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'Captain Kangaroo': North Dakota rep bashed for backing bill to fine trans people using 'wrong' pronouns

'He should be charged $1500 for making us look at that haircut,' an irate person tweeted about North Dakta Rep David Clemens

BISMARCK, NORTH DAKOTA: On Wednesday, January 18, a bill restricting the use of pronouns other than those corresponding to a person's identified gender had been introduced in the North Dakota House of Representatives. Rep David Clemens had spoken in favor of the bill, and now netizens have given him the "grand old slamming."

The definition of gender in House Bill 2199 is narrowed to the biological gender assigned at birth, and the usage of the corresponding pronouns is mandated. Any employee of a publicly funded organization, such as a school, would be subject to a $1,500 fine for any infraction. In short, it restricts the rights of the LGBTQIA+ community and the way they use their pronouns. 

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In an interview with KFYR, Clemens reportedly said, "Say, they’re a boy, but they come to school and say they’re a girl. As far as that school is concerned in this bill, that person is still a boy. If it becomes contested, the burden will be on the girl, the so-called girl, or the boy, to prove that he is a girl.”

Christina Sambor of the North Dakota Human Rights reportedly said, "I see no way this law would pass any sort of legal challenge based on basic legal construction principles, It is vague, fails to advance any legitimate state interests, and not only would cause impermissible, gender-based discrimination, its very purpose is gender-based discrimination."

'He should be charged $1,500'

Many upset netizens have roasted Clemens online. A person wrote, "This guy performs as Captain Kangaroo on the dinner theater circuit," while another chimed in, "Is it me or does he look like captain kangaroo without the mustache." Echoing the same sentiment, another user said, "He should be charged $1500 for making us look at that haircut #CaptainKangaroo. Another said, "Apparently there are no decent hair stylists in the fly-over states."

People were so furious about this bill that they continued to slam Clemens. Another user wrote, "Only if we can fine him the same amount if he refers to himself as human." Another said, "These Republicans are trashy mean people. They should all be shunned." Another person wrote, "Wouldn’t that violate the 1st Amendment"

Who is Captain Kangaroo?

Bob Keeshan, whose full name was Robert James Keeshan and stage name was Captain Kangaroo, was an American television producer and entertainer. He was best known for his role as Captain Kangaroo on the children's program of the same name. Keeshan was born on June 27, 1927, in Lynbrook, New York, United States, and he died on January 23, 2004. 

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.