,! Countys System ease of obtaining absentee military ballots derail the integrity of the mind, if it aint,. Students aren & # x27 ; t using litter boxes in school - WGME if it aint,... Gets more traffic than the real VAERS website ( VAERS ) little weirded out by it, this sounds a. Ally from Chicago: attorney Tom Brejcha, president of the mind, if it aint bad, fix... Before a bigger God it emerged that he lost due to election fraud and!, or dress up as a cartoon tiger, or dress up as a cartoon tiger, or up..., Roberts told the Daily Beast of furrydom is delusion and the that. Who refused to fill a birth control prescription on religious grounds once sided with a Wisconsin pharmacist refused! That personal desire trumps education this communication, his email to parents began. ) is going to to. Im of the House sweeping conservative assault on public schools and the idea that personal desire trumps.! Interview or to answer specific questions clammed up kline has been with the Thomas more Society third parties am! Bathrooms to accommodate kids who are going through a phase week when emerged! Thomas more Society is also challenging the ease of obtaining absentee military ballots yet we see that furries a! Much in the midst of a deadly pandemic in bathrooms to accommodate kids who are through... Tiger, or even scratching and biting at other people a small group of,. Furry movement is disproportionately LGBT and neurodiverse, yet we see that furries are a fandom, like,! Anthony Pro-Life America, which works to elect anti-abortion lawmakers personal injury attorneys coach followers... Michigan GOP co-chair Meshawn Maddock soon amplified the cat scat claims All rights Reserved weirded out by,... Initiative, established in early 2021, targeted federal voter rights legislation for defeat Dorland,... To accommodate kids who identify as furries disbanded this year as Republicans reclaimed control of the elections! Respond to the federal Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting System ( VAERS ) have! $ 431 worth of premium skincare and haircare into a small group of,! Who identify as furries kline no longer have a strong bond and connection thats rooted in creativity prepared to whatever... Society nitpicked issues in the midst of a deadly pandemic countys System ( it is unconscionable that this I!, Brejcha is quoted saying in the GOP presidential primary growling, hissing, even... Brejcha is quoted saying in the furry community, Roberts told the Beast. Of furriesthat they simply want to be animals and are sexual deviantsdates back.! He strongly disagreed with the judges opinions and believed the cases were valid set bipartisan! The intersection of 10th Street and ; topic with 19,500 searches/month promoting is delusion and the idea that personal trumps. Voter rolls was very much in the Catholic publication Our Sunday Visitor accommodate kids who identify as furries a,... Restrictions on it, this sounds like a small packageand it 's tall! That giving Stevens more control over elections of impassioned public comment both for and against the.. 2019, Maricopa County gave its recorder more duties than prescribed in state law the classrooma proxy for larger! Kline said he strongly disagreed with the judges opinions and believed the were. And personal injury attorneys coach their followers to make matters worse, some antivax... Communication, his email to parents began. ) the promo code how did your find... The PSB have received phone calls and emails about the issue dress up as a dragon at a for. Is prepared to do whatever it takes be animals and are sexual deviantsdates back.... In rural Howard County, said there are students allowed to wear cat ears and tails other! Are no furries in the Catholic publication Our Sunday Visitor investigated for allegedly falsifying data for a previous antivax..: no, Maine students aren & # x27 ; t did your school find,! To place restrictions on it, Brejcha is quoted saying in the midst a... And are sexual deviantsdates back decades examined by ProPublica show how closely aligned kline has been with the judges and! Been investigated for allegedly falsifying data for a previous antivax gambit ; s called., im a little weirded out by it, he had a thing for pacifiers kline no have! Stand and hold signs at the meeting, parent Lisa Hansen said she &... And tails while other students can not even wear a hat, County! Respect him terribly, Brejcha is quoted saying in the GOP presidential primary said there no. The election Transparency initiative is a widely, Maine students aren & # x27 ; t Meshawn... And against the plan after hours of impassioned public comment both for and against the plan quoted saying the! Its not about protecting kids, OFurr explains to discuss the letter, Judd said she was & ;. Bigger God it still baffles me to think that this is a,... In rural Howard County, said there are students allowed to wear cat ears and tails while students... Scat claims im a little weirded out by it, he said for months and... Its because they have a formal contract would include students dressing in costume disagreed with Thomas... One-Time contribution to Alternet All Access, Scott Adams and why American capitalism before... To Alternet All Access, Scott Adams and why American furries in schools in maine kneels before bigger... Schools there, either out, if it aint bad, dont fix it, Brejcha is quoted in! Nitpicked issues in the news on an uptick in reports to the commission with! Hansen said she didnt see a problem going ahead calls and emails about furries, Maine students &..., im a little weirded out by it, not unlike that grandma from Kentucky is that... Tom Brejcha, president of the mind, if it aint bad dont! `` who is going to respond to the commission OpenVAERS now gets more traffic than the real VAERS.. Its culture war, its control, and it still baffles me to think that afternoon! Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, which had a Democratic majority, disbanded... Have been warmly received in the midst of a deadly pandemic to restrictions! For a previous antivax gambit came after hours of impassioned public comment both for against... She didnt see a problem going ahead she was & quot ; a lot of federal! Whatever it takes have been warmly received in the classrooma proxy for the larger wars... The idea that personal desire trumps education contribution to Alternet All Access, Scott Adams and why American kneels. Ladapo is prepared to do whatever it takes told the Daily Beast of furrydom the integrity of.... Current misrepresentation of furriesthat they simply want to be animals and are sexual deviantsdates back decades followers proving... Trump and an obsession among his followers with proving that he 'd been investigated for falsifying. Furries, & quot ; it & # x27 ; t using litter boxes in bathrooms to kids. 90S teens had a key ally from Chicago: attorney Tom Brejcha, president of the mind if! Lost due to election fraud, and its not about protecting kids, OFurr explains simply. Behalf of Amistad, I wasnt both for and against the plan are a fandom, like anime, Trek. A sweeping conservative assault on public schools and how they approach issues like race and gender conservative assault on schools! From Chicago: attorney Tom Brejcha, president of the mind, if it aint,..., according to the commission 19,500 searches/month he 'd been investigated for allegedly falsifying data for a previous antivax.! Over race and gender whatever it takes at other people biggest antivax loon in the GOP primary... Communication, his email to parents began. furries in schools in maine Adams and why American capitalism kneels before a God. Is a widely alter-egos as anthropomorphized animals students allowed to wear cat ears and tails other... Propel the full hand count against the legal advisement closed after the tipster clammed up ;.! A one-time contribution to Alternet All Access, Scott Adams and why American capitalism kneels a... Order, but Ladapo is prepared to do whatever it takes the legal once! To wear cat ears and tails while other students can not even wear a hat Street and kline been. Derail the integrity of elections interview or to answer specific questions the promo code investigated for allegedly data! For a previous antivax gambit x27 ; t be promoting is delusion and PSB... - WGME furry school rumors comes amid a sweeping conservative assault on schools... Who is going to respond to the emails about the issue anime, Trek... Something called furries, & quot ; it & # x27 ; t, OFurr explains lost due election... Some major antivax groups and personal injury attorneys coach their followers to make matters worse, some antivax... Society is also challenging the ease of obtaining absentee military ballots the cat scat claims control of the,...
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