Texas Haters Rally For Boy Scouts

Note the horrible anti-gay signs. Those poor kids.

(Via Good As You)

Soccer Stars Rally For Robbie Rogers

Professional soccer players have poured onto Twitter to express support for Robbie Rogers, who yesterday came out and announced his retirement from the sport. The New York Times has posted a lengthy recapping of the messages to Rogers, whose number of Twitter followers swelled by the tens of thousands following his announcement.

RELATED: Some of the messages to Rogers express hope that he returns to professional soccer.  Rogers' contract is currently owned by the Chicago Fire and yesterday their head coach issued this statement: "Yesterday I thought he was a very good player and I still think that today. Should Robbie want to return to the game, we would still be open to him being part of the Fire."

GOProud Banned From CPAC (Again)

GOProud has again been barred from participating in CPAC, the annual wingnut conference where the far-right plots on voter suppression, getting Jesus into public schools, and how to thwart civil equality for LGBT Americans.  You may recall the 2011 kerfuffle in which then-GOProud head Chris Barron called CPAC organizer Cleta Mitchell a "nasty bigot," for which Barron later apologized after other GOProud board members publicly denounced him.  (Mitchell, of course, is the attorney who won the Citizens United case before the Supreme Court.  Her anti-gay activism is thought by many to have its roots in the fact that her husband left her for another man.)  Shortly after the "nasty bigot" controversy, the CPAC board voted to ban GOProud and any other "homosexual advocacy group" from future conventions, so despite today's homocon outrage on Twitter, it's no shocker that GOProud isn't on the 2013 CPAC roster.

Fox News Hires Herman Cain

Hot on the heels of their hiring of former Sen. Scott Brown, Fox News has added Herman Cain to their cast of crackpots.

Fox News continued its talent overhaul this week when they announced they were officially hiring former GOP presidential primary candidate Herman Cain as a paid contributor for the network. The addition of Cain comes less than a month after Fox decided not to renew the contract of another Tea Party favorite: Sarah Palin. In a statement Bill Shine, Fox News’ executive vice-president of programming, praised Cain as “a valuable addition” to the network. “As a political expert with business savvy, he brings an important voice to the nation’s debates,” Shine said.

Cain has issued a statement celebrating his new gig, calling it "an opportunity to be one more voice for intelligent thinking in America."

Teabaggers Plan "Day Of Resistance"

On February 23rd, Tea Party activists will stage a Day Of Resistance in protest of...everything.

Head organizer Dustin Stockton told Breitbart News that February 23 was picked as the date for several reasons.  “The first is one which I’ve been getting ruthlessly abused for and that is because the AR-15 caliber is .223,” Stockton said in a phone interview. “It’s also the day that we raised the flag in Iwo Jima and it’s also a Saturday, so people who work regular hours can also attend.” More than 50,000 Americans have already signed up for 97 rallies in more than 30 states across the country. The rallies will focus on Second Amendment issues and President Barack Obama’s push for gun control, but they will also branch out into all aspects of oppressive big government.

From the Day Of Resistance site:

On January 16, 2013, President Barack Obama issued 23 executive actions against your 2nd amendment Constitutional right to bear arms. He did this without the consent of Congress which in itself, violates the foundation of the Constitution and the co-equal branches of government. In response to these unconstitutional actions by the President, on .223, February 23, 2013 the American people will stand together in defiance to protect the right that protects ALL of our rights, the 2nd Amendment! They will organize locally so that they may band together neighbor to neighbor and reassert their community's right to determine their own destiny!

From The Minnesota House

Cardinal Roger Mahony: Humiliate Me

Earlier this month Cardinal Roger Mahony was "relieved of his duties" for his role in covering up the still-widening molestation scandal that is shredding the Archdiocese of Los Angeles.  Yesterday Mahoney announced on his blog that it's now clear to him that Jesus wants him to be humiliated.

Given all of the storms that have surrounded me and the Archdiocese of Los Angeles recently, God's grace finally helped me to understand: I am not being called to serve Jesus in humility. Rather, I am being called to something deeper--to be humiliated, disgraced, and rebuffed by many.

I was not ready for this challenge. Ash Wednesday changed all of that, and I see Lent 2013 as a special time to reflect deeply upon this special call by Jesus. To be honest with you, I have not reached the point where I can actually pray for more humiliation. I'm only at the stage of asking for the grace to endure the level of humiliation at the moment.

In the past several days, I have experienced many examples of being humiliated. In recent days, I have been confronted in various places by very unhappy people. I could understand the depth of their anger and outrage--at me, at the Church, at about injustices that swirl around us. Thanks to God's special grace, I simply stood there, asking God to bless and forgive them.

Note that Mahony only asks God to forgive his accusers and not himself.  Even though he's been stripped of his duties as a cardinal, Mahony remains a "priest in good standing" and is eligible to vote for Emperor Palpatine's successor. (Tipped by JMG reader George)

Frankmusik - Map

From the producer of the most recent Erasure album.  You can download this track and three others for free on his website.

Tim Tebow's Hate Date

On the left is how the New York Daily News headlines Tim Tebow's upcoming speech at the church of notorious crackpot and homophobe, Pastor Robert Jeffress, who may be most famous for telling the Values Voters Summit that "70% of all gay men have AIDS."

The wildcat quarterback is slated to speak at the 11,000-member First Baptist Dallas Church’s April 28 Sunday morning service, according to the church’s website. While Tebow is known for wearing his religion on his sleeve and his prayerful onfield gestures have been dubbed “Tebowing,” he’s made a practice of not offending his teammates with his faith. But Tebow’s peace-and-love message could be tested by the megachurch’s evangelical Christian pastor, the Rev. Robert Jeffress. He once accused gay activists of trying to hide “the link between homosexuality and pedophilia.” In November, the preacher warned his flock that President Obama’s reelection “would lead to a rise of the antiChrist.” While endorsing Texas Gov. Rick Perry’s presidential bid in October 2011, Jeffress bashed Islam, Judaism and Mormonism as heretical religions “from the pit of hell.”

After Perry dropped out of the race, Jeffress decided that maybe all Mormons weren't hellbound sinners. He then endorsed Romney.  When a New York City newspaper denounces someone like Jeffress as "anti-Jew," one wonders if Tebow even wants to keep playing here.

REPORT: Openly Gay CA Assembly Speaker John Perez Up For Secretary Of Labor

According to the Los Angeles Daily News, openly gay California Assembly Speaker John Perez is on the short list to replace Hilda Solis, who resigned as Secretary of Labor last month. If chosen and approved, Perez would become the first-ever gay member of a presidential cabinet.  Typical for these situations, Perez is being cagey about his prospects.

"Look, I'm always flattered if somebody thinks my work is worthy of other consideration, but I'm focused on being speaker for these next two years," he told The Bee. "And continuing to build back our economy, and continuing to build on the fiscal discipline that we've created here in California. And getting people back to work." There'd be a decidedly ironic element to such an appointment. Perez's cousin, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, who'll also be termed out later this year, also has been casting around for another office to keep his up-and-down political career going.

Villaraigosa, who is personally close to Obama, had reportedly been seeking a Cabinet position himself, such as secretary of transportation. But that's not happening, for whatever reason - perhaps because he got himself photographed palling with Hollywood bad boy Charlie Sheen at the latter's opening of a new bar in Cabo San Lucas. It was not Villaraigosa's first foray into tabloid notoriety. The mayor is now publicly boosting Perez for the Cabinet. "I heard my cousin by the way is on the list and I'm glad he is. I've said to a number of people he would make a great secretary of labor," Villaraigosa said in an online chat, adding, "I wish him luck."

Perez will be term-limited out of the Assembly in 2014.

Gun Owners Group: Obama Should Remember Fate Of King George

Boy George: I Am A DJ

Boy George explains his 30+ year progression from pop star to a DJ who plays massive events all over the world.

Pro Soccer Player Comes Out

Major League Soccer player Robbie Rogers simultaneously came out and resigned from his sport today.  Rogers writes on his personal blog:

Secrets can cause so much internal damage. People love to preach about honesty, how honesty is so plain and simple. Try explaining to your loved ones after 25 years you are gay. Try convincing yourself that your creator has the most wonderful purpose for you even though you were taught differently.

I always thought I could hide this secret. Football was my escape, my purpose, my identity. Football hid my secret, gave me more joy than I could have ever imagined… I will always be thankful for my career. I will remember Beijing, The MLS Cup, and most of all my teammates. I will never forget the friends I have made a long the way and the friends that supported me once they knew my secret.

Now is my time to step away. It’s time to discover myself away from football. It’s 1 A.M. in London as I write this and I could not be happier with my decision. Life is so full of amazing things. I realized I could only truly enjoy my life once I was honest. Honesty is a bitch but makes life so simple and clear. My secret is gone, I am a free man, I can move on and live my life as my creator intended.

Rogers played several seasons for Major League Soccer's Columbus Crew before joining Britain's Leeds United team last year.  In 2007 he played for Team USA in the FIFA World Cup tournament.  In 2008 he competed for the United States at the Beijing Olympics.

UPDATE: Athlete Ally founder and former collegiate wrestling champion Hudson Taylor has issued a statement in reaction to Rogers' announcement.

"I applaud Rogers’ courage and honesty in what continues to be a struggle for gay and lesbian athletes around the world. With yet another athlete coming out and feeling the need to retire, it is time that we, as an athletic community, realize the responsibility we have in making athletes feel comfortable and confident being themselves. Sports participants and fans are central to the greatest civil rights cause of our time, and I urge all members of the sports community to recognize the important role we play."

HomoQuotable - Nate Silver

"The polls can certainly affect elections at times. I hope people don’t take the forecasts too seriously. You’d rather have an experiment where you record it off from the actual voters, in a sense, but we’ll see. If it gets really weird in 2014, in 2016, then maybe I’ll stop doing it. I don’t want to influence the democratic process in a negative way. I’m [hoping to make] people more informed, I don’t want to affect their motive because they trust the forecasters." - Nate Silver, speaking to students at Washington University.

Dems Fire Back At GOP Valentines

Late yesterday the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee fired back at the Valentine's Day messages sent out by the GOP. Michelle Malkin's Twitchy is super-upset!

Quote Of The Day - Buster Wilson

"Someday I believe that they are going to be attacks against Christians based on some form of mental illness diagnosis. I think it is not without reason that the left refers to people like us as those loony, right-wing fanatics or right-wing radicals, far-right-wing nut jobs. I think it is by design that they use those kinds of terminologies against us because one day I think there is going to be something in the hand of doctors, something in the hands of the CDC, something in the hands of the government that will be able to classify us a certain way and get us out of the picture. Again, who does the government hate? Who are they against? Who are they worried the most about? Those are the ones they are going to attack, you keep your eyes open to that." - American Family Association radio host Buster Wilson, echoing the claims made earlier by World Net Daily columnist Erik Rush.  It's a new wingnut meme!

SAN FRANCISCO: Activists Handcuffed At City Hall Valentine's Marriage Protest

Fourteen activists were handcuffed in San Francisco yesterday after a marriage equality sit-in at City Hall.  The group was taken out of the building and released without citations.

Same-sex couples tried to get marriage licenses Thursday at the county clerk's office at San Francisco City Hall as part of a symbolic Valentine's Day protest against California's ban on gay marriage. The annual action, organized by Marriage Equality USA, was preceded by a news conference at which organizers said they simply want the same rights as heterosexual couples. Tabaco and Thom Watson are one of the couples waiting for gay marriage to be legalized in California and who went to the clerk's office to ask for a marriage license. "We know we won't be able to get legally married today," Watson said. "We're asking for that same recognition until it's simply the way things are." The group walked to the clerk's office while singing the song "What the World Needs Now Is Love" and chanting for marriage equality. One man in a tuxedo in the rotunda, apparently unaware of the purpose of the chanting, yelled, "We're trying to get married here, have some respect!"

JMG reader Sean Chapin was there and provides video.

The Gossip - Get A Job

(Tipped by JMG reader Bill)

Gallup Ranks Gayest States

Gallup today issued the results of a poll conducted last year in which they asked over 200,000 people if they "personally identify" as LGBT.   As with all such self-disclosure surveys, the numbers are somewhat skewed by those who decline to out themselves to pollsters.

The percentage of U.S. adults who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender (LGBT) ranges from 1.7% in North Dakota to 5.1% in Hawaii and 10% in the District of Columbia, according to Gallup surveys conducted from June-December 2012. Residents in the District of Columbia were most likely to identify as LGBT (10%). Among states, the highest percentage was in Hawaii (5.1%) and the lowest in North Dakota (1.7%), but all states are within two percentage points of the nationwide average of 3.5%.

Measuring sexual orientation and gender identity can be challenging because these concepts involve complex social and cultural patterns. There are a number of ways to measure lesbian, gay, and bisexual orientation, and transgender status. Gallup chose a broad measure of personal identification as LGBT because this grouping of four statuses is commonly used in current American discourse, and as a result has important cultural and political significance.

One limitation of this approach is that it is not possible to separately consider differences among lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, or transgender individuals. A second limitation is that this approach measures broad self-identity, and does not measure sexual or other behavior, either past or present.

Gallup observes that while the variation between most states is relatively small, their data does support a conclusion that LGBT people are more willing to self-identify in states that provide anti-discrimination protections.

The states with proportionally larger LGBT populations generally have supportive LGBT legal climates. With the exception of South Dakota, all of the states that have LGBT populations of at least 4% have laws that prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity and allow same-sex couples to marry, enter into a civil union, or register as domestic partners. Of the 10 states with the lowest percentage of LGBT adults, only Iowa has such laws.

Fascinating stuff. Hit the link for much more and the second half of Gallup's ranking.

Ellen Signs On For Finding Nemo 2

Just keep swimming, just keep swimming. Ellen DeGeneres has agreed to reprise her popular role in a sequel to the 2003 smash, Finding Nemo.

According to the LA Times, DeGeneres has agreed play everyone’s favorite blue tang fish with short-term memory loss again. Rumors regarding the sequel to the Pixar/Disney film have been swimming around for years but were finally confirmed in June last year. DeGeneres has expressed a great love for the film, and has said numerous times on her daytime talk show how she would love to play Dory again.

Albert Brooks will also return as the overprotective daddy clownfish, Marlin.  The original movie has one of the highest ratings of any film at Rotten Tomatoes, where it is listed as "99% fresh."  Finding Nemo has grossed over $900M worldwide and is the third-highest earning animated film of all time, behind Toy Story 3 and The Lion King.

Suh-NAP

(Via Boy Culture)

Gun Supplier Cuts Off New York Cops

Olympic Arms says they won't sell any more weapons to law enforcement agencies in New York state until Gov. Cuomo's gun control bill is repealed and an apology is issued to "the good American people." Here's their statement:

“Legislation recently passed in the State of New York outlaws the AR15 and many other firearms, and will make it illegal for the good and free citizens of New York to own a large selection of legal and safe firearms and magazines. We feel as though the passage of this legislation exceeds the authority granted to the government of New York by its citizens, and violates the Constitution of the United States, ignoring such SCOTUS rulings as District of Columbia v. Heller — 554, U.S. 570 of 2008, McDonald v. Chicago — 561 U.S. 3025 of 2010, and specifically the case of United States v. Miller — 307 U.S. 174 of 1939.”

Guns.com also claims that several other gun suppliers are "halting some or all of their sales to government agencies."

NEVADA: Straight Ally Kathy Baldock Ejected From "Ex-Gay" Meeting

Straight ally Kathy Baldock, who describes herself as an evangelical Christian, is one of our best advocates in the battle against "ex-gay" crackpottery.  This week she blogged about being thrown out of an "ex-gay" meeting in Nevada after simply trying to ask a question. Go read her accounting of the meeting and what happened when she rose to speak.  

Delgaudio Recall Movement Launched

A group of voters in hate group leader Eugene Delgaudio's home district have launched a drive to recall him from his position as Loudoun County supervisor.

“It is imperative that the people of Sterling take every measure available by law to prevent Eugene Delgaudio from continuing to expose the county to additional legal liability, to misuse county resources, and to deny the people of Sterling the representation that they deserve,” a press release from Sterling Deserves Better reads. “This town hall will explain and begin the petition to recall the Sterling supervisor who does not represent the priorities of Sterling residents.”

The group has called a town hall meeting for next week. Earlier this week local prosecutors began impaneling a grand jury to investigate charges that Delgaudio used a public employee to raise money for his anti-gay campaigns. (Tipped by JMG reader Blair.)

Freepers On Google

Details.

From Yesterday's IL Senate Debate

Here are some of the heroes of yesterday's debate in the Illinois Senate. There were really some amazing speeches.

Thomas More Society Has The Sadz

"The same-sex marriage bill passed by the Illinois Senate today would violate the right of Illinois churches and religious organizations to follow their faith free of government oppression,. It would also force Illinois business owners to operate in fear of being shut down, because of their conscientious objections to same-sex marriage. Why are Illinois politicians working to trample the rights of the millions of people of faith across our state to live and work in accord with their religious beliefs? The senators’ decision today serves as a declaration that their constituents’ sincere beliefs about the true nature of marriage are bigoted and discriminatory. The Illinois House should reject the redefinition of marriage and this poorly drafted bill." - Peter Breen, executive director of the Thomas More Society, which is representing downstate Illinois county clerks in the lawsuits to overturn the ban on same-sex marriage.

Upcoming Meme Alert

After it happened to him, Georgia state Rep. Earnest Smith decided to try and make it illegal to harass somebody by photoshopping their face into porn scenes.  

Earnest Smith has a problem: he doesn't take too kindly to images with his head Photoshopped onto the bodies of male porn stars, and he's introduced a bill to ban the practice. "Everyone has a right to privacy," he told Fox News. "No one has a right to make fun of anyone. It's not a First Amendment right." Rep. Smith's bill would impose up to a $1,000 fine, one year in prison, or both on anyone that "intentionally causes an unknowing person wrongfully to be identified as the person in an obscene depiction." This specifically includes "the electronic imposing of the facial image of a person onto an obscene depiction."

Smith says he doesn't care if his bill does violate the First Amendment.

“They (parody creators) live for something like this,” Smith said. “They are vulgar. This is about being vulgar. We’re becoming a nation of vulgar people.” Not everyone shares Smith’s sentiments. “He’s the conductor of his own crazy train,” one lawmaker told FoxNews.com. Georgia Politics Unfiltered blogger Andre Walker said he’s behind the photoshopped pictures of Smith. “I did exactly what Rep. Smith wants to make illegal,” Walker, who has referred to Smith’s bill as “asinine,” wrote on his blog.

“I pasted a picture of Smith’s head onto the body of a male porn star.” “The first Amendment to the Constitution of the United States protects all forms of speech, not just spoken word,” Walker said. “It attempts to regulate speech and I doubt it would stand up in a court of law.” The blogger added, “I cannot believe Rep. Earnest Smith thinks I’m insulting him by putting his head on the body of a well-built porn star.”

We can all guess what the next meme will be.

SAN DIEGO: Former Mayor Strikes Deal To Repay $2M Embezzled From Non-Profit

Former San Diego Mayor Maureen O'Connor has struck a deal to repay $2 million to a non-profit ceated by her late husband. O'Connor allegedly took the money to feed a billion dollar gambling habit.

O’Connor, 66, appeared in federal court and pleaded not guilty to a charge of misappropriating the funds as part of a deferred prosecution. Under the arrangement, she has two years to try to repay the money taken from the R.P. Foundation, a nonprofit set up by her late husband, Robert O. Peterson, co-founder of Jack in the Box. During that time, the case will not proceed and could be dismissed if she complies with the conditions of the agreement. Prosecutors said O’Connor had $1 billion in gambling winnings between 2000 and 2009 — her preferred game was video poker — but her losses during the same period exceeded that amount. Iredale said she had a net gambling loss of $13 million. Prosecutors described her current financial condition as “destitute.” At one time, her fortune was $40 million to $50 million, Iredale said.

O'Connor, a Democrat, was mayor from 1986 until 1992. Her lawyers claim that her gambling compulsion may have been caused by the brain tumor for which she was recently treated. Federal prosecutors allege that the gambling began long before her illness.

Meteor Shower Hits Russia

USA Today reports:

Russia was hit by a meteor shower on Friday in the nation's central Ural Mountains, injuring hundreds and causing damage to buildings in six cities, according to reports. Fragments of the meteor fell in a thinly populated area of the Chelyabinsk region, Russia's Emergency Ministry said in a statement, the Associated Press reported. At least three had been hospitalized in serious condition but the majority received treatment for minor cuts from broken glass after the explosions broke windows and shook buildings. Interior Ministry spokesman Vadim Kolesnikov said more than 400 people had called for medical assistance

SAN FRANCISCO: Webmaster "Impounds" Site For Pro-Gay Gym Chain

The Europe-based webmaster of the Bay Area's Fitness SF chain has "impounded" the company's website and posted a blistering claim that his invoices are being ignored.

I am writing this on the behalf of the tens of thousands of freelancers and small businesses out there facing larger corporations who can afford to starve them out. In the movie / visual effects business this is already prevalent. Large studios awarding work to smaller studios or freelancers in the hope they won’t stand up to them when it comes to loads and loads of unpaid work. What Fitness SF is trying here is exactly the same ploy. Give a barren advance, rake up a huge bill and ignore every invoice. Rush fees, heavy overtime and weekend work are expected to be free. You don’t get to sleep for days on end, but you do get to wait on your money forever. It’s people like this who cause company after company to go bankrupt.

The webmaster goes on to ask Fitness SF members to cancel their memberships and use social media to shame the company. Considering the huge number of gay IT freelancers in the Bay Area, watching this all play out might prove interesting, especially considering the excellent reputation the company recently earned when it broke away from Gold's Gyms. (Tipped by JMG reader Birdie)

UPDATE: The story has broken on the advertising and design site, AdWeek.

You may dream about this, but no one ever does it. Until now. Frank Jonen, who runs his own small Web design company, claims he wasn't paid properly by Fitness SF, one of his clients. So, he went and replaced the Fitness SF website with an angry letter about how evil the bastards at Fitness SF are. Amazing. To many, Jonen will be a hero. To others, he will now be someone they would never, ever hire for work.

AdWeek adds this initial response from Fitness SF: "Fitness SF disputes Frank Jonen's claims, telling Adweek that Jonen was paid and is now trying to blackmail the company and extort more money from them." A more detailed statement from Fitness SF is reportedly coming soon.  A person claiming to be Frank Jonen has made comments on the above-linked AdWeek article.

PREVIOUSLY ON JMG: In October 2010, it was revealed that the CEO of Gold's Gyms had donated millions to Karl Rove's anti-gay American Crossroads PAC. In response, all four San Francisco locations promptly announced that they would leave the parent company the minute their franchise agreements expired. Last fall those contracts ended and all four gyms immediately rebranded themselves as Fitness SF to loud applause from the LGBT community.

Chicago's Mayor Cheers Senate Vote

It doesn't quite rhyme, but we dig you, Mayor Emanuel.  

Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) To Retire, Good News For Cory Booker

Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) announced today that he will not seek reelection in 2014. Lautenberg, 89, is the oldest member and the last World War II veteran in the Senate.

Upon the news of Lautenberg's retirement, the senator won praise from both sides of the aisle. President Obama called Lautenberg a "steadfast champion" for New Jersey. "Throughout his time in the Senate, Frank has fought tirelessly for workers, veterans, members of our military and their families, and immigrants, and he continues to make extraordinary contributions to our nation's safety," he said. New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, a Republican, said he always respected the senator for "his tenacity, devotion to the people of New Jersey and his love and commitment to public service." Booker called Lautenberg a "champion" for Garden State residents.

Lautenberg's retirement all but guarantees a win for Newark Mayor Cory Booker, who announced his interest in the seat last month.

UPDATE: The Human Rights Campaign reacts.

"For well over a decade, Senator Lautenberg has received a 100% rating on the HRC Scorecard, which scores members of congress on their positions on LGBT-related legislation. Following the tragic death of Rutgers University student Tyler Clementi, Sen. Lautenberg introduced the Tyler Clementi Higher Education Anti-Harassment Act to help combat harassment and cyberbullying on college campuses."

TRIVIA:  Lautenberg's most-remembered legacy might be the battle to pass his ultimately successful bill to ban smoking on commercial aircraft.

Pope Betty Bowers The First

Illinois Senate Quote Of The Day

"To redefine marriage is discriminatory towards those who hold the sincerely held religious belief that it is a sacred institution between a man & a woman." - Illinois GOP state Sen. Kyle McCarter, posting on his Facebook page after his long, rambling denouncement of same-sex marriage on the chamber floor.

McCarter's Wikipedia entry notes that he and his wife are supporters of Mercy Ministries, the "ex-gay" child torture clinic for girls that was forced to shut down in Australia due to grotesque abuses of patients.

Mercy Ministries became embroiled in a national controversy when three girls who had gone through the program, including two on the Sunshine Coast, went public with their claims of mistreatment. They alleged the six-month programs left them suicidal due to the “emotionally cruel and medically unproven techniques”, such as exorcisms and “separation contracts” between friends. Last month, the Democrats called on the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission to investigate the group, alleging it had misled young women by making them think they would receive free treatment.

UPDATE: JMG reader Mark points out this message on the Mercy Ministries website:

The McCarter’s have two sons of their own and an abundance of spiritual daughters at Mercy Ministries. The McCarter’s know all to well the issues young girls face as their daughter, Amber, died tragically in 2006 from an accidental drug overdose at the age of 21. Mercy Ministries has over 700 girls currently in the application process, and the McCarters have taken a stand and agreed to do their part in making sure young women get the help they need before it’s too late.

That leads us to this reader comment on Topix.com, which reported on the girl's death.

[P]eople should know the real cause of this girls death and it wasnt anything recent. The cause of her death was started when she was just a teen still in high school seeking the attention and love of her parents, instead of love she got Christian Right bullshit and was shipped off to a boarding school known for brainwashing and physical abuse simply because her parents found out she was having sex at the time.

There's no indication that the McCarters sent their daughter to Mercy Ministries, but that might explain why they are supporters today.

HomoQuotable - Christopher Doyle

"The mission of SPLC's hate campaign is three-fold: 1) Character Assassination: spreading false and misleading information on their website and via the media about therapists who offer professional services to individuals with unwanted SSA; 2) Fabricate evidence and embellish the facts about the so-called 'dangers' of sexual orientation change effort (SOCE) therapy; and 3) Recruit vulnerable and disgruntled clients to take legal action against organizations that offer assistance for those struggling with unwanted SSA in hopes to put them out of business. The SPLC's method of character assassination is simple. Repeat a lie loud enough and long enough, and people will believe it. I personally have experienced this issue from both sides – I once lived a gay life, and today, I have a wife and children and no longer experience homosexual feelings." - Christopher Doyle, director of the "ex-gay" brainwashing and child torture clinic, International Healing Foundation, writing for the Christian Post.

RELATED: Doyle also is (or was) on the board of directors for PFOX.  His current group was founded by freakazoid crackpot Richard Cohen, whose "therapy" includes beating pillows with a tennis racket while screaming "Why? Mommy, why?"  Two years ago I encountered Doyle in the parking lot of the Philadelphia hotel hosting that year's NARTH convention, where he had a sputtering, fluttering, big girl attack when I took his photo. (Because he is totally now a masc/musc pussy-loving cured straight dude.) When I kept taking photos, Doyle put his hand on his hip and hissed, "I don't need this. Why don't you just sssssssstop!"

UPDATE: Doyle has responded to me in the comments at the Christian Post: "Wow Joe, you're so intolerant. Don't you have anything better to do with your time than protest and hate people?"  This, from the man who literally lobbies against anti-bullying laws and enables the gay-bashing of children.

So God Made A Gay Man

From Canada's Crew Magazine, here's a different take on Dodge's So God Made A Farmer Super Bowl ad, which so delighted the religious right.

Satan Loves Spencer Gifts

The latest from One Million Moms:

Dear Joe,  Spencer Gifts in malls across the country sell more than gag gifts. Their stores are full of adult games and toys, soft porn to pornographic material, crude greeting cards, and items with foul language on them in plain view. Currently, the huge window displays for Spencer Gifts are pornographic and satanic. It is scary to know that they are pulling in tons of teens, and not by selling mood rings and lava lamps. The store has a dark atmosphere, and influencing teens negatively.

The main poster is of a woman wearing a G-string while falling out of her corset. The second poster is almost as revealing and has a male with satanic characteristics gazing upon her. This display is degrading to women, harmful to young impressionable women, and dangerous to boys and men alike by encouraging temptation. It doesn't do much good to complain to store managers  Please send an email letter to Spencer's corporate office explaining that because of their storefront window displays, your family will no longer visit the mall.

Monica Cole goes on to demand that Spencer Gifts ban shoppers under 18 and ask for a photo ID from customers entering the store. She also wants all Spencer outlets to relocate to free-standing buildings so people don't accidentally walk past their window displays in the mall.

LIVE VIDEO: Illinois Senate Marriage VoteUPDATE: BILL PASSES 34-21!!!

UPDATE: The debate is underway and the anti-gay Christian crowd is making their usual bigoted arguments.

UPDATE II: The bill has PASSED by a vote of 34-21! Onward to the Illinois House!

Cindy Jacobs' Daughter Stops Tornadoes

It's Liberty Counsel Purity Day

Details.

Bloomberg Calls For Styrofoam Ban

During his final State Of The City address, today NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg will call for a ban on the usage of styrofoam containers by restaurants, food carts, vending machines, or any business that holds a city license to sell beverages or meals. Via Consumerist:

“One product that is virtually impossible to recycle and never bio-degrades is styrofoam,” Bloomberg is planning on saying. “Something that we know is environmentally destructive and that may be hazardous to our health, that is costing taxpayers money and that we can easily do without, and is something that should go the way of lead paint.” That plastic foam makes up about 20,000 tons of the city’s waste each year, said the mayor’s office. A ban would need to be approved by the City Council and if it goes through, will join similar actions taken in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Portland and Seattle. Things are getting very West Coast around here, eh?

As someone who has his lunch delivered almost every day, I can tell you that the amount of styrofoam containers I receive is crazy.  You can bet that Bloomberg will get a huge push back on this from the restaurant industry, just as he did with his ban on "large sugary drinks," which is now facing a lawsuit from the NAACP and a coalition of Hispanic groups, who contend that the ban will hurt minority businesses.

NOTE: Dow Chemical has issued a press release clarifying that Styrofoam is their trademarked product now used exclusively for insulation. What Bloomberg is referring to is properly known as "extruded polystyrene."

Valentine's Cards From The GOP

The Republican National Committee goes for the full snark today. More examples here.

Justin Timberlake - Suit & Tie

American & US Airways To Merge

Last night the boards of American Airlines and US Airways agreed to merge and create what will become the world's largest airline. The new company will bear the American name and will be headed by the current CEO of US Airways.

American has been restructuring under bankruptcy protection since late 2011. AMR creditors and possibly its shareholders will own 72 percent of the stock, and US Airways Group Inc. shareholders will get the rest, three of the people said. A formal announcement is expected Thursday morning. If the deal is approved by AMR's bankruptcy judge and antitrust regulators, the new American will have more than 900 planes, 3,200 daily flights and about 95,000 employees, not counting regional affiliates. It will be slightly bigger than United Airlines by passenger traffic. Since 2008, Delta gobbled up Northwest, United absorbed Continental and Southwest bought AirTran Airways. If this latest merger goes through, American, United, Delta and Southwest will control about three-quarters of U.S. airline traffic.

Consumer advocates say the reduction in carriers will make it easier to increase fares.

Eurovision: Slovenia's Hannah Mancini

Slovenia's Eurovision entry for this year is a pretty standard club anthem, but at least she's singing live here. I think.  Hannah Mancini is American, but lives in Slovenia.  The rules regarding such things are pretty loose. For example, Celine Dion competed for Switzerland in 1988.

Arrest Made In NYC Gay Murder

New York City police have arrested a 22 year-old man in connection to one of the three strangling murders of middle-aged gay men that have occurred in the last two weeks.

The victim, Joseph Benzinger, 54, of Middle Village, was found with a shirt wrapped around his neck Saturday night in a room at the Crown Motor Inn on Queens Boulevard. Lleuyel Garcia of Manhattan was charged early Thursday with his murder and robbery. Benzinger and Garcia had a sexual relationship prior to the killing, cops said. A police source said Garcia stole the victim's wallet and cell phone and that detectives use cell phone records to track the suspect down. Garcia implicated himself in the crime by admitting he was at the motel, the source said. Benzinger is the third gay man strangled in recent weeks. David Rangel, 53, was killed in his Jackson Heights, Queens, apartment Jan. 26, and Charles Romo, 48, was slain in his Hamilton Heights apartment two days later. Both killings remain unsolved.

The police have not said if they suspect Garcia of the other two murders.

Happy VD From The Haters

And by signing to "support true love," they actually mean "signing our vow to disobey laws that protect gay Americans from discrimination."

Grand Jury To Investigate Delgaudio

Prosecutors in Loudoun County, Virginia have begun impaneling a grand jury to investigate hate group leader Eugene Delgaudio, who is accused of using a county employee to raise money for his anti-gay causes. Via Washington Post:

Donna Mateer, one of Delgaudio’s former county aides, said in a Washington Post article last year that she was told to spend most of her work time in early 2012 scheduling fundraising meetings for Delgaudio. Mateer, who was fired by Delgaudio shortly after she filed a complaint with the county Human Resources Department last year, collected extensive records from Delgaudio’s office, which included fundraising spreadsheets and e-mail correspondence related to her allegations. Delgaudio has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing. He has acknowledged that his aides were told to set up fundraising meetings but maintains that they were intended solely to benefit a local youth football league, not his political campaign. Loudoun policy prohibits using county time or county resources for political activities.

Degaudio remains a Loudoun County Supervisor, but he has been stripped of all his committee assignments.

Geezers & Grannies For Gay Grandkids

NOM Claims "Momentum" For Its Hate March On The Supreme Court

NOM is claiming that its hate march on the Supreme Court is "generating excitement and enthusiasm."  That's what they're telling Catholic News Agency.

Neither the schedule nor the official route of the upcoming March for Marriage has been made public, but information will be added to the march website, marriagemarch.org, as it becomes available.vDespite the limited amount of information released thus far, Peters said that reactions have “been very positive” and enthusiastic. “We actually just have a lot of people calling the office saying, ‘What can I do to help?’” he explained. Peters added that the march will aim to create a “very broad, diverse coalition” in defense of marriage. So far, the event is receiving strong support from CatholicVote.org, a non-profit group that works to educate and mobilize the faithful in adherence with Church teaching, as well as signatories of the Manhattan Declaration, a statement by Orthodox, Catholic and Protestant Christians pledging support for “the sanctity of life, traditional marriage, and religious liberty.”

The above-linked article fails to mention that Thomas Peters is an employee of CatholicVote.  NOM's march takes place on the first day of Supreme Court oral arguments on Proposition 8.

Obama Backs Orlando For Gay Games

Orlando wants to host the 2018 Gay Games and President Obama seems to think that's a good idea. Via Lou Chibarro at Washington Blade:

“I am pleased to voice my support for the City of Orlando’s bid to host the Gay Games 2018,” the president said in a letter to Orlando 2018, the organization working on the bid. “As President of the United States, I am committed to advancing equality for the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) community, both in America and around the world,” he said. Mikael Audebert, project director for Orlando 2018, said Obama’s endorsement letter is believed to mark the first time a U.S. president has expressed support for the Gay Games or any LGBT event of that size.

Cleveland will host the 2014 Gay Games and some observers believe it's unlikely that an American city would be chosen twice in a row. The most recent Games were held in Cologne, Germany and previous host cities include Chicago, Sydney, Amsterdam, New York City, Vancouver, and San Francisco.

Obama's letter includes this message: “Orlando’s vibrant tourism industry makes it ideally suited to host a record-breaking number of more than 200,000 attendees – including over 14,000 athletes – and the city would be honored to provide the guests and athletes a wonderful, unique experience. I strongly support Orlando’s bid, and I urge the Federation of Gay Games to approve it.”

Perkins Laments VAWA Passage

"Despite the best efforts of our friends on the Hill, the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) glided through the Senate yesterday on a 78-22 vote. The Left succeeded in making the GOP pawns in its political game--forcing many to vote for a bill, not because it accomplishes anything--but because of its name. In reality, the legislation is more pro-spending than anti-violence. Unfortunately, most Senators refused to stand up to the politically correct crowd and instead helped them replenish a feminist slush fund that extends special rights to people based on their sexual behavior. If you're one of the lucky few with senators who stood on principle, please email and thank them for refusing to bend under the Left's pressure." - Hate group leader Tony Perkins, referencing the bill's inclusion of gay, bisexual, and transgender women. 

RELATED: All 22 "no" votes in the Senate came from GOP males.  The Violence Against Women Act was first passed in 1994, but it expired in 2011 and was not renewed last year. The bill, which provides federal assistance to health care providers and law enforcement agencies that prosecute domestic violence, is expected to face strong GOP opposition in the House.

Headline Of The Day

So claims the British tabloid Daily Mail.

AIDS Group Files OSHA Complaints Against Bareback Gay Porn Companies

The AIDS Healthcare Foundation, which successfully lobbied for a condoms-in-porn law in Los Angeles County, has filed workplace safety complaints against several California-based gay porn companies that specialize in unprotected sex scenes.  Via press release:

AHF this week filed formal ‘Notice of Safety or Health Hazards’ complaints with Cal/OSHA (California’s Department of Industrial Relations, Division of Occupational Safety and Health), the state’s health and safety regulatory and watchdog organization, over the lack of condom use in adult films produced by Treasure Island Media, Inc., a Bay Area adult film production company that primarily serve and produces films for the gay market as well as a dozen other production companies producing what are known as ‘bareback’ films—gay adult films in which the performers do not wear condoms.

Other producers and companies targeted with AHF’s OSHA complaints include: Bareback Inc./Vineyard Entertainment; Dark Alley Media; HDK International/Hot Desert Knights; Huge Studio/AVNS Inc.; Icarus Entertainment/Raw Pups; Pete’s Distribution; Sparta Video; Spunk Video; Stud Mall; SX Video; Viper Entertainment and Zyloco Inc./Tony & Cam. The complaints are AHF’s first targeting the bareback gay market.

AHF president Michael Weinstein adds that Treasure Island is "a particularly egregious and outspoken violator of Cal/OSHA safety statutes with its policy of only producing bareback DVDs."

UPDATE: An AHF-backed bill to require condoms in all porn produced statewide will be introduced in Sacramento today. Via press release:

Assemblymember Isadore Hall, III (D-Los Angeles) will hold a Valentine’s Day press conference to introduce legislation requiring condom use in all adult films produced in California. Joined by Michael Weinstein, President of the AIDS Healthcare Foundation and Darren James, a former adult film actor who contracted HIV while working in the industry, Hall’s legislation will provide statewide uniformity needed to ensure that the thousands of actors employed in this multi-billion dollar industry are given reasonable workplace safety protections needed to reduce exposure to HIV and other Sexually Transmitted Diseases.

Callie Thorne For GLSEN

Clip description:

GLSEN partnered with USA Network's sports drama Necessary Roughness that follows the story of one player on the New York Hawks football team coming out as gay to his fellow teammates and fans. Tonight's episode also includes a PSA with Necessary Roughness actress Callie Thorne calling attention to GLSEN's work to create safe and affirming Physical Education and sports environments in K-12 schools.

The show was last night. Anybody see it?

Ailing Lady Gaga Cancels Tour

Lady Gaga has canceled all the remaining dates on her North American tour, citing upcoming surgery to repair an injury caused by her "strenuous" performances.  From her management:

Live Nation Global Touring has confirmed that the remainder of the Lady Gaga Born This Way Ball performances have been cancelled. After additional tests this morning to review the severity of the issue, it has been determined that Lady Gaga has a labral tear of the right hip caused by strenuous repetitive movements in her performances. She will need surgery to repair the problem, followed by strict down time to recover. This unfortunately, will force her to cancel the tour, so she can heal. Refunds for the cancelled performances will be available at point of purchase starting Feb 14, 2013.

Yesterday Gaga apologized to her 34 million Twitter followers, saying that she'd hidden her injury from her staff until she could "hardly walk."