“All the stuff, I am against.”

Nevada voter named Barbara speaks to CBS News (screen grab).

Nevada voter named Barbara speaks to CBS News (screen grab).

Following the third presidential debate, Face the Nation host John Dickerson spoke to a group of voters in Nevada about why they supported either Trump or Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton.

A voter named Barbara explained that she was motivated to support Trump because “morality and values” were important to her.

“Based on what the country was based on,” she said. “I think that the laws that Obama has passed, the way the country has — I call it down turning. Some of the other people are proud of it and happy for it. I personally am against it, the homosexuals, the abortions. All the stuff, I am against.”

“When Donald Trump says ‘Make American Great Again,’ is that what you hear?” Dickerson wondered. “That it’s going to go back to before the time that you’re now describing?”

“That’s part of it,” Barbara agreed.

No, Barbara, morality and values aren’t important to you in the least. You wouldn’t know morals, values, or ethics if they leaped up and bit your nose. What is important to you? The need to control, dominate, and oppress others. The need to be sitting on top of the people heap. The need to be a judgmental asshole, pointing a finger in accusation and screaming about prayer. People like yourself Barbara, have this awful sadistic need to stomp all over other people you perceive as lesser, giving them the convenient label of sinner. You dream of an America that never was, like most ignorant white asses. I have a bit of news for you, Barbara – all your stuff, I am against. I suggest you run and hide, because all the liberal, queer, and thinking people, they are coming to get you, Barbara.

Full story here.

Sunday Facepalm.

Facebook has done it again, in their ongoing mania regarding [female] breasts, and those oh-so-forbidden nipples. Cancerfonden, a Swedish cancer charity, posted an animated video, showing how to perform breast exams. This is very important knowledge, and it is something everyone should know, as well as do. When it comes to something like breast exams, pamphlets aren’t always the best way of instruction, especially compared to video. A video can be viewed privately, and played as many times as needed. Well, unfortunately for Cancerfonden, the nipple nazis of facebook wouldn’t allow it. As per usual, it took a very long time for Cancerfonden to get through to someone to explain. FB did uncensor the video, but really, you get the feeling they didn’t want to do it. In an absolutely brilliant move, Cancerfonden went square:

breasts

After Cancerfonden’s video was taken down, the organization responded with an open letter in which it proposed a different depiction of the cartoon breasts, composed entirely of squares.

“After trying to meet your control for several days without success, we have now come up with a solution that will hopefully make you happy: Two pink squares!” the letter reads. “This can not possibly offend you, or anyone. Now we can continue to spread our important breast school without upsetting you.”

Lena Biornstad, communications director for Cancerfonden, tells the AFP that it is “incomprehensible and strange how one can perceive medical information as offensive,” adding: “This is information that saves lives.”

The Verge has the full story.

Turing Bill Withdrawn.

Alan Turing.

Alan Turing.

A British bill that would have granted pardons for men convicted of gay sex is not moving forward, the BBC reports.

The “Turing Bill” — named for World War II code-breaker Alan Turing, who was subjected to chemical castration because of his homosexuality — would have removed the criminal records of thousands of gay and bi men, both living and dead.

After emotional testimony from the bill’s author, member of Parliament John Nicolson, and shouts of “shame” from sympathetic politicians who saw the legislation dying a slow death, the “Turing Bill” was withdrawn. The conflict was over a companion bill introduced by the Ministry of Justice, which would only pardon dead men convicted of sex crimes. The government believes Nicolson’s Sexual Offences (Pardons) Bill could lead to the clearing of convictions for behavior that remains criminal.

Nicolson’s bill would overturn the convictions of men charged under a 1956 “buggery” law and an 1885 sexual “offences” act, assuming all those involved were consensual partners and over 16 at the time.

Yeah, you wouldn’t want to pardon men who were tortured for no reason, that might be the right thing to do, can’t have that! For Fuck’s Sake. Via The Advocate.

California: No Porn for You!

Blocked Sign (blog.cyberghostvpn.com).

Blocked Sign (blog.cyberghostvpn.com).

Some porn providers have decided to get political, and fight California’s Proposition 60. While I do think health is a major concern, I really don’t know enough about the porn industry in general to make any sort of statement about their particular health policies in regard to their actors. I would assume most actors do care about their health, and don’t take unnecessary risks, but again, I really don’t know. I might be one of ten people on the planet who is not a porn consumer. I certainly do understand the fight against part of the prop which states they can be sued, by anyone, at anytime. That seems more than a little dodgy to me. I’m also very uncomfortable when it comes to anyone trying to mandate another person’s bodily autonomy. I don’t want anyone telling me what I can and can’t do with myself, as I am my body. That should apply to everyone else as well.  So, if I were still in SoCal, I’d be a no vote. Anyroad, as a political tactic, I foresee great success here.

Today, adult websites are taking away California’s porn. In protest of Proposition 60, a state bill mandating condoms in adult films, several sites are interrupting or entirely blocking access to California IP addresses. This includes the mainstream giant Vivid Video, as well as Evil Angel, Kink, Pink & White Productions, and Treasure Island Media. In-state visitors to these sites are met with a message instructing them to vote no on Prop 60 and, in some cases, warning that their porn might be permanently taken away if the bill passes.

This virtual strike coincides with a protest by roughly 100 adult performers planned later today outside of the Los Angeles headquarters of the Yes on 60 Campaign.

Prop 60, which is sponsored by AIDS Healthcare Foundation and will be on the ballot November 8, requires condoms in adult films shot within the state and also allows any resident in the state to sue producers and distributors of condomless porn. The adult industry is broadly opposed to the bill, primarily on the grounds that it violates performer choice and will push productions underground, making them less safe. Opponents also argue that by allowing lawsuits by everyday citizens the bill could expose producers and adult performers to stalkers, harassment, and privacy violations.

[…]

But at least three studios are considering the possibility of permanently blocking access to Californians if the bill passes — the thinking being that if Californians can’t see their content, maybe they can’t file lawsuits. Vivid’s website greets in-state visitors with a black screen bearing a “NO ON 60” icon and a message reading, “If you live in California and Prop 60 passes this is what your porn will look like.” Pink & White Productions’ pay sites greet all visitors with a pop-up reading, “IP BLOCK California? SAY IT AINT SO! If California Prop 60 passes, it could be” (although it’s possible to close it and navigate the sites). Kink’s site delivers a message reading, “This is what Californa will see on their favorite porn sites if PROPOSITION 60 passes.”

Mike Stabile, Kink’s spokesperson, told Vocativ, “Prop 60 isn’t a public health measure, it’s a public harassment measure for adult performers. If we have to block access to California in order to protect the performers who work with us, that’s what we’ll do. And should this initiative pass, it’s something we’ll be looking at doing in California on a permanent basis after November 8.”

Full story at Vocativ.

George Takei: There Is Hope.

George Takei (MSNBC).

George Takei (MSNBC).

George Takei has an open letter at The Daily Beast, and a message many of us sorely need to hear. Just an excerpt from the middle here:

You see, I am ever an optimist. A poll taken in August of voters aged 18-34 showed that the vast majority favored Clinton over Trump—64 percent to 29 percent. That split tells me the same thing that the polls for same-sex marriage told us years ago: Over time, reason and fairness will win out, while bigotry and hatred literally would die off. In 20 years, you will all be in charge, and demonstrate far less appetite or patience for Trump’s brand of nativist rhetoric and race baiting. Trump and his supporters understand they are on borrowed time, and while they may seem resurgent today, this in fact could be their last chance to take control. Our country is rapidly moving on from their discredited and archaic worldview. Perhaps that is why the death throes of their campaign are so spectacular.

You are in many ways wiser to the world than your older counterparts. You came of age in a time where there was greater cause for skepticism, and you’re accustomed to the non-stop barrage of social media. Unlike your parents, you understand that we all live in an echo chamber, and that it is up to each of us to depart from it to hear alternative points of view. You are more likely to place your trust in science and embrace diversity, to reject hate while celebrating love in all its manifestations. You are more focused on racial justice and equality of opportunity than the two generations before you. And contrary to common myth, you are not disengaged. In this election cycle, millions of young voters made their concerns heard and very nearly succeeded in realigning the entire election. Nor are you impractical; even when your favored candidate did not succeed, you stuck by your convictions and goals, and in overwhelming numbers now support the party that will best advance them.

Full article at The Daily Beast.

“Make America rape again.”

Nick Bata - Libertarian candidate for Insurance Commissioner in North Dakota (Photo: Facebook).

Nick Bata – Libertarian candidate for Insurance Commissioner in North Dakota (Photo: Facebook).

Right, as if Ndakota and Ndakotans have not been embarrassing enough lately. Now we have a flaming doucheweasel of an asshole, one Nick Bata. He’s a libertarian. And like most libertarians, shines a bright light on the sheer idiocy most of them happily embrace. At least he’s in West Fargo, not Bismarck, but I sure as hell wish he wasn’t anywhere on Turtle Island. Mr. Bata is a creep of the first water, and oh yes, most certainly a rape apologist.

WEST FARGO, N.D.—A Libertarian candidate for North Dakota Insurance Commissioner has been in a battle of words on the Internet over his comments on rape and women stripping.

In one comment, Nick Bata of West Fargo wrote “Make America Rape” again.

In started off with his post about sexual consent on Sept. 30 and quickly spiraled into an all-out battle of the keyboards with rape and stripping getting thrown into the conversation.

“If people don’t agree with them, they will attack you like a bunch of rabid, wild hyenas,” said Bata. “I tried to have to have a very civil engagements,” said Bata.

His comments ranged from saying rape culture doesn’t exist in this country to saying stripping is some women’s best way to make a living.

But it was the “Make America Rape Again” comment that caused several people to write about how disturbing it was.

“Yes, I wrote Make America Rape again. And in the context because of course they deleted some of the comments because that’s how they operate. They lurk in the dark and edit things, and by me not complying with their world view, I was labeled a rape apologist, I was labeled disgusting, all sorts of pejorative words, and they labeled me a Trump supporter because hey, if you’re not with us, you’re a Trump supporter, and in sarcasm, which leftist supporters can’t understand sarcasm, they misinterpreted this,” said Bata.

“It’s a free society, nobody makes these decisions. If you can’t handle someone’s free speech, that’s your problem not mine,” said Bata.

Goodness, what a charmer. Thanks ever, Mr. Bata, for condoning rape and sexual assault as no big deal. As for your free speech, I think someone needs to take your keyboard away, and put some duct tape to creative use.

Jess Roscoe posted the original article that started the firestorm–and can’t believe what it turned into.

“Even if it’s a play on Donald Trump and his campaign slogan, it doesn’t make that remark acceptable or constructive to any conversation,” said Roscoe.

“As a woman those comments are troubling, and I think that it’s a snapshot at the sorts of comments and beliefs that are said on a daily basis that a lot of people don’t think they’re contributing to something so negative,” said Roscoe.

It’s troubling to me also, as a woman, but I really think this should be troubling to everyone. This is not a lightweight matter, and as Ms. Roscoe notes, these types of remarks and commentary are not only common, but there is always someone who is listening, and hears the implicit consent to commit sexual assault or rape.

Bata said he has no regrets about his comments. “None of it,” he said. “I stand by everything. Why should i apologize and to who?”

Bata said he doesn’t plan on dropping out of the race.

The Libertarian party of North Dakota didn’t immediately respond.

Off the cuff, Mr. Bata, I’d say you should apologize to all people everywhere for pretending to be a human being. You’re doing one shitty job at it.

Via Jamestown Sun.

Socialist ideology in partnership with homosexual demons.

rainbow-whitehouse

Hat tip to Pierce Butler for alerting me to this. I think. Right Wing Watch (their site has had a makeover!) reports on the current panic of those inhabiting the sewer of hate and conspiracy, Barbwire. One Julio Severo is very upset about the Bisexual conference which took place at the White House, as part of Bisexual Awareness Week in September. Now, as most of you know, there’s a growing awareness of Two-Spirit peoples among native communities, and there was an Indigenous Two Spirit person at the conference who spoke, Victor Raymond, a Rosebud Sicangu Oyate Lakota. Rosebud is in Sdakota, and not terribly far from me. There is a complete fucktonne of wrong coming up, so grit those teeth and get your cussing brain in gear.

BiNet organizer Victor Raymond introduced himself “as an out bisexual two-spirit man” and a member of the Rosebud Sioux tribe. “Two-spirit” is an Indian term for a male-female spirit.

“Today, we are here at the White House, and I call upon the ancestors to witness our presence, and for the Great Spirit, Wakan Tanka, to guide our words and thoughts so that we can speak true and strong,” he said.

Raymond continued, saying, “As bisexual people, we have always been here. Amongst my people, the Lakota Sioux, two-spirit people, bisexual, gay, lesbian people, as they are now known, transgender people, were given the gift of medicine to share with the members of the tribe. It was Wanka, a mystery. But it was proper and it was part of our community.”

“Now we are faced with new times, when bisexual people, two-spirit people, others that we now know as LGBQ, are not recognized and our place in the community questioned. But bi and trans people — and particularly now amongst many tribes and communities, by bisexual, transgender, Native American women in particular — face challenge and discrimination. We stand with them and with all people whose place is no longer recognized.”

Raymond also said members of the bisexual community need to support Black Lives Matter (a black-oriented socialist movement) as part of standing for “other communities.” Socialist ideology in partnership with homosexual demons.

Okay, for the most part, that’s straight up recounting of what took place. Well, except for that bit about homosexual demon infested social ideology.

An interaction between spirits of homosexuality and Indian religions is not uncommon. In Brazil, the most prominent homosexualists are adherents of African and Indian religions, very similar to voodoo. These religions embrace all forms of homosexuality as a gift from their “gods.” Such deities are considered demons in the Christian worldview.

In Christianity and Judaism, homosexuality is accepted only when there is apostasy in those religions. But in Indian religions, heavily affected by witchcraft, no apostasy is necessary for a homosexual presence in their practices, because homosexuality is active among their witchdoctors and other adherents.

Uh…oh FFS, I haven’t even had a whole cuppa tea yet, and it still hurts to sit. What little brain function I have right now does not need this utter isht. Will no one rid me of these meddlesome purveyors of ignorance? This isn’t fractal wrong. This isn’t even beyond wrong wrong. This is wrong spit out from the denseness of a black hole of Christian hate. These people hang onto ignorance like it was their baby. So now we have generic African religion, some Brazilian beliefs thrown in for good measure, and there’s us Indians tacked on. As I have mentioned before, Lakota people do not have deities, we don’t worship them. Please, read John Trudell on the subject. Most indigenous peoples don’t have deities. So, no demons. Also, Indigenous people (in uStates) don’t have witch doctors. We don’t have shamans, either. We also aren’t looking to convert or recruit. It’s difficult enough to stop non-Native people using various bits of Indigenous culture and tradition to scam other non-natives. I’ll also point out that the term two-spirit originated with one particular nation, but now it has been adopted out for more general use among Indigenous people. I’ll also point out that LGBTI people are not wholesale accepted and embraced throughout different Indigenous cultures. There are plenty of Indians who hold onto a bigotry in that regard. That’s also true for a lot of African peoples as well. And people all over the planet, actually. As for what might constitute a “prominent homosexualist”, someone will have to educate me. No idea at all.

A homosexual culture is a culture of demon possession.

No, no it isn’t.

Has the White House turned into a haunt of demons?

No, no it hasn’t.

The first step for a “visitation” of such spirits is invocation — which was made at the White House. Homosexual spirits heard. Their presence is in the place where they were invoked, until their expelling, which can be done only by people who know and use the authority of Jesus’ name.

Okay, really, dude, you’re upset because it wasn’t a Christian invocation. Things would be much simpler if you’d just say what you mean. The ‘Great Spirit’ is a mistranslation from the Lakota language. Russell Means spoke about this at length. Wakan Tanka is more properly translated as Great Mystery. There’s no deity hanging about waiting to be invoked, there’s no demon, either. Basically, you’re invoking the universe, if it could be said you’re invoking, which we are not.

This is getting into what would God need with a starship territory. That nasty El Shaddai of yours can’t manage some gay spirits?

The Bisexual Community Briefing focused on “policy and cultural issues of significance for the American bisexual community.” Spirits focused on the invisible, lethal and destruction.

No, spirits didn’t focus on anything, invisible or visible. I do see an upside here though, if you all are so darn scared of those gay spirits coming to get you, perhaps you’ll keep your distance from the political center of uStates. One can only hope.

Via RRW and Barbwire.

Michelle Obama Addresses Sexual Assault.

Our First Lady, a forthright, courageous woman who is unafraid to face the ugliest of human behaviours, and I thank her for speaking out, for not turning away, as so many have done.

“The fact is that in this election, we have a candidate for president of the United States who, over the course of his lifetime and the course of this campaign has said things about women that are so shocking, so demeaning, I simply will not repeat anything here today,” she told a crowd in Manchester, New Hampshire. “And last week we saw this candidate actually bragging about sexually assaulting women. And I can’t believe that I’m saying that. A candidate for president of the United States has bragged about sexually assaulting women and I have to tell you that I can’t stop thinking about this.”

It has shaken me to my core in a way that I couldn’t have predicted. So while I’d love nothing more than to pretend like this isn’t happening and come out here and do my normal campaign speech, it would be dishonest and disingenuous for me to move on to the next thing like this was just a bad dream.

This is not something we can ignore. It’s not something we can sweep under the rug as just another disturbing footnote in a sad election season. Because this was not just a lewd conversation. This wasn’t locker room banter. This was a powerful individual speaking freely and openly about sexually predatory behavior. And actually bragging about kissing and groping women. Using language so obscene that many of us are worried about our children hearing it when we turn on the TV. To make matters worse, it now seems clear this isn’t an isolated incident. It’s one of countless examples of how he has treated women his whole life.

I have to tell you that I listened to all this. And I feel it so personally. And I’m sure that many of you do too. Particularly the women. The shameful comments about our bodies. The disrespect of our ambitions and intellect. The belief that you can do anything you want to a woman. It is cruel. It is frightening. And the truth is, it hurts. It hurts.

The video is via CNN. Full article at Raw Story.

Paragraph 175 Reparations.

Justice Minister Heiko Maas. AP photo.

Justice Minister Heiko Maas. AP photo.

The German government has announced that it will make reparations to the men imprisoned under Paragraph 175, a provision in the country’s criminal code that outlawed sodomy until 1994.

Authorities also plan to expunge the records of the 50,000 jailed under the law.

Although 140,000 people were arrested in total, the country’s justice minister, Heiko Maas, has estimated that around 5,000 individuals — meaning those who are still living — stand to claim the reported payout of 30 million Euros. Mass stated that the amount of financial restitution will be based upon personal assessments of those incarcerated. Factors will include the length of time the individual spent behind bars.

“We will never be able to remove these outrages committed by this country but we want to rehabilitate the victims,” Mass said in a statement. “The convicted homosexual men should no longer have to live with the black mark of a criminal conviction.”

Germany’s Green and Left parties have placed enormous pressure in recent years on federal authorities to make amends to the men incarcerated under the law. Politicians Katja Keul and Volker Beck, both of whom serve in the German Bundestag, have referred to the lack of compensation as “a monstrous disgrace.”

[…]

East Germany stopped prosecuting homosexual acts in the 1950s, although West Germany was slower to catch up. The statute was amended in 1969 to prohibit sexual assault in the workplace and gay male prostitution. It also stipulates that as a punishable act intcourse between “a man over twenty-one years old who engages as the active or passive partner in lewdness with another man under the age of twenty-one.” The age of consent would be lowered to 18 in 1973.

Paragraph 175, however, wouldn’t be stricken from the legal code for another 25 years.

Although Germany would expunge the arrests made under Hitler’s regime, that would not apply to the men harassed and imprisoned by police after the war. Those convictions had yet to be vacated.

Full Story Here.

That Damn Gay Agenda!

Muay Thai fighting champion Fatima Pinto appears in an ad for H&M (Screen cap).

Muay Thai fighting champion Fatima Pinto appears in an ad for H&M (Screen cap).

Puritanical Christian group One Million Moms has launched a boycott of H&M after mistaking a Muay Thai fighting champ for a transgender woman.

The right-wing pressure group, renowned for its ridiculous string of anti-LGBT boycotts, threatened the fashion chain in a release this week over latest fashion ad ‘She’s a Lady’.

The Christian group fumed: “1MM is not sure of H&M clothing company’s thought process behind their new television ad, but if they are attempting to offend customers and families, they have succeeded.

“H&M’s newest ‘She’s A Lady’ commercial includes what appears to be a man dressed as a woman in one segment, another woman wearing skimpy lingerie, and ends with two teenage girls kissing while underwater.

“Parents find this type of advertising inappropriate and unnecessary especially since H&M’s target market is teens.

“H&M Marketing Team may have thought this type of advertising was politically correct, but not only is it disgusting and confusing for children, it is pushing the LBGT agenda.

“Let H&M know their new ad is irresponsible.”

The group encouraged its supporters to send a pre-written email complaining about the “disgusting commercial” that should be pulled “for our children’s best interest”.

The problem? The so-called “man dressed as a woman” in the ad is actually female Champion Muay Thai Boxer Fatima Pinto, who is not transgender. She does have some world class muscles, to be sure. I rather expect that would be needed if you’re a champion Muay Thai boxer.

Ironically, the ad does also fleetingly feature H&M model Hari Nef, who is transgender, but 1MM apparently didn’t notice.

Via Pink News.

The Box.

box

Ron Amato has a kickstarter for his project, a book called The Box.

Focused on themes of isolation, desire, conflict and empowerment, Ron Amato’s photographic series and upcoming book, The Box, speaks to human experiences of self-discovery and community building. Using a series of boxes to create visual metaphors, Ron echoes his development from adolescence to adulthood through over 100 color, and black and white photographs. Evoking first his youth in Brooklyn, New York during the 1960s and 1970s, moving through his coming out as a gay man and to his present position as a respected professional photographer and teacher, Ron creates a vivid portrait of struggle and triumph.

Individually the photographs evoke powerful responses. However, they achieve the scope of their power only in relation to each other.

Reflecting the square of the boxes in the photographs, this 96-page book is designed in a 10-inch square format. It has a hard cover and dust jacket. It is available with an embossed, cloth covered slipcase at specific pledge levels. The printing will be of the highest quality from a renowned Italian printing house.

You can read and see more here. Ron Amato’s website: http://www.ronamato.com/

Charles Blow Gets Blunt.

Charles Blow.

Charles Blow.

Charles Blow has something to say about Donald Trump, and I don’t think one word could possibly be said better. Just a bit here, click over the full, glorious read.

Donald Trump is a domestic terrorist; only his form of terror doesn’t boil down to blowing things up. He’s the 70-year-old toddler who knows nearly nothing, hurls insults, has simplistic solutions for complex problems and is quick to throw a tantrum. Also, in case you didn’t know it, this toddler is mean to girls and is a bit of a bigot.

It isn’t so much that he is a strict disciple of radical ideology, but rather that he is devoid of fixed principles, willing to do anything and everything to gain fame, fortune and power. He has an endless, consuming need for perpetual affirmation. This is a bully who just wants to be liked, a man-boy nursing a nagging internal emptiness.

He’s fickle and spoiled and rotten.

So, when he loses at something, anything, he lashes out. When someone chastises him for bad behavior, he chafes. This is the kind of silver-spoon scion quick to yell at those he views as less privileged, and therefore less-than, “Do you know who I am?”

We do now, sir.

[…]

This is the kind of childish person who, when losing, flips over the board and yells insults at his family, rather than learning from the loss so that he can get better and be in a stronger position to win the next time.

This man is a brat whose money has stunted his maturation.

He shouldn’t be ushered into the White House; he should be laughed into hiding. His querulous nature shouldn’t be coddled; it should be crushed.

America is in need of a leader, not a puerile, sophomoric sniveler who is too easily baited and grossly ill-behaved.

Go to your gilded room, Donald. The adults need to pick a president.

Whew. Full column at The NY Times.