Lesbian Teacher Attacked by Liberty Counsel is Being Taunted

Lora Jane Riedas (left) and her wife, chemistry teacher Valerie Chuchman

Photo credit: Andres Leiva, Tampa BayTimes

At Riverview High in Tampa Lora Jane Riedas, a math teacher, is a critically thinking grownup and professional. She is unlikely to make a mistake. Riedas was accused by Liberty Counsel of requiring a student to remove a cross that she was wearing. The real issue was an attempt by Liberty Counsel to put a damper on any faculty involvement in the run-up to the Day of Silence.

Marlene Sokol, a staff writer for the Tampa Bay Times has looked into this fiasco:

[According to Liberty Counsel] Riedas was forbidding students from wearing religious jewelry. Not true, she said. "I'm a Christian myself. I would never do that because I would be hurt if someone would tell me not to wear my cross," she said.

Mr. Erickson: It's unfortunate that we make you so insecure

I will not apologize for making Erick Erickson insecure. That is his problem.  Erickson is seated at the intellectual kiddies' table for good cause. He is incapable of marshaling the critical thinking skills necessary to evaluate anything more substantive than what is most superficial. Consider his blog post titled: “You Will Get Punched and Others Have Rights Too.”

You know, I’m really damn tired of all the people running around making other people extremely uncomfortable then screaming about their rights and privileges when called out. If you want to go around making people uncomfortable, you’ve got the problem, not the rest of us.

AFA Wants to be Designated a "Hate Group" Forever

Today it is American Family Association, an anti-LGBT hate group promoting transphobia. The spew is titled: “Moms complain: Man can't be a mother.” Ten days ago I wrote about village idiot Todd Starnes getting bent out of (some) shape because Dove made a commercial with a transgender mom. Maybe it is me but I fail to appreciate what possible difference it makes to their petty little sanctimonious lives if Dove uses a trans woman for a commercial. Trans people do exist and they raise children just like everyone else and that's a fact.

Brian S. Brown is now competing with himself for money-grubs

You knew this was going to happen eventually. Brown's two gigs competing for the same miserable dollar.

Wednesday, on behalf of National Organization for Marriage, Brian S. Brown informed me of “A major announcement.” I expected something like his two groups would merge. What is was was less, well … “major:”

I've got some very exciting and important news: We have just confirmed with the authorities that the 2017 March for Marriage has been officially scheduled for Saturday, June 17th in Washington, DC!

That is your BFD? Brown drones on:

Those Oppressed Conservative Christians & The Day of Dialog

Friday, April 28 is the conservative Christian Day of Dialog in public schools. DoD is organized by the Christian group Focus on the Family with assistance from the anti-LGBT hate group, Alliance Defending Freedom. Focus' project manager is Candi Cushman. To put it succinctly, Cushman is an anti-gay bigot. Day of Dialog is a response to GLSEN's anti-bullying program Day of Silence.

Focus on the Family perceives that anti-bullying programs threaten the rights of Christian students. That would only be true if Christian kids are wed to the belief that they have a right to bully their LGBT peers. Because this is a response to the Day of Silence Focus on the Family concentrates a great deal of energy on human sexuality. As they explain on the website:

Trump's tax plan is disastrous

Trump seeks to reduce corporate tax rates to 15%. I haven't seen the details but on the surface this only going to increase national debt.

Simplistic GOPers are likely to try to offset a reduction in tax revenues with decreased spending which creates a swirly down the drain.

Deficit spending is actually highly stimulative. When the government spends money it provides revenues to contractors who pay more money to more employees who patronize businesses which also pay employees and so on. Turn off the tap at the source and you can appreciate the problem.

Gay PA State Representative Calls a Bigot-Boy's Grandmother

Pennsylvania Representative Brian Sims has a certain distaste for bad behavior. The gay politician also has a sense of humor and snarkiness that I seem to recognize.

Earlier in the week, some nitwit (first name David) wrote “Nigger Faggot” on Sims' Facebook page. Sims responded:

David, I can’t tell if you’re just a really dumb little boy or an angry bigot but I know for sure that you shouldn’t have posted your grandmother’s telephone number on your Facebook page.

She and I just had a very disappointing chat about you. We’ll talk soon…

Church of England priest marries male model 54 years younger than him

The retired priest is the guy on the right

In England Philip Clements, 78, formerly a parish priest, married Florin Marin, 24. The fact that this guy is gay is irrelevant. On the surface it seems a bit creepy but I am in no position to judge anyone else's relationship. There is clearly a double standard when it comes to public criticism.  Older men marrying very young women generally get little public attention unless one of the betrothed is a celebrity.

Clements also wants to make a point:

As a priest, I want the church to think seriously about this issue and to change its teaching and rules to allow clergy as well as lay members of the church to marry someone of the same gender if that is how they feel.

I think a lot of clergy must be with partners, or wanting to be with them, but they are stopped from being themselves by the rules of the church.

Another Hate Group Leader Weighs in on That Teacher in Florida

Antonio "Anthony" Verdugo runs Florida's Christian Family Coalition (CFC). I once referred to Verdugo as a tormented dog chasing his tail. Suffice it to say that Verdugo is … unique. CFC is a Florida not-for-profit (donations are not tax deductible). But I digress.

Last night's email from Verdugo is titled: “this is bad.”

Florida school teacher discriminates against Christian students!

CFC Florida putting a stop to this discriminatory practice!

Marco Rubio has done what Trump should have done but hasn't

Tuesday, Marco Rubio denounced Chechen atrocities against gay men from the floor of the United States Senate. Ever since Rubio keynoted for Mat Staver at an event staged by John Stemberger, I have been predisposed not to like anything that he does. This is different. Rubio has taken a principled stand. He might also be trying to embarrass Trump by essentially criticizing Trump's buddy, Vladimir Putin.

Rubio said that the United States government should “do more to ensure that all people are protected and those who harm them are held responsible.”

When a hate group masquerades as a professional organization

I need to update that graphic to 2015 numbers but the point remains that the American College of Pediatricians is a minuscule Christian group. Members of what SPLC has designated a hate group are perfectly willing to set-aside modern science in favor of ancient chronicles. Their mission is to prove, through selective observation and tortured logic, that the ancient texts (which they believe are the literal word of a deity) are scientifically accurate. It is an absurd proposition.

Trans classmates seem to understand more than their parents

Alan Belmont and girlfriend Anastacia Cohen

Quoting Indianapolis channel 13:

INDIANAPOLIS (WTHR) - When Alan Belmont was named Prom King at North Central High School this weekend, he knew he was likely making school history.

17-year-old Alan Belmont is transgender.

"They announced my name, and the crowd cheered so loud and it warmed my heart so much. The whole night was full of people cheering me on so seeing that they voted for something so big was incredible," Belmont said, celebrating with his date and girlfriend, Anastacia Cohen.

Alabama Set to Frustrate Adoptions by Gay Couples

Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey

Alabama Governor Kay Ivey has on her desk House Bill 24, also known as the Alabama Child Placing Agency Inclusion Act. If she signs it into law it would permit adoption agencies to discriminate against gay couples based on their religious beliefs. It is important to understand that adoption agencies are doing the work of the state. In effect HB-24 allows the state to discriminate against gay couples.

Alabama Rep. Rich Wingo, a former professional football player and one of the two sponsors of the bill, has claimed that HB 24 is intended to protect “religious freedom” and does not target the gay community. We will need to examine the construction of Wingo's helmet from his NFL days.

Brian S. Brown is coming for your money

National Organization for Marriage is still looking for more money using the matching donor scam. I would anyone donate to an organization that has been so consistently inept? Links removed:

Many people have responded with support for our critically-important Spring Matching Fund Drive, but with just one week to go, we really need your help. Every contribution we receive between now and midnight on May 1st will be matched, dollar for dollar. Unless we hit our goal of raising $100,000 during this time, we're going to have to make drastic budget cuts. Can you help with an immediate financial contribution?

Hate group goes after lesbian teacher - UPDATED

Updated April 24 with initial reaction from the school district.

Liberty Counsel has sent a threatening letter (via email) to Jeff Eakins, Superintendent of the Hillsborough County Public Schools. Hillsborough County (population 1.2 million) includes Tampa, Florida. This is a county that voted for Hillary Clinton over Donald Trump by a margin of 52% to 45%. I have notified the responsible parties that Liberty Counsel is an anti-LGBT hate group.

At issue is math teacher, Lora Jane Riedas, who is gay. In Liberty Counsel's press release they provide this photo identified only as Riedas' partner and also a teacher. She is dressed as a nun for Halloween. I have done that myself. I stepped outside an event at the Waldorf to smoke a cigar and passersby were taking my picture. I then realized the absurdity of a nun smoking a fat cigar. But I digress. Riedas' partner is not smoking a cigar and the intent of the picture is to shame Riedas by association. It's a cheap shot but this is Liberty Counsel.

Russia Manipulates Information on Chechen Human Rights Violations

Embed from Getty Images

Ramzan Kadyrov — Head of the Chechen Republic

Russian foreign minister, Sergey Lavrov, told reporters on Monday that Russia would be concerned about any violations of human rights. However, he claims that no one has confirmed the alleged abuses by Chechen authorities against gay men. Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov has dismissed the reports of round-ups, murders, concentration camps and torture as nothing more than “provacative” which is what he told Russian Federation President Vladimir Putin.

Aww - LifeSiteNews Disapproves of a Google Ad

The notion that a gay couple have a nice home and healthy, happy children is very disturbing to the orthodox Catholics at LifeSiteNews. “Let's present that they do not exist!” Better yet, let's mis-characterize their ad and denigrate Google for showing us the reality. Steve Weatherbe's version of events is: “Google promotes same-sex ‘marriage,’ gay adoption in new ad.” Promotes? It seems to me that they are promoting a product.

According to Weatherbe:

Google is continuing its attempts to mainstream  the homosexual lifestyle with a 30-second video showing a male couple getting their photogenic children off to grade school.

Oh the horror!

Now in the Echo Chamber: Christian Site Discovers Harvard Gender Diversity Flier

This story is more about the disingenuous Christian echo chamber than gender diversity. It represents a coordinated effort to disparage LGBT people, particularly young LGBT people.

Peter Van Voorhis

According to Peter Van Voorhis at the site Campus Reform “Harvard tells students gender can 'change from day to day'.” Van Voorhis has discovered, and mischaracterized, a flier on gender diversity that was produced by Harvard's BGLTQ office. Yes, Peter, Gender is fluid and can change. Van Voorhis seems astonished to read:

Sex assigned at birth and gender identity are not necessarily the same,” the flyer begins, elaborating that anatomical characteristics may not always align with “gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, hormonal makeup, physical anatomy, and/or how one is perceived in daily life.

What is it about transgender people that scares the crap out of straight men?

The amount of angst over transgender access to facilities is notably and grossly disproportionate to their presence in the population. Trans people seem to invoke  sheer terror in some people. Conservative Christian have become quite adroit at creating panic. However, there has to be a fundamental dread for the religious fundamentalists to spark such irrational fear. It is horror really.

By contrast, homophobia is easily understood. Given that sexual orientation is a continuum most people experience some homosexual feelings from time to time. Insecure men (males in particular) in repressive cultures (such as exist in conservative Christian circles) react to those feelings with irrational anxiety. They have been told their entire lives that homosexuality is a grave sin. They react to those homosexual attractions in a manner which fiercely says “not me.” The greater the attraction, the greater the reaction. At the same time it makes them angry and resentful.

Lawsuit Attacking Plano's Nondiscrimination Ordinance is Probably DOA - UPDATED

Plano Texas “Skyline”

Greg Hatch and Laura Hatch do not state how they have been harmed by Plano, Texas' comprehensive nondiscrimination law. However, the Hatches have sued the city. They are asking a court to invalidate the law on the basis of noncompliance with the Texas Open Meeting Act. The Hatches are represented by Cleve Doty (see update, below) who is a sole general practitioner in Plano. Doty has been practicing law in Texas for about seven years. He has not represented anyone in federal court in his district and states no specialty.

Harrowing stories out of Chechnya

Vladimir Putin and Ramzan Kadyrov, Head of the Chechen Republic

The New York Times is reporting some horrific specifics about the Chechnya anti-gay pogrom. Chechen authorities are using chats to lure gays into apartments where they are then tortured. The tortured gay men reveal others who are then lured to a fake date through a chat, ostensibly with a trusted friend.

Maksim said it had started with a chat room conversation with “a very good old friend who is also gay,” and who suggested that they meet at an apartment. When Maksim arrived, however, he was greeted not by his friend but by agents who beat him. Later, they strapped him to a chair, attached electrical wires to his hands with alligator clips and began an interrogation.

“They yelled, ‘Who else do you know?’” Maksim said, and zapped him with current from time to time. “It was unbearably painful; I was hanging on with my last strength,” he added. “But I didn’t tell them anything.”

How terribly original - Anti-bullying is bullying

I hate writing about Linda Harvey of Mission: America₁. The woman has some form of personality disorder coupled with a diminished intellect. The result is an incoherent and stupefying mix of homophobia and transphobia. While her operation is a hate group she is not really a hate group leader. That would require something on a grander scale.

Enter Bob Kellogg one of the writers at American Family Association's news blog. According to the man employed by a hate group: “Avoid being bullied, walk out of schools.”

Still nothing but silence from the White House on Chechnya

On April 2 it was reported that Chechen authorities had rounded up 100 gay men and murdered three. On April 10 gays were imprisoned in concentration camps and were being systematically tortured to reveal the names of other gay men. April 13, journalists were hiding in fear for their lives for having exposed Chechnya's anti-gay pogrom. The official word from Chechnya is that it would be impossible for them to persecute gay people because there are no gay people in Chechnya. Ramzan Kadyrov, Head of the Chechen Republic, is just a thug. He also insults our intelligence.

Texas' Ken Paxton is an Expensive Accessory

Texas taxpayers are now required to pony up $600,000 in legal fees. On Wednesday, the Fifth Circuit upheld a lower court ruling granting the award to the same-sex couples who sued the state over the constitutionality of its same-sex marriage ban. You may recall that Texas AG Ken Paxton (Super-Christian himself)  frustrated marriage equality in Texas to the fullest extent possible. Protracted litigation is expensive.

Mr. Paxton knows a thing or two about protracted litigation. It seems that ultra-conservative Christians are often hypocrites — selective observers who are quite capable of fucking over other people. Paxton was indicted in July 2015 on two first-degree felony counts and one third-degree count.

Staver Loses the Roy Moore Case

Hate group leader Mat Staver writes:

Today, the Special Court of retired judges, sitting as the Alabama Supreme Court, issued its decision affirming the Court of the Judiciary's (COJ) September 30, 2016, opinion imposing a lifetime suspension for Chief Justice Roy Moore. "This opinion and the entire case against Chief Justice Moore is a tragedy. For the first time in the history of Alabama, a justice has been disciplined for issuing an Administrative Order. Under this system, no judge is safe to issue orders or render dissents. The system has to change, and politics should be removed from judicial decision making and disciplinary actions," said Mat Staver, Founder and Chairman of Liberty Counsel, which represents Chief Justice Moore.

Another ignoramus weighs in on trans kids

I don't know much about Liz Harrison, her education and experience. What I do know is that she is a blogger from Pennsylvania whose “knowledge” of trans kids comes from the American College of Pediatricians, a hate group, which she cites.

For the record:

A year later, a hate group leader attempts to whip up irrational fears

Hate Group Leader Tim Wildmon
American Family Association

By all accounts, American Family Association's boycott of Target Stores (NYSE: TGT) has been a dismal failure. Target stands by its policy regarding gender identity. As an article in the Wall Street Journal points out, Target's fourth-quarter miss was due, in part, to Southern stores in need of physical improvements with a Wal-Mart in close proximity. Rather than AFA, Target is getting squeezed by Amazon and other on-line retailers. Indeed its own on-line division showed considerable improvement, just not enough to offset performance in the stores. Target states that the boycott has had no material effect on sales or earnings. There is a substantial potential liability if that statement is untrue. “Safe harbor” protections would not apply.

Glenn Stanton via Witherspoon Institute's Pseudo-Intellectual Blog Yields a Predictable Result

Glenn T. Stanton asks: “Why Are So Many Lesbians Getting Pregnant?” The outlet for Stanton's disingenuous query is an ultra-conservative Catholic organization's blog which exists for the defense of the faith. Stanton's is a rhetorical question assuming a condition that does not really exist. Stanton isn't interested in an answer to the question that he poses. The subheading reads:

One’s sexual orientation is supposed to be locked in and unchangeable, like sex, race, or ethnicity. But high pregnancy rates among lesbians confound that narrative.

In Other Crazy Todd Starnes Says You Should Give Up Dove

Todd Starnes creates a great deal of head scratching. How did someone that abjectly stupid end up with national prominence? It simply makes no sense at all. As if to assure us all that he really is as dimwitted as we presume, Starnes writes:

Dove has launched a campaign to celebrate what they call real moms "whose diverse parenting styles shatter stereotypes about motherhood and prove that there are no rules about how to be a parent today."

In other words, giving birth is not a requirement for being a mom.

No giving birth is not a requirement for motherhood and never has been.

Lawmakers in North Carolina Have Another Brilliant Plan

According to the anti-LGBT hate group, American Family Association: “Lawmakers in North Carolina apparently are giving the Atlantic Coast Conference a taste of its own medicine.” Uh huh. They go on to explain:

H.B. 728 – filed last week in the North Carolina General Assembly – would make the state's public colleges and universities leave their athletic conferences if those leagues boycott the state. The primary sponsors of the measure are Republican State Representatives Bert Jones, Chris Millis, Mark Brody, and Jeff Collins.

The Day of Silence makes ordinary cashews stark raving mad

The unhinged and acutely dishonest Larry Tomczak has a message for parents about GLSEN's “Day of Silence” which occurs this Friday, April 21. Charisma provides an outlet for Tomczak to explain just how terrible it is to be a gay kid. He is a busy little bigot. Were he introspective he might realize that he and his ilk make the Day of Silence a necessity.

I get it. Based on ancient chronicles conservative Christians do not approve of homosexuality. This has been extended to the disapproval of gay people. The Catholic Church expects gay people to be celibate although they do operate a pray-away-the-gay enterprise that treats sexual orientation like a bad habit. I have no clue what the Southern Baptists expect of us. The very idea that there are gay kids scares the crap out of them. It is the fear of contagion. The fact that 20 times as many heterosexual teens are screwing their brains out doesn't seem to register proportionately. At least gay teens are not creating any pregnancies that Christians find so embarrassing.

Trump's picks are uniformly anti-LGBT and oxymoronic

The head of the EPA is a climate denier and the person in charge of the Department of Education favors privatization of public schools. None of Trump's choices are ever going to participate in a Pride Parade. Enter Scott Garrett, Trump's choice to lead the Import/Export Bank.

Garrett, formerly a congressman from New Jersey, said that he would not pay his dues to the Republican National Committee because it supported some gay candidates.

In 2015, from the floor of the House of Representatives, Garrett said “We have the opportunity today to keep the Export-Import Bank out of business.”

NOM is Broke Again - "Matching Donor" Scam

At what point will donors stop responding to Brian S. Brown's crucial pleas for money on behalf of National Organization for Marriage? Could this also affect fund raising efforts for his other gig, International Organization of Families/World Congress of Families? The latest email from Brown is titled: “NOM Launches Urgent Matching Fund Drive.” As I have mentioned before, matching fund pleas are dishonest. They just restructure funds that have already been committed and are not contingent upon the masses — if they exist at all. It's a contrivance. A scam.

ADF Spokesman Wants All to Know That Barronelle Stutzman is not a Bigot

Jared Dobbs is a communication specialist with a hate group, Alliance Defending Freedom. Today he writes at The Federalist: “Why Christians Object To Participating In A Same-Sex Wedding (It Isn’t Bigotry).” Right off the bat there is the amateurish demagoguery; the kind of thing that would never fly in private industry. Dobbs' subject is Washington florist Barronelle Stutzman. Stutzman did not “object” which is a state of mind. Rather, she refused which is an action. Furthermore, to suggest that Stuzman did not want to “participate” in a same-sex marriage is the product of intense arrogance. The florist is no more a participant in a wedding than the chair rental truck driver. It is an exercise in absurdism. That ADF apparently pays him to write this nonsense is an exercise in capriciousness.

Still no order on Masterpiece Cakeshop

The Supreme Court's order list for the April 13 conference neither grants nor denies certiorari for Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission. My fears that the seating of Gorsuch might cause the Court to hear this case are, at least for the moment, unfounded. Presumably this will be rescheduled for the conference of April 21. That will mark the 11th time that the case has been distributed for conference.

Hate group leader asks $25 for a book selling for $1.49

Mat Staver, leader of Liberty Counsel is hawking Mike Huckabees mind-numbing tome, God, Guns, Grits and Gravy. It can be yours for a donation of $25.00. Ironically, this “opportunity” is part of an email grope titled: “The 'Grinch' Is Trying to Steal Easter Eggs.” Staver is bitching that “Many of the top candy makers have scrubbed the word "Easter" from their advertising and packaging.” Personally, I fail to appreciate the significance. It's just goddamned candy.

I realize that I am being a bit pedantic. People are willing to contribute $25 to the hate group that is Liberty Counsel regardless of whether or not they get a book in return. However, there is a more important point. I cannot be sure that Staver wrote the following paragraph in the email, but it is telling regardless of its authorship:

What Preempting Municipal Nondiscrimination in Texas Would Look Like

Friday, Zack Ford notes that Texas has a new anti-LGBT bill in the works, something to keep us in our place. The measure, HB 2899, bans political subdivisions from enacting nondiscrimination laws protecting LGBT people and nullifies those that already exist. There are no state laws in Texas that protect people from discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity.

Dallas, Austin, Ft. Worth and Plano have comprehensive nondiscrimination ordinances covering employment, housing and public accommodation while requiring the same of city contractors. Plano's ordinance has quite a few exemptions but I am including it here for simplicity.

Those cover a population of 3 million people.

One of the NC Douchebags who Tried to Reverse Marriage Equality Thinks Lincoln Was a "Tyrant" Comparable to Hitler

There is more to Larry G. Pittman than just trying to ban same-sex marriage. On Wednesday I wrote about the three North Carolina GOPer ignoramuses (including Pittman) who were trying to reverse marriage equality. That measure was filed but died because even in North Carolina there are Republicans with sufficient intellect and sanity to realize that Supreme Court rulings are not optional.

Pittman decided to respond people who are critical of the marriage bill on Facebook:

And if Hitler had won, should the world just get over it?

Lincoln was the same sort if [sic] tyrant, and personally responsible for the deaths of over 800,000 Americans in a war that was unnecessary and unconstitutional.

The very creepy Trump Jr. demeans gay and allied youth

Donald Trump Jr. mocked LGBT students and activists at Pittsburgh’s Duquesne University. Those young people oppose the opening of Chick-fil-A restaurant on campus. Donald Trump Jr. took to twitter to call them #triggered (whatever the hell that is supposed to mean).

Luckily these students wont likely have to tackle issues more stressful than a yummy chicken sandwich in their lives... Oh Wait #triggered https://t.co/NRLtsHBSLn

— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) April 13, 2017

Liberty Counsel Loses Its Appeal of the Fairfax County School Board Case

The Virginia Supreme Court has dismissed a case brought by Liberty Counsel. Taxpayers are really the losers as this has gone on for nearly two years. Knowing Liberty Counsel, they will continue to appeal the matter to the U.S. Supreme Court. It is easy when you don't have a client containing the legal bills.

This all began in November of 2014 when the Fairfax County Virginia School Board had the temerity to add sexual orientation to its nondiscrimination policy. In May of 2015 the school board added gender identity (oh my!). Mat Staver, leader of the hate group suffered a brain explosion and sued the school board. The plaintiffs were a student at the school and Andrea Lafferty, a Virginia resident who is with Traditional Values Coalition (another anti-LGBT hate group).

Religion at Work: "Jihad" for Russian Journalist Who Uncovered Chechnya's Gay Pogrom

Elena Milashina

Novaya Gazeta journalist Elena Milashina who customarily resides in Moscow has been forced into hiding by an Islamic horde in Chechny that is out for revenge. Milashina's transgression was to reveal the round-up and murder of gay men by government forces in Chechnya.

Tony Perkins should be cheering on the Islamic extremists in Chechnya. As ultra-conservative scriptural literalists they share a common vision for a theocratic society that is subservient to religion. While there are considerable differences between Perkins' flavor of Protestantism and Muslim practices in Chechnya, the public policies that they dictate have much in common. In that regard the only difference is a Constitution in the United States that establishes a secular society.

Wife Of Pulse Nightclub Shooter Pleads Not Guilty

Noor Salman and Omar Mateen with their son

Wednesday, Noor Salman, wife of Omar Mateen, the Pulse Nightclub murderer, appeared in federal court in Orlando. Salman has been charged with aiding and abetting her husband in the attack and with lying to investigators after the June 12, 2016 shooting where her husband killed 49 people and wounded 53.

Salman is now living in her mother's home in suburban San Franciso. She initially told investigators that she knew nothing about the attack. She subsequently changed her story claiming that Mateen abused steroids, was “pumped up” on the night of the attack and said “this is the one day” as he walked out the door.

Priests Do Not Get Sexual Orientation

Father Mark Hodges

The ultra-conservative Catholics at LifeSiteNews are indifferent to medicine and science. They uncritically accept Church teachings as truth without evidence and regardless of evidence to the contrary. Consider a piece posted Wednesday titled: “New Mexico bans therapy for minors with unwanted gay attractions. The piece is written by Orthodox priest Mark Hodges.

“Unwanted gay attractions” is comparable to, and just as ridiculous, as writing “unwanted brown eyes.” These people are not stupid. They are just not critical thinkers. According to Hodges' “logic:”

New Mexico has become the sixth state to criminalize any professional counseling that helps minors overcome unwanted feelings of same-sex attraction.

NC GOP Leader: Bill Outlawing Same-Sex Marriage Will Not Be Considered

Apparently there is some sanity in North Carolina. Perhaps it is just a realization that Supreme Court ruling are not optional. As the AP reports:

House Speaker Tim Moore of Kings Mountain said in a statement Wednesday that the bill introduced this week won't be considered because the nation's highest court “has firmly ruled on the issue.”

I will give him some credit for simply knowing that Obergefell v. Hodges was a decision by the Supreme Court. However, I must question if he thinks that some rulings by the Court are not “firm.” Oh well, it is North Carolina after all.

In Tunisia Doctors Oppose Forced Anal Exams to Test for Homosexuality

According to 19th century folklore an anal examination will reveal whether someone has had anal sex. Using their fingers or foreign objects the examiner assesses the tone of the sphincter muscle and the shape of the anus and then makes a determination. This is all less scientific than astrology.

Tunisia is among a number of countries that still utilize this humiliating and torturous examination. However, the country's doctors are trying to put a halt to the practice. The National Council for the Medical Order of Tunisia has issued a statement calling upon physicians to halt forced anal and genital examinations. The organization asserts that doctors must inform potential victims that they have a constitutional right to refuse the examination.

North Carolina GOPers are Now Trying to Reverse Marriage Equality

North Carolina Representatives (L to R) Carl Ford
Michael Speciale and Larry G. Pittman

The North Carolina legislature is determined to put LGBT citizens “in their place.” On Tuesday, three GOP lawmakers introduced a bill that bans same-sex marriage and decertifies those that have taken place.

According to House Bill 780, the “Uphold Historical Marriage Act” the Supreme Court “overstepped its constitutional bounds” in its 2015 ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges which effected national same-sex marriage. It is the usual Tea Party “Tenther” nonsense:

Facebook Issue Resolved

For a few days people were unable to post links from here to there. After a few complaints Facebook decided that this amphibian wasn't a security threat after all. BTW, if your friend request is outstanding don't be offended. I loathe Facebook and have over 100 outstanding messages. One of these days …

IFI's Laurie Higgins Makes Me Retch

“Higgins wants children to ‘learn’ that their gay classmates are diseased little perverts and then she claims that anti-bullying programs are unnecessary.”

Hate groups converge. American Family Association's “news” blog is promoting content from Laurie Higgins of Illinois Family Institute. The post is titled: “Activist: You don't need GLSEN to oppose bullying” by Bob Kellogg. Kellogg explains:

A pro-family leader is once again warning parents about the annual GLSEN-sponsored "Day of Silence" taking place next week in thousands of schools across the U.S.

The Gay and Lesbian Straight Education Network's observance supposedly protests bullying in schools. "[It] helps bring us closer to making anti-LGBT bullying, harassment, and name-calling unacceptable in U.S. schools," says the event website.

Hate Group "Reinvests" in Target Boycott

American Family Association continues to hawk its opprobrium of Target Stores for having publicized its policies regarding gender-appropriate dressing rooms and restrooms. These policies have been in place for a decade or more. Target's “transgression” was making their policy known to the Public. In an email Tuesday, the hate group's leader, Tim Wildmon, asks: “Will you share this with just one person?” Wildmon goes on to write:

We are VERY close to reaching the 1.5 million signature goal on the Target boycott. Your help is critical as we approach the one-year anniversary since we launched the boycott.

Trumpcare 2.0 will exclude preexisting condition coverage

The state of healthcare in America could be decided by the most overrated intellect in our government, that of Speaker of the House Paul Ryan. Ryan, who has the best health insurance money can buy (at taxpayers' expense), isn't interested in solving real problems. Ryan is an ideologue with Ayn Rand inspired fantasies.

The Tea Party fetishists do not like the mandate and they do not like the fact that their constituents cannot purchase substandard policies. Apparently they want the freedom to get sick and die without adequate coverage. If the mandate is removed or, if insurance companies are able to offer catastrophic-only coverage, then covering preexisting conditions becomes impossible. The mandate ensures that people do not buy insurance only when they need it. Similarly, substandard policies are a form of insurance only when necessary because the coverage is limited.