Author: Randy Slovacek

Posted on

Tennessee: Detective Calls On Police To Arrest & Kill “LGBT Freaks”

A Sheriff’s Office detective who is also a pastor at the All Scripture Baptist Church in Knoxville, Tennessee, has drawn heavy criticism for a sermon he gave on June 2 where he called on police to “enforce a bible passage” that calls for killing LGBTQ people.

During a sermon titled, “Sodomite Reprobates,” Grayson Fritts said “The purpose of this sermon is, our government, like the police, should enforce Leviticus 20:13,” reports local CBS News affiliate WVLT.

In the King James Bible, Leviticus 20:13 reads, “If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.”

Fritts said that “God has instilled the power of civil government to send the police in 2019 out to the LGBT FREAKS and arrest them.”

The detective said “riot teams” should round up gays at Pride events, take them to jail and put them on trial.

“We got a bunch of them we’re gonna get convicted because they’ve got their pride junk on and they’re professing what they are, they’re a filthy animal,” said Fritts.

If convicted, Fritts’ prescription is to put the LGBTQs to death.

On Wednesday evening, WVLT reporter Robert Grant attended a service where Fritts delivered another sermon at his church. According to Grant, Fritts concluded his sermon with the message, “Put homos to death.”

WVLT news anchor Amanda Hara posted on her Facebook page a photo of a message left after Fritts’s sermon that read, “Dear Pastor Fritts, I don’t know what happened to you, but I am so sorry. Love, Thy Neighbor.”

Interestingly, the Sheriff’s office reports the detective put in a request to take part in the Knox County Voluntary Workforce Reduction Buy Out program days being delivering the controversial sermon.

Timing is everything, no?

Sheriff Tom Spangler issued a statement saying Fritts is “currently on paid sick leave until the effective date of the workforce reduction which will be July 19, 2019.”

“I want to be very clear that it is my responsibility to ensure equal protection to ALL citizens of Knox County, Tennessee under the law, my oath and the United States Constitution without discrimination or hesitation,” Spangler added. “Rest assured that I have and will continue to do so.”

Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs told reporters he found Fritts’s remarks to be “extremely vile and reprehensible” and condemned the calls for violence.

WVLT reports the Knox County District Attorney’s office is now investigating the matter, as well as past closed cases handled by Fritts where his anti-gay bias may have played a role in his investigations.

Posted on

Quisling Of The Day: Guess Who?

One of my favorite bloggers, kenneth in the (212), has posted a text message chat between what appears to be 'totally-not-gay' former Rep. Aaron Schock and a supporter.

One of my favorite bloggers, kenneth in the (212), has posted a text message chat between what appears to be ‘totally-not-gay’ former Rep. Aaron Schock and a supporter.

I haven’t personally verified the identities of the two people chatting in exchange, so, feel free to believe or not believe.

In the screen captures, Schock complains of how “mean and nasty” the gays have been to him in leaking his nude pics.

He also says he “hadn’t come to terms” with his sexuality when he cast anti-LGBTQ votes while in Congress, and was in the process of coming out to his family when video of him canoodling at Coachella surfaced.

In addition, the person says the ‘hatred’ aimed at him is based on his being a Republican.

In his post, Kenneth offers this spot-on counter-point to the whining:

Note to Aaron Schock: The perspective of queer people has always been consistent and clear: Even those who “preach tolerance, acceptance and compassion” don’t take kindly to having lawmakers vote to rob them of their rights, particularly when it is believed that said lawmaker was being hypocritical in his beliefs. If you think your coming out has been difficult, imagine someone’s parents finding out he/she is gay when they were booted from the U.S. military under “don’t ask, don’t tell,” which you voted to keep in place. Talk about humiliating. Whether you think you were “out” when you voted against LGBTQ rights is irrelevant as you are a gay man who surely knew what you were doing was shitty. If you truly don’t stand by your past votes, then why not denounce them?

The “hate” has always been about your anti-gay policies, not your party. But if you think the two are related, that’s perhaps something you need to grapple with. HRC didn’t give you a zero rating because of your stance on taxes and regulations.

According to Kenneth, the man who posted the screen caps verified its authenticity.

No word from Mr. Schock yet.

Click over to kenneth in the (212) for the full text exchange.

Posted on

Ding Dong The Witch Is Dead – Sarah Huckabee Sanders Announces White House Departure

Donald Trump tweeted today that White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders will depart the White House at the end of June and return to her home state of Arkansas.
Sarah Huckabee Sanders

Donald Trump tweeted today that White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders will depart the White House at the end of June and return to her home state of Arkansas.

Sanders has defended Trump’s obvious lies since 2016. Out of frustration, she basically ended the practice of holding White House press briefings.

The reaction from the Twitterverse was exactly what you’d expect:

Posted on

Pride Music: Tom Goss “Son Of A Preacher Man”

Back in 2016, out singer/songwriter took a look at the Dusty Springfield classic, “Son of a Preacher Man,” as part of his ‘Music Videos That Tell Our Stories’ series.

As we celebrate Pride Month, it’s interesting to see how out artists find our stories in classic songs.

In exploring the tune, Tom found a new, deeply personal context for the 1968 hit.

Tom explains:

“Ultimately, we wanted to show two boys falling in love. We worked hard to show young love authentically, as innocent and pure as it truly is. When two gay kids fall in love, it’s often unknown by the participants themselves. They are in love, they know they want to be around each other, and they know they are attracted to each other, but they don’t know how to put a label on it. All the messaging tells the kids that homosexuality is wrong, and is something to be hated, so they don’t perceive that label to apply to themselves. That’s what happens in this story.

“These two boys fall in love and they don’t really know it until they kiss. That moment of realization also happens to be the preacher’s moment of realization. His suspicions are confirmed, his son is gay, and the fallout is swift.

“We show the turmoil that families have as a result of this judgmental Christian messaging and how it goes beyond the church, following them home and into all aspects of their life. Coming to the realization of who you are and who you love in the context of that hate speech can be so demoralizing, to the point that you could consider taking your own life.”

Posted on

Ethics Office: Kellyanne Conway Should Be Fired For Violating Hatch Act

Kellyanne Conway

The office that oversees ethics for the White House has recommended that White House Counselor Kellyanne Conway be removed from federal service after repeated violations of the Hatch Act, which “prohibits government employees from making political statements while acting in an official capacity,” according to CBS News.

The Office of the Special Counsel — the ethics office for the White House, which is unrelated to former special counsel Robert Mueller — sent a report to the president Thursday finding that Conway had violated the act “on numerous occasions” by criticizing Democratic presidential candidates in TV interviews and on social media.

While the president and vice president are exempt from the Hatch Act, that privilege does not extend to federal employees.

“Ms. Conway’s violations, if left unpunished, would send a message to all federal employees that they need not abide by the Hatch Act’s restrictions. Her actions thus erode the principal foundation of our democratic system — the rule of law,” the OSC said in the letter to Mr. Trump, calling Conway a “repeat offender.”

Click to enlarge

Conway has laughed at the violations in the past.

“If you’re trying to silence me through the Hatch Act, it’s not going to work,” she told reporters in May. “Let me know when the jail sentence starts.”

Posted on

Police Refuse To Offer Security To Anti-LGBTQ Hate Conference

Patrick Boyle

Today in ‘good Christian love:’

A group of virulently anti-LGBTQ pastors are planning a “Make America Straight Again” conference over three days in Orlando, Florida, this weekend.

The Friendly Atheist reports event will occur just days after the 3rd anniversary of the deadly Pulse Nightclub shooting in the city. Organizers specifically say they chose the dates because Orlando’s Pride celebration is this weekend.

The list of participants is a veritable who’s who of ‘Christian’ haters including:

• Orlando-based Patrick Boyle, who says in the video below they plan to speak out against the “sodomites and their filth that they’ve been spreading.”

• Steven Anderson, who celebrated the mass shooting at Pulse because there were “50 less pedophiles in this world.”

• Roger Jimenez, who said the worst thing about the Pulse massacre is the shooter “didn’t finish the job.”

• Tommy McMurtry, who wishes everyone could go back to a time when society put LGBTQ folks in their place – “six feet under.”

• Bruce Mejia, who says LGBTQ stands for “Let God Burn Them Quickly” and believes gays should be “put to death.”

Here’s their announcement video. You’ve never seen such chipper hate in your life.

WFTV, the ABC News affiliate in Orlando, reports the group contacted the local Sheriff’s office asking to hire deputies to handle security duties at the conference. The Sheriff’s Office refused the request.

“The fact that the timing of this conference coincides with the three-year anniversary of the Pulse Nightclub shooting in nearby Orlando did not go unnoticed by our staff,” a spokesman told WFTV. “We felt as though the timing of the conference is in poor taste.”

Boyle told the news station they were surprised by the rejection saying “We were actually just asking for police presence just to deter any kind of violence.”

That response is surprising since McMurtry recently told his congregation that he hopes gay folks protest and that it gets violent because “they have ‘Stand Your Ground’ in Florida, so we’re allowed to fight back – so, I say ‘bring it!’”

Posted on

Amazon Prime Video Curates ‘Must-Watch’ Pride Collection

In honor of Pride Month, Amazon Prime Video has curated a collection of queer films and television series all in one place for you to peruse.
With Pride Month in full swing, it’s a great time to check out some LGBTQ-themed films you might not have gotten around to watching yet.

In honor of Pride Month, Amazon Prime Video has curated a collection of queer films and television series all in one place for you to peruse.

Click here to find not only Amazon Original entertainment including Transparent, A Very English Scandal and Made in Heaven, but award-winning LGBTQ films like:

1985: Shot on black-and-white super 16mm film, “1985” takes a unique look at a pivotal moment in American history through the prism of empathy, love and family. Starring Cory Michael Smith (“Gotham”), Virginia Madsen (Academy Award Nominee, “Sideways”), Michael Chiklis (Golden Globe Winner, “The Shield”) and Jamie Chung (“The Gifted”).

Leather: A young man, Birch, lives in the Catskill Mountains, in a cottage in a remote region with Walter, an older man who has an estranged gay son, Andrew. Birch and Walter make items from leather. After his father dies, Andrew returns home with Kyle, his boyfriend from the city. Birch captivates Andrew and Kyle, bringing up feelings and complicating their relationship.

Saturday Church: A 14-year-old boy, struggling with gender identity and religion, begins to use fantasy to escape his life in the inner city and find his passion in the process. Festival Favorite of Tribeca 2017

Porcupine Lake: Thirteen-year-old Bea (Charlotte Salisbury) wants a best friend more than anything else, but when she meets boisterous Kate (Lucinda Armstrong Hall) she gets more than she ever imagined. Porcupine Lake is a story of bravery and the secret world of girls set in northern Ontario during a hot and hazy summertime when adulthood has not yet arrived, but childhood is quickly vanishing.

Quiet Heroes: In Salt Lake City, Utah, the ubiquity of the Mormon Church complicated the AIDS crisis: patients received little support from-or were cast out by-their communities. With many patients abandoned by nearly everyone they knew, Dr. Kristen Ries and Maggie Snyder, PA-C partnered with an order of Catholic nuns to create a safe haven amidst a sea of hate and fear for those with nowhere else to turn.

Transmilitary: At a time when transgender people are banned from serving in the U.S. military, four transgender troops risking discharge fight to attain the freedom they so fiercely protect. 2018 SXSW Audience Award Winner, Best Documentary.

Call Her Ganda: When Jennifer Laude, a Filipina transwoman, is brutally murdered by a U.S. Marine, three women intimately invested in the case-an activist attorney (Virgie Suarez), a transgender journalist (Meredith Talusan) and Jennifer’s mother (Julita “Nanay” Laude)-galvanize a political uprising, pursuing justice and taking on hardened histories of US imperialism.

This is just a tiny portion of Amazon’s ‘Must-Watch Pride’ list. Click over to check out all the selections.

Posted on

House Committee Approves Resolution To Hold Commerce Secretary & Attorney General In Contempt

By a vote of 24-15, the House Oversight Committee approved a resolution recommending Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross and Attorney General William Barr be held in contempt for refusing to comply with subpoenas in regard to the committee's investigation into a question about citizenship on the 2020 census.

By a vote of 24-15, the House Oversight Committee approved a resolution recommending Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross and Attorney General William Barr be held in contempt for refusing to comply with subpoenas in regard to the committee’s investigation into a question about citizenship on the 2020 census.

Rep. Justin Amash (R-MI) joined Democrats in voting in favor of the resolution.
The committee is seeking internal documents between the Justice Department and the Trump administration regarding how the citizenship question came to be and why.
Democrats assert the question was added in order to intimidate immigrants into not filing the census form. 
The census is used to determine how many federal lawmakers are allocated to each state. Should immigrants pass on filling out the form it would most probably benefit Republicans.

Posted on

Oregon Becomes 15th State To Promise Electoral Votes To Winner Of Popular Vote

Oregon has become the 15th state to join the National Popular Vote compact promising its electoral votes to the presidential candidate who wins the national popular vote.
Donald Trump

Oregon has become the 15th state to join the National Popular Vote compact promising its electoral votes to the presidential candidate who wins the national popular vote.

From The Hill:

Oregon Gov. Kate Brown (D) on Wednesday signed a bill into law that will give the state’s Electoral College votes to the presidential candidate who wins the national popular vote.

“I think it’s really important to be a part of the national conversation regarding the presidential election,” Brown said Wednesday as she signed the bill into law, according to The Oregonian. “I think it will encourage candidates to spend more time in states like ours, speaking directly to our voters.”

The compact will go into effect only if enough states join to bring their total Electoral College votes to 270. Oregon’s addition of seven Electoral College votes brings the current total to 196.

Brown said she thinks Oregon being a part of the compact will compel presidential candidates to spend more time in all the states, particularly hers.

“I think it will encourage candidates to spend more time in states like ours, candidates who are running for president speaking directly to our voters,” she said, according to CNN. “I think it will help encourage them to talk about issues that … Oregonians care more about. And I think it’s really important for Oregon to be part of the national conversation regarding the presidential election.”

Brown’s signing comes after the Democratic-led Oregon House passed the measure last week largely along party lines.

In the history of the United States, five candidates have become president without coming out on top in the popular vote.

Most recently, Hillary Clinton beat Donald Trump in the 2016 election by 3 million votes but lost the race due to the Electoral College.

Posted on

Trump On Foreigners Offering Dirt On Opponents: “I Think I’d Take It”

Donald Trump admits he’d accept dirt on political opponents from foreign countries

Holy crap!

From ABC News:

Asked by ABC News Chief Anchor George Stephanopoulos in the Oval Office on Wednesday whether his campaign would accept such information from foreigners — such as China or Russia — or hand it over the FBI, Trump said, “I think maybe you do both.”

“I think you might want to listen, there isn’t anything wrong with listening,” Trump continued. “If somebody called from a country, Norway, [and said] ‘we have information on your opponent’ — oh, I think I’d want to hear it.”

President Trump lamented the attention on his son, Donald Trump Jr., for his role in the now-infamous Trump Tower meeting in June 2016. Stephanopoulos asked whether Trump Jr. should have taken the Russians’ offer for “dirt” on then-candidate Hillary Clinton to the FBI.

“Somebody comes up and says, ‘hey, I have information on your opponent,’ do you call the FBI?” Trump responded.

“I’ll tell you what, I’ve seen a lot of things over my life. I don’t think in my whole life I’ve ever called the FBI. In my whole life. You don’t call the FBI. You throw somebody out of your office, you do whatever you do,” Trump continued. “Oh, give me a break – life doesn’t work that way.”

When Stephanopolous points out that the FBI director says you should report such contact, Trump says flatly, “The FBI director is wrong.”

This is why Trump has been incredulous at the allegations leveled at him. I think in Trump World he honestly doesn’t see anything wrong with accepting aid from a foreign country in an election (which in the United States IS illegal).

Watch below.