Saturday, August 25, 2012

Headline Of The Day

Citing "severe transportation difficulties due to sustained winds and rain," the RNC has canceled the first day of the convention.

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CHARLOTTE: Activists To Turn Tables On Pride Disruption By Christian Group

As the above photos from last year show, every year anti-gay activist Michael Brown and hundreds of red-shirted followers descend on Charlotte Pride with messages of eternal damnation and promises of gruesome deaths from AIDS. Last year one member of Brown's group purposely marched her four young children through the festival area so that they could be photographed standing near booths selling raunchy items. They were victims, people!

This year, however, local activists plan to stage a protest of their own, this time at Brown's church. Via North Carolina's Q Notes:
MAKE YOUR SIGNS, AND BANNERS!!

Keep the love going as we peacefully protest Fire church Sunday after pride. During the pride event you will have a chance to hear Flip Benham and other representatives of Fire church throwing damnation our way. Lets show them that they cannot come into our community and intimidate us. We will meet just before Service begins, and protest as they gather, we will have a silent protest as service is going and let them have it as they leave for the day. Remember we will be peaceful and respectful, something they don't understand. We are going to STAND TOGETHER AS A COMMUNITY to show that our love is stronger than their hate.
Locations, direction, and the time for tomorrow's event are at the above link. Brown calls his followers a "holy army" made up of "uncompromising spirit-filled radicals who will shake an entire generation with the gospel of Jesus by life or death." By life or death. God's Gentle People, indeed.

PREVIOUSLY ON JMG: Michael Brown claims gay activists want Christians thrown into prison. Michael Brown claims that Hillary Clinton is controlled by Satanic homosexuals. Michael Brown claims that the Bible is 100% true except for the parts he doesn't like. Michael Brown debuts his book with a video using small children to ridicule gay families. Michael Brown calls it a "badge of honor" to be called out by the SPLC, then one month later screams his head off about it in order to capitalize on the FRC shooting.

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Neil Armstrong Dies At 82


"Every human has a finite number of heartbeats and I don't intend to waste any of mine." - Neil Armstrong.

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Homocon Richard Grenell: Obama Has "Given Up" On Stopping Iranian Nukes

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CNN On Jerry Falwell's Legacy

CNN's Christiane Amanpour examines the political legacy of Jerry Falwell, whose message continues to shape elections more than five years after his death.

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Today In Global Warming Denial

Fischer links to this blog:
Together, the 48 contiguous states are comprised of 2,959,064 square miles (which excludes bodies of water). There are 640 acres in a mile. There are about 4,840 square yards per acre. To calculate the number of square yards in the United States, we multiply 640 * 4,840 * 2,959,064, which yields 9.17 trillion square yards in the United States. There are also about 300 million citizens living in the United States. If you had everyone in the U.S. stand next to each other -- let's say they each have their own square yard to stand in -- how much of the contiguous land would be filled?

Answer: about 96 square miles or the size of Plymouth, Massachusetts. Each time you fly over the United States, remember how inconsequential humans really are. Humans represent the metaphorical gnat on an elephant's posterior. And human activities have about as much to do with carbon dioxide, photosynthesis and the rest of the earth's organic processes as Al Gore had to do with the invention of the Internet. Which is to say: none.

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Human Poutine

A stunt from Montreal's Queer Of The Year contest.

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OHIO: Flown Over A Romney Rally

Spelling, Move On. Spelling.

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Convention Storm Watch

The predicted track for Isaac has shifted west, somewhat lessening the danger to the Tampa Bay area. As attention focuses on north Florida, it appears that the Florida Keys will not be evacuated.
A tropical-storm watch was posted at 5 p.m. Friday for all the Florida Keys as Tropical Storm Isaac continued its northwest march through the Caribbean toward Florida. No evacuation, for visitors or tourists or residents, is expected. The National Hurricane Center also posted storm watches -- meaning winds of at least 39 mph are possible within 48 hours -- for the state's east coast up to Jupiter, and on the west coast to Bonita Springs. All that was known for certain Friday is that Isaac -- expected to arrive near the Florida Keys late Sunday to early Monday as a tropical storm of indeterminate strength -- likely will drop several inches of rain, stir high seas and possibly inflict some damage from winds of 45 mph with gusts that may exceed 55 mph.

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Tyler Clementi's Mother: I've Changed

The mother of Tyler Clementi, the gay Rutgers student who leaped to his death from the George Washington Bridge, says she's riddled with self-blame but has come to a new understanding about her son's sexuality.
“I think some people think that sexual orientation can be changed or prayed over,” she said now, in her kitchen. “But I know sexual orientation is not up for negotiation. I don’t think my children need to be changed. I think that what needed changing is attitudes, or myself, or maybe some other people I know.” She decided she could no longer attend her church, because doing so would suggest she supported its teachings against homosexuality.

And she took strength from reading the Bible as she reconsidered her views. “At this point I think Jesus is more about reconciliation and love,” she said. “He spoke more about divorce than homosexuality, but you can be divorced and join a church more than you can be gay and join churches.” What has troubled her most is the thought that Tyler believed she had rejected him.
Read the full sad article.

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The Romney Bunch

From the DNC. Cute but I hate the sound delay thing.

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Friday, August 24, 2012

The DNC Is A Three-Day Death Camp

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Hate Group Hypocrisy Of The Day

Remember all the screams about yard signs and chikin graffiti? According to the American Family Association, vandalism is totally OK when it's their side doing it.
AFA was recently contacted by a Home Depot employee who says the boycott of Home Depot is being effective. "We have customers who come into our store and confront our store managers over the HD's support of Gay pride. The AFA is having an effect on HD." She also shared that many employees disagree with the company's pro-gay-marriage stand. In June, a "Gay Pride Month" poster (photo right) was put up in her breakroom. "HD is as committed as ever to the changing of laws in favor of same sex marriage. They had absolutely no empathy for those employees who voiced offense with the display. This was mandated by corporate directive. Therefore the display was torn down at least 2 times."
Freepers are thrilled.

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AFER To SCOTUS: Pass On Prop 8 Case

The American Foundation for Equal Rights says the Supreme Court should decline to review the overturn of Proposition 8. Today AFER filed a brief in opposition to Protect Marriage's demand to have their appeal heard. Chris Geidner reports:
The case challenging the constitutionality of California's Proposition 8 is "an attractive vehicle" for determining "whether the States may discriminate against gay men and lesbians in the provision of marriage licenses" — but the Supreme Court should pass on the case, lawyers challenging the law say, and let stand an appeals court ruling that strikes down the 2008 amendment on narrow grounds.

If the Supreme Court takes the advice of Ted Olson, David Boies and the other lawyers representing the plaintiffs in Perry v. Brown, then Proposition 8 would remain unconstitutional, as the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals held, and same-sex couples in California would regain the right to marry that they had been able to exercise briefly in 2008.
Four DOMA-related cases are also up for Supreme Court consideration.

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Discreet Convention Play

Buzzfeed beat us to it and posted a Craigslist round-up.


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Republican Women For Obama

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Tweet Of The Day - Cher



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TAMPA: Venue For GOProud's Homocon 2012 Hosts Monthly Fetish Sex Parties

Ybor City's Honey Pot, the venue for GOProud's Homocon 2012 event during the GOP convention, also hosts monthly fetish sex parties. Interesting. And we are already know that the Honey Pot is just three gay skips from the "discreet rear entrance" of the local bathhouse, which is offering free admittance to RNC attendees. GOProud's Chris Barron says he doesn't give a fuck what we think about his party in a sex club. Good for him! I wonder if all those uptight wingers will feel the same way once they find out?
(Via AmericaBlog Gay)

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Romney Makes Birther Joke

"I love being home, in this place where Ann and I were raised, where but the both of us were born. No one's ever asked to see my birth certificate. They know that this is the place where we were born and raised." - Mitt Romney, speaking in Michigan. Since the gloves are off, Obama should totally mention Romney's celestial reward planet of Kolob.

UPDATE: The Obama campaign fires back.

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TAMPA: Human Rights Campaign To Run Marriage Ad During GOP Convention

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San Francisco 49ers Become First NFL Team To Join It Gets Better Campaign

Via press release from JMG reader Sean Chapin:
The San Francisco 49ers have become the first NFL team to join the It Gets Better Project, an online video project where thousands of videos condemning anti-gay bullying are curated. The 49ers’ video comes after a successful petition drive, led by fan Sean Chapin, who rallied more than 16,000 people to sign his petition on Change.org encouraging the 49ers to make a video. “With their ‘It Gets Better’ video, the 49ers are shining a golden beacon of hope to LGBT youth, and as a gay man, I enthusiastically applaud their courage and leadership,” said Chapin, who also successfully petitioned the San Francisco Giants last year to become the first Major League Baseball team in the country to make an “It Gets Better” video. “This is a proud day for San Francisco, as two of our professional teams have taken a bold stand against bullying,” said Chapin. “Let’s hope this is only the beginning, and that more NFL and professional sports teams around the country take this opportunity to speak up on behalf of LGBT fans and kids.”
Well done, Sean!

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One Million Moms Against Skittles

Today's press release:
Dear Joe, We are not sure of Skittles' thought process behind their new ad, but if they are attempting to offend customers, they have succeeded. Skittles' newest "Walrus" commercial includes a teen girl making out with a walrus. The two are on a coach in an apartment kissing on the mouth when her shocked roommate walks in on them. Parents find this type of advertising inappropriate and unnecessary. Does Skittles' have our children's best interest in mind? Skittles candies are for all ages, but their target market is children. Skittles Marketing Team may have thought this was humorous, but not only is it disgusting, it is taking lightly the act of bestiality. Let Skittles know their new ad is irresponsible.

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The Pet Party: Vote To Adopt

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Record 470 Openly LGBT Delegates To Attend Democratic Convention

At least 470 delegates at the Democratic Convention will be openly LGBT. Chris Johnson reports at the Washington Blade:
The upcoming Democratic National Convention is set to have a record number of openly LGBT delegates, although goals for some states aren’t being met, according to new data from the National Stonewall Democrats. The organization as of Wednesday evening identified at least 470 openly LGBT delegates that are set to attend the convention, but more data is expected to become public at a later time. A total of 5,963 delegates are set to come to Charlotte, N.C.., for the event during the week of Sept. 3. Having 470 delegates exceeds the goal of 418 delegates at the convention and is already higher than numbers from 2008, when 277 delegates participated.
California leads the pack with 74 LGBT delegates. States sending only one: Mississippi, North Dakota, South Dakota, West Virginia and Wyoming. Several states are sending LGBT delegates for the first time ever.

NOTE TO DELEGATES: Please flag me down for a JMG photo if you see me. As much as I can stand it, I'll try to wear the silly hat from my blog photo so you can recognize me more easily.

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MISSOURI: Akin Erases Romney Lead

One month ago Mitt Romney had a six point lead in Missouri. Not anymore.
As the controversy over Republican Senate candidate Todd Akin’s “legitimate rape” comment continues, Mitt Romney’s lead in Missouri has vanished. The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Likely Missouri Voters finds President Obama with 47% support to Romney’s 46%. Three percent (3%) favor some other candidate in the race, and three percent (3%) more are undecided.
More please.

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Attorney General Eric Holder Speaks To Convention Of LGBT Lawyers

Yesterday Attorney General Eric Holder praised the work of LGBT lawyers gathered at the annual Lavender Law Conference and vowed to continue to work with them in the Obama administration's campaign for full LGBT equality. An excerpt of Holder's speech via Towleroad:
You are – or soon will be – uniquely situated to use the power of the law, as well as your own gifts and knowledge, to help build a more fair, more equal, and more just society. And you have not only the power, but – I believe – the solemn responsibility, to do precisely that: to safeguard the rights and freedoms of everyone in this country, and to carry on the critical but unfinished work that lies ahead.

Of course, this never has been – and never will be – easy. But as I look around this room, I can’t help but feel optimistic about where your efforts will lead us – and how far our collective commitment will take us – in the months and years ahead. With the benefit of your partnership and the strength of your passion, I know that we can – and I’m confident that we will – continue the work that has become both our shared priority and common cause. And I look forward to all that we will surely accomplish together.


RELATED: Holder's speech is being denounced on anti-gay sites like Tucker Carlson's Daily Caller, where one article's author has taken to Twitter to slam Holder for "using the DOJ as a political tool." Comments at the link are as you'd expect.

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Onion Headline Of The Day

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Bill Donohue: Dems Are Stupid For Not Inviting Archbishop Dolan Too

"The Republicans are smart enough to get the ‘pope of America,’ and the Democrats are stupid enough not to invite him. The Catholic vote is the most critical vote. They’re the wild card. So why wouldn’t you ingratiate yourself to the pope of America and send a wink and a nod to Catholics? That’s just good politics." - Catholic League blowhard Bill Donohue. Dolan will pray at the GOP convention and offered himself to the Democrats in what he called "a show of bipartisanship." The DNC declined.

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ABC To Get Another Modern Family

ABC has green-lighted a new sitcom about a lesbian couple raising a "blended family." The show is the work of Jennifer Lopez' production company.
ABC Family said Thursday the comedy-drama pilot, titled "The Fosters," is about two women raising a "21st century," multi-ethnic mix of foster and biological kids. Lopez will be an executive producer for the hour-long project. Casting was not announced. Her company, Nuyorican, is in development on other TV series, including "Taming Ben Taylor," a romantic comedy starring the actress-singer, and "Sweet Little 15," a Mexican girl's coming-of-age story.
You know who will be you know what.

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BREAKING: Ten Shot, Two Dead At Empire State Building, Motive Not Yet Clear

Ten shot, two dead. Early reports say the shooter was a 53 year-old man who was fired from his job. Terrorism is not suspected. Midtown Manhattan traffic is at a standstill and Fifth Avenue is closed from 33rd to 42nd streets.

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Lance Armstrong Drops Doping Challenge

There go his seven Tour de France titles.

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FLASHBACK: Focus On The Family Prays For Rain At 2008 Dem Convention

"Would it be wrong to ask people to pray? Would it be wrong if we asked people to pray for rain? O.K., not just rain, abundant rain. Torrential rain. Urban and small stream flood advisory rain. Would it be wrong if we prayed for rain on, say, a particular night at, say, a particular location? Ah, say the evening of August 28th, right here at Mile High Stadium here in Denver. During the prime time t.v. hour when a certain presumptive nominee is set to give a certain acceptance speech at a certain Democratic National Convention?

"I’m talkin’ umbrella ain’t gonna help ya rain. Not flood people out of their houses rain, just good old swamp the intersections rain. We’re not asking for hail the size of canned hams, or lightening bolts to set the bunting on fire. Just rain. Beautiful rain. Network cameras can’t see the podium rain. Attendees can’t walk to the indoor arena without wishing for hip waders rain.

"I know you might ask why would I pray for that. Well, I’m still pro-life and I’m still in favor of marriage being only between one man and one woman. And I’d like the next president, who’ll select justices for the U. S. Supreme Court to agree. So I’m praying for unexpected, unanticipated, unforecasted rain that starts two minutes before the speech is set to begin. Would it be wrong to pray for rain?" - Focus On The Family spokesman Stuart Shepard, speaking four years ago today. (Via Pam's House Blend)

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PENNSYLVANIA: Democratic U.S. House Candidate Evolves On Marriage

Pennsylvania U.S. House candidate Matt Cartwright says it took him longer than the president, but he's come around on same-sex marriage. Cartwright defeated ten term Rep. Tim Holden in the Democratic primary.
Cartwright said he was not pressured to make the decision but it’s something he spent a long time contemplating. “It wasn’t any ‘ah-ha’ moment,” Cartwright said. “One thing I didn’t want to be was rushed into (making a decision). It seemed like Vice President Biden rushed the president into it. “I just kept thinking it over in my mind and I didn’t see a good reason to discriminate against a substantial population of American citizens,” he said. Cartwright, 51, said while older people are reluctant to accept gay marriage, many younger, more progressive people don’t see why it shouldn’t be legalized.
Cartwright faces Scranton Tea Party founder Laureen Cummings, whose campaign slogan is "Restore The Republic." Her "top priorities" are overturning Obamacare, ending abortion, and thwarting LGBT rights. Both Cartwright and Cummings have never held public office. Visit Cartwright's campaign site.

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Gay Ranger Stars In Florida Parks Ad

Fort Lauderdale park ranger and environmentalist Mark Foley is starring in a new state tourism ad promoting Florida's park system, which regrettably also includes a glimpse of Governor Skeletor. You may recall that I first mentioned Foley two years and pointed out that he is not to be confused with Florida's other gay Mark Foley, who resigned from Congress in 2006 after being exposed for sexting with barely-legal House pages. The above photo isn't from the clip below, I just knew you'd enjoy it. You're welcome.

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NYC Loses Last Hint Of Checkered Cabs

NYC's new taxi design removes the last vestige of the old checkered cabs. Even the oft puzzled over "AXI" is going away. The New York Times reacts:
What’s next? “T Driver,” starring Robert De Niro? Not likely, even though the new logotype for medallion taxis, which is beginning to appear on New York streets, has eliminated the word “taxi” in favor of a bold yellow T in a black circle; an enlarged version of the symbol first adopted five years ago. David S. Yassky, the chairman of the city’s Taxi and Limousine Commission, sounded confident on Tuesday that the change would not confound anyone. “We have no doubt that a yellow car with a roof light with a big T will be understood as a New York City taxicab,” he said. “Even the greenest of greenhorns will know that it’s a taxicab.”
Also gone is the fare rate card on the door, which nobody ever read anyway.

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Convention Storm Watch

Key West might be in for a direct hit on Sunday. Evacuation orders for the Keys may come tonight.
Forecasters with The Weather Channel think the evacuation decisions could come quickly. It is anticipated that watches will be issued for South Florida and the Keys by Friday night. In the event of an evacuation, Mayor Cates told The Weather Channel that tourists would leave first, followed by special needs citizens. Cates stated that residents wouldn't need to leave just yet, given the strength of the storm at this point. The Florida State Emergency Operations Center was activated to a Level 2 on Thursday. The EOC's website defines Level 2 as a limited agency activation. All primary, or lead, Emergency Support Functions are notified. The State Emergency Operations Center will be staffed by Division of Emergency Management personnel and necessary Emergency Support Functions.

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Church Sign Of The Day

Source.

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FLORIDA: Dem Candidate Uses Rep. Allen West's Own Words Against Him

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Playgirl Wants The Royal Peen

Purely a publicity stunt of course. Granny is worth billions and billions.
"I think what we all started to decide right away was just how much money the offers would go out for him," Playgirl publisher Vincent Stevens tells [E!] exclusively. "There's no way in the world that he would ever consider this but you're talking about numbers in the six figures right off the bat." "He's a wild party guy," he says. "He's appealing to a lot of people because, although he's from the royal family, there's sort of this untamed nature to him. I think that's something that's really attractive to our readers and to the general public. He can't be contained by the royal family. He's just a free spirit."
Prince Harry flew back to the UK yesterday, no doubt for a royal reaming.

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Nate Silver's Electoral Update

Source.

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Mitt Romney: I Can't Release Tax Returns Because It's Against My Religion

"Our church doesn’t publish how much people have given. This is done entirely privately. One of the downsides of releasing one’s financial information is that this is now all public, but we had never intended our contributions to be known. It’s a very personal thing between ourselves and our commitment to our God and to our church." - Mitt Romney, coming up with a new excuse in an interview with Parade Magazine.

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NEW YORK: Bullied Bus Monitor Karen Klein Launches Anti-Bullying Foundation

You may recall that over $700,000 flooded into an internet account set up as a "vacation fund" for New York bus monitor Karen Klein after she was seen being brutally bullied by students on a viral cell video. This is what she's doing with some of the money:
My story inspired more than 32,000 people to engage in their own act of love by donating to a fundraising campaign created by Max for my support. As you probably know, together we raised a lot more money than what I needed to go on vacation. 32,000 people around the world raised $703,873 for my behalf. It has changed my life forever. Now, I am not only going on vacation, but I am able to retire and take care of my family. You have all inspired me by your acts of love. But now it is time for me to give back and to turn your single act of kindness into my own personal movement to stop bullying in America. The Karen Klein Anti-Bullying Foundation, which I am seeding with $100,000, will be the gathering point for millions of people to support the anti-bullying movement. Together, we will change the world.
(Image via Buzzfeed)

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Zero Percent

Enjoy.

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Quote Of The Day - Jerry Falwell Jr.

"Donald Trump has publicly expressed his support for our university’s mission to preserve the founding values of our nation. In the wake of the greatest expansion of government since FDR, Mr. Trump stepped right into the bull’s-eye and used his platform to fight for the preservation of capitalism, the free market, and limited government. He did numerous speeches, called out the president and congress by name, and was willing to say publicly what many conservatives were only saying privately.

"Trump is one of the nation‘s foremost proponent’s of fiscal conservatism, a value upon which this university, and our Schools of Law, Business, and Government, are staunchly committed, and have always been committed. A proponent of these values is a friend of Liberty University." - Jerry Falwell Jr, announcing that Trump will speak at his school. Presumably Trump won't mention being thrice-married.

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Folsom Street Fair 2012

This clip is a couple of months old, but I only just noticed it last night while enjoying one of them there "this is why homos must be put to death" knuckle-dragging sites. It cracks me up, truly, how wild-eyed wingnuts get about a once-a-year, six-hour event. Meanwhile, they have nothing to say about the nation's thousands of titty bars where, I guarantee you, more blowjobs are given every hour of every day than have ever occurred in all the combined years of the Folsom Street Fair. Clip is not work-friendly. Duh.

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Trump: Vaccines Cause Autism



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Fox Challenged For FCC Licenses

Citing News Corp's ongoing involvement in a hacking scandal, a public policy watchdog group has filed an FCC challenge against the renewing of broadcasting licenses for three Fox stations in the Washington DC area.
Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington filed a petition to deny Fox's applications to renew licenses for three of its TV stations - WTTG-TV and WDCA-TV in Washington, D.C., and WUTB-TV in Baltimore. "It is well-established that News Corp. has been involved in one of the biggest media scandals of all time," said CREW executive director Melanie Sloan. "Its reporters hacked voice mails and bribed public officials while top executives - including (News Corp. CEO) Rupert Murdoch - either approved the conduct or turned a blind eye."

News Corp. and Murdoch have apologized about the ethics scandal, which led to the closing of its tabloid News of the World and the departure of several senior executives. The company has been investigated by lawmakers there and blasted for the lack of ethics at some of its newspapers. Murdoch's son, James Murdoch, has been singled out for criticism because he had oversight of the British newspapers for several years.

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Live From Tampa



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Thursday, August 23, 2012

MARYLAND: Anti-Gay Del. Don Dwyer Drunkenly Injures Six In Boat Crash

Maryland police are weighing felony charges against virulently anti-gay state Del. Don Dwyer after he was found to have a blood alcohol level at well more than twice the legal limit when he crashed his boat into another one, seriously injuring six people, including himself. Four of those injured are children. UPDATE: Police say that Dwyer self-reported a blood alcohol level of .20. The police test taken at the scene is not expected back for two weeks and the cops say they have no idea where Dwyer came up with that number. It's possible the hospital tested him too. The legal limit in Maryland is .08.
Dwyer was in a wheelchair with a neck brace on and a cast around his left foot during the news conference outside Maryland Shock Trauma Center. He spoke from prepared statements and answered no questions from reporters before being wheeled back into the hospital by a nurse. Sgt. Brian Albert, a spokesman for the Department of Natural Resources Police, said investigators suspected alcohol was a factor in the accident. He said Dwyer had one passenger, identified as John Edward Moran IV. Dwyer had not been charged with a crime as of Thursday evening. A legislator convicted of a felony crime or a crime of "moral turpitude" must relinquish his or her seat.
RELATED: You may recall that last year Dwyer sat next to Maggie Gallagher during Maryland's marriage equality hearings, telling the committee that any state delegate that testified in favor of the bill should be "arrested for perjury" because saying that gay people deserve equality "is a lie and they know it." During the hearings Dwyer presented documents from the SPLC-certified hate group, MassResistance, claiming that gay activists want to introduce sadomasochism to grade school children. Dwyer also recorded an anti-gay robocall for NOM. (Tipped by JMG reader Stuart)

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It's Not A Gun Crime If Liberals Shoot Somebody, Liberals Hate Freedom

Or something. Hey! Look! My cap is jauntily askew and therefore I have street cred!

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NOM Denies Church/State Separation

FACT CHECK:
"Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between Man & his God, that he owes account to none other for his faith or his worship, that the legitimate powers of government reach actions only, & not opinions, I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should "make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof," thus building a wall of separation between Church & State." - Thomas Jefferson, 1802.

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VERMONT: Inn Loses Suit, Must Pay $30K For Turning Away Lesbian Couple

Vermont's Wildflower Inn has been fined $30,000 for turning away a lesbian couple that wanted to hold their wedding reception there. The couple was represented by the ACLU, who convinced the Vermont Human Rights Commission that the inn had violated state law on public accommodations. The losing Alliance Defense Fund denounces the decision:
“Every American should be free to live and do business consistent with their deeply held beliefs,” said Alliance Defending Freedom Senior Counsel Byron Babione. “It is unfortunate when a state agency teams up with the ACLU to harass and punish a private family business over its owners’ constitutionally protected thoughts and beliefs. Legal attacks like this one are not pursuits for justice, but attempts to coerce and police private expression.”
Blogger VT Digger has more:
According to the settlement, the Wildflower Inn was acting in good faith and in compliance with a 2005 decision by the Vermont Human Rights Commission that said that while no public establishment may refuse to serve a customer based on sexual orientation, the inn could advise potential customers of the owners’ Catholic beliefs. Based on that decision, the Wildflower Inn’s stated policy was to ignore all calls and emails from same-sex couples hoping to host a wedding or reception at the inn. If confronted, their policy was to advise the couple that the owners did not believe in same-sex marriage, but would host the reception if they really wanted to.
ACLU-Vermont attorney Dan Barrett gets to the heart of the decision: "What this settlement makes clear is that you can’t discourage and get away with it. Discouragement or any unequal treatment of LGBT customers is [legally] the same as an outright refusal." The winning couple says they will donate the "largest chunk" of their settlement to the Trevor Project.

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Romney: No Questions About Todd Akin!

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Family Research Council: We Never Said ALL Homosexuals Are Pedophiles

Continuing to hit back at their hate group listing by the Southern Poverty Law Center, the Family Research Council has issued a lengthy refutation of the charges against them. Amongst those is the claim that they've never said that all homosexuals are inherently prone to pedophilia, only that child molestation occurs at a higher rate among gay men.

That claim has been refuted by numerous social scientists and researchers. As we well know, male-on-male molestation is frequently committed by self-identified heterosexuals who are often in so-called traditional marriages. Jerry Sandusky, an avowed Christian and married father, is just one such example. And yet:
FRC has never said, and does not believe, that most homosexuals are child molesters. However, it is undisputed that the percentage of child sex abuse cases that are male-on-male is far higher than the percentage of adult males who are homosexual. This suggests that male homosexuality is a risk factor for child sexual abuse. Homosexual activists argue that men who molest boys are not actually "homosexual;" but scholarly evidence undermines that claim. It also cannot be disputed that there is a sub-culture within the homosexual movement that advocates "intergenerational" sexual relationships. FRC's writings on this topic--unlike the SPLC's--have been carefully documented with references to the original scholarly literature.
The FRC also claims that it does not seek to re-criminalize homosexuality in the United States, despite the 2010 nationally televised declaration by FRC vice president Peter Sprigg that gay sex acts "should be outlawed." That infamous statement is all MSNBC host Christ Matthews' fault!
FRC has made no effort to reinstate sodomy laws since the U.S. Supreme Court struck them down in the 2003 case of Lawrence v. Texas. In a 2010 interview on a different topic, the question of whether we should "outlaw gay behavior" in U.S. civil law was raised not by an FRC spokesman, but by MSNBC's Chris Matthews. The spokesman affirmed that FRC (like three Supreme Court justices) believed Lawrence was wrongly decided; but the interview left some viewers with the mistaken impression that "re-criminalizing" homosexuality is a policy goal for FRC. It is not.
They believe it was "wrongly decided" and that homosexuality should have remained illegal. But they're not actively working on putting you in prison. How very evolved and not at all hateful.

The FRC's statement also continues their lie that they did not oppose the U.S. House resolution that would have denounced Uganda's "kill the gays" bill. That particular lie has been well-exposed here on JMG. Once again, here's the long-deleted radio address by FRC president Tony Perkins in which he denounces President Obama for opposing Uganda's plan to execute homosexuals:
Does civility require the acceptance of all behavior? Hello, I am Tony Perkins with the Family Research Council. At the recent National Prayer Breakfast, President Obama took the podium calling for greater civility in Washington, which in my opinion is a laudable goal. However, his comments quickly turned to his preoccupation with defending homosexuality. The President criticized Ugandan leaders for considering enhance penalties for crimes related to homosexuality. The press has widely mischaracterized the law which calls for the death penalty, not for homosexual behavior which is already a crime, but for acts such as intentionally spreading HIV/AIDS, or preying upon vulnerable individuals such as children, which has been a problem in Uganda for years because the large number of orphans. The President said that "We may disagree about gay marriage, "but surely we can agree that it is unconscionable to target gays and lesbians for who they are." Mr. President as long as you characterize efforts to uphold moral conduct that protects others and in particular the most vulnerable, as attacking people, civility will continue to evade us.
Right Wing Watch has thoroughly debunked the FRC's lie that Uganda's bill would "only" call for executing gay men for the "intentional spread" of HIV. Hit that link and then come back and re-read what Perkins said about how Uganda's bill "upholds moral conduct."

In summary, the Family Research Council has a years-long history of repulsive lies about LGBT Americans. And now they're lying about their lies. Nothing new here at all.

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Focus On The Family: Public Schools Have Been Overrun By Homofascist Activists

Hurray! Also: Ratty Hairpiece Woman is back.

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Babs To Issue Unreleased Material

Barbra Streisand has plumbed her vault of never-released master tapes to create a new package of tracks, some of which date back to 1963. Via press release:

Highlights include: "Didn't We" written by Jimmy Webb - recorded in 1970 for an unreleased album project titled The Singer; the standard "Willow Weep For Me" - an unreleased track recorded in 1967 for Simply Streisand, arranged by Ray Ellis noted for his legendary work with Billie Holiday; A striking version of Randy Newman's "I Think It's Going Rain Today," with Barbra on vocals and Newman on piano - from the 1971 Stoney End sessions; an unreleased studio version of "With One More Look At You" from A Star Is Born; Two tracks from the unreleased sequel to the acclaimed The Broadway Album, titled Back To Broadway - "Home" (from The Wiz) and "How Are Things In Glocca Morra ? / Heather On The Hill" (from Finian's Rainbow / Brigadoon). Reflecting on the album, Streisand noted, "The thing I'm happiest about is that I still have great affection for all these songs. They appealed to me at the time…and still do. Listening now, I actually think to myself, 'The girl wasn't half bad.'"
The CD goes on sale October 9th.

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New To The Oxford Online Dictionary

1. Inbox
2. Photobomb
3. Lolz
4. Tweeps
5. Vajazzle
6. Hat tip
7. Video chat
8. Ridic
9. Lifecasting
10. Hackathon

Seems to be a trend here. Other new entries.

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Gawker Posts Huge Cache Of Bain Docs

Gawker has posted 954 pages of previously unseen and labyrinthine Bain financial documents which they say may reveal proof of Mitt Romney's attempt to cloak his massive holdings in tax-proof domestic and offshore accounts.
Bain isn't a company so much as an intricate suite of steadily proliferating inter-related holding companies and limited partnerships, some based in Delaware and others in the Cayman Islands, Luxembourg, and elsewhere, designed to collectively house roughly $66 billion in wealth in its many crevices and chambers. When Romney left in 1999, he and his wife retained significant investments in many of those Bain vehicles—he claims they are "passive investments" and that they are managed in a blind trust (though the trustee isn't blind enough to meet federal standards of independence). But aside from disparate snippets of information contained in his federal and Massachusetts financial disclosure forms, his 2010 tax returns, and SEC filings, the nature of those investments has been obfuscated by design.
Gawker says that the documents are so deliberately vague and complex that they cannot begin to decipher what they actually say. They are asking forensic accountants and their readers to dig in.

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MEXICO: Christian Cult Stones Students Attempting To Attend Secular School

Saying that the "Virgin Of The Rosary" had told them that secular education is the work of the devil, a Christian cult in Mexico burned down one town's only government-run school and hurled stones at students attempting to then attend classes in the homes of teachers.
"It is a problem of fundamentalism," Michoacan state government secretary Jesus Reyna Garcia told Mexico's state-run Notimex news agency on Wedesday. The talks came after residents of New Jerusalem blocked roads into the community and attacked children, parents and teachers trying to enter a house that had been converted into a school. Three people were injured in the clashes Monday, state officials said. "We need to remind these people that they are not living in a separate territory, in an island," Gov. Fausto Vallejo told reporters. Leaders of the cult said they were not opposed to educating the community's youth. "What happens is that those people are using the school as a way to introduce to our community things that are banned, like fashion, immorality, vice, drugs and alcoholism," said a New Jerusalem Cathedral spokesman known as Father Luis.
Even the Catholic Church is calling for state intervention.

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Billboard Of The Day

The above image will join the many others aimed at attendees of both political conventions.
“This is an equal-opportunity message to both political parties and all public officials. Essentially, we secularists, who comprise nearly a fifth of the U.S. population, are telling government officials that it’s time to get off your knees and get to work!” said FFRF Co-President Dan Barker. “God fixation won’t fix our nation, or any nation. A preoccupation with religion in government and a political fear of offending religious lobbies is holding back our nation scientifically, intellectually and morally,” added Annie Laurie Gaylor, who co-directs FFRF.
(Via Friendly Atheist)

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Australia's PM Denounces Birthers

The author of the below clip contends that Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard handles the idiocy of the birther movement better than Obama himself.

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AFA: Buy Our Hate Coffee

In an obvious dig at Starbucks, the American Family Association is promoting its own coffee brand with proceeds allegedly going to their relentless campaign to inflict Christianity upon unwilling Third World nations. The top-listed flavor: Relationship Blend. Via press release:
We use coffee in our blends that support other missionary and humanitarian efforts in places such as Ethiopia, Papua New Guinea, and others. So, when you purchase our coffee you are supporting various efforts in remote parts of the world. It is our desire to build lasting relationships with the people groups we serve by conducting ourselves as men and women of integrity, ethical, and transparency with all whom we serve. We desire to bring the light of Jesus Christ to all the world.
Offer your own AFA coffee flavors in the comments.

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Fischer: We Must Call Out The National Guard To Protect School Prayers

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Archbishop Dolan To Pray At RNC

Archbishop Timothy Dolan will give the closing prayer at the Republican convention in Tampa, an interesting choice because the national coalition of Catholic bishops that he heads recently issued a blistering denouncement of the Ryan Plan to eviscerate services for the poor. Obviously, this is meant to sway Florida's Hispanic vote.
A spokesman for Dolan said convention protocol calls for the local bishop to deliver such a prayer, meaning the slot would have normally gone to a Florida bishop, but that the Republican convention’s organizers insisted on Dolan’s participation. “The Cardinal made it clear to the RNC (and to the Democratic National Committee as well) that he was only there to offer a prayer, not to engage in any partisan politics,” the spokesman, Joseph Zwilling, said in an e-mail, “and that he would be willing to accept a similar invitation from the DNC if they were to invite him to pray at their Convention as well.” Catholics are considered the quintessential swing vote, and no presidential candidate has won the White House without winning that bloc since at least the early 1990s.
(Tipped by JMG reader Dwight)

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He's Not Gonna Take Paul Ryan

"I emphatically denounce Paul Ryan’s use of my band Twisted Sister’s song, 'We’re Not Gonna Take It,’ in any capacity. There is almost nothing he stands for that I agree with except the use of the P90X." - Dee Snider, also raging against the Ryan machine. Snider is now being denounced as a washed-up has-been on Breitbart, the same site that last week lionized Hank Williams Jr. after he told an audience, "We've got a Muslim president who hates farming, hates the military, hates the U.S., and we hate him." Williams last had a hit single 22 years ago.

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SENATE: Akin Now Ten Points Behind

Source.

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Grimes - Mystic

Stereogum review: "It’s fucking nuts. There’s no real narrative here; best to think of it as a headlong plunge into Grimes’ mall-mystic aesthetic. Flaming swords! Deserts! Pythons! Extreme makeup decisions! Floor-length bright-pink braids! Escalades! There’s a lot going on here, and it’s all fun and weirdly beautiful." This somewhat reminds me of Sabres Of Paradise.

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Swing State Polls

Nate Silver sees improvement from Romney, but cautions that the Ryan effect could be short-lived.

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Ireland's President Vs The Tea Party

For reasons not yet apparent, a two year-old anti-Tea Party rant by Irish President Michael Higgins has suddenly exploded across the web and gone viral. Listen. Legendary. Thanks to everybody who sent it to me last night.

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Hate Group Hypocrisy Of The Day

Remember back in the spring when GLAAD launched a campaign to inform the media about the incendiary rhetoric of the hate groups leaders regularly invited to appear on cable news? Remember how those targeted hate groups leaders screamed blue bloody murder in dozens of blog posts and press releases? "Freedom of speech! Religious liberty! Censorship! You hate Jeeeeeeeebussss!"

Well. Guess who is now doing the very thing that they all fucking screeched about exactly five months ago? Via press release from a literal who's who of hate groups:
In light of last week's attempted murder of employees at the Family Research Council (FRC), we pro-family organizations ask Fox News to discontinue guest appearances by homosexual agitator Wayne Besen on the popular O'Reilly Factor TV show.

Besen has a long history of slandering conservative groups and the ex-gay community in language that foments hatred and undermines civil discourse. t is time that the O'Reilly Factor cease using Besen as a guest commentator. Providing Besen with a forum lends credibility to his pernicious tactics and enables Besen to exploit his appearances for fundraising purposes.

When Fox News provides a forum to a radical homosexual activist known for employing inflammatory and hateful language in the service of promoting lies, the network becomes complicit in the damage done to the victims of Wayne Besen's and the SPLC's smear campaigns.


We ask the News Corporation, Fox News, and Bill O'Reilly to find more ethical spokespersons for the liberal view of sexuality. In their infamous Washington Post ad accusing FRC of hateful values, Besen and the SPLC claim that "words have consequences." Yes, they do. And Besen's may lead to violence.

Signing the above letter: Matt Barber, Mat Staver, Sally Kern, Peter LaBarbera, Linda Harvey, Scott Lively, Diane Gramley, Regina Griggs, Greg Quinlan, and several other hate group leaders. Sounds like I need to do another round of flashback quotes excerpting their own screams about "censorship." I'm sure Wayne Besen is falling the fuck out of his desk chair with laughter. I sure did.

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