Bachmann Trashes Whoopi, Begs For Money

Ok, I get the whole "political campaigns have to run on donor money" thing but this most recent solicitation for donations from Michele Bachmann screams "greedy and/or desperate."

Whoopi Goldberg recently derided Bachmann's decision to sign the Family Leader's marriage pledge while on The View, and the looneytoons presidential candidate used the opportunity to claim victimization at the hands of "Hollywood liberals," all in order to raise some cash for her campaign.  Alvin from Holy Bullies and Headless Monsters posted the text of her letter to potential donors:

"Concerned Fellow Conservative,

"Looks like the Democrats have sounded their alarms in Hollywood.

"The Hollywood elite have been on the attack this week, falsely berating our campaign for President and our supporters.

"On Tuesday, while on The View, Whoopi Goldberg spewed senseless accusations aimed at our campaign. Her comments were not only incorrect, but wrongly attacked my stance on single parents. As the daughter of a single parent, I learned firsthand the difficulties of growing up with one parent. However, it was from my strong and independent mother I learned when the going gets tough, the tough get going.

"In order to show Whoopi, we won’t stand for her attacks, I have set a goal to raise $40,000 in the next 24 hours. Please follow this link right away to chip in $25, $50 or even $100 to help me reach my goal of $40,000 by tomorrow.

"I am proud of my record and I refuse to allow liberals like Whoopi Goldberg to bully our campaign. This is yet another example of how the liberal Democrat establishment has put a target on my campaign for defeat. They'll say and do anything. The comments from Whoopi Goldberg have hit a new low and I must have the resources to defend myself and fight back.

"Liberals across the country believe if they defeat our campaign, the Tea Party movement will be eliminated. I need your support to defend myself and our shared constitutional values right away.

"I won't back down and today, I need to know you stand with me. To accomplish my goal of $40,000 in 24 hours, I'm relying on friends and supporters like you to step up to the plate to help me today. Please follow this secure link to make your donation of $25, $35, $50 or more.

"I'm reaching out to you for help because the liberal media credits me with being an undaunted conservative who routinely leads the opposition to President Obama. That's why the radical supporters of President Obama's agenda are so committed to defeating me.

"The Hollywood liberals believe if they attack my campaign, they have a shot at defeating me and dismantling the Tea Party movement. Your immediate donation will send a strong message to Hollywood, that we are not going anywhere. That's why any amount you can donate to my campaign today - up to the $2,500 legal limit - is appreciated.

"I look forward to your immediate response and I thank you once more for your friendship and support.

"Sincerely,

"Michele Bachmann

"P.S. As the big name liberals continue to come out of the woodwork to attack our campaign, I need your support. I ask that you make a generous donation of any amount you can afford to help me fight back against the millions of dollars liberals are flooding into Obama’s bank account. Can I count on your donation of $25, $50, $100 or even $250 today? Your support - no matter the size - makes a big difference. Please follow this link to make a donation today. Thank you."

Let's play the Michele Bachmann Talking Points Drinking Game.  It's simple!  Take a drink every time she says the following words:

1.  Liberal

2.  Constitution

3.  Any dollar amount

Take two drinks when:

1.  Crazy eyes paints herself as a victim of the liberal elite.

2.  She sounds desperate.  I can't help but think she sounds like a panhandler begging for spare change to buy cheap hooch at the corner store.

The score this time: 36 drinks.  Damn.  This campaign is gonna be hard on my liver.

Portland Trailblazers, Will You Join The Crowd Of Non-Haterz?

A new petition is making its rounds on the Change.org website, asking the Portland Trailblazers to join other professional sports teams to join the ranks of athletes supporting gay youth by making an It Gets Better video.

"Within the last few months 5 MLB teams have made a video for the It Gets Better campaign to benefit the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) community. These 5 teams have spoken out against bullying and hatred in our society. The Giants became the first professional sports team to make a video for the campaign.

"The Blazers should set an example for the rest of the NBA by being the first team to make an 'It Gets Better' video. The It Gets Better campaign started last fall following the alarming number of gay teen suicides around the country. The 'It Gets Better Project' is a website and organization dedicated to helping 'young people who are lesbian, gay, bi or transexual see how love and happiness can be a reality in their future.'

"Portland is a city that embraces its LGBT community with open arms. We also love our Blazers! It's this organizations' responsibility to its fans to continue fostering a record of community service by taking it to a new level in the NBA. Sign this petition to let the Blazers know that you're a fan and that you want to see them make an 'It Gets Better' video."

The 'Blazers have historically been a stinker of a team, but their recent athletic successes have generated a renewed interest in Oregon's biggest professional sports team.  What with the seeming rash of anti-gay ignorance and bias in Stumptown, now might be the perfect time for the 'Blazers to show their support for queer youth.

Visit the link below to sign the petition.

[Change.org]

Poor David Tyree

This poor guy!  Two days ago we reported on David Tyree delivering a 63,000 signature petition to the NY Senate in order to persuade them to vote "no" on marriage equality.  Even though it appears his efforts may be in vain, Tyree (who, though I don't know anything about sports but I hear was a mediocre player) took his bullshit show on America's Nightly Scoreboard on FOX Business channel in order to tell America "I don't want my kids to think homosexuals are normal."

"If I have my child at a public school and I'm totally against same-sex or homosexuality, now they have the right to teach my child that this is something normal, or true."



You goofball!  Unfortunately for you, America more and more believes that gays are normal, and you would be doing your children a disservice to teach them otherwise.

Anti-Gay Ex-Football Star Delivers Petition To Halt Marriage Equality

David Tyree has joined the ranks of famous douchebags in the discussion about same-sex marriage in New York State, braving the packed capitol building in Albany in order to deliver a 63,000 signature strong petition demanding state Senators vote "no" on the widely publicized measure.

The bill has necessitated strong lobbying efforts by Governor Cuomo and thus far those efforts seem to be succeeding, with just one vote left before victory for LGBT rights is assured.  A gigantic rally was held today in Albany, with both sides present.  Scott Wooledge from the DailyKos Tweeted this particularly memorable quote from the scene:

"Senator Tom Duane: 'It's never been about if, it's that we need the when to be NOW. [Crowd chants loudly, NOW! NOW! NOW!]"

Of course, there was opposition:

"Protesters against same-sex marriage on Monday sang hymns like 'Victory is Mine,' chanted 'God says no,' and held signs like 'Marriage = 1 Man + 1 Woman.' Some clustered in small prayer circles to pray for the rejection of the gay marriage bill in New York.

"Former New York Giants wide receiver David Tyree also joined the demonstration at the Capitol Monday and lent his star power to the fight against gay marriage in New York. The Super Bowl XLII football champion helped hand-deliver 63,000 petitions against same-sex marriage to Senate Republicans."

I'm fond of commenting on straight allies in the athletic world, so it saddens me a bit to see that Tyree has chosen to come down on the side of bigotry.  Dear David: I hope you are on the losing side, and that you come to regret being so when you see the positive change marriage equality will bring to your state.

UPDATE:

Elizabeth Hasselbeck defends Tyree's backward BS:

Lawsuit Brings To Light Discrimination Against Bisexual Softball Players

One of my pet peeves is the transphobia and biphobia that can rear its ugly head within the gay community.  One unfortunate example is the case of D2, a gay softball team that had placed second in the Gay World Series of 2010.

After a stellar playing season, the North American Gay Amateur Athletic Alliance stripped the team of it's standing, not based on any lack of merit regarding their playing, but instead citing regulations that stipulate only two non-gay athletes may be on a team in the alliance.  D2's violation?  Three self-self identified bisexual men were on the team.

"The three plaintiffs — Steven Apilado, LaRon Charles and Jon Russ — played on a team called D2 that qualified for the 2008 Gay Softball World Series, which is organized by the alliance.

"The alliance's rules say that each World Series team can have no more than two heterosexual players. According to the lawsuit, a competing team accused D2 of violating that rule.

"Each of the three plaintiffs was called into a conference room in front of more than 25 people, and was asked 'personal and intrusive questions' about his sexual attractions and desires, purportedly to determine if the player was heterosexual or gay, the lawsuit alleges. The alliance has no category or definition for bisexual or transgender people in its rules, the plaintiff's attorney said.

"At one point during the proceedings, the lawsuit alleges, one of the plaintiffs was told: 'This is the Gay World Series, not the Bisexual World Series.'"

This week, the alliance filed a motion of dismissal, which was refused by the judge overseeing the case.  The judge allowed the rule against too many straight players to stay in place, while deciding to continue with an August 1st court date for a trial to determine if the alliance violated statutes protecting bisexuals within the state of Washington.  

It's a common complaint amongst bisexual individuals that they are discriminated against in any community-- both straight and gay-- and this is just another example of insidious biphobia.  While the North American Gay Amateur Athletic Alliance is a private organization and can probably pick and choose who they allow to play with them, what sort of mean spirited motivations were present in that body to decide that "bisexual" just isn't gay enough?

Kobe Bryant Issues PSA, Ted Nugent Could Probably Use a Valium

Kobe Bryant and the LA Lakers have made a PSA on the subject of slurs and respect.  There is as yet no word on where/when it will be aired.

"There are all kinds of different people in the world. That's what makes the world special. So whether someone is different than you in race, ethnicity, political beliefs, religion ... or sexual orientation ... Words could be hurtful. Replace them with understanding, compassion and acceptance. Let's make this a better world for all of us. Because we're all in this together."



Washed-up singer Ted Nugent got all persnickety about the whole thing and barfed up his own two cents to the Washington Times:

"If the NBA had any true gay convictions, the NBA should host a Homosexual Night. During halftime, the homosexuals could come down on the court, hold hands and prance around the court to music by the Village People. The NBA could then give each homosexual a pink basketball as a symbol of solidarity. Like other professional athletes, numerous NBA players have done all kinds of things on and off the court that do not cast a positive light on themselves or the NBA, but they have not been fined $100,000 by the league. Homosexuals are a protected class in America. If you think what happened to Mr. Bryant was a travesty, just wait until you see what homosexuals in the military do when they claim they have been mistreated because of their sexual orientation."

You know, that wouldn't be half bad.  I want my pink basketball!

Ben Cohen Has Something to Say to Kobe

Kobe Bryant really stuck his shoe in it the other night.  After receiving a technical foul, he tossed his towel to the floor and called the referee a "fucking fag."  Well, it was caught on camera (at the :33 mark) and people got PISSED.



He since released a statement that, while not quite an apology, explained he didn't mean it as a slight to LGBT people and he hopes no-one was offended.

Here's a clue, Kobe:  Fag is an offensive word.  People WILL get offended, and you just shouldn't use it.

Ben Cohen, international rugby star, agrees.

"It is disappointing to see this.  As a professional athlete and rugby World Cup champion, I understand the heat and passion of competition at the highest levels.  But we must all remember that strong bodies must be balanced with strong characters, and work toward that end. Our positions as role models demand it."

Plus he's cute.  See?  See what I mean?  If you love the gays you get cuter.  I think this is a great quote-- more athletes could better benefit by working on having a stronger character.  Don't make me sic Matthew Mitcham on your ass, Kobe!

[HRCBackstory]