Opening Soon In Dallas

Via Eater:

If you've ever wondered why there wasn't a male version of the skeezy dining establishment that is Hooters, well, your prayers are about to be answered: Brace for the arrival of Tallywackers, coming soon to the gayborhood. Per a help wanted ad on Craigslist, Tallywackers appears to be a bar and restaurant staffed by half-naked men who may or may not offer suggestive raised eyebrows while serving phallic-shaped foods such as hot dogs. Look for it to open soon at 4218 Lemmon Avenue, the space previously occupied by Lolita's and the Catalina Room. If Hooters and Twin Peaks are considered breastaurants, does that make Tallywackers a... dickstaurant? Discuss.

Their Facebook page is here. (Tipped by JMG reader Robert)

Dallas Gets "Ex-Gay" Billboard

"Ex-gay" crackpot David Pickup (real name!) has posted the above billboard in the Dallas area. Zack Ford reports at Think Progress:

ThinkProgress spoke with Terry Kafka, president of Impact Outdoor Advertising, the small Dallas billboard company that is hosting the ad. Kafka explained that they had been convinced the ad was for couples therapy, having never heard the term “reparative therapy” before. He described the true content of the ad as “repulsive to me personally,” promising that the ad would be coming down by next week at the latest. “If we had known, we wouldn’t have put it up in the first place.” A billboard ad promoting ex-gay therapy similarly caused controversy in Virginia last month. That ad, posted by the ex-gay organization PFOX, asserted, “We believe twins research studies show nobody is born gay,” featuring two different pictures of the same model, who is not only not a twin but is also openly gay. Though Lamar, a national billboard company, agreed to keep that ad in place, Kafka promised, “There’s no way you’d ever see one of those on our billboards.”

RELATED: Last year SCOTUS rejected the Liberty Counsel's attempt to repeal California's ban on "ex-gay" torture in an appeal filed on the behalf of Pickup and NARTH. In years past Pickup has run a degayifying program called The WorkOUT in which he urges participants to "go deep into their manhood." Ahem.

TEXAS: Small Fine For Man Arrested In Homophobic Attack At Dallas Airport

John Wright reports at Towleroad:

The passenger who went on a drunken, violent, anti-gay rampage that was caught on video at DFW International Airport in October will pay $474 in fines for the incident, according to a court spokeswoman. McCleish Christmas Benham, now 28, of Shelbyville, Tennessee, assaulted two people while yelling anti-gay epithets, before other passengers tackled him to the ground and he was arrested on Oct. 23. A bystander captured the incident on video and posted it on YouTube, where it's been viewed more than 5 million times. Benham was charged with public intoxication and simple assault, both class-C misdemeanors each punishable by a maximum $500 fine, but no jail time. The case was referred to the Municipal Court in the city of Grapevine, Texas.

Benham had pleaded no contest and failed to appear in court, leading to the fines. Video of the incident is here.

DALLAS: Voters Add Protections For LGBT City Employees To Municipal Charter

Via Lone Star Q:

Dallas voters overwhelmingly added nondiscrimination protections for LGBT city employees to the City Charter on Tuesday. With all 430 precincts reporting, 77 percent of voters supported adding both “sexual orientation” and “gender identity and expression” to the City Charter, with only 23 percent opposed, according to unofficial election results. The City Charter, also referred to as the city constitution, is the document that gives the city the right to govern by the state of Texas, according to the city’s website. Dallas already prohibited discrimination against city employees based on sexual orientation and gender identity and expression in its equal employment opportunity policy.

Take THAT, Houston.

Petition Of The Day

Details. (Tipped by JMG reader Joe)

DALLAS: Anti-Gay Airport Attacker Faces Maximum Fine Of $1000 And No Jail Time

The drunk redneck whose vicious anti-gay assault at the Dallas airport was captured on a video that rocketed around the world has been charged with misdemeanor assault and probably faces at most, a $1000 fine. John Wright reports at Lone Star Q:

According to the report obtained by Lone Star Q, the man’s name is McCleish Christmas Benham, 27. He is currently charged with public intoxication and simple assault, both class-C misdemeanors each punishable by a maximum $500 fine, but no jail time. However, if prosecutors choose to utilize Texas’ hate crimes law, they could enhance the assault charge to a class-B misdemeanor. Class-B misdemeanors are punishable by 180 days in jail and a $2,000 fine per offense.

As you see by the map at the bottom of this post, Texas does have a hate crimes law that includes sexual orientation (but not gender identity). Local activists should get loud.

On the arrest report Benham's home is listed as Shelbyville, Tennessee. From the arresting officer's report on the victim:

"I identified the older white male who was the target of Benham's assaultive behavior by his DL. He was identified as [redacted]. [Redacted] told me that he witnessed Mr. Benham verbally assaulting a female American Airlines gate agent. [Redacted] said he told Mr. Benham that the police were on the way and he needed to calm down. [Redacted] said Mr. Benham called him a 'San Frisco Faggot' and then punched him in his right eye. [Redacted] said Mr. Benham then began threatening a different male passenger. [Redacted] said he warned Mr. Benham a second time to calm down because the police were going to arrest him."

The report notes that Benham continued to struggle during the attempt to handcuff him and after the officer identified himself. Only after the second officer arrived were they able to handcuff him. So why no charge of resisting arrest? Hit the link for the full arrest report.

Wonkette: Actor Paul Rudd Was Among Bystanders Who Took Down Homophobe After Assault At Dallas Airport

Wonkette reports today that actor Paul Rudd was among the bystanders that rushed to take down a drunk redneck homophobe who had just assaulted a man after calling him a "faggot." At this writing, it doesn't appear that Rudd has confirmed the story, but after watching the clip again, it does look like him. The original video of the attack now has over 1.7 million views. Dallas police have not yet identified the assailant.

(Tipped by JMG reader Joe)

UPDATE: The tweet below is from the above-linked Wonkette blogger. Some Twitter users remain convinced that it was Rudd.

UPDATE II: The actual hero has identified himself as Dallas marketing guy Ben Kravit.

DALLAS: Airport Bystanders Take Down Drunk Redneck Homophobe After Verbal & Physical Assault On (Possibly) Gay Man

This went down at the Dallas airport. Via Raw Story:

The video is dated Thursday, October 23, and shows an unnamed angry man bellowing and threatening another passenger who is wearing a jacket and a pink shirt. A tall man in a black cowboy hat approaches and asks the angry man what he’s upset about. “Queers!” the man shouted. “That’s what I’m upset about. This faggot right here.” After a tense exchange, the angry man kicks the man in the pink shirt, then slaps at him and grabs his hair. A number of people rush to intervene as the man is tacked and put on the floor. The man in the cowboy hat can be heard saying loudly, “No way! No way, you motherfucker. You ain’t doin’ that fucking shit, motherfucker.”

Handcuffed redneck: "I punched him square in the mouth in the fuckin' mouth is what I did. Because this is AMERICA. When I get up I'm gonna beat the shit out of him."

(Tipped by JMG reader Joel)

DALLAS: Second Nurse Has Ebola

Details.

Dallas Nurse Tests Positive For Ebola

CNN reports:

The patient is a nurse, an official who is familiar with this case told CNN. She was involved in Duncan's care after he was placed in isolation and was wearing protective gear as prescribed by the CDC: gown, gloves, mask and shield, officials said. She is in stable condition, Texas Health Resources chief clinical officer Dan Varga said. Duncan, the first person to be diagnosed with Ebola in the United States, died Wednesday. The nurse had "extensive contact" on "multiple occasions," said Dr. Tom Frieden, the director of the CDC. "At some point, there was a breach in protocol, and that breach in protocol resulted in this infection," he said at a news conference Sunday. "The (Ebola treatment) protocols work. ... But we know that even a single lapse or breach can result in infection."

More from the Washington Post:

Dallas officials deployed hazmat teams to decontaminate the entrance and common areas of an apartment complex where the health worker lives and the vehicle that the person used to travel to the hospital. That person’s home has been secured, and law enforcement officials are ensuring that no one enters. The city also knocked on doors and issued reverse 911 calls to homes in the area and distributed information sheets to homes in the area on Sunday morning. Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings also said that there is a pet in the worker’s apartment and that “we have a plan in place to take care of the pet,” which seems to have shown no signs of the disease. He said the hazmat team plans to enter the apartment later Sunday and decontaminate it.

The CDC today held a press conference.

TEXAS: Dallas Ebola Patient Dies

DALLAS: Christian Group To Protest Against Michael Sam At Cowboys GameUPDATE: This Story Is A Likely Hoax

Crackpot Christian activist and alleged GOP lobbyist Jack Burkman says his group will protest against Michael Sam at Sunday's Dallas Cowboys game.

The group American Decency says thousands of right-wing Christians will demonstrate at AT&T Stadium Sunday to protest the Dallas Cowboys signing Michael Sam to its practice squad. Sam is the first openly gay player drafted to the NFL. Jack Burkman heads the group which claims to have 3.62 million members in 41 states. Burkman says, “We cannot just stand idly by as Christian values and morals are trampled. We will do whatever we can to preserve family values in this country.” Rafael McDonnell of the Resource Center, which provides services to the LGBT community, says Sam could help the Cowboys win on and off the field. “He is a talented football player, and if he can help us win, it’s a bonus that he happens to be part of the LGBT community. It shines a light about how difficult it is to be open and out at your job.”

Burkman declared in May that his group would boycott any team that signed Sam. (Tipped by JMG reader Rob)

UPDATE: This story is a likely hoax.

Author Of Texas GOP "Ex-Gay" Plank Was Member Of Log Cabin Republicans

Via Lone Star Q:

According to Rob Schlein, former president of Log Cabin Republicans of Dallas, Schwab was a member of the group before becoming ex-gay. “He was in LCR for a time and even attended a party at my house with boyfriend,” Schlein wrote. Log Cabin Republican is one of the groups that fought the reparative therapy plank. Schwab claims he became ex-gay in 2009. However, in comments on the blog of former ex-gay leader Warren Throckmorton, Schwab admitted to having gay sex more than a year later."

Shocking, huh?

RELATED: In October 2011 the Log Cabin Republicans dissolved their Dallas chapter after its president, the above-quoted Rob Schlein, appeared on Michelangelo Signorile's radio show where he declared that businesses should have the right to fire people for being black

"Texas is a right-to-work state. So as an employer, which I am, I can fire anybody at will," Schlein claimed. "You cannot fire somebody for being African-American," Signorile objected. "Well, I wouldn’t tell them," Schlein said. "You wouldn’t tell them, but you’d do it anyway?" Signorile asked. "I’d find a reason if I wanted to fire them," Schlein said, defending discrimination against black people while trying to prove an anti-discrimination law would make no difference to LGBT people.

Schlein went on to write a editorial backing Rick Perry for president. In April 2012, Schlein and the former members of the LCR Dallas chapter elected to formally affiliate with the now-defunct GOProud, which welcomed them without comment about the racism scandal.

Chipotle: Leave Your Guns At Home

Over the weekend a Texas "open carry" group visited a Dallas outlet of Chipotle, where they bravely protected their burritos with semi-automatic weapons. After a furious social media campaign from the anti-gun group Moms Demand Action, Chipotle has issued a meek request:

The issue of gun ownership or gun rights has become one of the most contentious debates in the country. Chipotle has never taken a position on this issue, as we focus instead on our mission to change the way people think about and eat fast food. Recently participants from an “open carry” demonstration in Texas brought guns (including military-style assault rifles) into one of our restaurants, causing many of our customers anxiety and discomfort. Because of this, we are respectfully asking that customers not bring guns into our restaurants, unless they are authorized law enforcement personnel.

Historically, we felt it enough to simply comply with local laws regarding the open or concealed carrying of firearms, because we believe that it is not fair to put our team members in the uncomfortable position of asking that customers refrain from bringing guns into our restaurants. However, because the display of firearms in our restaurants has now created an environment that is potentially intimidating or uncomfortable for many of our customers, we think it is time to make this request.

We acknowledge that there are strong arguments on both sides of this issue. We have seen those differing positions expressed in the wake of this event in Texas, where pro-gun customers have contacted us to applaud our support of the Second Amendment, and anti-gun customers have expressed concern over the visible display of military-style assault rifles in restaurants where families are eating. The vast majority of gun owners are responsible citizens and we appreciate them honoring this request. And we hope that our customers who oppose the carrying of guns in public agree with us that it is the role of elected officials and the legislative process to set policy in this area, not the role of businesses like Chipotle.

Over on Twitchy, the statement is being spun as a victory over the "gun-grabbers at Moms Demand Action" because Chipotle only issued a "polite request" and didn't ban guns outright.

Is Dallas Television Host Amy Kushnir The Daughter Of Scamvangelist Robert Tilton?

It appears that anti-gay Dallas television host Amy Kushnir, who is so terribly outraged by Michael Sam's kiss, is the daughter of legendarily disgraced scamvangelist Rev. Robert Tilton, whose multi-million dollar grifting empire first crumbled in the early 90s following an exposé by ABC News. Christian Nightmares points us to this 2011 post on the televangelists watchdog blog Snake Oil, which refers to Kushnir as "Amy Tilton Kushnir." 

None of available bios on Kushnir list the names of her parents so I did a little digging.

Rev. Robert Tilton's first wife, to whom he was married during the ABC-spawned scandal, is named Martha and goes by the unusually spelled nickname Marte. Two weeks ago Kushnir posted a Facebook photo of her mother's birthday party and in the comments a friend of Kushnir's writes, "Happy birthday, Marte!"

Robert Tilton's mother, Margaret Ruth Tilton, died in 2006 and her obituary lists the scamvangelist and his current third wife among her survivors. Also listed is an Amy Tilton Kushnir and her husband Bill. The husband of the television host Amy Kushnir is indeed named Bill and his Facebook profile lists that he attended Oral Roberts University.

Fourteen years ago Charisma Magazine interviewed Marte Tilton and noted that she had four children with Robert Tilton, including a daughter named Amy, then aged 30. According to the Explore Talent site, Dallas television host Amy Kushnir is 44 today. In a 2001 interview with the Dallas Morning News, Marte asked that paper not say where her children live, adding that they have "suffered a lot because of their last name." Marte and Rev. Tilton divorced in 1993, when the television host Amy Kushnir would have been 23.

That's an awful lot of possible coincidences, but if I've connected the dots properly, it's certainly understandable that Amy Kushnir wouldn't want the world to know about her infamous father. But it's rather illuminating if she indeed grew up in lavish mansions that were paid for by the then-estimated $80M conned annually out of old ladies by Rev. Robert Tilton, who is still in the scamvangelism game and was raking in $24M a year as recently as a few years ago.

VIDEO: I won't go into all the ways that Rev. Robert Tilton scammed his followers, there's plenty about that on his Wikipedia page. Let's just close this post with one of the dozens of truly infantile and utterly hilarious YouTube clips that mock him. Maybe an Amy Kushnir remix is called for.

Anti-Gay Dallas Host Tells Fox News: ESPN Is Promoting Left Wing Agenda

Amy Kushnir: "If you are trying to maintain traditional values and views in your home and if you share them, you are going to get lambasted." Kushnir says that since she stalked off the set of her Dallas show on Wednesday she has been subjected to death threats, rape threats, and petitions for her to be fired.

Guess Who'll Be On Fox News Tonight?

Via CBS Dallas:

Amy Kushnir will not appear on today’s airing of The Broadcast as she is not in the city. She’s actually on her way to New York to appear on Fox News to address her comments in front of a national audience. Steve Kemble has been in touch with Kushnir and producers of The Broadcast since yesterday to confirm the news and bring us the exclusive! He says, Amy is hurting right now. She feels her comments were very misunderstood, and she is looking forward to explaining them further in hopes that people will better understand her viewpoint.

If you missed yesterday's post about her, here it is.

DALLAS: Chat Show Host Freaks Out Over Michael Sam's Kiss, Storms Off Set

Dallas morning show host Amy Kuchnir stormed off the set of her show this morning after arguing with her co-hosts over ESPN's airing of the now-legendary kiss between Michael Sam and his boyfriend. Amy is ever so pissed about something being shoved down her throat.

TEXAS: Gay Couple Marries In United Methodist Church After 53 Years Together

NBC News in Dallas reports:

It was a wedding 53 years in the making. Jack Evans and George Harris made their relationship official in the eyes of at least one church. "The marriage of George and Jack is a sign of God's love and their love for each other and our love for one another," said Rev. Bill McElvaney, the minister officiating the marriage. Evans and Harris are in their 80's. They asked several churches to perform the ceremony. Northaven United Methodist Church in North Dallas was the first to say yes. "We're celebrating 53 years and finally saying let's make this... let's call it what it is... what it has been for a half a century," said minister Arthur Stewart. Hundreds of people witnessed the ceremony.

The above-linked article closes with this: "For now, the marriage will only stand in this church."

TONIGHT: Celebration In Dallas

GetEqual invites LGBT Texans and allies to gather tonight at the Legacy Of Love Monument in Dallas at 5:30PM local time for a celebration of today's marriage equality ruling. Other cities may announce celebrations too, so watch this space.  Photo source.