Diva Fever On UK's The X Factor

Almost as gay as Prince Poppycock! Almost!

(Tipped by JMG reader Vivian)

Why You Should Vote

Afternoon View - Medium Rare Records

I'd been told that the Castro's Medium Rare Records would be closing soon and today I noticed a "for lease" sign above their front door. Sad, but not surprising. Almost all of the nation's small record stores that catered to a gay clientele have closed in the last few years.

NEW YORK: Hundreds Stage "Homophobia Kills" Die-In At Grand Central Terminal

Paul Schindler reports at Gay City News:

Several hundred LGBT New Yorkers gathered at Grand Central Terminal during evening rush hour on Friday, October 8 to conduct what organizers called a “Flash Mob: Homophobia Kills Die-In” in the center of the main concourse of the nation’s busiest transit hub. Several minutes after 6, activist Alan Bounville brought his fingers to his mouth to issue a loud whistle signaling the start of the action. A crowd of at least 300 immediately laid down on the floor, as Bounville and others unfurled a 12-foot by 12-foot yellow banner reading: END HOMO/ TRANSPHOBIC APARTHEID IN AMERICA.”

The crowd created a blockade for thousands of commuters rushing to and from the subways and Metro North commuter trains in the terminal. Police ordered participants to disperse or face arrest, while Todd Fernandez and Eugene Lovendusky read the names of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender victims of murder or of suicide prompted by bullying and violence. As the men called out each victim’s name, those on the floor shouted back the first name. As planned, after about three or four minutes on the floor, participants got back on their feet, and for several more minutes Fernandez, Lovendusky, and other organizers led the crowd in shouts of “Civil Rights Now.”

Two of the protest's organizers from Queer SOS! were arrested and released shortly after with desk appearance tickets.

GetEQUAL Rips On The DNC

Last week GetEQUAL issued a call to end all LGBT donations to both major parties. DNC Vice Chair Raymond Buckley wrote them back. Watch the clip.

SLIDESHOW: San Francisco JMG Meet-Up

I had a fantastic time meeting a ton of JMG readers at last night's meet-up at the Castro's Edge Bar. Many longtime JMG'ers were in the house, including Huntington, Castro Craig, Sean Chapin, KitchenBeard, and NoCal Drummer. Wacky SF performance artist Philip Huang even showed up! I was sorta pulled in ten directions at once, so I hope I got to properly meet and chat with everybody at least for a minute. One particular highlight was finally meeting legendary Tales Of The City author Armistead Maupin and his husband Christopher Turner. Armistead even autographed my advance copy of his upcoming novel, Mary Ann In Autumn, which I'd read on the plane. (It's great!) Thanks again to everybody for coming out! Full-screen versions of the below slideshow can be found here.

NEW YORK CITY: Seven Men Arrested For Brutal Anti-Gay Hate Crimes

New York City police have arrested seven gang members who lured a gay man and two teenagers to a house in the Bronx where the victims were brutally tortured. Two other members of the gang are still at large.

There were nine attackers, ranging from 16 to 23 years old and calling themselves the Latin King Goonies, the police said. Before setting upon their 30-year-old victim, they had snatched up two teenage boys whom they beat, the police said — until the boys — one of whom was sodomized with a plunger — admitted to having had sex with the man. The attackers forced the man to strip to his underwear and tied him to a chair, the police said. One of the teenage victims was still there, and the “Goonies” ordered him to attack the man.

The teenager hit him in the face and burned him with a cigarette on his nipple and penis as the others jeered and shouted gay slurs, the police said. Then the attackers whipped the man with a chain and sodomized him with a small baseball bat. The beatings and robberies went on for hours. They were followed by a remarkably thorough attempt to sanitize the house — including pouring bleach down drains, the police said, as little by little word of the attacks trickled to the police. A crucial clue to the attackers was provided by someone who slipped a note to a police officer outside the crime scene, at 1910 Osborne Place in Morris Heights, near Bronx Community College.

Read the New York Times complete accounting of the attacks and the investigation.

REACTIONS

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand

"The malicious hate crime that took place in the Bronx is an atrocity. We all must come together and condemn this horrible act. My thoughts and prayers are with the victims, their loved ones, and with all the people of this community that were targeted by this evil assault. “The predators sought to invoke fear and panic among all of us and we will not allow that. Whether because of race, gender, religion or sexual orientation, a crime such as this victimizes every one of us. I know that law enforcement will continue to build a strong case and ensure the maximum punishment for this type of crime."

Human Rights Campaign

“It is tragic to see what hate can do. These three men were brutally attacked and sodomized simply for who they are. Authorities must vigorously prosecute the perpetrators of these hateful crimes. Unfortunately, these crimes come on the heels of several other recently reported hate crimes in New York City. These crimes only emphasize the need for strong federal and state hate crimes laws.”

Love Exiles: Leif & Mo

Part of the reason for my trip to San Francisco is to see off my dear friend Leif, who is being forced to emigrate to New Zealand on Tuesday because the United States won't recognize his relationship with his husband, Mo. New Zealand, however, had no problem admitting Leif as Mo's partner. They suggest you visit Love Exiles, where binational couples discuss the fight for immigration equality in the United States.

Morning View - Castro & Market

Yoga Is Un-Christian!

Afternoon View - F Line

Teabagger Halloween

Featuring Andrew Shirvell, Carl Paladino, Michele Bachmann, Christine O'Donnell, and Sharron Angle. Created by JMG reader Centexman.

Wal-Mart Selling Anti-Gay Kids' Book

Q Salt Lake reports that over 100 Wal-Mart stores are carrying the anti-gay children's book written by the wife of the president the Mormon anti-gay group Standard Of Liberty.

Chased by an Elephant, the Gospel Truth about Today’s Stampeding Sexuality by Janice Barrett Graham was written to “help shed the clear light of truth on today’s dark and tangled ideas about male and female, proper gender roles, the law of chastity, and the God-given sexual appetite,” according to Janice Graham in the book’s introduction. The Grahams claim that their son, Andrew, successfully changed his sexual orientation and is now a happily married man.

Andrew Graham has published his own book about being "lured" into homosexuality while a student at Brigham Young.

(Tipped by JMG reader JRN)

Buck Angel - It Gets Better

Christine O'Donnell: I Didn't Go To Yale

Or Oxford or....

Teabagger Loon Carl Paladino Dials Down The Crazy Talk In 3-Minute TV Ad

In a three-minute commercial that ran yesterday only on upstate stations, Carl "Imprison The Poor" tried to present a relatively sane demeanor, but he does hint again at Andrew Cuomo's marital fidelity, saying, "Andrew's prowess is legendary!"

PETA Ads "Too Sexy" For NYC Airports

The company that handles advertising at JFK and LGA has rejected the new PETA campaign. PETA tells Gothamist it's because their images are too sexy.

The ad, which PETA had hoped to display near the full-body scanners that will be installed at the two airports, shows an airport security X-ray scan of a trim woman wearing a bra and panties that are printed with the words "Be Proud of Your Body Scan: Go Vegan." Many studies have shown that eating a vegan diet helps prevent obesity and heart disease. Bob Cilia, executive vice president of sales and marketing for JCDecaux North America, told PETA that the company doesn't "accept nudity or political ads" and added that although he has seen ads that are more risqué, he was just following policy by rejecting PETA's ad.

That's too sexy? Must be the nipples.

Today In Teabagger Music Videos

Remember when country music wasn't all teabaggery, cloying, tired, faux patriotic cliches? Me either. That's how long it's been.

Story Of Prom-Denied Gay Mississippi Teen Constance McMillen To Be TV Movie

The life story of Constance McMillan, the lesbian Mississippi high school student who was banned from her prom, will be made into a television movie.

One of the rare cases where the bullying led to a happy ending -- the story of rural Mississipi lesbian high school student Constance McMillen who successfully sued the local school district for discrimination -- will become a TV movie for ABC Family. The project, in early stages of development, hails from Craig Zadan and Neil Meron and Sony Pictures TV who have optioned the rights to McMillen’s story. Ghost Whisperer creator/executive producer John Gray will write the script and is expected to direct.

The movie's producers have won GLAAD Media Awards for Serving in Silence: The Margarethe Cammermeyer Story and for What Makes A Family.

New Burlesque Trailer

Is it really so wrong that so many of us want this to be Glitter + Showgirls bad? It's been ages since we've had a spectacularly bad/campy movie to chew on.

October 18th In NYC: The 14th Annual Anti-Violence Project Courage Awards

Hosted once again by Law & Order's BD Wong, this year's Anti-Violence Project Courage Awards honorees are the Paul Rapoport Foundation, Gay City News journalist Duncan Osborne, and Village Voice columnist Steven Thrasher. Get tickets here. AVP executive director Sharon Stapel raves about Thrasher to the Village Voice:

"Your work at the Village Voice, particularly your coverage of proposed state funding cuts for domestic violence, has been exemplary. In recognition of your work as a community activist, advocate and journalist, we would like to honor you with a 2010 Courage Award. In accepting this award, you will join the distinguished company of past awardees including: progressive LGBTQ bloggers -- Bill Browning, Joe Jervis, Pam Spaulding and Andy Towle, Tony Kushner, Emil Wilbekin and George C. Wolfe to name but a few."

The NYC Anti-Violence Project is the city's primary civilian organization dedicated to immediate responses to incidents of violence against the LGBT community. Please consider supporting their vital work.

La Roux - In For The Kill

Just-released new video for an old-ish song.

Wife Of Former Mets Player Roberto Alomar Sues Over HIV Exposure

The wife of former New York Mets second baseman Roberto Alomar has filed a lawsuit claiming he had unprotected sex with her even though he knows he is HIV-positive. A former girlfriend of Alomar filed a $15M suit on the same grounds last year. Alomar settled that case out of court.

"Prior to the marriage" in 2009, the suit says, Alomar assured his wife "he had been tested for sexually transmitted diseases and the tests were negative." At some point after their wedding, she discovered that wasn't true, the filing says. She "learned from conclusive proof" that he was HIV-positive, the court papers say. The discovery caused her to "suffer extreme emotional distress, fear and mental anguish," the filing says. She has "not contracted the virus to date but uncertainty still exists due to the delay in the onset of the virus." Lawyers for the Alomars did not return calls for comment. Rivera's filing says she wouldn't have agreed to "marry him if she had known of his true physical condition."

Alomar's wife, who had once denounced the claims of the former girlfriend as "vile lies" says she now wants a divorce. Alomar has consistently denied that he is HIV-positive. He became eligible for the Baseball Hall Of Fame this year, but narrowly missed induction. Some sports writers have speculated that the HIV issue may have cost him that honor as many consider him to be have been the greatest second baseman in the history of the sport. He remain eligible until 2024.

UTAH: Thousands Protest Anti-Gay Remarks By LDS Leader Boyd Packer

Thousands of protesters gathered in Salt Lake City's Temple Square last night to denounce remarks by LDS Apostle Boyd Packer, who called gay people "impure and unnatural."

Packer’s speech, delivered during the LDS Church’s 180th Semiannual General Conference, hit a nerve, protesters say, because it came after a string of gay teen suicides in the national news. Boys as young as 13 took their own lives after reportedly being bullied by their peers for being gay. On Thursday, protest organizers estimated that 4,500 people ringed the two downtown blocks that make up the LDS Church’s headquarters. Participants wore black, and some carried signs. Lying head to toe or sitting shoulder to shoulder, they encircled Temple Square two times. “Tonight, we are symbolic of all the children who have been killed by messages like Boyd K. Packer’s,” said organizer and Salt Lake City blogger Eric Ethington. “When you hear nothing from [church leaders] but that you are nothing but evil and you need to change the unchangeable nature of yourself, that is only a message kids can take for so long.”

LDS officials shrugged off the protest, merely noting that those thousands of angry people had a right to be there. No apology or retraction is expected from Packer.

Soccer Becomes Momentarily Interesting

Keep your eye on the bouncing balls. Totally NSFW.

(Via - Wicked Gay Blog)

Journey Into Manhood 2010: Now With MORE Hot "Ex-Gay" Man-Rubbing!

Journey Into Manhood, the backwoods "lets hug that sweaty homo-sex outta you, dude" conference has announced its 2010 schedule. Via Christian Newswire:

Surveys of past Journey Into Manhood participants indicate that four out of five men surveyed have experienced a decrease in homosexual attractions. More than half report an increase in heterosexual attractions, while nine out of 10 report a decrease in distress or shame. Ninety-five percent say they would recommend the program to others. Although Journey Into Manhood is not a religious weekend, it has been endorsed by the founders of both the leading Catholic and Jewish ministries serving people who are working to resolve unwanted homosexuality. It has also been endorsed by one of the world's leading psychologists supporting sexual reorientation: Dr. Joseph Nicolosi (NARTH).

Journey Into Manhood, is coming to England October 29 to 31, then to the U.S. states of Texas (Nov. 12 to 14) and Florida (Dec. 3 to 5). Journey Into Manhood is a 48-hour immersion in self-discovery, catharsis and emotional healing for men who feel that their homosexual attractions stem largely from unhealed emotional wounds and unmet needs, including, oftentimes, a history of alienation from male peers. Each weekend is peer-led by about 20 volunteers, including men who have resolved homosexuality themselves. The cost is US$650, including meals and accommodations at the camp or retreat center.

You may recall straight reporter Ted Cox went undercover at a recent Journey Into Manhood. An excerpt from his creepy experience:

At one point, the staff members all sang out in unison, their voices filling the high walls of the camp lodge. Somewhere in the room, a man sobbed over the sound of the music. It was the first night of “Journey into Manhood,” a 48-hour weekend retreat designed to help gay men become straight. In that room, about fifty men — some thirty “Journeyers” and fifteen staff members — sat on the carpeted floor of a ranch lodge two hours outside of Phoenix, Arizona. Most of the men, except for a few of the staff members, struggled to overcome their attraction to other men. Sometime during all that holding and touching and singing, while I was cradled in the Motorcycle position, I felt it: the unmistakable bulge pressing through his tight jeans. It was the first time in my life I had a felt another man’s erection.

Check out the Journey Into Manhood website. If you can bear it, here's their promotional video.

CONNECTICUT: Former Stamford Mayor Dan Malloy Five Points Up On Tom Foley

In Connecticut's gubernatorial race, former Stamford mayor Dan Malloy has a slight polling advantage over zillionaire war profiteer Tom Foley, whom Dubya put in charge of "overseeing" Iraq's private industries during the early years of the occupation. Foley's wife used to be one of Duyba's lawyers and her dad used to be chairman of the RNC. Foley has never held elective office. They are Washington outsiders, people!

NYC Gay Men's Chorus: It Gets Better

Tweet Of The Day - Glenn Beck

Glenn Beck's cryptic tweet has all of Teabagistan completely concernstipated. BTW, "Laus Deo" is Latin for "Praise be to God" and is inscribed at the top of the Washington Monument.

PhoboQuotable - Eugene Delgaudio

"I’ve never felt so alone in the fight for the family. To be honest with you, I don’t know if I can go on much longer. Every day it’s something new. Like when my heart sank as Ann Coulter announced she’s abandoning the family to team up with so-called 'conservative' homosexuals. By speaking at GOProud’s 'Homocon' last Saturday, she gave her personal endorsement to those in the Homosexual Lobby who want to infiltrate our movement and destroy us from the inside. Say it isn’t so, Ann! Where did you go wrong?

"I remember just a year ago, Ann joined me in calling on Christians to take action and get involved in the fight for traditional values. In her own words, she told us 'it’s time for the churches to stand up and react' to the 'endless push for gay marriage.' But now, she’s dumped us like last week’s garbage. I paced my office for two hours last Saturday as she delivered her speech. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. I just felt so... alone." - Public Advocate's Eugene Delgaudio, in this week's bizarre request for donations.

Just Because, Here's A Juggling Porn Star

Actually, there's some kind of message here, but I wasn't quite following it. Because, hey, it's a porn star juggling.

Nate Silver's Senate Forecast

That's an awful lot of red, but Silver still says that the Democrats have a 76% chance of holding the majority. The Senate seats most likely to flip to the GOP are below. Note that Silver gives Sharron Angle a 66% chance of deposing Harry Reid.

Pastor David Barton: The Government Should "Regulate Homosexuality"

Imprisoned Chinese Dissident Liu Xiaobo Awarded Nobel Peace Prize

Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo, who is one year into an eleven year prison sentence, was today awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

In a statement, the Nobel Committee said Liu, 54, was awarded the prize "for his long and non-violent struggle for fundamental human rights in China." Liu is serving his sentence at Jinzhou prison in Liaoning, hundreds of miles from his home and wife, Liu Xia, in Beijing. His wife reacted to the news by expressing her thanks that Liu's physical condition seems to have improved in jail, that he's allowed to read and that the two can exchange regular letters. "We have no regrets," she said. "All of this has been of our choosing. It will always be so. We'll bear the consequences together. I've known Liu since 1982. I've watched him change little by little year by year, and we know that we have to pay the price under the current situation in China."

China had warned the Norwegian government that they were not to consider Liu for the honor, claiming that he was ineligible. Liu was imprisoned in 2009 for signing onto a document calling for free elections and expanded human rights in China. He is the first Chinese citizen to win the prize.

Oregon Teabagger Art Robinson Vs. Rachel Maddow = Crazy Time Fireworks

If you haven't fallen in love with Rachel Maddow yet, this will do it. You'll also want to crawl through your screen and strangle this teabagger loony tune.

Truth Wins Out Announces Philadephia Protest Of "Ex-Gay" Group NARTH

Truth Wins Out, our heroes in the battle against the cruelties of the "ex-gay" industry, have launched the Lift My Luggage! website to promote their November 6th protest at the annual convention of NARTH in Philadelphia.

The National Association for Research and Therapy of Homosexuality (NARTH) is having its annual convention in Philadelphia (Nov. 5-7). The notorious "ex-gay" group is hoping that Americans have amnesia and don't remember that its most "prominent" board member, George Rekers, was forced to resign in May. Rekers stepped down after he was caught vacationing with a male escort he met on RentBoy.com. When asked why he had hired the young man, Rekers said it was to, "lift his luggage." As the infamous quacks at NARTH gather for their annual convention, let's Remind America that NARTH is a pseudo-scientific organization that is more about Rent Boys than research.

PROTEST SPONSORS: Equality Forum, William Way LGBT Community Center, MCC Philadelphia, Pam Spaulding (Pam's House Blend), Joe Jervis (Joe.My.God) and Jeremy Hooper (Good As You).

As noted above, JMG is a co-sponsor and I'm already on the hunt for a fabulous pink suitcase to wheel up to the doors of the NARTH convention. Visit the Lift My Luggage! site for directions to the event. I hope to see lots of you in Philly on November 6th! Drinkies at Woody's after?

HomoQuotable - Carl Siciliano

"I dream of a day where every gay youth in our country will have access to safe spaces, where no gay kid will live more than 100 miles from a space where LGBT youth can go to find community and support. But the creation of these life-saving spaces will require the passionate commitment and attention of the adult LGBT community. We need to pay attention to what is available to teens in our local communities. We need to raise funds and resources to support these spaces, and be aggressive in advocating that our tax dollars be used to support spaces where our teens receive the support they need.

"In the last eighteen months, in a city with as large an LGBT population as New York City, the Ali Forney Center lost funding for its emergency shelter, Green Chimney's lost funding for its foster care program, and Hetrick Martin and the LGBT Center lost funding for their after-school youth programs. Our youth need an adult community that is so committed to their welfare that such cuts to lifesaving services for LGBT teens could not occur without a tremendous outcry from our community.

"Too many of our youth are under attack in their homes, schools and communities. Homophobia creates environments that are deadly to our youth. We need to recognize the depth of this crisis and see the protection of our youth as a core responsibility of our movement. We need to build a support system that will save their lives." - Ali Forney Center executive director Carl Siciliano, in a response to the national epidemic of gay teen suicides.

Read Siciliano's four step program for protecting LGBT youth.

Quote Of The Day - Bryan Fischer

"The fire department did the right and Christian thing. The right thing, by the way, is also the Christian thing, because there can be no difference between the two. The right thing to do will always be the Christian thing to do, and the Christian thing to do will always be the right thing to do. If I somehow think the right thing to do is not the Christian thing to do, then I am either confused about what is right or confused about Christianity, or both.

"In this case, critics of the fire department are confused both about right and wrong and about Christianity. And it is because they have fallen prey to a weakened, feminized version of Christianity that is only about softer virtues such as compassion and not in any part about the muscular Christian virtues of individual responsibility and accountability." - American Family Association radio host Bryan Fischer on the Tennessee fire department that watched a family's house burn to the ground because they had not paid the annual $75 fire protection fee.

(Via - Right Wing Watch)

NYC Subway Fares To Jump On Dec. 30th

The MTA has announced an expected, but fairly hefty increase in its unlimited ride cards, effective December 30th.

MTA board members approved a whopping fare hike this morning with a 12 to 2 vote -- sending the monthly MetroCard to $104 from $89 and increasing the single ride from $2.25 to $2.50 starting Dec. 30. The hike is the third in three years and comes as the MTA made massive service cuts this past June. "What's next? A surcharge for scheduled information or directions to the on-board bathroom?" said Bill Henderson, an MTA watchdog. The hike will also include reducing the bonus on the pay-per-ride cards from 15 to seven percent, and increase the amount riders need to shell out for that bonus by $2. Also, the one- and 14- day unlimited MetroCards will be eliminated, a $1 surcharge will be applied every time a rider doesn't refill an old MetroCard, and commuter railroad fares will increase by as much as 11 percent.

I no longer ride the subway often enough to warrant a monthly pass, but that $1 surcharge for new cards will help me hang on to all those cards with 25 cents left on them. Back when wearing onions on our belt was the fashion, MTA cards only came in exact multiples of the cost of a single ride.

Ozzy Osbourne Vs. Westboro

"The Osbourne's are disgusted and appalled that WBC would use Ozzy's music to represent such hateful and despicable beliefs. We have absolutely no affiliation with the WBC and are deeply sorry to the Snyder family." - The Osbourne family reacting to the Phelps family singing a parody of Crazy Train on the steps of the Supreme Court yesterday.

Surprise Party

What's not to love about a campy muscled hottie?

(Tipped by JMG reader Lars)

Outside Snyder Vs. Phelps

Good As You has an email from Shirley Phelps about her time before the Court yesterday. It begins:

I am floating home on a cloud of euphoria. We got to tell the conscience of Doomed america that if they would stop with the proud sin the soldiers would stop dying. Alito was a serious disappointment. I don't know why I would expect him to man up and tell a squally rebel to drink a frosty mug of shut the hell up and AVERT your eyes. On the other hand, the three women were lions of proper and simple First Amendment Law. When a nation is cursed of God, everything becomes so complicated and there [i]s no MAN among the people, so I find that dynamic to be altogether perfect. Shortly this nation is going to crack open like a walnut and be cast into the sea. The horrors of it will make this nation of girly boys beg for some good old-fashioned troops from Iran or China pouring into your borders and laying you waste.

Reaching Out To The Gay Teabaggers

JMG reader Sean Chapin tips us that the gas station at the intersection of Market and Castro is putting up a sign to advertise Sarah Palin's coming appearance in San Jose.

English In 24 Accents

(Via - Andrew Sullivan)

Dawk Sawkasm In Thuh Claahsroom

Last night my pal Jerry treated me to Roger Waters' restaging of Pink Floyd's The Wall at Madison Square Garden, where 20,000 New Yorkers sang along to the title track in mock British accents. (Same thing when I saw Depeche Mode in Miami: The grawbing hanns, grawb all they conn.) The show was every bit the spectacle it's reputed to be: giant puppets, a massive collapsing wall, free-flying remote controlled inflatable pig, etc.

While I was never a Pink Floyd fan, much of the music felt vaguely familiar in that way that massive hit albums used to insinuate themselves into your subconscious whether you dug them or not. That probably doesn't happen anymore. My favorite moment was watching yuppies pump their fists from their $1000 seats to the anti-Big Brother message as they checked their nanny-cam live-streams from their smartphones. By the way, at 67 years old Roger Waters looked and sounded amazing.

Sharron Angle's Crazy Juice!

This is actually from the Harry Reid campaign. Love it. Stick around for the disclaimers at the end.

Metro Weekly Recaps Budgets & Staff Levels For National LGBT Groups

Click over to Metro Weekly for Chris Geidner's recapping of fifteen of the nation's most well-known LGBT advocacy groups. Geidner's article includes self-assessing quotes from many of the group's leaders. What's most interesting to me is that the three groups that seem to have most dominated the news in recent months (GOProud, Servicemembers United, and GetEqual) have the smallest budgets and the fewest paid staffers.

CONNECTICUT: GOProud BFF Ann Coulter May Face Felony Voter Fraud Charges

Complaints about Ann Coulter's habit of voting in states where she doesn't live have been around for years, but stalling by friendly election officials and the statute of limitations resulted in no charges. That may change.

An elections commission in Connecticut will soon decide if conservative pundit Ann Coulter will face felony charges over allegations of voter fraud in the 2002 and 2004 elections, reports Brad Friedman at BradBlog. The State Elections Enforcement Commission will vote Oct. 14 to decide whether to pursue charges based on a complaint made by Daniel Borchers, an activist with Citizens for Principled Conservatism. Borchers cited a report in the New York Daily News alleging that Coulter illegally voted in Connecticut in the 2002 and 2004 elections by way of absentee ballot from her home in New York.

The penalty is usually a civil fine, but can be up to several years in prison.

(Tipped by JMG reader Robert)

New From GOP Governors Association

The Republican Governors Association has begun running the below ad to promote their Remember November website and Facebook page. Among other items, the ad criticizes the vacation travel of Michele Obama and her redecorating of the White House.

DELAWARE: Not-A-Witch Christine O'Donnell Trails Badly To Chris Coons

Yoko Ono + Lady Gaga = ???

Family Research Council: The Obama Administration Is Planning To Kill DOMA

Family Research Council douchenozzle Tony Perkins says that the Obama administration is deliberately sabotaging the defense of DOMA. But he says the haters have an ace in the hole in GOP Rep. Lamar Smith (TX). Via press release:

When a federal district court ruled in July that DOMA was unconstitutional, it fell to Obama's Justice Department to fight for the law. But so far, the fight has been one-sided. As of this week, the Department of Justice (DOJ) hadn't lifted a finger to appeal the ruling. Enter Congressman Lamar Smith (R-Texas). If the federal government won't defend its own marriage law, then he will. Together with the Alliance Defense Fund (ADF), the GOP's ranking member on the House Judiciary committee is petitioning the U.S. District Court of Massachusetts to intervene. And just in the nick of time.

By the Left's calculations, the deadline for entering an appeal is this Tuesday, October 12th. If the motion succeeds, Rep. Smith will fill the vacuum left by this administration. In a press release announcing the partnership, ADF points out " The DOJ's current DOMA defense, which happens to fit the current administration's policy preferences, is really no defense at all." As the motion states, "The DOJ's [indifference] is especially alarming here because people have the right to rely on the government to make a good defense of laws passed by their congressional representatives." Now that Congressman Smith has called their bluff, it will be interesting to see how the DOJ's attorneys respond. Ironically, the October 12th deadline falls right after National Coming Out Day. I wonder if the administration will take the opportunity to come out of the closet about its strategy to kill DOMA?

Piano Player

Madison Square Garden, Wednesday, 9pm

Stoner Dude: Fuck that, she's not bi. No such thing. She's just softening you up for the big lesbo announcement.

Rock Chick: No such thing? Just because you can't imagine it personally doesn't mean there's no such thing as bisexuals. That's like saying because YOU don't know how to play the piano, there's no such thing as piano players.

Stoner Dude: Actually I'm a rad piano player.

Rock Chick: ......

DJ Kitty Rocks The Stadium

Gothamist tips us that the new fan favorite of the Tampa Bay Rays is DJ Kitty, who now rallies the stadium from the Jumbotron at every game. Another video at the first link, news story about DJ Kitty here.

The Bay Of Flame

Iowa State Rep: Legalization Of Gay Marriage Was The Worst Day Of My Life

Polling indicates that Iowa voters may eject the three state Supreme Court justices up for retention in November.

(Via - Good As You)

"Ex-Gay" Group Exodus International Ends Opposition To Day Of Silence

Citing the recent spate of suicides among LGBT youth, the "ex-gays" at Exodus International announced yesterday that they were ending their opposition to the Day Of Silence, an annual student-led protest of the bullying of queer kids.

"All the recent attention to bullying helped us realize that we need to equip kids to live out biblical tolerance and grace while treating their neighbors as they'd like to be treated, whether they agree with them or not," said Alan Chambers, President of Exodus International, the group that sponsored the event this year. Called the Day of Truth, the annual April event has been pushed by influential conservative Christian groups as a way to counter to the annual Day of Silence, an event promoted by gay rights advocates to highlight threats against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students. The Day of Truth, held on the same day as the Day of Silence, "was established to counter the promotion of homosexual behavior and to express an opposing viewpoint from a Christian perspective," according to a manual for this year's event published by Exodus International.

Focus On The Family said yesterday that they would continue to fight the Day Of Silence.

"Without question, Day of Truth is a loving and redemptive way students of faith can express their views positively in response to GLSEN's Day of Silence which only presents one point of view," Candi Cushman, education analyst for Focus on the Family, said in a statement. "In contrast to the whole idea of 'silence,' Day of Truth has encouraged students to exercise their free speech rights and have an open dialogue while respectfully listening to others," Cushman said.

The Christianist-led Day Of Truth was created by the anti-gay Alliance Defense Fund, who handed over media responsibilities for the day to Exodus International earlier this year.

Jake Shears - It Gets Better

University Of Michigan Student President Talks About Attacks From Andrew Shirvell

Open Thread Thursday

Monday is National Coming Out Day. Who was the very first person you came out to? How'd they handle the news? What about your parents? And since they say coming out is a never-ending process, who was the most recent person you came out to?

How To Rally Dummies

Starring Rand Paul and Carl Paladino.

Matt Barber: Gay Vultures Are Picking The Bones Of Dead Queer Children

"As Rahm Emanuel famously said: 'You never let a serious crisis go to waste. It's an opportunity to do things you could not do before.' It makes me physically ill to watch as the HRC and other ‘gay' militants lick their chops and rub their hands together over the tragic suicides of these troubled, sexually confused young men. Before they were even laid to rest, the radical homosexual lobby pounced leveraging these suicides to demand that government codify each of their extremist, social engineering demands. This is political exploitation at its slimiest and it pours salt on the wounds of loved ones.

"But Christians are also praying that these wicked and callous political vultures who seek to exploit these suicides become confounded and fail fantastically. Their mission is not one of ‘tolerance' or ‘diversity.' Quite the opposite: Their goal is to fan flames of anti-Christian bigotry and discrimination, evangelizing on behalf of their own perverted god: moral relativism. We simply won't let them get away with it." - Liberty Counsel attorney Matt Barber.

COLORADO: Schools Ban Crosses and Rosaries As Gang Symbols

We can't wait to hear Focus On The Family's reaction to THIS.

Some schools in Colorado Springs have banned students from wearing crosses and rosaries during school hours outside their clothing. "Certain gangs have adopted crosses and rosaries as their gang symbols," District 11 spokeswoman Elaine Naleski told the Colorado Springs Gazette. The newspaper reported that Mann Middle School sent out an e-mail to parents this week reminding that if their children wears a rosary, it must be underneath the shirt.

(Tipped by JMG reader Alan)

Dan Savage Fires Back

"To the angry folks: I admit that IGBP doesn't do the impossible. It doesn't solve the problem of anti-gay bullying, everywhere, all at once, forever. The point of the videos is to give despairing kids in impossible situations a little thing called hope. The point is to let them know that things do get better. For some people things get better once they get out of high school, for others things get better while they're still in high school. And some kids, like the kid above, are helping to make things better for other kids who are in still high school. But things do get better and kids who are thinking about suicide need to hear that.

"And to those who insist that all the videos are just oldies speaking from a place of adult privilege: have you watched the videos? There are tons from teenagers, many still in high school, many who are already out of the closet. And there are tons of videos from people who came out while they were still in middle or high school talking about their experiences good and bad and unimaginable.

"Nothing about letting kids know that it gets better excuses or precludes us from pressing for the Student Non-Discrimination Act, demanding anti-bullying programs, confronting the bigots who are making things worse, or supporting the Trevor Project. But we're not going to get legislation passed this instant or get anti-bullying programs into schools in rural areas—particularly private Christian schools—before classes start tomorrow. Doing all of that is going to take years of hard work and dedicated activism. In the meantime, while we work on all of that, we can get these messages of hope in front of kids who are crisis right now." - Dan Savage. Read his entire piece.

PREDICTABLE: Navel-Gazing Over-Intellectualizing Queer Theorists Attack Dan Savage's "It Gets Better"

At almost the moment that Dan Savage shared his idea for helping LGBT youth, I began pondering the inevitable backlash from the queer theorists who relish attacking any project (no matter how innovative, effective, or sincere) merely because it came from a member of the "patriarchal ageist classist gay white cis-male privileged ruling class." I've read a few such predictable rants since the moment the It Gets Better Project launched, but this one takes the cake.

I'll just excerpt one bit of this drivel, where the author attacks Savage's own initial video.

Promoting the illusion that things just “get better,” enables privileged folks to do nothing and just rely on the imaginary mechanics of the American Dream to fix the world. Fuck that. How can you tell kids it gets better without having the guts to say how. This is a video for rich kids for whom the only violent part of their life is high school. It’s a video for classist, privileged gay folks who think that telling their stories is the best way to help others. Telling folks that their suffering is normal doesn’t reassure them– it homogenizes their experience. It doesn’t make them feel like part of a bigger community, it makes them feel irrelevant.

From my privileged classist gay white cis-male walk-up studio apartment, let me just say, FUCK YOU, LADY.

For a more nuanced reaction, let's go to Matthew Rettenmund.

"Telling people that they have to wait for their life to get amazing—to tough it out so that they can be around when life gets amazing—is a violent reassignment of guilt." This is laughable. Violently laughable. We're talking about kids considering suicide, and the writer thinks that the "reassignment of guilt"—if that's even what this is about—is "violent"? No, violent is hanging yourself. This is the kind of writer who probably refers to unpleasant words as "rape," too. The writer thinks it's "ageist garbage" to tell kids they're depriving themselves if they don't survive their teen years. Is it really ageist to say life improves as you age? It also argues that kids are being pre-blamed for not having the guts to make it to the promised land, but isn't it really just an extension of hope, an encouragement to continue living? Note to essayist: Stay away from romcoms.

And the far left continues to eat its progressive own in the cause of some mythical gaytopia.

NOM Attacks Barbara Boxer En Español

Brian Brown: "California's Latino population is socially conservative and supports the family values of life, marriage and work. They voted strongly in favor of Proposition 8 and they are pro-life. Barbara Boxer does not share these values. She is a knee-jerk, strident partisan who ignores the values of her constituents in order to practice bitterly divisive politics."

Brazil Goes Where America Has Only Dreamed: Clown Elected To Congress

A Brazilian clown has been elected to the national Congress with twice as many votes as any other candidate.

Tiririca, or Francisco Oliveira Silva to give him his real name, was elected as a federal deputy for Sao Paulo with more than 1.3 million votes. Tiririca, or "Grumpy", had slogans such as: "It can't get any worse." Tiririca won 1,353,355 votes - well ahead of the next best-supported politician, former Rio state governor Antony Garotinho, who took more than 694,000 votes to be elected a federal deputy for the state. "What does a federal deputy do? Truly, I don't know. But vote for me and I will find out for you," was one of his messages.

Tiririca's candidacy had been challenged on the grounds that he may be illiterate, but election authorities ruled that he can be removed after taking office if proven to be unable to read or write. His below campaign ad has gotten over five million views on YouTube.

Christine O'Donnell, Witchy Woman

Quote Of The Day - Larry Brown

"I hope all the queers are thrilled to see him. I am sure there will be a couple legislative fruitloops there in the audience." - North Carolina state Rep. Larry Brown (R), in a mass email about Equality NC awarding its annual leadership prize to NC House Speaker Joe Hackney. Pam Spaulding reports that Equality NC will be mailing a box of Fruit Loops to Rep. Brown with every donation they get before their gala awards event. And you can add your own personalized message to Brown with the box.

Sunday In SF: Remember The Party

The folks at San Francisco's Remember The Party, which is an annual reunion of the patrons and staff of the legendary Trocadero Transfer, have put together the below promo clip for Sunday's event. (They even worked in some of my own footage from last year's party.) DJ Jerry Bonham is planning to lean heavily on the Donna Summer catalog and Ms. Summer has contributed some rare memorabilia which will be auctioned at the event, which benefits San Francisco's Under One Roof HIV/AIDS charity. Advance tickets only $20.

RELATED: Don't forget about the JMG readers meet-up this Friday at the Edge Bar in the Castro at 8pm.

CALIFORNIA: Polling Favors Legal Pot

Dominic Holden assesses the bill's supporters:

That's 48 percent yes, 41 percent no, and 11 percent undecided—which is pretty good. The crosstabs are over here. Groups with over 50 percent support for Prop 19 are men, people under 50, white, moderate to liberal, dislike the Tea Party, make over $80,000, and live in the Bay Area. In other words, rich smart hippies.

The big question should the bill pass, of course, is what the feds would do about it.

MINNESOTA: New From Tarryl Clark

The BLEEP cracked me up.

ILLINOIS: Anti-Gay GOP State Rep. Bill Brady Leads Gov. Pat Quinn

GOP state Rep. Bill Brady has a slight polling lead over Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn, who today predicted that civil unions could become legal in his state "by the end of the year." Early this year, Equality Illinois described Bill Brady as having "supported or co-sponsored every piece of anti-gay legislation there has been in Springfield - from a constitutional ban on same-sex marriage to gutting the Illinois Human Rights Act."

Today In Teabagger Videos

From teabagger loon Ben Howe.

NY Daily News On Stonewall Bashing

UPDATE: The families of the Stonewall attackers are rushing to their defense.

In an interview with The Daily News, Orlando's dad swore his 17-year-old boy was no bigot and wants to apologize "in person" to Carver. "We are a working class family," Don Orlando said outside his Staten Island home Tuesday. "We don't hate anyone here." What Orlando did was "wrong," his father added. "I'm not going to sugarcoat what happened," he said. "It was a bar fight, but I swear on my life it's not about Gays or race or any of that. We don't care about any of that stuff in this family." Had there been "an elephant" in the bathroom, "there probably would have been swings at the elephant," Don Orlando said.

The 57-year-old landscaper spoke out a day after his son and Francis, 21, who is also from Staten Island, were charged with assault as a hate crime and attempted robbery. It was not their first brush with the law. Orlando has a juvenile arrest for disorderly conduct. Francis has convictions for disorderly conduct, pot and weapons possession, but hasn't done any time in state prison, records show. "Why do people keep saying this is a hate crime?" Francis' girlfriend, Nancy Casabona, told The News. "Where's the hate? This is not a hate crime. He has a sister who is a lesbian." Francis' sister, Deanna Francis, who is indeed a lesbian, lashed out at Orlando's lawyer for suggesting Francis instigated the attack. "It takes two to tango," she said. "My brother isn't the only one at fault here. There is a lot more to this story."

Police report that the two attackers are blaming each other for the assault.

Jeebus In The MRI

TONIGHT: Anti-Violence Project To Hold Manhattan Gay-Bashing Vigil

The NYC Anti-Violence Project will hold a vigil tonight at the Chelsea location of this weekend's brutal attack against a group of gay men. Facebook event page here.

“We will not allow perpetrators of anti-LGBTQ violence to come into our communities and target us. Today we send a strong message that our communities will not be intimidated by this violence and that we will stand up in the face of it and demand equality and respect. This is a wake-up call for every New Yorkers. We all have a responsibility to end this culture of violence against LGBTQ people, which has become so apparent in recent weeks.” AVP is working with the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, the NYPD, the office of New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, and other City Council leaders on both of these incidents.

Meet tonight at the corner of 9th Avenue and W.25th Street at 6pm. Important: "AVP encourages you to report any anti-LGBTQ bias, including hate speech, bullying, harassment, and physical violence, to our 24-hour bilingual (English/Spanish) hotline at 212-714-1141 where you can speak with a trained counselor and seek the support you need."

RELATED: The 2010 Anti-Violence Project Courage Awards take place Monday, October 18th. Get tickets here.