Author: Randy Slovacek

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Biden Leads By Double-Digits In New National Poll

New polling continues to show former Vice President Joe Biden holds a significant lead over other Democratic presidential contenders.
Donald Trump (L), Joe Biden (R)

New polling shows former Vice President Joe Biden continues to hold a significant lead over other Democratic presidential contenders.

From The Hill:

Former Vice President Joe Biden has a 2-to-1 lead nationally over the next closest Democratic presidential contender after the second round of debates, according to the latest Harvard CAPS/Harris Poll.

The new survey finds Biden with 34 percent support among Democrats, followed by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) at 17 percent.

Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) is in third place with 9 percent support, followed by Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) at 8 percent, South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg at 4 percent, former Texas Rep. Beto O’Rourke at 3 percent and Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) at 2 percent.

“Biden has been steady despite some rocky performances at the debates,” said Mark Penn, co-director of the Harvard CAPS/Harris Poll. “The Democratic voters are far more in sync with Biden’s views than any of the other candidates running. He maintains his front-runner status.”

The poll also showed 46 percent of Democrats view Biden as best choice to beat Trump, followed by Sanders at 34 percent.

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Minister Stiffs Waiter ("If He Wasn't Gay") Then Arrested For Assaulting Female Manager

Frederic Sterry Smith, 62, of St. Augustine, Florida, was arrested and charged with simple battery after ripping up his restaurant bill and shoving it down the female manager's blouse.
Mug shot of Frederic Sterry Smith (St. Johns County Sheriff Office)

Frederic Sterry Smith, 62, of St. Augustine, Florida, was arrested and charged with simple battery after ripping up his restaurant bill and shoving it down the female manager’s blouse.

According to the Naples Daily News, Smith and his female companion had finished eating at the restaurant when he wrote on the receipt “if he wasn’t gay,” with a zero-dollar tip.

Upon seeing the homophobic message the male server took it to the manager on duty, who went outside to confront Smith.

When asked if he had written the message on his check, Smith said yes. He then grabbed the bill, and ripped it up. He grabbed the manager’s shirt collar, pulled it open and shoved “the torn check down her shirt, touching her breast with his hand,” according to the police report.

Police quickly tracked the man down, and when questioned about the incident Smith reportedly became “verbally abusive and angry,” denying the stunt.

“I can say whatever I want, to whoever I want!” he told the officers. 

His female companion told the police, “We didn’t touch her.”
Apparently, the couple’s denials were not convincing.
Smith was booked into the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office jail on a charge of simple battery, and released on $500 bail.
Fox News reports that Smith “works as a minister and president at Servant’s Heart Disaster Relief, a St. Augustine-based nonprofit and evangelical ministry ‘devoted to helping hurricane victims in North America and the Caribbean.'”

This is a “man of God?”

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Gay Son Of ‘Straight Pride’ Organizer Puts The Hate Rally On Blast

In addition to the upcoming 'Straight Pride Parade' in Boston on August 31, homophobic folks on the other side of the country in California are attempting to hold their own faux 'Pride' event.

In addition to the upcoming ‘Straight Pride Parade’ in Boston on August 31, homophobic folks on the other side of the country in California are attempting to hold their own faux ‘Pride’ event.

Working under the name “National Straight Pride Coalition,” the organizers say they plan to “celebrate heterosexuality, masculinity-femininity, babies-born and unborn, Western civilization, our wonderful country, Christianity.”

These kinds of events are generally viewed as mocking the annual LGBTQ Pride events held across the country.

Organizers have applied for a permit to hold their ‘Straight Pride’ rally on August 24th in Modesto’s Graceada Park.

But the gay son of one of the organizers told the Modesto Bee he will ask City Council members to not issue the permit for the event.

Matthew Mason is the adopted and estranged son of one of the organizers of the event. He told the Modesto Bee, “We don’t want hate in Modesto. I am making sure Modesto is not a place for hate speech.”

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“They believe Western Civilization should be straight, white and Christian with a very specific gender binary,” explained Matthew. “They believe this should be a culture war. It’s rhetoric I’ve heard my whole life.”

The 28-year-old adds that he has no problem with people celebrating ‘straight pride’ in earnest. But adds,  “You don’t have to say that means (LGBTQ+ community members) are deviants. You can be Christians, but you don’t have to dictate that people in the LGBTQ+ community are not Christians. You can celebrate Western Civilization without saying, ‘West is best.’”

Matthew is currently planning a candlelight vigil to protest the ‘Straight Pride’ event. He also plans on addressing the Modesto City Council to urge it not to allow the event “because it has the potential for violence.”

Matthew’s biological mother, Kristi Ah You, is a Modesto City Council member. She told the local CBS News affiliate that the city will probably not grant a permit to the event because the event would constitute hate speech.

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News Round-Up: August 2, 2019

Calum Von Moger (via Instagram)

Some news items you might have missed: • InstaHunks: Bodybuilder and fitness expert Calum Von Moger shares the above pic with a humorous touch embracing his inner peacock as he writes, “I was made for this moment.” • LGBTQ Nation: While crime overall in major cities has declined over recent years, a new study shows hate crimes increased 9% over the last year. That makes for the 5th consecutive increase and the largest jump since 2015. • Gr8erDays: Follow this Instagram account for celebrity trivia from Hollywood days gone by.

• Morning Consult: New polling shows the second round of debates among Democratic presidential candidates did little to shake up current standings. Thirty-two percent of Democratic voters still say former Vice President Joe Biden is their first choice, just 1 percentage point down from MC’s polling after the first debates. None of the candidates shifted more than 2 points. • Wall-Street Journal: While median income in the U.S. has gone up 14% in 30 years, housing prices have gone up 290% and college tuition has risen 311% making life for the middle class even more difficult. • Out Music: Swedish pop star Tove Lo drops her latest single, “Bad as the Boys,” a light, breezy, summertime pop bop which finds the singer teamed-up with Finnish singer ALMA. “’Bad as the Boys’ is about my first summer girl crush when I was in my teens,” says the singer. “It’s about that sting you feel in your heart when you know summer is coming to an end and so is the romance.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4fk0YGYsSNA

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Homophobe Israel Folau Sues For $10 Million & His Old Job

Israel Folau pictured center (image via Wikimedia)

Homophobic Australian rugby player Israel Folau has filed a $10 million lawsuit to the Fair Work Commission against Rugby Australia alleging he was sacked for his Christian beliefs.

Not only is the former Wallabies player demanding his job back, but 30-year-old also wants $10 million in compensation.

The Guardian reports Folau issued a statement regarding the lawsuit which read, in part, “No Australian of any faith should be fired for practicing their religion.”

But Rugby Australia maintains that it was Folau’s breach of the players’ code of conduct via his anti-LGBTQ social media posts that caused his dismissal, not “practicing his religion.”

The code of conduct requires players to “treat everyone equally, fairly and with dignity regardless of gender or gender identity, sexual orientation, ethnicity, cultural or religious background, age or disability.”

This is what Folau characterizes as “practicing” his religion:

Those that are living in Sin will end up in Hell unless you repent. Jesus Christ loves you and is giving you time to turn away from your sin and come to him. _______________ Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these , adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revelings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
Galatians 5:19‭-‬21 KJV _______________ Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
Acts 2:38 KJV _______________ And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:
Acts 17:30 KJV _______________
A post shared by Israel Folau (@izzyfolau) on Apr 10, 2019 at 1:18am PDT

“Whilst Israel is entitled to his religious beliefs, the way in which he has expressed these beliefs is inconsistent with the values of the sport,” said Rugby Australia at the time. “We want to make it clear that he does not speak for the game with his recent social media posts.”

In June, Folau launched a GoFundMe campaign to raise money to pay for his anticipated legal fees. But GoFundMe canceled that effort saying, “While we welcome GoFundMes engaging in diverse civil debate, we do not tolerate the promotion of discrimination or exclusion.”

But the Australian Christian Lobby, an extreme religious group, jumped in and helped Folau raise over $2 million for his legal battles to come.

It’s worth noting that Folau is a millionaire several times over. According to TheAustralian.com, he owns 8 homes worth over $5 million and a $500k Lamborghini.

So, why does he need fans to pay his legal bills?

In April of 2018, Folau said he has “no phobia towards anyone” but would not recant his social media antics. At the time he told rugby officials he would “walk away from his contract” if he comments hurt his sport.

I guess $10 million sounds better to him today.

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Trump Withdraws His Nomination Of GOP Rep For Intelligence Dir. Amid Conflicts In Resume

Rep. John Ratcliffe (L), Donald Trump (R)

Donald Trump is reversing course on his nomination of Texas Congressman John Ratcliffe (R) for Director of National Intelligence after reports of alleged resume padding and questions about his lack of intelligence experience.

From the New York Times:

President Trump on Friday abruptly dropped his plan to nominate Representative John Ratcliffe, Republican of Texas, as the nation’s top intelligence official, following bipartisan questions about his qualifications and pushback over whether he had exaggerated his résumé.

Mr. Ratcliffe, an outspoken supporter of Mr. Trump, has come under intense scrutiny since the president declared Sunday on Twitter that the lawmaker was his pick to succeed Dan Coats, who is stepping down as director of national intelligence on Aug. 15. The selection generated scant enthusiasm among senators of both parties who would have been decided whether to confirm him.

Mr. Trump’s announcement that Mr. Ratcliffe would not be his nominee after all, also made on Twitter, spoke bitterly of the attention Mr. Ratcliffe’s claims about his experience as a federal prosecutor quickly received from the news media.

Trump has demonstrated a pattern of ‘picking’ nominees for appointments without any vetting other than liking the person. He told Yamiche Alcindor of PBS News that he lets the press do his vetting for him because it’s “much cheaper.”

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Half Of House Democratic Caucus Now Supports Impeaching Donald Trump

Half of House Democrats now support impeachment proceedings against Donald Trump
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (L), Donald Trump (R)

From Buzzfeed News:

The gradual trickle of Democrats coming out in support of beginning impeachment proceedings against President Donald Trump reached a milestone Thursday, with half of the Democratic caucus now publicly supporting it.

The inquiry would spur an investigation by the Judiciary Committee, which would determine if there is enough evidence to draft articles of impeachment.

Rep. Pete Aguilar of California was the most recent member to voice support of impeachment proceedings, which, according to a BuzzFeed News analysis, raises the count to 118, half of the Democratic caucus.

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi continues her call for investigations to continue and maintains she will call for articles of impeachment when she feels House Democrats have their “strongest hand” to move forward.

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North Carolina Gov. Signs Executive Order Prohibiting Use Of State Funds For ‘Ex-Gay’ Therapy

North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper (image via Instagram/NC_Governor)

It may not be a full ban on so-called ‘conversion therapy,’ but North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper has signed an executive order that prohibits state tax funds from being used for the harmful practice on LGBTQ children in his state.

Conversion therapy, also called ‘ex-gay therapy’ by some, is the dangerous practice of attempting to change a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity.

Conversion therapy has been widely denounced as discredited pseudoscience by leading professional medical associations including the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the American Psychological Association.
Executive Order No. 97 blocks medical/mental health providers who receive state or federal funds allocated to the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services from using those funds for ‘ex-gay’ therapy on minors.

The EO made note of statistics from The Trevor Project indicating 42% of gay, lesbian and bisexual teens who undergo the discredited practice attempt suicide. And 57% of transgender minors who are subjected to conversion therapy have made suicide attempts.

In a statement on the executive order, Gov. Cooper said, “State taxpayer money shouldn’t be used for a practice on children that major medical associations agree is harmful and ineffective. Conversion therapy has been shown to pose serious health risks, and we should be protecting all of our children, including those who identify as LGBTQ, instead of subjecting them to a dangerous practice.”

According to the Human Rights Campaign, 18 states plus the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico ban conversion therapy for minors.

The Trevor Project issued a statement commending Cooper “for taking decisive action to highlight the dangers of conversion therapy.”

“While his executive order is a great first step in protecting North Carolinian youth, we must continue to push for comprehensive protections,” said Sam Brinton, Head of Advocacy and Government Affairs for The Trevor Project.

Brinton included a call to action asking the North Carolina state legislature “to take up legislation to stop licensed practitioners from violating the ethical guidelines of their profession, and harming the most vulnerable youth in the Tar Heel State.”

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Trump Promises To End AIDS Epidemic ‘Shortly’

President Trump made some surprising announcements at his Thursday night campaign rally in Ohio, promising to put astronauts on Mars, end the AIDS epidemic and cure childhood cancer “very shortly.”
Donald Trump (screen capture)

President Trump made some surprising announcements at his Thursday night campaign rally in Ohio, promising to put astronauts on Mars, end the AIDS epidemic and cure childhood cancer “very shortly.”

“We will come up with the cures to many, many problems to many, many diseases including cancer, and others, and we’re getting closer all the time,” Trump told rally attendees. “We will eradicate AIDS in America, and we’re very close. We will lay the foundation for landing American astronauts on the surface of Mars.”

“The things we’re doing in our country today, there’s never been anything like it,” the Donald continued. “We will be ending the AIDS epidemic shortly in America, and curing childhood cancer very shortly.”

Now, these are certainly worthy goals. But for a president who seems to doubt science more than embrace it, the path to achieving these goals isn’t entirely clear.

After all, this is the man who declared the noise from wind turbines “causes cancer.”

Let’s take a look at the issue of HIV/AIDS.

In his 2019 State of the Union address, Trump announced he would end all HIV transmission in the U.S. by 2030. The president didn’t elaborate on how he would achieve that goal.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, there are over 1.1 million people living with HIV in the United States, including 38,700 new infections in 2016.

While appreciating good intentions, it’s worth noting what Trump has actually done regarding the fight against HIV/AIDS since taking office.

• He proposed cutting funds to the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).

• His administration suggested moving $5.7 million from the Ryan White HIV/AIDS program to address immigration at the U.S. southern border.

• The Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS (PACHA) was dormant for over a yearafter former members quit or were fired in January 2018.

• Trump has also ordered HIV+ soldiers to be discharged under his “Deploy or Get Out” policy announced in 2018.

In light of the above, you’ll pardon me for being a teensy bit skeptical about his new ‘promises.’