CALIFORNIA: Top Cop Blasts "Debauched" Obergefell Ruling In Public Letter

A top police official in Stockton, California has published a viciously anti-gay letter in a local newspaper and says he doesn't care if it gets him fired.

Lt.Toby Will, a former Marine and 25-year veteran of the Stockton Police Department, wrote a 282-word letter to the editor of the Stockton Record which was published in Wednesday's edition under the heading "Marriage ruling shuns God." The letter claims those who live according to "vile and sinful passions" will be met with the wrath of God. "...when the highest office in the land publicly declares the legitimizing of homosexuality to be a great victory for the nation, you can be sure that God is giving that nation over to its own destruction," Will wrote. Stockton Assemblywoman Susan Eggman, chair of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender caucus, said she was shocked when she read the editorial page Wednesday morning. "I choked on my coffee," she said in her Capitol office. Eggman, who is in a same-sex marriage, believes the now-public views of a high-ranking police official could bring fear to Stockton's gay community. "When you need to call 911, you should feel safe that the person who responds is there to support you no matter who you are," Eggman said

Will insisted that his police affiliation and title be included with his letter. A spokesman for the Stockton police says the incident is under "administrative review."

Meanwhile In Winnipeg...

(Via Mashable)

France Warns Citizens About US Travel

Via Bloomberg:

The French shouldn’t be too French when they visit the U.S. That’s the advice being doled out by the French government to its citizens visiting America. Along with warnings about slower speed limits, higher drinking ages and hurricanes in Texas, the French foreign ministry adds a note of warning against being too “Latin.” “It’s recommended to adopt a reserved attitude toward those of the opposite sex,” it says. “Comments, behavior, and jokes, which might be harmless in Latin countries, can lead to criminal cases,” the ministry’s website says. Reinforcing French views of American prudishness, the website notes that even minors can be accused of sexual harassment, and asks that children use toilets reserved for their sex in the U.S. Among other advice to the French in America: “keep calm in all circumstances” since some states authorize the carrying of weapons. It asks visitors to avoid raising their voice or making sudden or aggressive gestures at the police.

The US State Department offer no specific warnings to Americans visiting France.

BOSTON: Police Academy Cadets Graduate As First Openly Gay Couple

Via the Boston Herald:

Jimmy Moccia and Shawn MacIver will make a small but significant piece of local history tomorrow. They will become the first openly gay couple to graduate from the Boston Police Academy. Both men scored 100 on their civil service tests. They have been together for five years, and yesterday, in a steady rain, they completed the traditional eight-mile run along with their recruit class 5414, from the police academy in Hyde Park to Schroeder Plaza. Moccia, who grew up in Hyde Park, has a father and brother who are also Boston cops. “I think it’s important to note that throughout the entire academy experience we were never afraid to be ourselves,” he said after yesterday’s run. “I’m not going to lie. I was pretty nervous on the first day back in December,” he said, “I sort of didn’t want people to find out because I didn’t want people to look at me differently. I wanted people to get to know us. We didn’t want to be known as ‘the gay cops.’ We’re cops who just happen to be gay. There’s so many other things we are. Yeah, gay’s on the list, but it doesn’t define us.

The couple met while working as bouncers at a Boston gay club. (Tipped by JMG reader Tristam)

Hillary Calls For Police Body Cameras

DENVER: Mayor Cancels Speech To Task Force After Trans Advocates Storm Stage

Denver Mayor Michael Hancock canceled his planned welcoming address at the Task Force's annual  Creating Change conference last night after a large group of transgender advocates stormed the stage in protest of the recent killing of a Latina teen by Denver police. Michelle Garcia reports at the Advocate:

Task Force deputy executive director Russell Roybal and Creating Change director Sue Hyde welcomed thousands of attendees at this year's conference in Denver Thursday evening, and both showed emotion as they remarked upon the death of queer Latina Jessie Hernandez. Last week, Hernandez was fatally shot by police fire in Denver in a car authorities report was stolen. After Hyde and Roybal introduced the evening's emcee, comedian Kate Clinton, a group of trans activists and allies, led by Bamby Salcedo, stormed the stage with dozens of handmade signs as the chant "Jessie Presente!" filled the ballroom. Shortly after the demonstration, an activist told The Advocate that Creating Change organizers were not told about the action, in case the trans activists would not be allowed into the ballroom of the Sheraton in downtown Denver. Not only did Salcedo demand better accountability on the part of police and the criminal justice system, she also called for LGBTQ organizations to include transgender people on their boards and staffs as decision makers. "If you serve us, you need to include us," Salcedo said to a crowd cheering and raising their fists in solidarity.

After the stage was cleared, Roybal announced that Hancock would not be making his speech. Learn more about the Hernandez shooting at this Feministing post. Follow Creating Change on Twitter at this hashtag.

In Dog We Trust

So this happened in Florida:

A rug has been removed from a sheriff's office in Florida after it was noticed that it read "in dog we trust" instead of "in God we trust". The $500 mat lay at the entrance to the office in Pinellas County for two months before someone noticed, a spokeswoman said. The error was made by the rug's manufacturer and is being corrected. But there have been several offers to buy the misprinted rug on the office's Facebook page. "I'd buy or donate to a charity to get one," wrote one user. "I'm a great dog person and really find that a rug like that would be wonderful for my dogs to have for beds," wrote another.

(Tipped by JMG reader Buxton)

Anonymous Vs KKK, Continued

Ancona is the Imperial Wizard of Missouri's Traditionalist American Knights of the Ku Klux Klan. From the New York Daily News:

The city of Ferguson is anxiously awaiting a grand jury's decision whether to indict cop Darren Wilson in the fatal shooting of unarmed teen Michael Brown in August. Several months of riots and unrest followed the shooting. "We will use lethal force as provided under Missouri Law to defend ourselves," Ancona and the local KKK wrote in a flyer they are circulating in Ferguson. "You have been warned by the Ku Klux Klan!" Ancona tells The News that he is not asking anyone to do anything illegal — he is just encouraging the people of Ferguson to defend themselves against protesters in case they turn violent. He was only reached after a reporter had to endure 30 seconds of pre-recorded hate speech on the Traditionalist American Knights of the KKK phone line. The Traditionalist American Knights of the Ku Klux Klan is one of five active KKK groups in Missouri, the Southern Poverty Law Center says on its website. Ancona says the group has between 4,000 and 5,000 members. He hails from Park Hills — which also happens to be the Klan's national headquarters. He also has a message for Anonymous: "We are not Internet-based," Ancona says. "If they want to come after us, they have to come out onto the streets."

Whoa

On Sunday the same Anonymous account claimed to have identified three KKK members in attendance at a rally in Wilson's support. (Via JMG reader Scott)

Anonymous Seizes KKK's Twitter Account In Advance Of Ferguson Decision

Yesterday afternoon Anonymous seized the Ku Klux Klan's Twitter account after the hate group threatened to use "lethal force" during any protests over the coming decision on the indictment of the Missouri police officer that killed a young black man.

The Riverfront Times reported that the St. Louis, Missouri KKK group passed out pamphlets starting, "Attention: To the terrorists masquerading as "peaceful protesters"!" The announcement stated further, "We will use lethal force as provided under Missouri law to defend ourselves." KKK leader Frank Ancona went on MCNBC Wednesday to back up the threat and claim support from Ferguson locals; the head of Missouri's KKK told media that his organization's threats to protesters had boosted KKK recruitment. The Missouri group behind the threats -- Traditionalist American Knights of the Ku Klux Klan -- is listed as an active hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center. On Friday Anonymous began doxing (publicly revealing identities and personal information) of KKK members in the Ferguson/St. Louis area.

Prior to the hacking, the KKK spent much of the weekend taunting Anonymous for not being able to hack them. Below is the doxing clip.

UPDATE: YouTube has pulled the clip.

(Tipped by JMG reader Ray)

MISSOURI: Self-Described "Killer" Cop Who Pushed Don Lemon Suspended After Racist, Anti-Gay Rant Surfaces

CNN reports:

A Missouri police officer involved in maintaining security in troubled Ferguson was put on administrative leave Friday after a video surfaced showing him railing about the Supreme Court, Muslims, and his past -- and perhaps, he said, his future -- as "a killer." The officer, Dan Page of the St. Louis County Police Department, became something of a familiar face to many earlier this month when video showed him pushing back CNN's Don Lemon and others in a group in Ferguson. At the time, CNN was reporting on the large-scale and at times violent protests calling for the arrest of a white Ferguson police officer who shot and killed African-American teenager Michael Brown.

In his rambling remarks on the video, he talks about what he describes as a draft replacement for the U.S. Constitution, the "four sodomites on the Supreme Court," and a visit to Kenya "to our undocumented President's home." He refers to Barack Obama as "that illegal alien who claims to be our President." Page frequently references violence, including nine combat tours in the Army, during which he did "my fair share of killing." Speaking about Muslims, he says pointedly: "They will kill you." On domestic disputes, he opines: "You don't like each other that much, just kill each other and get it over with. Problem solved. Get it done." On urban violence, he predicts that "when the inner cities start to ignite, people are going to start killing people they don't like."

And lastly, Page says, "I personally believe the Lord Jesus Christ is my savior, but I'm also a killer. I've killed a lot and, if I need to, I will kill a whole bunch more. If you don't want to get killed, don't show up in front of me." Belmar, the head of the St. Louis County police department, said all the talk about killing was especially disturbing to him. "As a police chief, that's something I'm not going to be able to endure," Belmar said.

Page's speech was made before the St. Louis chapter of Oath Keepers, which describes itself on its website:

Oath Keepers is a non-partisan association of current and formerly serving military, reserves, National Guard, veterans, Peace Officers, and Fire Fighters who will fulfill the Oath we swore, with the support of like minded citizens who take an Oath to stand with us, to support and defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic, so help us God. Our Oath is to the Constitution.

The Southern Poverty Law Center has issued several reports on the Oath Keepers, who were part of the militia showdown at the Bundy Ranch.

VIDEOS: The first report below is from CNN. In the second clip, Memeographs has excerpted some of Page's anti-gay comments. The final clip is the full video, which was found by Crooks & Liars.



RELATED: Another infamous member of the Oath Keepers is the former Pennsylvania sheriff who earned national headlines for his machine-gun-firing tirades while wearing a "Liberals Take It In The Ass" t-shirt.

MISSOURI: LGBT Groups Stand With Family Of Teen Killed By Cop

A coalition of 17 national LGBT and civil rights groups have issued a joint letter in support of the family of Missouri teenager Michael Brown, whose killing by a police officer has inflamed racial tensions and prompted a national outcry.

Among the groups signing the letter are the ACLU, HRC, GLAD, GLAAD, GMHC, NGLTF, PFLAG, and the Trevor Project.

NEW JERSEY: Cops Investigated For Rap Video Featuring Homophobic Slurs

Maurice Gattison, president of the Irvington, New Jersey police union, and three other officers are facing discipline for performing in a gangsta rap video that includes anti-gay slurs such as the word "faggot."

In the video, posted on YouTube, three other men flank Gat as the broad-shouldered emcee with the booming voice spits out various homophobic slurs and promise violence against his rivals. One man swings a medieval mace, and a handgun can be seen on "Gat’s" hip. In another video, Gat is decked out in a gaudy fur coat and raps from the driver’s seat of an expensive car. He calls himself a "felon for life" and warns other rappers they may have to "meet (his) Smith & Wesson," while pretending to fire a gun at the camera. All four are now the subject of an internal investigation because of the video, which has reignited a debate about what police officers can and can’t say. Does the right of free speech trump department rules and regulations when the cops are off-duty? "The Irvington Police Department has standards of conduct that apply to on-duty and off-duty behavior," Police Director Joseph Santiago said.

In a follow-up story published today, Gattison said, "The lyrics I used, in no way did I intend for them to be perceived as homophobic. It’s basically me adapting to the rap culture... just basically slang use." The video has been pulled from YouTube, but the Star-Ledger has posted a snippet. In a poll posted on the paper's website, most readers are supporting the officers' right to make these kinds of videos.
(Tipped by JMG reader Jim) UNRELATED: While I often jokingly refer to Newark as my "ancestral motherland," my parents are actually from the adjacent town of Irvington.