In November, when the citizens of this nation fill out their ballots, we face the very real possibility of losing the basic civil liberties that should be sacrosanct in this nation.
I don’t want to be alarmist, but how much of our nation must burn down before we sound the alarm? Yes, I know, we feel concerned at every presidential election. But this time the threat is heightened, because of a plan called Project 2025. If you don’t know about it yet, now is the time to learn.
Project 2025 should keep you up at night. Chances are that you are among those targeted in the over 900 pages that lay out this plan, known as the “Mandate for Leadership.” It was created by the Heritage Foundation, an extreme rightwing think tank.
If you are a person of color, a woman, a person who utilizes birth control or might need an abortion, part of the LGBTQIA+ community, an immigrant, or any combination of these identities, your life and freedoms are on the line.
This plan reeks of Christian nationalism. As a Christian pastor, I can’t tell you how to vote. I can, however, inform you that Christian nationalism neither serves Christ nor this nation. It is dangerous to conflate the extreme beliefs of Christian nationalism with the beliefs of Christianity.
Christian nationalism directly attacks anyone who does not fall in line with a particular white, conservative, nationalist, heteronormative agenda. It warps the teachings of Christ, shifting this nation into a cruel and heartless hellscape, and Project 2025 is among one of the most dangerous pieces of its propaganda.
Among its many horrific positions, Project 2025 categorizes LGBTQIA+ people as pornographers and demands that pornography — as it is newly defined — be outlawed. Trans people are a particular target of Project 2025. It seeks to criminalize anyone who provides validation to the trans community. People who support trans people or help young trans people find information about the trans community are to be severely punished and even labeled as registered sex offenders.
We are all in danger. What can we do? First, we need reform in our own community. We must learn to work together in ways we have not yet seen. We need to stop treating each other like garbage. In the eyes of those who hate us, we’re all the same trash anyway. We must be, for one another, the community that we all truly need. This will require facing our demons and being willing to change and transform our lives — opting for solidarity over division.
What does solidarity look like? The racism in our community needs to stop. The transphobia in our community needs to stop. The misogyny and the misandry in our community need to stop. Yes, I know, it’s often padded with “it was just a joke” or “you’re being too sensitive.” All too often I hear justification for discriminatory language in our community that is wrapped in excuses, such as, “I have trans friends who don’t mind what pronouns I use” or “I have Black friends, so it’s okay to say that.”
No. A few tokenized “friends” do not exempt anyone from accountability in language or attitude. Our community is rampant with verbal attacks on the bodies, identities and genders of those whom we see as different. We owe it to each other to do better.
We must listen to those within our community who are being harmed and transform ourselves into a force far more powerful than Project 2025. We need to embrace a call to solidarity in our community. We need to stop the drama and the infighting.
There is a bigger battle, and we will not win unless we learn to join and support one another.
I am not saying these things to make anyone feel bad. I just want us to survive the threat that is coming directly at us. I want our community to be healthier. I want young LGBTQIA+ people who show up in our bars, clubs, organizations and faith communities to experience welcome, safety and connection. I want all of us to feel a sense of hope in our community.
We also must vote. We don’t only need to vote for president. We need to learn about every item on the ballot and vote like our lives depend on it — because they do. Project 2025, and other initiatives that are in line with it, have infiltrated every level of government. Please educate yourself about what you will find on the ballot. Know who and what you are voting for, and what it will mean for everyone in our community.
I know it might feel daunting, but we can make a real difference. All it will take is some education and some care for our siblings in our community. We have been conditioned to treat each other as if we are expendable. We have learned to reject those whom we don’t fully understand. Now we rise above our unhelpful patterns, transformation is always possible.
Now is the time to make a significant shift. Now is our chance to create the community we all need. Now is the moment to prioritize protecting one another.
Rev. Jakob Hero-Shaw is the senior pastor of the Metropolitan Community Church of Tampa, MCCTampa.com. He is a proud husband and father in a family that was legalized through marriage equality and adoption.
