RUSSIA: Lawmaker Accuses Apple Of Gay Propaganda With Free U2 Album Artwork

Last year Apple annoyed some of its customers when it included an automated free download of the latest U2 album as part of the launch of the iPhone 6. Now a Russian lawmaker is accusing Apple of distributing gay propaganda because of the album's artwork. Via Gay Star News:

Alexander Starovoitov, a member of the right-wing LDPR party, said youths were "corrupted" after they received U2's new album Songs Of Innocence in September 2014. The album, which was distributed to 500 million iTunes customers worldwide, featured the band's drummer Larry Mullen Jr with his 18-year-old son Elvis. Both were shirtless. The group said it was a metaphor, how "holding on to your own innocence is a lot harder than holding on to someone else's." Starovoitov claims the U2 album art promotes gay sex and is reportedly ready to sue Apple for compensation for moral damages on behalf of his own son. "I, like many Russian citizens, own an iPhone. In 2014, the band U2 forced my phone to download their new album. Their cover album depicts two men, which in my view, depicts the expression of a non-traditional sexual relationship to each other. It should be noted these songs could not be removed from the phone."

Apple reacted to the U2 backlash by issuing special instructions on how to delete the album. The company has not responded to the latest flap in Russia.

Mat Staver At Hate March: Christians Have No Choice But To Disobey SCOTUS

He's totally not getting gay-married! That'll learn 'em!

Sen. James Inhofe Conclusively Disproves Climate Change By Tossing A Snowball Across The Senate Floor

Via Slate:

During rambling remarks Thursday afternoon, James Inhofe of Oklahoma, the chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, used a snowball as a prop on the Senate floor. The apparent purpose of this stunt: to show the recent spate of cold weather in the Northeast is a sign that human activity isn’t causing climate change. The snowball was brought to the Senate floor in a sealable plastic bag. Inhofe began his speech with the snowball at his side on the speaker’s podium. After he was introduced, he removed it from the bag, held it in his hand, and said, “I ask the chair, you know what this is? It’s a snowball, just from outside here. So it’s very, very cold out. Very unseasonal. Mr. President, catch this.” Inhofe then underhand tossed the snowball in the direction of Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, who was presiding over the Senate at the time.

Mississippi Asks Fifth Circuit To Extend Marriage Stay: Don't Turn Us Into Utah

Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant and state Attorney General Jim Hood this afternoon filed a motion with the Fifth Circuit Court which demands an indefinite stay extension on yesterday's ruling by a federal district court. That court's stay is scheduled to expire in two weeks and according to today's filing, unless an emergency extension is granted, there will be another "debacle" as was seen in Utah.

Absent the immediate entry of an emergency stay, at the opening of business on Wednesday, December 10, 2014, Mississippi circuit clerks will be forced to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples, inderogation of Mississippi’s strong public policy favoring traditional marriages, as reflected in state statutory and constitutional provisions. The State Defendants, Governor Phil Bryant and Attorney General Jim Hood, filed a contingent motion for stay pending appeal in the district court in the event that court entered a preliminary injunction. Last night, the district court granted the Plaintiff-Appellees’ Motion for Preliminary Injunction, but entered only a 14 day temporary stay, necessitating this request for emergency relief.

The preliminary injunction drastically alters the status quo and disrupts the social fabric and traditions of the State. If same-sex marriages are permitted to proceed, even for a very short time, if the validity of Mississippi’s traditional marriage laws is upheld on appeal, the State would be presented with the extremely unfortunate and thorny issue of having to legally unwind any marital or other family relationships which were created or altered pursuant to “in the interim” same-sex marriage licenses. The recent debacle in the State of Utah that resulted from the courts’ “on-again, off-again” treatment of same-sex marriage is illustrative, and this Court should take action to prevent Mississippi from having to endure the same experience.

Read the full filing at Equality Case Files.

PA Gov. Tom Corbett's Last Stand

Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett is weeks away from a double-digit drubbing at the hands of LGBT ally and hate crimes law advocate Tom Wolf. This is the ad Corbett is going out with.

Texas AG Greg Abbott To Fifth Circuit: Gay Marriage Will Lead To Fewer Babies

Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott has filed a reply brief to the Fifth Circuit Court in which he declares that same-sex marriage will lead to straight couples having fewer babies. Via the Houston Chronicle:

The new filing largely reiterated the same “responsible procreation” argument Abbott made in July, when the state first appealed a a February district court’s ruling overturning the Texas gay marriage ban. In it, Abbott argued marriage among heterosexual partners is more beneficial to society because it encourages married couples to have children and provides an example for other couples to do the same. “First, Texas’s marriage laws are rationally related to the State’s interest in encouraging couples to produce new offspring, which are needed to ensure economic growth and the survival of the human race,” Abbott wrote.

He added, “Second, Texas’s marriage laws are rationally related to the State’s interest in reducing unplanned out-of-wedlock births. By channeling procreative heterosexual intercourse into marriage, Texas’s marriage laws reduce unplanned out-of-wedlock births and the costs that those births impose on society. Recognizing same-sex marriage does not advance this interest because same-sex unions do not result in pregnancy.” In the brief, Abbott concedes that same-sex marriage might have some positive effects for society, like increasing household wealth and adoptions or providing a more stable environment for children raised by gay couples. While there might be benefits, however, he said it’s for the Legislature, not the courts, to decide whether to expand the right to marry.

Read the full brief.

Robertson Slams Obama's "Latte Salute"

Yes kids, American missiles are raining down on Syria and THIS remains the headline across Teabagistan today.

Media Matters: Right-Wing Rodeo

Erick Erickson: "The minimum wage is for people who have failed at life." Lou Dobbs: Drunk women pretty much get what's coming to them. Phil Robertson: "Convert them or kill them."

Matt Barber: Christians Should Carry Anti-Gay Banners At St. Patrick's Parade

"What was once billed as a Catholic event can no longer be called such. They are openly allowing a sin-based organization to march in their parade and to effectively put their stamp of approval on what the Bible unequivocally calls sinful behavior.  Some faith-based organizations could carry banners and so forth exclaiming the truths of scripture relative to homosexual sin. [They could] use the opportunity to denounce what the New York City St. Patrick's Parade organization has done here and to take them to task for casting aside the truths of scripture and disobeying the teachings of Christ." - Hate group leader Matt Barber, speaking to the AFA's OneNewsNow.

DC Archdiocese: Cancel The St. Patrick's Day Parade "Anal Sex" Celebration

"We are being asked to raise toasts and to enjoy a night of frivolity with those who think it is acceptable to abort children by the millions each year, with those who think anal sex is to be celebrated as an expression of love and that LGBTQIA (I=intersexual, A= Asexual) is actually a form of sanity to which we should tip our hat, and with those who stand four-square against us over religious liberty. Now the St. Patrick’s Parade is becoming of parade of disorder, chaos, and fake unity. Let’s be honest: St. Patrick’s Day nationally has become a disgraceful display of drunkenness and foolishness in the middle of Lent that more often embarrasses the memory of Patrick than honors it.

"In New York City in particular, the 'parade' is devolving into a farcical and hateful ridicule of the faith that St. Patrick preached. It’s time to cancel the St. Patrick’s Day Parade and the Al Smith Dinner and all the other 'Catholic' traditions that have been hijacked by the world. Better for Catholics to enter their churches and get down on their knees on St. Patrick’s Day to pray in reparation for the foolishness, and to pray for this confused world to return to its senses. Let’s do adoration and pray the rosary and the Divine Mercy Chaplet unceasingly for this poor old world." - Father Charles Pope, writing for the Archdiocese of Washington.

Starnes: Woman Thinks Obama Is God

Here's what actually happened:

Obama dined at a barbecue restaurant with four Kansas City residents who had written him letters about their lives. Before sitting down with them, he had a moment with Dale Hopkins, a patron at the restaurant and possibly Obama’s most intense supporter. A pool report wrote up their moment together: "A woman with blonde hair and glasses rose to shake his hand from another table. 'He’s so handsome, oh my God!' she exclaimed. 'I’m paying for her food,' he said after hugging her. 'You’re so handsome,' she continued. 'The First Lady is so lucky.' She became choked up as she shook his hand a final time."

You probably shouldn't tweet "OMG" to Starnes, he'll say you've mistaken him for Jesus.

Hate Group Leader Janet Porter Launches Anti-Gay Facebook Alternative Called ReaganBook, Much Hilarity Ensues

Kyle Mantyla writes at Right Wing Watch:

Last weekend, the Ohio Liberty Coalition hosted a "Reload 4 Liberty" event at which Janet Porter spoke about her never-ending push to get her anti-choice "Heartbeat Bill" legislation passed in Ohio. But apparently that is not all that Porter is up to these days, as she also revealed to the audience that she'll soon be unveiling something called ReaganBook, which aims to become "the Facebook for patriots." Because Facebook is run by the sorts of people who march in gay pride parades and supposedly censors messages from anti-gay activists like Peter LaBarbera, Porter explained that she decided to launch ReaganBook as a conservative alternative. "We're tearing down walls, get it?" she said. "We're tearing down walls of tyranny, or censorship." 

At this writing ReaganBook has 303 members, including Bathtime For Bonzo, Chazwomp Hogswallow, Cirrhosis Trash, Corn Holey O, Duke Nukem, Dig Bick, and...well, you can see what's going on. Snork! (And fly, monkeys, fly!)

Crazy Eyes: The Ultimate Goal Of Gay Activists Is To Freely Prey On Children

Brian Tashman writes at Right Wing Watch:

During a Wednesday appearance on the conservative radio show “Faith & Liberty,” Rep. Michele Bachmann accused the “gay community” of pushing “deviancy,” “tyranny” and child rape. The Minnesota Republican warned that the gay community will “abolish age of consent laws, which means we will do away with statutory rape laws so that adults will be able to freely prey on little children sexually. That’s the deviance that we’re seeing embraced in our culture today.” She also predicted that gay rights advocates will legalize polygamy and enact “hate speech laws across the United States” in order to bring about “the rise of tyranny.”

Joan Rivers: Calling The First Lady A "Tranny" Was Actually A Compliment

"I think it's a compliment. She's so attractive, tall, with a beautiful body, great face, does great makeup. Take a look and go back to La Cage Au Follies (sic). The most gorgeous women are transgender. Stop it already ... and if you want to talk about 'politically correct,' I think this is a 'politically incorrect' attack on me because I'm old, Jewish, a woman and a 'hetty' -- a heteosexual ... and I plan to sue the reporter who, when he turned off his camera, tried to touch me inappropriately on the ass - luckily he hit my ankle. Read the book ... if you think that's silly, wait to (sic) you see what I say about FDR and Eleanor!" - Joan Rivers, in a statement sent to CNN.

Catholic School To Destroy Party Invites Because They Show Ellen DeGeneres

A Catholic school in Pennsylvania is apologizing to parents after recalling party invitations that feature "poor role model" Ellen DeGeneres. The school's principal has vowed to destroy the invitations once they are returned.

It was "completely wrong" to use DeGeneres' picture because the lesbian celebrity "lives her life outside the teachings of the Catholic Church," St. Andrew Elementary School principal Nancy Matteo wrote in an email to parents on Tuesday. The text of the message was provided to Philly.com. In the email, Matteo says she was "obviously NOT thinking" when she let the invitation to the June 8 dance be distributed with DeGeneres’ photo. "Perhaps I was distracted by the Oscar," she wrote, calling the entertainer a "poor role model." "A role model, as defined by Webster's Dictionary, is a person who is unusually effective or inspiring in some social role, job, position, etc.," the email says. "This does not describe her at all. We work so hard to be good role models and then I go and do something stupid!"

A spokesman for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia has also apologized: "All Catholic schools in the Archdiocese are firmly rooted in Gospel-based values and the teachings of the Church. As such, it is expected that any promotional materials developed by these schools would feature images and themes that correspond with their core mission and identity."

RELATED: For the second year in a row, the Archdiocese of Philadelphia is sending busloads of its parishioners to attend NOM's hate march in Washington DC.

Fox Contributor Laura Ingraham Attacks "Immigrant" Justice Sonia Sotomayor

Fox News contributor and wingnut radio host Laura Ingraham apparently believes that Puerto Rico is a foreign country.

In a February 3 speech before Yale Law students, Sotomayor commented on the fact that she was the first Supreme Court Justice to use the term "undocumented immigrant," instead of "illegal alien," saying "[t]o call them illegal aliens seemed and does seem insulting to me." Ingraham highlighted Sotomayor's comment on her radio show the following day. Ingraham suggested that using the term "undocumented immigrant" demonstrated a failure of Sotomayor's duty "to defend the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America." According to Ingraham, the word choice shows that Sotomayor's "allegiance obviously goes to her immigrant family background and not to the Constitution of the United States." Sotomayor is a Puerto Rican American who is both an American citizen and the daughter of American citizens. Puerto Ricans have had U.S. citizenship since President Woodrow Wilson signed the Jones-Shafroth Act in 1917.

UNRELATED: Ingraham is thought by some to have been the first person to out Matt Drudge.

Bryan Fischer Has The Grammy Sadz

Kyle Mantyla writes at Right Wing Watch:

We can add Bryan Fischer to the list of anti-gay activists who were outraged by the Grammy Awards, as he proclaimed on his radio show yesterday that Beyoncé's opening number a "complete raunch-fest" that was "inexcusably tawdry" and only served to set the tone for the "abomination" of seeing several gay couples get married later in the program during a performance of the Macklemore and Ryan Lewis song "Same Love." "If you care about children," Fischer said, "this thing ought to appall you because gay marriage is bad for children. In fact, same-sex parenting - I'm going to be very direct here - same-sex parenting is a form of child abuse."

Facebook Graphic Of The Day

Matalin: "Can I just say, I’m so sick of sports and politics. All of my gay friends think he looks so buff when he is shirtless. Why is he [Putin] even talking about this?” (Via Memeographs)

More Oklahoma Sadz From Tony Perkins

"From Tulsa to Tipton, the news dropped like a bombshell, stunning the million-plus voters who'd exercised what they thought was their constitutional right to define marriage. Under the 68-page opinion of a single judge, that right no longer exists for Sooners. Like New Jersey, New Mexico, and Utah before them, Oklahomans are feeling the deep betrayal of a judicial system overrun by political activists. In a country where lawlessness is more contagious than the common cold, U.S. District Judge Terence Kern smothered the votes of 76% of the state and substituted his judgment for that of 1,075,216 Oklahomans. By driving these lawsuits into the deepest conservative states, the Left's biggest goal is demoralizing the heart of our movement. But if it's indifference liberals are counting on, they just picked a fight with the wrong voters." - KKK-affiliated hate group leader Tony Perkins, via press release.

Tea Party Warm-Up Speaker For Ted Cruz: Let's Fire Mortars At Cars With CA Plates

"I’ve said this several times in Texas before and I’ve said it to Mr. Cruz as a representative of the Texas government, I’ve said it to Gov. (Rick) Perry directly, and now I’m going to say it to you as individual Texas citizens. You will see a lot of cars coming west heading east on Interstate 10, and they’re going to have California license plates on them. Now, if you see these cars pull into rest areas or hotels or restaurants, that’s fine; wave goodbye, make sure they go out on the Louisiana end. But if you see them pull off into residential areas, you need to open fire on these vehicles immediately. Immediately. Not with 9mm or AR rounds; you need to put mortars on those things, you cannot take any chances. What’s the worst that could happen to you? I mean, honestly, this is Texas, right? You’ll stand in front of a Texas judge, (and) he’ll say, ‘Did you shoot up that car full of Californians?’ You’ll say yes, he’ll say why. You’ll say, ‘Well, your honor, they needed killing.’ And he’ll say, ‘We’ll strike a medal in your honor,’ and off you go." - Right wing blogger Bill Whittle, drawing big laughs while warming up for Sen. Ted Cruz at a Tea Party rally keynoted by Cruz. Video at the link.