Decent News Friday

I wish I could still say it’s amazing that these bills even come up, while now instead, it’s amazing that they’re not brought into law. But here we are. Decent news from Montana!

Powerful Speeches From Trans Dems Flip 29 Republicans, Anti-Trans Bills Die In Montana by Erin Reed

Transgender Reps Zooey Zephyr and SJ Howell delivered powerful speeches on the Montana House floor on Thursday. Republicans defected en masse to join them in voting against anti-trans bills. Read on Substack

Something remarkable happened in Montana today. As has become routine, anti-trans bills were up for debate—the state has spent more than half of its legislative days this session pushing such bills through committees and the House floor, with Republicans largely voting in lockstep. But something changed.

A week ago, transgender Representative Zooey Zephyr delivered a powerful speech against a bill that would create a separate indecent exposure law for transgender people. Since then, momentum on the House floor slowed. Today, two of the most extreme bills targeting the transgender community came up for a vote. Transgender Representatives Zooey Zephyr and SJ Howell gave impassioned speeches—this time, they broke through. In a stunning turn, 29 Republicans defected, killing both bills. One Republican even took the floor to deliver a scathing rebuke of the bill’s sponsor.

The first bill to reach the House floor was HB 675, a measure that would ban drag performances and Pride parades in Montana. A previous drag ban had already been struck down by the courts after it was enforced against a transgender woman—who was not a drag artist—to prevent her from speaking about public history at a library. In response, the bill’s sponsor, Rep. Caleb Hinkle, introduced HB 675 to circumvent that ruling.

Rather than relying on state enforcement, this bill would grant individuals the private right to sue if a public drag performance took place, making it more difficult to challenge in court. During committee hearings, Hinkle went even further, calling being transgender “a fetish” and arguing that the law was necessary to prevent trans people from dancing in public.

And that’s when transgender Representative Zooey Zephyr took to the floor.

“Here I am again to rise on another bill targeting the LGBTQ+ community,” she said, exasperated. “At its very core, drag is art. It is very beautiful art. It has a deep history in this country, and it is important to my community. You know, if you are a woman in this body wearing a suit today, you are in some way challenging gender norms that existed long ago… There were three-article-of-clothing laws 50 years ago that said if you wore three articles of clothing that were indicative of the opposite gender, they could stop you, arrest you… it was those laws that led to the police raiding an LGBTQ+ bar that led to the Stonewall riots, one of the most important civil rights moments in my community’s history,” she began.

“When the sponsor closed on this bill, he said, this bill is needed… and I quote his words… ‘because transgenderism is a fetish based on crossdressing.’ And I am here to stand before the body and say that my life is not a fetish. My existence is not a fetish. I was proud within a month ago to have my son up in the gallery here. Many of you on the other side met him. When I go to walk him to school, that’s not a lascivious display. That is not a fetish. That is my family. This is what these bills are trying to come after… not obscene shows in front of children, we have the Miller test for that, we have laws for that. This is a way to target the trans community, and that is in my opinion, and in the speaker’s own words.”

Then something even more remarkable happened: A Republican, Representative Sherry Essman, rose to defend Rep. Zephyr and chastised the bill’s sponsor. “I’m speaking as a parent and a grandmother. And I’m very emotional because I know the representative in seat 20 is also a parent. No matter what you think of that, she is doing her best to raise a child. I did my best to raise my children as I saw fit, and I’m taking it for granted that my children are going to raise my grandchildren as they see fit,” she began.

“Everybody in here talks about how important parental rights are. I want to tell you, in addition to parental rights, parental responsibility is also important. And if you can’t trust a decent parent to decide where and when their kids should see what, then we have a bigger problem,” she turned to parental rights and spoke about how people who claim those rights should vote against the bill.

And then, she closed by chastising the bill’s sponsor for bringing the bill, “Trust the parents to do what’s right, and stop these crazy bills that are a waste of time. They’re a waste of energy. We should be working on property tax relief and not doing this sort of business on the floor of this house and having to even talk about this.”

Following the speeches, 13 Republicans, the most of any anti-trans bill this cycle, flipped and voted against the bill. See it as it happened here:

Were this all that happened, it would have been remarkable enough—such aisle-crossing has become rare in modern politics, and on transgender issues, it is almost unheard of. But Representative Zephyr is not the only transgender lawmaker in Montana. Representative SJ Howell, a powerhouse in their own right, took the floor when an even more extreme bill followed immediately afterwards—HB754, a measure that would remove transgender children from their parents. They had a powerful speech to deliver as well.

Representative Howell opened, “I stand to oppose this bill… When a state intervenes to remove a child from their family, that is one of the most serious and weighty responsibilities that the state has. That is not something to be taken lightly. Every time a child is removed from their family, it’s a tragedy. Sometimes a necessary tragedy, but a tragedy nonetheless. This bill does not come close to the seriousness with which those decisions should be contemplated.”

They pointed directly to the bill’s language: “On page 1, line 19, any child protective service specialist, peace officer, or county attorney who has reason to believe any child is in immediate danger or harm may immediately remove the child. What we are adding… a child transitioning gender with the support of a parent or guardian is considered in immediate or apparent danger or harm.”

Howell then turned to the bill’s vagueness and the dangers it posed to transgender children as well as any child who defies gender norms. “Transitioning gender is not defined in this bill… so what does that mean? Maybe it means, as the sponsor said, surgery or medical treatment. Maybe it means therapy, mental healthcare. Maybe it means a kid who gets a haircut and a new set of clothes. Maybe a name change… a legal name change, or someone who wants to try out a different name… a strict reading of this bill could include all of that.”

They urged lawmakers to consider the real consequences. “Put yourself in the shoes of a CPS worker who is confronted with a young person, 15 years old maybe, who is happy… healthy… living in a stable home with loving parents, who is supported and has their needs met? And they are supposed to remove that child from their home and put them in the care of the state? We should absolutely not be doing that.”

Then, the bill went to a vote. This time, the Montana Republican Party fully fractured—29 Republicans crossed the aisle to defeat it.

Watch it as it happened here:

Following the vote, Representative Zephyr took to social media to discuss the implications. “These kind of votes are born out of transgender representation in government,” she posted on her bluesky account. “Howell & I have built solid relationships with Republicans and those relationships change hearts, minds, and (eventually) votes. It is painful, grueling work. But it makes a difference.”

At a time when anti-trans bills are sailing through red-state legislatures, many are left wondering how they can be stopped. Some Democrats, like Gavin Newsom, have chosen appeasement—standing alongside anti-trans hate leaders like Charlie Kirk instead of standing up for transgender people. But Representatives Zooey Zephyr and SJ Howell offer a different path. As transgender lawmakers in a Republican-dominated government, they have shown that representation, relationships, and the power of speaking truth in hostile spaces can move hearts and minds. Their success is a reminder that even in the most challenging environments, refusing to back down can make a difference.

Editor’s Note: The writer of this article is happily married to Representative Zooey Zephyr. While I am mindful of disclosing personal relationships in my reporting as a transgender journalist, I also recognize the importance of covering major moments like today’s events in Montana, and so I chose to report on this story with this disclosure. My goal remains delivering critical LGBTQ+ news to my readers with the integrity and urgency it deserves.

Peace & Justice History for 3/7

https://www.peacebuttons.info/E-News/peacehistorymarch.htm#march7

From Shelldigger-

Good News, Bad News

Peace & Justice History for 3/6

More repetition. sigh

https://www.peacebuttons.info/E-News/peacehistorymarch.htm#march6

Another Resource

It’s been a while since I’ve been able to post resources, but here is one.

Here’s a List of Non-Governmental Data Alternatives and Archives

Worriedman’s Garden Journal

“Moon Carrot” sounds like a name Frank Zappa considered for his third child. by Worriedman

Seseli gummiferum “Moon Carrot” Scadoxus multiflorus ” Blood Lily” Read on Substack

A couple of “new to me” favorites! Moon Carrots and Blood Lilies –

We have some lovely islands in our parking lot at work. Over the years they’ve been lushly and beautifully planted with all manner of wonderful things. Year before last, during a stretch of drought, the irrigation quit working and everything died. Our director of research is a gifted landscaper. He’s taking the islands on as a personal project. I’m continually delighted all season long with the things he’s done.

About midsummer last year these started turning up.

I sent the r&d director a picture captioned “ What the hell!?” He texted back “ Moon Carrot”

I texted back“ Dumb ass – just tell me what kind of plant this is!”

“ It’s a Moon Carrot plant . “Seseli” something or a rather. (Seseli gummiferum) It’s an Apiaceae( carrot family) .

Details – a member of the carrot family (Apiaceae or Umbellifers – the flowers form a pleasing umbrella shape) the plant is originally from the dry mountainous regions of Turkey and Ukraine.

Light : Full sun, tolerates some shade

Height: 2 to 4 ft

Spread: 1 to 1 1/2 ft.

Flower Form : flowers grow off a central stem forming an umbrella shape

Foliage : chalk blue, thin fleshy leaves – quite attractive – stalks resemble broccoli

Hardiness: USDA Zones 5 – 9

Culture: Originally from dry, mountainous regions , Moon Carrot thrives in near drought conditions and poor soil. Make sure the soil is well drained -No wet feet! pH and general soil quality are unimportant. This plant thrives in tough conditions. My kind of plant!

The pictures all seem to look like this – one central stalk – very upright

Ours all look like this – Lucy goosey laying over with several blooms coming up from off of the stem

Moon carrots are biennial. This means that the moon carrot’s life cycle takes two seasons to complete. The first season the plant grows from seed into a small mound of lovely blue green foliage. With cold weather this foliage dies back to the ground, just like a herbaceous perennial. After a winter’s rest, in the spring, the plant returns, this time growing the long stalk accumulates in an umbral of flowers. These eventually form seed. With the second season of cold weather, it dies back to the ground never to return. The seeds, sown by gravity in the immediate area, will germinate and form new plants with the warm weather The following season. Biennial = 2-year life cycle with flowers and seeds forming in the second season. I have read that if the flowers are removed before forming seed, the plant will come up every season and form flowers until those flowers are permitted to set seed at which time the plant will die. By removing the blooms, we can turn the plants into what is essentially a perennial. Does this work? I don’t know. I may try that this year !

Moon carrot seems like the perfect specimen plant to me. An attention grabbing, hard to miss beauty that would be overpowering in a group.

Propagation is from seed.

One day, during my first season in my current position, my boss stuck his head my office, threw me a bag and said “Here, you’ll thank me later”

It was a Blood Lily – Scadoxus multiflorus . From Africa, we get ours from Swaziland and the Congo.

Usually planted in pots , these spectacular flowers make a great specimen plant. Get them up on a table where you can look closely at the marvelous geometric precision.

Light: Bright , indirect sun, or partial sun during the day. Avoid hot direct sunlight such as unfiltered afternoon sun.

Height: 18 – 24 “

Spread: 15 – 18”

Flower Form: Amazing !

Foliage: Bright green, succulent leaves may appear while blooming, they’ll usually they show up after blooming is done.

Hardiness: USDA Zones 9 – 11

Culture: Best in a container. Sandy soil with good drainage. Some compost is nice to help the soil hold moisture. They only need moderate water – don’t overdo it! Use a high phosphorus fertilizer a couple of times a month during growing season -one formulated for blooms is perfect. After the plant blooms and begins to go dormant gradually reduce the water and stop fertilizing. The upper greenery will all die back. Move indoors for the winter. Water only enough to keep the soil moist. I kept mine in the closet. In the Spring, once the danger for frost is past, pull the plant out into the light, give it a good drink of water and some food.

Propagation is easy . After the flower blooms, little red berries appear. The seeds are in there. When the seeds fall off – rinse off what’s left of the berry and let them dry. Sow them right on top of some moist potting mix. A bulb will form on top of the soil. In a few months, new growth will appear.

On plants that are several years old, offsets will appear on the main stem. Allow them to grow for a couple of seasons. Once the time is passed, use sharp scissors to remove the offset, roots and all. Plant in a new pot.

There are more poisonous plants than blood lilies, they can, however, make you or your pets pretty sick. Be careful!

That is your two cool plants for today. Everyone will envy you and they will make you happy.

Thanks for stopping by – have a great day!

Never Thought I’d Post (or see!) Resistance To Republicans By Libertarians! Thanks To Tengrain At Mock Paper Scissors:

When You’ve Lost The Koch Brothers’ CATO Institute…

Local Channels FTW, I Guess

Dems didn’t get good coverage by larger named media outlets; larger names presented it all as awkwardly as possible for Democrats. As they have for most of my lifetime. Leave it to God-FAIR coverage!🤣 A

We Need More Fighters Like Al Green! by God

Bless this guy. Read on Substack

Dear Humans,

THE LORD’S STATE OF THE UNION: Because the president is a psychopath, because the vice president hath the spine of a jellyfish, because the people of this nation are terrorized, the state of the union is strong…ly fucked up.

1. Al Green Shows The Way

Lo, the air was thick with lies, the ground shook with deranged threats, and the halls of power reeked of cowardice. But only one man in that chamber understood the moment and had the courage to stand up to the bully, right to his bloated orange face.

And that man was Al Green. Al Green shouted the truth, he stood against the madness, and he got kicked out for it. He is also unrepentant for this righteous trouble, which I fully support.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/2e9bS6VnNpw?si=eGwO8v-oj0NjN4Ee

God bless Representative Al Green. This is the kind of fire and leadership that people are looking for. PUT HIM IN CHARGE!

2. Little Roadrunner Signs Are Not The Way

On the other end of the protest spectrum, we have Little Roadrunner Signs. What the hell were those sad little signs supposed to accomplish?

“MUSK STEALS.” “PROTECT VETERANS.” “SAVE MEDICAID.” Ooooo, so scary. They might as well have held up “PLEASE DON’T HURT US, SIR” for all the good it did.

The fascists stood and roared, grinning ear to ear like morons, while Democrats meekly raised their tiny placards.

God proclaims this tactic to be WEAK SAUCE.

That said, maybe the signs could have worked if they had better phrases. Here are some other phrases they should have used instead:

“Go to Mars and stay there.”
“Deport Elon Musk.”
“Billionaires shouldn’t exist.”
“Fuck you, Donald!”
“Burn in hell, fascist.”

Ya know, that sort of thing. HARSHER. Keep it going in the comments.

3. God’s Final Word

FOR THE RECORD, despite what he says, Donold was NOT saved by God to make America great again. Also, I categorically reject Donold’s request for Me to “bless America.” I will not be doing that until he is long gone.

Fuck you, Donold!

4. We’re Fighting Back—And It’s Working

How many good people have been fired? How many voices silenced? How many innocent people deported?

About a third of Project 2025 has already been implemented. They’re getting away with it.

You know what’s coming. You’ve seen what they do with power. But you don’t have to sit back and watch.

Here’s how we fight:

Expose corruption that corporate media won’t touch.
Keep people engaged & informed—with truth, hope and laughter.
Rally thousands of voices to push back against fascism.
Build an independent platform where truth can’t be silenced.

And it’s working. (snip)

First

First They Came For… by Public Servant

Updating German pastor Martin Niemöller’s 1946 poem for 2025 Read on Substack

My Fellow Democracy Defenders,

Martin Niemöller was a prominent Lutheran pastor in Germany. After Hitler seized power in 1933, the pastor became an outspoken critic. For defying a dictator, he spent the last eight years of Nazi rule (1937 to 1945) in prisons and concentration camps. Pastor Niemöller is best remembered for his 1946 poem, which I have updated for our current situation below.