Santorum: Gay Is Not Black Or Something... Uh, Napkins

Ol' Frothy Mix, in his last presidential debate, got his ass handed to him for his remarks stating that the military should not be conducting social experiments-- by uh, not firing gay people-- so you would think that he would have a statement prepared when a similar quote stemming from the era of desegregation was tossed in his face:


But no. Santorum is still busy telling us what gay rights are or are not.  He should probably be thinking up a new strategy-- like, oh, not opening his mouth-- since his "moral values" platform is bombing in the polls.

Advertising Bigotry

Today in dumb billboards:

This billboard popped up in Toledo Ohio, and is a response to another billboard that appeared earlier this year:

The creator of the hate-y billboard has been receiving "hate mail" from gay and lesbian residents of Toledo and had this to say about the controversy his church has generated:

“I love everyone. There’s nothing on that billboard about hate. ... I’m getting hate mail from lesbian and gay people, but my point is that I love them too much to let someone believe a lie. I love this city too much to let a lie be sown.”

Right.  I have a suggestion for the Rev. Tony Scott: if you loved your town, you'd stop using tithe money to advertise oppression for gay people and put it to use-- say, with a homeless shelter.  That probably wouldn't gain you parishioners or additional tithing, unfortunately, as your billboard likely will.  Nothing says "come to our church!" in Ohio like "We hate gays old-fashioned style!"

Absolutely NOTHING COULD GO WRONG

I am astounded by some people's ability to make the worst decisions possible.

Mike Harmon, for instance!

The Kentucky House Committee has overwhelmingly approved HB 370, a bill which would prohibit any and all bullying on the basis of sex, sexual orientation, or religion.  That's great, right?

Not everyone thinks so.  Harmon, a religious Republican lawmaker in that state, wants to amend the bill before it is brought to a vote making provisions that allow children to condemn another student's sexual orientation as sinful in order to protect Christian students' right to be true to their religion.  In essence, he wants Christian kids to be able to bully, thus invalidating the entire scope of the bill.



 Not only would he want to allow continued bullying against gay students, but he also wants an amendment permitting the carrying of concealed firearms on school campuses.  What could go wrong?

What Does Overturning Roe Vs. Wade Have To Do With Creating Jobs, Michele?

Michele Bachmann has very noticeably distinguished her candidacy for President by refusing (on big news outlets anyway) to talk about LGBT issues, justifying her silence on her anti-gay record by insisting that she's running for President and the President should only focus on job creation right now.  In related news, she is a big liar and wouldn't know what the President did if he slapped her in the face with his job description.

Anyway, Crazy Eyes is all about jobs and nothing else, right?  You wouldn't know it from yesterday's GOP candidate's forum in South Carolina.  During the forum, anti-gay activist and Princeton professor Robert George asked Marcus' beard if she would overturn the Supreme Court's decision in Roe Vs. Wade and make abortion completely illegal.  From ThinkProgress:

GEORGE: Would you as president propose to Congress appropriate legislation pursuant to the Fourteenth Amendment to protect human life in all stages and conditions? [...] Given the clear mandate of the Fourteenth Amendment empowering Congress to enforce the guarantee of Equal Protection shouldn’t Congress act on that now?

BACHMANN: Yes, I believe that they should. [...]

GEORGE: And if it meant a confrontation with the Supreme Court are you prepared for that?

BACHMANN: Most assuredly.

What about taking away a woman's reproductive rights creates jobs, Michele?  

The Pope Said Some Stuff Or Whatever

The Pope had a big Catholic party in Madrid this past weekend, with over 1.5 million faithful gathered to hear his words on pressing issues facing Catholics today. Instead of taking the opportunity to urge his followers to, oh, I don't know, END WORLD HUNGER, Il Papa addressed what is clearly the largest problem facing Christians in the modern world: gay marriage!!!11!!!

The 84-year-old head of the Roman Catholic Church had to cut short the speech, when powerful winds and sheets of rain struck at a vast air base, whipping off his skullcap, shaking the stage and knocking over at least one tent. 

Though he was unable to complete the homily, Vatican officials said on Sunday that the content of his entire speech the previous evening was still valid and could be published. 

In the address, he attempted to give at the airbase of Cuatro Vientos Spanish for Four Winds the pope struck at the heart of social reforms in countries like Spain. 

"The Lord calls many people to marriage, in which a man and a woman, in becoming one flesh, find fulfilment in a profound life of communion," he told the young pilgrims. 

Thanks, Pope, for your words of wisdom.

It's clear the continued anti-gay rhetoric from Vatican leadership has inspired some locals, as a scheduled kiss-in staged by LGBT activists was prevented from even approaching the event by police.  Even more disturbingly, a volunteer for the event posted an insane death threat in La Voz Libre, urging the faithful to bring deadly chemicals with which to attack queers:

“I have hydrochloric acid and 50 bottles of benzyl bromide, with that we can make a good asphyxiating mixture. We have less than eight days to get organised, to kill queers and in the name of God. Come on mates, we need some fertilizer, I repeat we do not need money, just bring fertilizer, naptha, gunpowder or matches or a lighter will do. The only aim is to kill these dirty queers. On their anti-pope march is a good time to get them together and impale them and then burn them as queers.”

 Of course, the nutjob didn't have the acid or any of that other crap and is now claiming the statement to be a joke.

Ha.  Ha.  Ha.

A Kennewick, WA Candidate Wants To Shoot Immigrants At The Border

It's rare that you'll find a political candidate willing to proclaim straight-up murder as part of his platform, but one man running for city council in Kennewick, WA is advocating shooting undocumented immigrants at the border in order to solve the so-called "illegal immigration" problem.

Ladies and gentlemen, Loren Nichols!

If they value their lives, they would leave… 

I’m a hawk on this, but that’s how much I value America. I know that is a very drastic stand, but let me put it this way: I expect illegal invasion of our country by foreign entities to be met with deadly force. That’s how I expect to see my country protected.

He continues, courtesy of immigration reform website America's Voice:

Nichols says “This is an issue that doesn’t deal with race so I hope it’s not interpreted that way. It has to do with violation of our country.” He has also claimed to “not promoting killing anyone,” yet when a reporter from the local CBS affiliate asked him if he was in favor of immigrants receiving the death penalty simply for being discovered as undocumented, Nichols replied, “Correct.”

Far from retracting these comments, he has instead reiterated this "kill the illegals" position time and time again.  However, when asked about how to implement his plan?  "I hadn’t really thought about it yet."

Kennewick is a smallish town in rural Washington, factors that normally add up to conservative politics reigning supreme.  However, I hope these Washingtonians reject his racist invective.  Immigrants are people, yet are treated too often treated like dogs.  Can we please not shoot them like dogs?

Thanks to reader Tom T. for the tip.

Trailer Trash In The Saddest Way Possible

And now, exclusive photos of the exterior of Marcus Bachmann's counseling practice:

I jest.  Photo originally appeared on Towleroad.

The Ever-Classy NOM Hands Out Tombstone Awards To Pro-Marriage Senators

National Organization for Marriage is still really butt-hurt about the vote in New York that resulted in marriage equality for all its residents and they're making their ire known in one of the more foolish ways I've seen.  Watch out, pro-equality GOP Senators, cuz NOM is gunning for your jobs: they've started pushing a popular right-winger radio's shows "Tombstone Award" in response to four GOP Senators' vote for equality.

Doc Holliday's Tea Party issues the award weekly to designate which "actions, words, or deeds" need to be put six feet underground.  That's how the award was featured on NOM's blog.

"These four New York state senators, Jim Alesi, Roy McDonald, Steve Saland, and Mark Grisanti provided the margin of passage for the new same-sex marriage law in the state of New York. These modern day Benedict Arnold's [sic] were the four Republican votes needed to make this law pass. Their votes in Albany were completely different from the way they campaigned during their election posturing.

"Tea Party patriots around the country, beware of RINO Republicans who campaign one way and once they get elected vote the opposite way. It doesn't matter what you think of the subject of same-sex marriage, the fact is these Republicans campaigned one way and voted another. They betrayed their constituents. These modern day Benedict Arnold's should get primary opponents and be kicked out of office the next election, and their votes in the state senate should be buried six-feet beneath a tombstone."

However, the actual radio show was far more ambiguous, seeming to imply that the actual candidates were the focus of their award, not the vote.  Listen:



So have Doc Holliday and NOM unwittingly sent out a message to voters similar to Sarah Palin's gun sight imagery?  We're not going to be able to tell, exactly, until some asshole actually does up and blow away one of the pro-marriage Senators (God forbid).  However, it's pretty clear to me that gun imagery really doesn't have a place in politics, and these folks need to put their .22s away and start talking like rational human beings.

Lou Engle: Tornadoes Are Totes Cuz Of Abortion

At least it's not the gays this time.

Media Matters: The Worst Of Glenn Beck

Tonight is Glenn Beck's last show, and Media Matters celebrates with this reel of the shittiest of the bullshit we've had to put up with from him.

Georgia Kicks Out Undocumented Workers; Crops Rot In The Fields

This is such poetic justice.

The state of Georgia passed a tough immigration law, joining states across the country in deporting undocumented workers by the droves, contributing to the 800,000 immigrants that have been kicked out of the country since Obama became President.

Georgia maybe should have thought twice for one simple reason: the majority of the economy in Georgia is built around agriculture, and now that industry is hurting. Why? Because no-one is picking the crops.

"Thanks to the resulting labor shortage, Georgia farmers have been forced to leave millions of dollars’ worth of blueberries, onions, melons and other crops unharvested and rotting in the fields. It has also put state officials into something of a panic at the damage they’ve done to Georgia’s largest industry.

"Barely a month ago, you might recall, Gov. Nathan Deal welcomed the TV cameras into his office as he proudly signed HB 87 into law. Two weeks later, with farmers howling, a scrambling Deal ordered a hasty investigation into the impact of the law he had just signed, as if all this had come as quite a surprise to him.

"The results of that investigation have now been released. According to survey of 230 Georgia farmers conducted by Agriculture Commissioner Gary Black, farmers expect to need more than 11,000 workers at some point over the rest of the season, a number that probably underestimates the real need, since not every farmer in the state responded to the survey."

I would say you reap what you sow, but in this case you certainly don't.  The culture of racism in certain states has resulted in a nationwide "Keep America White" campaign and this disaster has only gone to show: discrimination based on national origin not only keeps us from making use of a talented and diverse workforce, it actually weakens our economy in ways that we cannot ignore.

Developmentally Disabled Gay Men Kicked Out Of Pool. Why? The Bible.

Hazard, Kentucky is one place you might want to skip if you're gay this summer, with one government-run recreation center feeling the heat after an incident in which two developmentally disabled gay swimmers were asked to leave.  When the employee who kicked them out was asked why the men in question were being asked to leave, the staff in question cited the Bible and stated that gays weren't allowed to swim at the facility, which is called the Pavilion.

"'The Pavilion staff immediately entered the pool area and asked my clients and their staff to leave the Pavilion,' stated Shirlyn Perkins, Executive Director of [Mending Hearts]. 'My staff asked The Pavilion staff why they were being asked to leave, and they were informed that "gay people" weren't allowed to swim there. My staff told this man that what he was trying to do was discrimination. The man stated that what he was doing was in the Bible and he could do it. My staff continued to argue with this man, but was ultimately forced to leave. My clients, whom already feel ridiculed and different, left the city owned facility crying and embarrassed for trying to participate in "normal" activities that everyday "normal" people do.'"

Holy shitballs, this takes the cake for lack of compassion and pure douchebaggery, aside from the fact that I'm pretty sure Leviticus has nothing to say on the topic of sodomites in city-owned pools.  Naturally, the Kentucky Equality Federation is suing the facility for this blatant act of discrimination.

[KEF]

Florida Requiring Drug Tests For Welfare Recipients

In a move that affects 60,000 people in the state of Florida, governor Rick Scott signed into a law a piece of legislation that would require welfare recipients to undergo a drug test-- that they have to pay for out of their own pocket.  

Rick Scott:  Doing his part to make sure poor people stay poor.

If you test positive for drugs, you would have to complete a drug abuse program in order to receive benefits, while clean applicants would be reimbursed the cost of the test.  


The ACLU, as well as poverty advocates, have criticized this legislation as an attack on poor Floridians.  Some view it as the state treating laid-off personnel like criminals, while some question whether this is a violation of privacy.

"According to the American Civil Liberties Union, the drug testing of welfare recipients is likely unconstitutional and fiscally irresponsible. A Michigan law that required welfare recipients to receive random drug testing was struck down as unconstitutional by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit in 2003. The average cost of a drug test is about $42 per person tested, not including other costs associated with administering the tests.

"Additionally, a 1996 study conducted by the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism found that welfare recipients were no more likely to use illegal drugs than the rest of the U.S. population."

Right.  Because people applying for unemployment can really afford a drug test.  Plus, who is paying for the drug abuse program?  The state, or the affected poor people?  


[TheRawStory]

GOP Rep Demands Racial Profiling In Airports

US Rep. Paul Broun (R-GA) went on Fox News Sunday to complain about political correctness in airports, saying the TSA needed to start racial profiling more in order to stop terrorists.

His proof?  He went to an airport once and saw the TSA pat down an elderly white man while allowing an "Arabian" man pass through security without inspection.  Clear evidence that the terrorists are winning.

Broun is white, and should pass through security un-groped.  That's just for brown people!

"'We have to stop this inane political correctness that’s going on,' Broun said. 'Political correctness won’t save any lives, but focusing on those that will harm us will.'"


Maybe, Paul, just maybe it's really not necessary to assume that certain individuals are going to harm us based on their attire or skin color.  Cuz, uh, we've done a lot of work to defeat racism in this country and you just might be suggesting setting back that work by harassing innocent travelers due to racial bias.  Just sayin'.


[TheRawStory]  

TX Governor Perry: Restricting Your Right To Vote

The Republicans have scored a victory in their war on your most inalienable and sacred right in American politics: the right to vote. 

Today the Governor of Texas, Rick Perry, signed into law a bill that would require you to show your photo ID in order to have your ballot counted.  The law has met with stiff resistance from the left, as demographics that typically lack photo ID (think the elderly, minority, student-age voters) tend to vote for Democrats. 

While the proponents of the bill have lauded it as important in order to restrict voter fraud, with the practically non-existent incidence of voter fraud on record this bill seems to be pretty clearly aimed at strong-arming liberal voting blocs out of the polls.   

"Democrats in Texas have been fighting these voter restrictions since Texas Republicans first proposed them in 2005. This year, however, they were unable to hold up the process thanks to an overwhelming Republican majority in the statehouse.

"Republicans have long claimed the voter restrictions were needed to prevent liberal conspiracies to steal elections. Despite these claims, no evidence has been found that would indicate an organized effort to manipulate vote outcomes in any meaningful way."

The measure is practically guaranteed to be challenged in court, and for good reason.  This sort of maneuver is a clear attempt to destroy liberal Americans' right to participate in the political process and is deeply offensive.

[TheRawStory]

TN Governor: Banning Anti-Discrimination Laws

Governor Bill Haslam signed into a law today a piece of legislation preventing Nashville from protecting LGBT employees from discrimination in the workplace.

The law addresses a city resolution that stated any company discriminating against gays and lesbians would not be able to get a contract working for Nashville.  Naturally, this is an affront to corporate America's God-given right to fire anyone they want on the basis of sexual orientation!  So the good legislators of Tennessee passed a law stating that no non-discrimination law can be stricter than the laws on the books at the state level.

This nasty pitcher of haterade was supported via lobbying efforts by the Tennessee Chamber of Commerce, of which quite a few big companies are a member, to include FedEx, AT&T, Comcast, DuPont, Pfizer, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Caterpillar, KPMG, Whirlpool, Embraer, Alcoa, and United HealthCare.

These companies appear to have felt the heat from an AmericaBLOG-driven campaign aimed at eroding support for the bill, as the Chamber of Commerce has now withdrawn their support for it and released the following statement:

“The Tennessee Chamber supports a standard regulatory environment at the state level as opposed to potentially conflicting local regulations covering employment practices. That principle was the only interest the Chamber had in this bill. Because HB600/SB632 has turned into a debate on diversity and inclusiveness—principles which we support—we are now officially opposing this legislation in its present form.

"Adopted unanimously May 23, 2011

"DEB WOOLLEY, PRESIDENT
TENNESSEE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE & INDUSTRY"

Too late, guys.  The bill has been signed, and now business is back to usual in the state of Tennessee... Want to fire someone because they're gay?  No problem!

[WSMV]

Tim Pawlenty Pardoned Serial Sex Offender So He Could Open A Child Care

Looks like yet another Republican presidential contender is going to bite the dust as information has come to light that he pardoned a sex offender in order to allow his wife to open a child care facility. 

 Tim Pawlenty: tough on sex criminals unless they marry their victims.

Jeremy Giefer served time in 1994 for statutory rape for a sexual relationship that he established with a 14 year old girl.  That girl became pregnant, Giefer married her, and evidently that makes everything "A-OK" because two years ago, Governor Pawlenty wiped Giefer's slate clean so that Giefer's now-adult wife could open a child care without hindrance.

Not many are surprised, then, that allegations are now being brought against him for raping his own daughter, the offspring of the initial sexual relationship that landed him in so much hot water years ago.

"Unlike many other states, where the governor alone is responsible for pardon decisions, Minnesota law gives the power to pardon to a board composed of the governor, the chief justice of the Supreme Court, and the attorney general. The board meets two times a year, and submits an annual report of its actions to the Legislature. All three officials must agree for a pardon to be granted.

"But while the responsibility for the decisions is shared equally by the board members, Governor Pawlenty is likely to feel most of the heat for the Giefer pardon. Pawlenty has gone to great lengths as governor to position himself as a social conservative who's tough on crime and tougher on sex criminals."


Does Giefer, now charged with 250 counts of molestation, count as the type of sex criminal Pawlenty is supposedly tough on? 

[TheBlotter]

"Dont' Say Gay" Passes TN Senate

Looks like George Takei's offer of using the word "Takei" instead of "gay" will come in handy in the state of Tennessee, with the "Don't Say Gay" bill passing in the Tennessee Senate.

"Democrats in the senate pointed out that the state already bans sexual education in elementary and middle school instruction. Sen. Andy Berke said the bill was unnecessary, and only being passed 'just to pass it,' The Tennessean reports."

From my understanding, a companion bill will need to also get passed in the TN House of Representatives in order for the bill to become law, but it is too late in the year to be introduced and will be brought up next year.

[Advocate]

International Day Against Homophobia And Transphobia

Today is the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia, and political leaders worldwide are releasing statements in support of LGBTs globally.

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton:


"In every part of the world, men and women are persecuted and attacked because of who they are or whom they love. Homophobia, transphobia and the brutal hostility associated with them are often rooted in a lack of understanding of what it actually means to be lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender (LGBT). So to combat this terrible scourge and break the cycle of fear and violence, we must work together to improve education and support those who stand up against laws that criminalize love and promote hate. As we mark the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia this May 17, let us resolve to redouble our efforts.

"On behalf of President Obama and the people of the United States, I am proud to reaffirm our support for LGBT communities at home and abroad, and to call for an end to discrimination and mistreatment of LGBT persons wherever it occurs. Whether by supporting LGBT advocates marching in Belgrade, leading the effort at the United Nations to affirm the human rights of LGBT persons, or condemning a vile law under consideration in Uganda, we are committed to our friends and allies in every region of the world who are fighting for equality and justice. These are not Western concepts; these are universal human rights.

"Despite these gains and hard work, there is more to do to turn the tide of inequality and discrimination against the LGBT community. If you are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender, know that the United States stands with you and we are unwavering in our commitment to ending this cycle of hate."

UK Foreign Office Minister Jeremy Browne:



Not every government is supporting their LGBT citizens, sadly.  Moscow city government has once again banned a gay pride rally today, in a move echoing previous politician's statements that such events are "satanic."

Rally organizers have sworn to go ahead with the demonstration anyway. 

[UKGayNews]

God Hates Sluts

On June 19, 2011, the Seattle Slutwalk kicks off at noon, starting off at Bobby Morris Playfield and marching down Pine to culminate in a rally at Westlake Center.  This creative event, organized in order to illustrate that no woman should fear rape no matter how skanky her ho stroll is, has been lauded nationwide by feminists and anti-rape activists (does it horrify anyone else that we need anti-rape activists?).  The SlutWalk website says that they were inspired by a similar event in Toronto.

I was super excited to attend– I have some leather booty shorts just dying to be worn with absolutely nothing else– but unfortunately will be out of town for a business trip.  Never fear, though guys, because it won’t just be you fine-ass sluts attending!

Westboro Baptist Church is showing up.

Slog reports that the Phelps clan, made famous for their pickets of dead soldiers and public prayers asking God to slay gay people, are taking their “God Hates Fags” sideshow to Seattle to protest the proud hos of Emerald City.

Let's hope Shirley keeps her slut gear at home.

The organizers, 18 year old Robin Sacks, Western Washington student Samuel Schimmel and Microsoft employee Jessi Murray are largely unconcerned, citing larger numbers.  After all, there are far more sluts in Seattle than bigots.

This post first appeared on Hivster.