Martin Shkreli Donation Backfire

As a presidential candidate, one of Bernie Sander’s selling points has been the fact that he doesn’t accept major donations from large companies. Last week the infamous Martin Shkreli tried to buy a meeting with Sanders by donating a little over $2,000. For reference sake, Shkreli was the man who bought out the pharmaceutical company that makes AIDS medication. He then took this medication and raised the price from $14 to $750 per pill.

Sander’s donation cap is set at $2,700 for large donors. Shkreli donated this amount exactly and demanded to have a meeting with Sanders. In an outstanding move Sanders outright rejected the donation and the meeting request. What makes his rejection even more outstanding is that while he personally didn’t accept the money he did not give it back to Shkreli. Instead he donated it to Whitman-Walker Health. This clinic specializes in treating HIV patients and other people in the LGBTQ community.

Sander’s believes that people like Shkreli are the reason that our health system is failing. The fact that he isn’t accepting the donation is a clear mark that he’s not afraid to make his views known and that no amount of money will not make him compromise his ideals.

This helps the LGBTQ community know that a politician is directly by their side. HIV and AIDS has widely affected the LGBTQ community for years because of the lack of knowledge on the subject. By Sanders donating to this organization he’s supporting people more than he could know.

The Westboro Fashion

It seems like ages since Kim Davis denied marriage licenses to homosexual couples. However, apparently the news outlets aren’t done with her yet, neither is the Westboro Baptist Church. This small extremist religious group is infamous for protesting literally anyone and anything. And it seems as though not even Kim Davis is free from this hatred and criticism.

Most religious conservative groups have used Kim Davis’s plight as a statute for their ideals. They are saying that not even the law can prevent them from participating in their beliefs. They believe that she’s doing the work of God by preventing homosexuals from marrying.

However, Westboro decided to focus not on her “carrying out the bible’s works” by preventing homosexuals to marry. They instead decided to focus on the fact that she has divorced and remarried several times. They say that her divorcing is not legitimate in the eyes of God and that her marriages aren’t either. They say that she’s an adulteress who must repent in the eyes of God. Westboro believes that her adultery is worse than the homosexual’s sodomy since she doesn’t even admit to her sins.

This behavior is expected from the Westboro Baptist Church as they will protest anything from Kim Davis to a soldier’s death. They continue on in the typical Westboro Baptist fashion.

Kroger Moving Forward

As the times progress the workplace and health care institutions are becoming better versed in the ways of Transgender heath. California has passed legislation that prevents discrimination. Even Texas is in the process of voting on an LGBTQ equality act. However, it isn’t just states that can provide this protection. The work place is also a great place to start.

Kroger recently announced that as of January 2016 the health insurance that their company offers will also cover transgender specific health care. The highly unionized grocery store constantly has its workers in mind. This is just one small step towards a brighter future for transgendered people everywhere. Hopefully more big businesses will follow suite.