FLORIDA: City To Fine Would-Be Koran Burner $180K For Security Costs

The city of Gainesville, Florida says it is sending Dove World Ministries a bill for $180,000 to pay for all the extra police protection they had to provide Pastor Terry Jones during the week-long media circus as he threatened to burn the Koran. Stand by for the teabagger fundraising to commence.

BREAKING: Pastor Terry Jones Agrees To Cancel Burning Of Korans

Pastor Terry Jones of Gainesville, Florida's Dove Outreach Ministry agreed late this afternoon to cancel his planned burning of Korans on September 11th. Additionally, Jones will fly to NYC this weekend and speak with the imam backing the Cordoba House about finding another location for the so-called "Ground Zero mosque." The agreement was announced by an imam from the Central Florida Islamic Association, who said that Jones did not wish to answer questions about his change of heart.

So. No burning Korans AND possibly no "Ground Zero mosque." Who brought this about? The CIA? The military? Obama himself denounced Jones on national TV early this morning. It will be fascinating the learn the back-channel powers that brokered this deal.

UPDATE: Donald Trump has offered to buy the planned site of Cordoba House in return for an agreement that any new downtown mosque would be at least five blocks further from Ground Zero than the planned location. The owner of the site is said to be open to Trump's offer.

UPDATE II: Let make it clear that an actual agreement between all parties regarding Cordoba House has not been reached.

Anderson Cooper Vs. Pastor Terry Jones

Pastor Terry Jones: I'm Asking God If I Should Burn All Those Korans

"Death To Obama": Afghans Protest Florida Pastor's Plan To Burn The Koran

News of Pastor Terry Jones' plan to burn Korans has reached Afghanistan.

Hundreds of Afghans shouted anti-American slogans and called for President Obama’s death at a rally yesterday to denounce an American church’s plans to burn the Islamic holy book to mark the anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks. The crowd in Kabul, numbering as many as 500, chanted "long live Islam" and "death to America." The protesters listened to fiery speeches from members of Parliament, provincial council deputies, and Islamic clerics, who criticized the United States and demanded the withdrawal of foreign troops from the country.

The commander of U.S forces in Afghanistan, Gen. David Petaeus, says the Florida nutjob in endangering the lives of American troops. ""It is precisely the kind of action the Taliban uses and could cause significant problems. Not just here, but everywhere in the world we are engaged with the Islamic community." The National Association of Evangelicals has denounced Jones, who claims he's gotten over 100 death threats.

National Burn A Quran Day

From voiceover artist DC Douglas. Brilliant.

Bigot Said What?

Dove World Pastor Terry Jones wants to send a "clear radical message" to Muslims that "advocate the stoning of homosexuals." This, from the same guy who lead Gainesville's "No Homo Mayor" campaign.

Florida Pastor: Hundreds Of Armed Militia Will Guard Us As We Burn The Koran

Dove World Outreach Pastor Terry Jones says that when his Gainesville, Florida church conducts it's plan burning of the Koran on 9/11, he and his flock will be protected by an "armed militia."

Terry Jones has accepted the support of Right Wing Extreme, which he said offered to come to the church with between 500 and 2,000 men on September 11. He described the organization as an armed civilian militia group. "There is a need for this protection. It is absolutely necessary in light of the death and terror threats we have received," Jones said in an e-mail to CNN. "We have met with the FBI who have warned us of the threats they have seen, not only against us but against other targets in Florida. We have personally received threats by phone and many by mail," he said. No one from Right Wing Extreme was immediately available to comment on Tuesday. But in a statement sent to CNN by the Dove World Outreach Center, Right Wing Extreme founder Shannon Carson said: "We fully support Dove World Outreach Center and its efforts to put an end to the notion that Islam is a peaceful religion. Islam is a violent cult with the goal of world domination." Muslims and many other Christians, including some evangelicals, are fighting the church's plan to burn the Quran.

Oh, yes. This is going to be very interesting.

FLORIDA: Church Denied Koran-Burning Permit, Plans To Proceed Anyway

Gainesville's Dove World Outreach Ministries has been denied a permit to burn a pile of Korans on September 11th, but says it plans to proceed with the ceremony anyway.

Gene Prince, the interim chief of Gainesville Fire Rescue, said Wednesday that under the city’s fire prevention ordinance, an open burning of books is not allowed. Dove World has made international news since announcing its intention to burn the holy book of Islam to mark the ninth anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Telephone and e-mail messages left for church officials were not immediately returned Wednesday. But permit or no permit, the church has indicated it will go ahead with its planned protest of Islam. In an e-mail newsletter sent out Wednesday, the church announced: “City of Gainesville denies burn permit -- BUT WE WILL STILL BURN KORANS.” Prince said his department notified the church, which has fewer than 100 members, of the decision in a letter that was mailed Tuesday. He said the church could be fined if it went ahead and held the burning.

Dove World was also behind Gainesville's failed "No Homo Mayor" campaign. Openly gay Mayor Craig Lowe calls the church "an embarrassment to the community."

(Tipped by JMG reader Sozo)

Signorile Talks To Koran Burning Pastor

Michelangelo Signorile has interviewed Pastor Terry Jones, the Gainesville, Florida head of the Dove World Outreach Church, which plans to hold a Koran burning ceremony on September 11th. Jones' church was also behind last year's unsuccessful "No Homo Mayor" campaign in Gainesville. Listen as Mike ties Jones up in logical knots.

FLORIDA: "No Homo Mayor" Church Plans "International Burn The Koran Day"

Gainesville's Dove World Church, made famous last year for it's "No Homo Mayor" campaign, is planning to burn Korans on September 11th.

RELATED: You might recall this gem from one of Dove World's pastors.

Craig Lowe Wins Recount In Gainesville

The Gainesville Sun reports that openly gay mayoral candidate Craig Lowe has won the vote recount from Tuesday's election. Lowe's narrow 25-vote win triggered the recount. His final margin was 42 votes. Lowe's campaign had been plagued by repulsive anti-gay rhetoric from Christian groups, including from one local church that's had its tax-exempt status challenged because of its "No Homo Mayor" signage.

Gainesville, FL Elects Openly Gay Mayor

In a nail-biter of a runoff election, tonight openly gay Gainesville, Florida mayoral candidate Craig Lowe was declared the winner, pending a mandatory vote recount triggered by his razor-thin win by 35 votes. Lowe's candidacy was marked by repulsive anti-gay rhetoric by Christianist activists, including "No Homo Mayor" signs in front of one church and the below false flier campaign which promised predatory "gays in women's restrooms" should Lowe win. Congratulations, Mayor Lowe! Let's hope this sticks.

Fear Of The Tax Man: Gainesville Church Drops "Mayor" From Its "No Homo" Sign

After the Americans For Separation of Church and State filed a complaint with the IRS, Dove World Outreach in Gainesville, Florida has dropped the word "mayor" from their infamous "NO HOMO MAYOR" sign.

The Dove World Outreach Center, the Gainesville church that has gotten national attention for its incendiary stance against Islam, has backed off its anti-gay message — at least as far as the mayoral race is concerned. After church officials posted a “No homo Mayor” sign last month, I reported how that political statement could jeopardize their tax-exempt status. To make it clear that the church is still against homosexuality, the sign has since been covered up with a hand-written sign that reads, “No homo.” “No homo,” of course, is a common refrain among young people theses days. According to the Urban Dictionary, “no homo” is “used after one inadvertently says something that sounds gay.” The church’s sign was referring to mayoral candidate Craig Lowe, a city commissioner who is gay.

Openly gay mayoral candidate Craig Lowe finished first in last month's election. Gainesville residents are voting all this week in the runoff.

RELATED: After one of their anti-gay YouTube clips got pulled for TOS violations, Dove World Pastor Luke Jones submitted an unintentionally hilarious response titled "Homosexuality Hates Free Speech."

Anti-Gay Florida Church Targeted For Tax-Exempt Status Violations

Americans United for Separation of Church and State have called on the IRS to investigate Gainesville, Florida's Dove World Outreach Center for violating their tax-exempt status. Earlier today I posted the latest video from Dove World's Pastor Luke Jones in which he calls for homosexuals to be put to death.

Dove World Outreach Center erected a sign on its property reading, “No Homo Mayor.” The reference is to Craig Lowe, a mayoral candidate who is gay. Contacted about the matter by the Gainesville Sun, a top church official admitted that the church had erected the sign. “We don’t feel as though the city should be represented by a homosexual,” said Terry Jones, senior pastor at Dove World Outreach Center. The Rev. Barry W. Lynn, Americans United executive director, called the church’s actions a blatant example of illegal politicking by a tax-exempt group. “This is an open-and-shut case,” Lynn said. “The church freely admits that it intended to intervene in the election in violation of federal tax law. I urge the IRS to act promptly.” Americans United sent a letter to IRS officials today, asking them to investigate the matter. Jones told the Sun he believes the church is acting within its constitutional rights. But as Americans United pointed out in its letter to the IRS, groups accepting tax exemptions must meet certain conditions, including refraining from election interventions.

Typically, we'd expect Liberty Counsel etc to come rushing to Dove World's defense, but the church's brisk business in "Islam Is Of The Devil" t-shirts and other assorted assholery may mean they'll stand (or fall) alone on this one.

God Hates Spellcheck

After their "no more homo faggots and gays" clip got yanked from YouTube for TOS violations, Pastor Luke Jones of Gainesville, Florida's Dove World Outreach Center responds with this rant about censorship, adding that "homosexuality is a sin that should be punished by death." Jones also claims that 30% of gay men admit to having sex with minors, we all die by age 40, etc etc. Dove World has been in the news for their campaign against openly gay Gainesville mayoral candidate Craig Lowe.

FL Pastor: No More Homos And Fags!

Pastor Wayne Sapp of Gainesville, FL's Dove World Outreach Center goes off on a 6-minute rant against openly gay mayoral candidate Craig Lowe, saying "the world don't need no more homos and fags." Check out his YouTube channel for other gems such as Nigger! Is It A Good Word? Last year Sapp and others sued the Alachua Country School Board in order that their children could wear "Islam Is Of The Devil" tshirts to school.

(Tipped by JMG reader Robert)

Gainesville FL: Gay Mayoral Candidate Craig Lowe Finishes First, Faces Runoff

Craig Lowe, the openly gay candidate for mayor of Gainesville, Florida, finished first in a field of five yesterday, sending him and the second place candidate to an April 13th runoff. Lowe has been the target of a despicable anti-gay campaign, which included hoax fliers promising that he would bring the city "gays in the women's restrooms." Gainesville is a small college town, home to the University of Florida.

Fake Fliers Mock Gainesville Gay Mayoral Candidate Craig Lowe

Anti-gay activists in Gainesville, Florida are handing out hoax fliers urging support of openly gay mayoral candidate Craig Lowe, promising that he will bring the city "gays in women's restrooms" among other gay gay gay things.

“Please help to make this town more like San Francisco, CA,” the flier reads. “Don’t let Traditional Value Activists use scare tactics against you!” Lowe, a city commissioner, said in an interview that he was told the fliers had been put on cars at a Baptist church Sunday and some had been placed on cars along Main Street. It was not clear who was distributing them. “When someone poses as operating on your campaign’s behalf and is doing so in a manner to damage the campaign, I think that’s something that is very disturbing in the electoral process,” Lowe said. He said he wasn’t sure whether he would file a complaint.

Wingnut Group Smears Openly Gay Mayoral Candidate In Gainseville, Florida

The Concerned Citizens of Gainesville are smearing openly gay mayoral candidate Craig Lowe by posting placards claiming that his support for the city's recently passed transgender rights ordinance means he is pro-pedophilia. Via Equality Florida:

Last year, when anti-LGBT forces tried to repeal Gainesville's Human Rights ordinance, Craig Lowe served as Chair of the successful campaign to stop the repeal of these hard won legal protections. Now Craig is poised to become the first gay mayor of Gainesville and the anti-gay forces are targeting him with outrageous attacks. Craig is the most experienced candidate, having served on the Gainesville Commission since 2003. During his time on the commission Craig led the way in passing a Domestic Partnership Registry and an inclusive non-discrimination ordinance. Craig is running a strong grassroots campaign and he's going to need our help to emerge as the winner in a crowded election.

Support Craig Lowe's campaign here.