Gay Men To That!!

Trump's super spreader events are deadly!! Science proves it. This is criminal behavior.  Via The Washington Post:  A new study from Stanford University estimates that 18 of Trump’s recent large-scale campaign rallies ultimately resulted in 30,000 confirmed cases of the coronavirus and probably led to more than 700 deaths among attendees and others infected by them. The study, released Friday by Stanford economics professor B. Douglas Bernheim and three doctoral students, examined rallies staged by Trump between June 20 and Sept. 30 and looked at the trajectory of cases in the counties in which they were held. Trump’s campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the study’s findings. During the closing weeks of the campaign, Trump has touted his ability to draw large crowds and mocked Biden for holding “drive-in” events with far fewer attendees. Read the full story here. 

  Via 2ser.com Via CNN: History will likely remember us mostly for opposing each other in Obergefell v. Hodges, the landmark 2015 US Supreme Court case that ultimately granted marriage equality to all Americans. Then, we were on opposite sides in a case that made national news. One of us is a lifelong Democrat, the other a lifelong Republican. Jim Obergefell and Richard Hodges   But in the more than five years since our case, we have found each other in the middle and have become friends -- something that politicians in Washington DC used to do. Our political differences do not change our friendship because we both believe that the other deserves dignity and respect.  Like many SCOTUS decisions pertaining to marginalized groups, our case recognized that same-sex couples were entitled to the freedom and equal dignity of marriage and "would pose no risk of harm to themselves or third parties." And, according to a new survey, 70% of Americans think doing so was a good i...

                                             Former Trump campaign official Jessica Denson (Screen cap) Via Raw Story: On CNN Wednesday, Jessica Denson, the former coordinator of the Trump 2016 campaign’s Hispanic outreach who starred in a recent ad for Joe Biden, opened up about how she was taken in by the Trump campaign — and why he must be defeated. “My motive to go and help that campaign and be of service to the American people was sabotaged, and I’ve seen my experience repeated in the experience of one public servant after another over the past four years,” said Denson, who spearheaded a lawsuit to free former Trump campaign officials from nondisclosure agreements. “I have seen that this campaign continues to go out brandishing a Bible and an American flag and claiming that they have anything to do with freedom, but I’ve lived first-hand that they have nothing to do wi...

Yes, this happened. The White House released a statement of accomplishments for Trump's first (and only, hopefully) term. Included is the statement that Trump has ended the Covid Pandemic.  Via The Hill: The White House science office listed "ending the COVID-19 pandemic" as the top accomplishment of President Trump's first term, even as the U.S. has set records for new daily infections and numerous hospitals across the country are stretched to their breaking points. According to a press release intended to highlight the administration's science accomplishments, the Trump administration said it "has taken decisive actions to engage scientists and health professionals in academia, industry, and government to understand, treat, and defeat the disease." The rosy outlook flies in the face of reality and underscores Trump's efforts to continuously downplay the severity of the pandemic that continues to rage nearly uncontrolled across the country.  As of T...

President Donald Trump, Vice President Mike Pence, White House Coronavirus Task Force held a press conference March 16, 2020. (WDIV) It didn't have to be this bad! The failure of the White House to act properly during the pandemic led to so much death and economic destruction. It should be criminal!! Via  Daily Beast: A new report from Columbia University on COVID-19 deaths estimates that hundreds of thousands of Americans died because the United States’ response to the pandemic was an “abject failure,” particularly the actions of President Donald Trump. With an adequate response, the United States could have avoided tens of thousands of deaths and an incalculable amount of suffering, the researchers said. Dr. Irwin Redlener, the lead author on the study and the founding director of the National Center for Disaster Preparedness, laid the blame at the feet of the White House in an interview with The Daily Beast: “We believe that this was a monumental, lethal screwup by an administra...

Pope Francis waves to faithful. Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2020. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia) This is a huge deal! And, right after the Amy Coney Barrett hearings.  Via AP News: ROME (AP) — Pope Francis endorsed same-sex civil unions for the first time as pope while being interviewed for the feature-length documentary “Francesco,” which premiered Wednesday at the Rome Film Festival. The papal thumbs-up came midway through the film that delves into issues Francis cares about most, including the environment, poverty, migration, racial and income inequality, and the people most affected by discrimination. “Homosexual people have the right to be in a family. They are children of God,” Francis said in one of his sit-down interviews for the film. “What we have to have is a civil union law; that way they are legally covered.” While serving as archbishop of Buenos Aires, Francis endorsed civil unions for gay couples as an alternative to same-sex marriages. However, he had never come out publicly in...

Texas Governor Greg Abbott This is what happens when the GOP is in power. Their cruelty is on full display!!  Via Yahoo News: Texas social workers can now turn away LGBTQ clients and those with a disability. The state Board of Social Work Examiners voted unanimously to change a section of its code of conduct last week following a recommendation from Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican, to remove protections for sexual orientation, gender identity and disability. Abbott’s office said the change was suggested because the board’s nondiscrimination clause went beyond the state’s policy on social work, according to The Associated Press. “It’s not surprising that a board would align its rules with statutes passed by the Legislature,” Renae Eze, a spokeswoman for Abbott’s office, said. Officials and the state Board of Social Work Examiners is now facing backlash for the decision, with some advocacy and professional organizations saying it could put already vulnerable disabled and LGBTQ people ...

  Kenneth Felts and his daughter, Rebecca Mayes via Facebook Via Queerty: Bio: Born in Missouri, Kenneth Felts grew up moving all over America courtesy of his father’s railroad job. When he reached adulthood, Felts settled in Colorado where he took a counseling job with the Colorado Division of Rehabilitation. Along the way, he married, had a daughter named Rebecca, and divorced. Now long since retired, Felts enjoys tending his garden and hanging out with his family, especially his grandchildren. Earlier this year, the COVID-19 pandemic stymied Felts’ social life, so he began writing his memoirs. It was then that he had to face a lifelong secret. ...Felts kept the secret hidden from everyone, including his own daughter, who came out as a lesbian herself. Then this June, Felts happened to mention his love affair with a man named Phillip to Rebecca. He confessed that he regretted ever leaving Phillip, as the two had fallen madly in love. At the time, however, Felts thought it wiser ...

Gina Ortiz Jones, Mondaire Jones, and Sarah McBride. AP; Mondaire For Congress This is amazing! More and more LGBT candidates are running for office. So important that we get more and more representation!!!  Via NBC News: More lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer candidates will appear on ballots across the country this November than ever before, according to a new report from the LGBTQ Victory Fund, a group that trains, supports and advocates for queer candidates. These candidates are also more racially diverse than in past election cycles, according to the findings. “A historic number of openly LGBTQ people are running for office this year and we have the opportunity to elect an unprecedented number on Election Day,” former Houston Mayor Annise Parker, president and CEO of the LGBTQ Victory Fund, said in a statement. “While LGBTQ candidates are significantly more diverse than U.S. candidates overall, we must continue to break down the barriers LGBTQ people of color, wome...

Demetrius Freeman / Pool via AP This is another reason why the Supreme Court Nominee should be disqualified for the appointment.  Via CNN: Judge Amy Coney Barrett failed to disclose two talks she gave in 2013 hosted by two anti-abortion student groups on paperwork provided to the Senate ahead of her confirmation hearing to become the next Supreme Court justice. Barrett, President Donald Trump's nominee to succeed Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, gave the talks -- a lecture and a seminar -- in 2013 in her capacity as a law professor at the University of Notre Dame. The seminar was co-sponsored by the school's Right to Life club and constitutional studies minor, and the lecture was held by the law school's Jus Vitae club. CNN's KFile found advertisements for two lectures on social media and in a weekly Notre Dame faculty newsletter. It is not known what was said in the two events, though both centered on abortion court cases. In a separate instance, CNN's KFile found a pu...

  Photos: Pussy Riot/Facebook Russia has become a very dangerous place for the LGBTQ community.  Via Queerty: Rock band Pussy Riot marked President Vladimir Putin’s 68th birthday by placing rainbow flags on five Government buildings in Moscow yesterday. The Russian President has spoken out against LGBTQ rights, saying he doesn’t believe they align with traditional Russian values. He also oversaw the introduction of an anti-gay propaganda law in 2013. This bans the promotion of “non-traditional” sexual relations to minors. It has been used to ban Pride marches and any positive gay representation in the media. Yesterday, to mark his birthday, Pussy Riot placed the pride flags on five government buildings, including the Russian Supreme Court and the Ministry of Culture.

Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer If you remember, on April 17th, Trump tweeted a message about liberating Michigan after the Governor issued a Covid lockdown order.  LIBERATE MICHIGAN! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 17, 2020 Via The Detroit News: The FBI says it thwarted what it described as a plot to violently overthrow the government and kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, and federal prosecutors are expected to discuss the alleged conspiracy later Thursday. The alleged plot involved reaching out to members of a Michigan militia, according to a federal affidavit filed Thursday.  The court filing also alleges the conspirators twice conducted surveillance at Whitmer's vacation home and discussed kidnapping her to a remote location in Wisconsin to stand "trial" for treason prior to the Nov. 3 election. "Several members talked about murdering 'tyrants' or 'taking' a sitting governor," an FBI agent wrote in the affidavit. "The...

 And, it's everything we need right now!! One of his best, by far!! I dreamed a dream they let me moderate the presidential debate. And you were there, @PattiLuPone … #IfDonaldGotFired 🎶 pic.twitter.com/B9C7tMEnKN — Randy Rainbow (@RandyRainbow) October 7, 2020

Wow! This is a HUGE move by Facebook!! Now that QAnon is basically being mainstreamed by the GOP!! Via NBC News: Facebook said Tuesday that it is banning all QAnon accounts from its platforms, a significant escalation over its previous actions and one of the broadest rules the social media giant has put in place in its history. Facebook said the change is an update on the policy it created in August that initially only removed accounts related to the QAnon conspiracy theory that discussed violence, which resulted in the termination of 1,500 pages, groups and profiles. A company spokesperson said the enforcement, which started Tuesday, will “bring to parity what we’ve been doing on other pieces of policy with regard to militarized social movements,” such as militia and terror groups that repeatedly call for violence. “Starting today, we will remove Facebook Pages, Groups and Instagram accounts for representing QAnon. We’re starting to enforce this updated policy today and are removing c...

CNN file photo: Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf  No. Not Antifa. Not Black Lives Matter. It is white supremacists who are the greatest terror threat in the U.S. So says a Department of Homeland Security report.  Via CNN: White supremacist extremists will remain the deadliest domestic terror threat to the United States, according to the Department of Homeland Security's first annual homeland threat assessment, which details a range of threats from election interference to unprecedented storms. Since 2018, White supremacists have conducted more lethal attacks in the US than any other domestic extremist movement, demonstrating a "longstanding intent" to target racial and religious minorities, members of the LGBTQ+ community, politicians and those they believe promote multi-culturalism and globalization, according to the report. "As Secretary, I am concerned about any form of violent extremism," wrote acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf. "...

Watching Trump's release from Walter Reed Hospital and his photo op moment on his balcony, you can clearly see him gasping for air and, at points, wincing in pain. I am not of the believe that he is faking this disease. You can see it having a huge affect on his breathing.  Via Towle Road : In videos shot after Donald Trump returned to the White House from Walter Reed Medical Center but before he shot (the helicopter is still there) last night’s propaganda video, the president appears out of breath and in some pain, suggesting his “domination” of the virus isn’t all he cracked it up to be. Shortly after these clips were posted, #GaspingForAir trended on Twitter. Trump appears to be wincing in pain while he breathes pic.twitter.com/YKhGhu0VN0 — Brennan Murphy (@brenonade) October 5, 2020

(AFP / Olivier DOULIERY) Due to the incompetence of top White House staff in protecting themselves and their coworkers, the White House press room is closed. Via Raw Story: The “lights are off” and no one’s staffing the White House press office after multiple officials have tested positive for the coronavirus. Press secretary Kayleigh McEnany and two of her deputies, Chad Gilmartin and Karoline Leavitt, have tested positive for COVID-19 since President Donald Trump announced his own infection, and CNN’s Kaitlan Collins said that had cut into operations. “My colleague Jim Acosta just went by the area that reporters like us have access to in the White House,” Collins said. “Very few staffers are there, lights are off and it goes to show you how prevalent it is inside the West Wing. We should note it came 24 hours after staffers got an email yesterday telling them if they had symptoms or anything like that to stay home, and said if they develop symptoms, they should not contact the White ...

  Pastor John Hagee (Photos courtesy Cornerstone Church) The 80 year old Mega-Church Pastor has been a foe of gay rights for decades.  Via CBS Austin: John Hagee, 80, founder and senior pastor of Cornerstone Church has reportedly been diagnosed with the coronavirus. Hagee’s son, Matt made the announcement Sunday morning during a livestreamed service on Facebook, saying doctors informed them Friday of the diagnosis. “Pastor Hagee has been diligent throughout this entire COVID pandemic to monitor his health. And this past Friday, he was informed by his doctors that he did test positive for COVID,” Matt Hagee said. “It was one, discovered very early and two, his medical team has him under watchful care and three, he’s feeling well enough to be frustrated by anyone in a white coat with a stethoscope.” This via JoeMyGod:  In 2005 Hagee called Hurricane Katrina “the judgment of God” over New Orleans’ Southern Decadence festival. He last appeared on JMG when he declared that “at...

  Chris Wallace and others working for Fox News were potentially exposed on the night of the Cleveland debate.Credit...Pool photo by Olivier Douliery Via The New York Times : A son of Rupert Murdoch and some of the biggest stars at Fox News were potentially exposed to the coronavirus after attending Tuesday’s presidential debate in Cleveland, and the network is planning for its anchors, reporters and staff to be tested out of an abundance of caution, according to a person familiar with its plans. Lachlan Murdoch, executive chairman of the Fox Corporation, led a toast to Chris Wallace, the “Fox News Sunday” anchor who moderated the debate, at a Cleveland airport after the event. The gathering included two of the channel’s news anchors, Bret Baier and Martha MacCallum, along with the chief executive of Fox News Media, Suzanne Scott, and its president, Jay Wallace.

photo credit: REUTERS Trump knew that his Aid Hope Hicks had tested positive for Covid and that he was exposed to the virus. He still decided to attend a fundraiser and took no precautions.  Via CNBC: Republican donors who attended President Donald Trump’s fundraiser at his Bedminster, New Jersey, golf club are panicking after being around the commander in chief hours before he announced that he was infected with the coronavirus. GOP donors have been reaching out to Trump campaign and GOP officials for any guidance following the event, according to a person briefed on the matter. “The donors have been texting and calling. Freaking out,” the person with direct knowledge said. This person declined to be named as the conversations were deemed private.  Trump’s campaign, as of Friday morning, has not sent out any official guidance to many of the donors involved with the event. After publication of this article, donors who attended the gathering were sent an email with an 11:18 a.m...

President Trump returned to Washington from a fund-raiser at his golf club in New Jersey on Thursday.Credit...Erin Schaff/The New York Times  In a way, Trump has always been "Patient Zero" Via New York Times: President Trump is showing symptoms of the novel coronavirus, but mild ones, according to two people familiar with his condition. The president, who said on Thursday night that he had tested positive for the virus, has had what one person described as coldlike symptoms. At a fund-raiser he attended at his golf club at Bedminster, N.J., on Thursday, where one attendee said the president came in contact with about 100 people, he seemed lethargic. A person briefed on the matter said that Mr. Trump fell asleep at one point on Air Force One on the way back from a rally in Minnesota on Wednesday night. A White House official said that as of Thursday night, the president’s treatment plan was still being discussed. So was a possible national address or a videotaped statement fro...

Gov. Greg Abbott  Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune During a Pandemic, Texas Gov. Abbott is making it more difficult for voters to drop off completed ballots. This is a desperate attempt to suppress votes in a State that is quickly becoming "purple". Via The Austin American Statesman : Gov. Greg Abbott issued an order Thursday requiring counties to close multiple locations where voters can drop off completed mail-in ballots. As an election security measure, counties will be limited to one dropoff site where poll watchers — designated by political parties and candidates — must be allowed to observe ballot deliveries by voters, Abbott said. The new order takes effect Friday and modifies Abbott’s July 27 order that acknowledged the pandemic’s danger by adding six days of early voting and waiving a state law that limits mail-in ballot dropoff to Election Day only. Democrats blasted the move as a thinly veiled effort to suppress votes in a tight election. “Republicans...

Bishop John Barres of the Diocese of Rockville Centre (AP Photo/Frank Eltman, File) I grew up in this Diocese. I hope all the victims find peace and the justice/compensation they deserve!! Via AP: ROCKVILLE CENTRE, N.Y. (AP) — A Roman Catholic diocese in New York City’s suburbs has become the largest in the U.S. to declare bankruptcy to protect itself from a wave of lawsuits filed over past sexual abuse by clergy members. The Diocese of Rockville Centre filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection Thursday. It is the eighth largest diocese or archdiocese in the U.S., serving more than 1.4 million Catholics on Long Island. “The financial burden of the litigation has been severe and only compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic,” Bishop John Barres said in a video posted on the diocese’s website. “Our goal is to make sure that all clergy sexual abuse survivors and not just a few who were first to file lawsuits are afforded just and equitable compensation.” More than 200 lawsuits alleging se...