What's Brewing: Transgender woman takes on Koran-burning pastor in Amarillo mayor's race

Your weekday morning blend from Instant Tea:
1. A transgender woman is running for mayor in Amarillo. Sandra Dunn (above) says her friends encouraged her to run to oppose another candidate, David Grisham, the whacko preacher who serves as director of Repent Amarillo. If you’ll remember, Repent Amarillo called for a boycott of Houston after the city elected a lesbian mayor, and Grisham attempted to burn a Koran on the anniversary of 9/11 last year. So, what does Grisham have to say about his transgender opponent? “I’m not sure that’s who you want as mayor,” he said. “If they’re indecisive about who they are, are they indecisive about other issues?”
2. The hacktivists known as Anonymous took down one of the Westboro Baptist Church’s websites during a live radio debate on Thursday (watch video below). That’s assuming the guy with the British accent is really a member of Anonymous, and not just a ringer from Westboro Baptist trying to generate more publicity. For all we know, he could be The Jester.
3. Singer Jesse J, who some are calling “the next Lady Gaga,” says she’s bisexual. Jesse who?

7 Comments

Muslim on February 25, 2011 at 9:01 am

Burn the Quran, no problem. The Quran is in the hearts of the muslim. Our life long goal is to memorize the entire book. Over 6k verses and over 100 chapters we have memorized it. Children and adults. This is our mission to commit the entire Quran to memory, with that no one can burn it. Allah tells us in the Quran that he will for sure protect it and secure it. Our hearts and memory attest to that.

Cam on February 25, 2011 at 9:05 am

The westboro babtist is not a “church”, it is a hate group. They are in it for the money and the press. Most of the members of this “church” are attorneys, so they get away with this. Any one can say they are a “church”, that is not going to make you a Church! This is not about freedom, it is about being human. There hate is a way for them to make money, by bringing a Lawsuit against people THEY have provoked. They are running a “church” scam. But, add a bit of crazy on the side just for show.

Don Coffee on February 25, 2011 at 10:16 am

Amarillo is the last place I would expect to see this race. I pray that the voters will consider leadership ability, sanity, and what is good for the city, rather than Sandra’s sexuality. For the Texas panhandle……its a long stretch. But who wants an openly hate-monger?

Michelle Rose on February 25, 2011 at 11:13 am

Grisham has oatmeal between his ears. If Sandra Dunn were ‘indecisive’, she’d still be male. That she knows exactly who she is and has the God-given courage to be herself is a good reason to vote for her.

AnneMarie Montgomery on February 25, 2011 at 5:52 pm

The tact, patience, perseverance, and diplomacy required by trans citizens in this country should be enough to hold any public office The fact that she is a vet, businesswoman and ex civil servant puts her way over the top. We only have to take a short stroll through history to be reminded what hate mongers in power get you.

slotplate on February 26, 2011 at 3:49 pm

This article doesn’t mention the 3rd candidate: Paul Harpole, an Amarillo business man.

nonilicious on August 5, 2011 at 10:48 am

It takes a lot of courage to be the real person that you are. People who are still in the closet are indecisive ones, cowards I might add, just like the hypocrite husband of that lunatic GOP presidential hopeful Michele Bachmann

Muslim on February 25, 2011 at 9:01 am

Burn the Quran, no problem. The Quran is in the hearts of the muslim. Our life long goal is to memorize the entire book. Over 6k verses and over 100 chapters we have memorized it. Children and adults. This is our mission to commit the entire Quran to memory, with that no one can burn it. Allah tells us in the Quran that he will for sure protect it and secure it. Our hearts and memory attest to that.
Cam on February 25, 2011 at 9:05 am

The westboro babtist is not a “church”, it is a hate group. They are in it for the money and the press. Most of the members of this “church” are attorneys, so they get away with this. Any one can say they are a “church”, that is not going to make you a Church! This is not about freedom, it is about being human. There hate is a way for them to make money, by bringing a Lawsuit against people THEY have provoked. They are running a “church” scam. But, add a bit of crazy on the side just for show.
Don Coffee on February 25, 2011 at 10:16 am

Amarillo is the last place I would expect to see this race. I pray that the voters will consider leadership ability, sanity, and what is good for the city, rather than Sandra’s sexuality. For the Texas panhandle……its a long stretch. But who wants an openly hate-monger?
Michelle Rose on February 25, 2011 at 11:13 am

Grisham has oatmeal between his ears. If Sandra Dunn were ‘indecisive’, she’d still be male. That she knows exactly who she is and has the God-given courage to be herself is a good reason to vote for her.
AnneMarie Montgomery on February 25, 2011 at 5:52 pm

The tact, patience, perseverance, and diplomacy required by trans citizens in this country should be enough to hold any public office The fact that she is a vet, businesswoman and ex civil servant puts her way over the top. We only have to take a short stroll through history to be reminded what hate mongers in power get you.
slotplate on February 26, 2011 at 3:49 pm

This article doesn’t mention the 3rd candidate: Paul Harpole, an Amarillo business man.
nonilicious on August 5, 2011 at 10:48 am

It takes a lot of courage to be the real person that you are. People who are still in the closet are indecisive ones, cowards I might add, just like the hypocrite husband of that lunatic GOP presidential hopeful Michele Bachmann