[wdmso]

HIV at center of latest culture war after Tennessee rejects federal funds
The tensions in Tennessee began in the fall, when Republican Gov. Bill Lee voiced disapproval of two HIV grant recipients spotlighted in conservative media — a task force on transgender health issues and Planned Parenthood. The conflict escalated late last week when the state announced that after May 31, it would no longer accept any money from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for testing, prevention and surveillance of HIV.

State officials said they would continue to support HIV testing and prevention but would focus on first responders, victims of human trafficking and mothers and children. In contrast, the federal program prioritizes men who have sex with men and transgender people, particularly in communities of color, who are at greatest risk of HIV, according to federal surveillance data.

“It’s pretty hard not to think that part of the motivation is to restrict funding to groups we don’t like and don’t want to support,” said Wayne Smith, who runs a faith-based HIV prevention program in Knoxville that will lose about $10,000 for
testing each year.

In Texas, religious employers brought a suit arguing they shouldn’t have to pay for HIV-prevention drugs that are mandated by the Affordable Care Act, and in September, a federal judge sided with them, citing the right to religious freedom.


One of those who sued the federal government is a Christian-operated corporation called Braidwood Management, which is owned by Texas Republican megadonor Steven Hotze. Hotze claimed the Affordable Care Act requirement that health plans cover PrEP would make his company, quote, "facilitate and encourage homosexual behavior." And so this federal judge in Texas, Reed O'Connor, sided with Hotze. In his ruling, the judge said that Hotze was able to prove that the PrEP mandate substantially burdens his religious freedoms.

this judge is on the dole

The Texas Attorney General's Office has made a habit of filing lawsuits against the federal government that land in O'Connor's court.

Since 2015, almost half of challenges to the federal government that Texas filed in district courts here landed in O’Connor’s courtroom, attorney general’s office records show.

One of America’s most partisan judges just gave Navy SEALs permission to defy a direct order

yep red state Judges just acting on the Law not how its written ... But by his religious views on the matter ... we see it all over the nation now GODs justifies more discrimination over Justice