Category: Uncategorized

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Breaking With Tradition, Trump Fails To Mention Native Americans In Columbus Day Proclamation

In his first proclamation for Columbus Day, Donald Trump broke tradition in noting the role and painful suffering of Native Americans in the history of the United States.

In contrast, President Obama’s 2016 proclamation acknowledged “the pain and suffering reflected in the stories of Native Americans who had long resided on this land prior to the arrival of European newcomers.”

“It is a history that we must recognize as we seek to build a brighter future — side by side and with cooperation and mutual respect,” Obama added.

Sixteen states don’t recognize Columbus Day as a public holiday. And many Americans choose to honor “Indigenous People’s Day.”

South Dakota, for example, has observed “Native American Day” for almost 30 years.

Trump’s 2017 full proclamation:

Five hundred and twenty-five years ago, Christopher Columbus completed an ambitious and daring voyage across the Atlantic Ocean to the Americas. The voyage was a remarkable and then-unparalleled feat that helped launch the age of exploration and discovery. The permanent arrival of Europeans to the Americas was a transformative event that undeniably and fundamentally changed the course of human history and set the stage for the development of our great Nation. Therefore, on Columbus Day, we honor the skilled navigator and man of faith, whose courageous feat brought together continents and has inspired countless others to pursue their dreams and convictions — even in the face of extreme doubt and tremendous adversity.

More than five centuries after his initial voyage, we remember the “Admiral of the Ocean Sea” for building the critical first link in the strong and enduring bond between the United States and Europe. While Isabella I and Ferdinand II of Spain sponsored his historic voyage, Columbus was a native of the City of Genoa, in present day Italy, and represents the rich history of important Italian American contributions to our great Nation. There can be no doubt that American culture, business, and civic life would all be much less vibrant in the absence of the Italian American community. We also take this opportunity to reaffirm our close ties to Columbus’s country of birth, Italy. Italy is a strong ally and a valued partner in promoting peace and promoting prosperity around the world.

In commemoration of Christopher Columbus’s historic voyage, the Congress, by joint resolution of April 30, 1934, and modified in 1968 (36 U.S.C. 107), as amended, has requested the President proclaim the second Monday of October of each year as “Columbus Day.”

NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim October 9, 2017, as Columbus Day. I call upon the people of the United States to observe this day with appropriate ceremonies and activities. I also direct that the flag of the United States be displayed on all public buildings on the appointed day in honor of our diverse history and all who have contributed to shaping this Nation.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this sixth day of October, in the year of our Lord two thousand seventeen, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-second.

DONALD J. TRUMP

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Trump Approval Numbers Crater To New Low In New AP Poll

More bad news for Donald Trump’s failing presidency as his approval rating has cratered to a new low of 32% in the most recent Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research survey.

From The Hill:

Thirty-two percent of Americans polled said they approved of Trump’s handling of his job nine months into his presidency, while 67 percent of those polled said they disapproved.

The president’s approval rating in the poll is down from 42 percent in March and 35 percent in June, AP-NORC said.

Trump also did not fare well among Americans who were asked if he understands their needs and problems.

Sixty-four percent of Americans said the president understands their needs “not very well” or “not very well at all.”

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Vice President Pence Walks Out Of NFL Football Game Over Players Kneeling During National Anthem

Vice President Mike Pence and Second Lady Karen Pence
(image via Twitter)

Vice President Mike Pence walked out of today’s NFL game between the San Francisco 49ers and the Indianapolis Colts when several players from the 49ers took a knee during the singing of the national anthem.

Pence later tweeted (taking after his boss, I guess) to explain his position saying, in part, “While everyone is entitled to their own opinions, I don’t think it’s too much to ask NFL players to respect the Flag and our National Anthem.”

From HuffPost:

Following the example of former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, NFL players around the country have knelt during renditions of the national anthem in order to protest against police brutality and racial injustice directed towards black Americans.

More than a hundred NFL players from several football teams kneeled or held arms in solidarity earlier this month after President Donald Trump called NFL players who kneel during the anthem “sons of bitches.” He later insisted his criticism of the NFL had “nothing” to do with race.

Interestingly, Donald Trump chimed in saying he asked Pence to walk out making some wonder if Pence traveled to Indiana just to pull an orchestrated stunt – on the taxpayer’s dime:

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Sen. Bob Corker On Trump: “The White House Has Become An Adult Day Care Center”

Earlier this week, Sen. Bob Corker told reporters that some of Donald Trump’s closest advisers are responsible for tamping down the “chaos” in the White House.

“I think Secretary Tillerson, Secretary Mattis and Chief of Staff Kelly are those people that help separate our country from chaos,” Corker said.

So, it was clearly a matter of time before Trump would take to Twitter to lash out at the Republican senator from Tennessee who recently announced he would not seek reelection next year.

This morning Trump tweeted:

“Senator Bob Corker “begged” me to endorse him for re-election in Tennessee. I said “NO” and he dropped out (said he could not win without…..my endorsement). He also wanted to be Secretary of State, I said “NO THANKS.” He is also largely responsible for the horrendous Iran Deal! …Hence, I would fully expect Corker to be a negative voice and stand in the way of our great agenda. Didn’t have the guts to run!

And Corker responded beautifully:

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SNL: Pitch Perfect Cold Open Addresses Las Vegas Massacre

Bringing together separate but important events into one crystallized moment has become a hallmark of Saturday Night Live.

When the right balance of respect, reflection, and inspiration come together at the perfect time.

You’ll recall the first show after the presidential election last year when Kate McKinnon, as “Hillary Clinton,” handled the cold open duties with a sobering “Hallelujah” originally penned by Leonard Cohen who had passed away that week. The lyrics, the mood, the moment reflected much of the country’s emotional state.

This happened again last night as Jason Aldean, the country star who was onstage the moment gunshots ripped through the night sky in Las Vegas last Sunday, took the opening spot to address the deadliest mass shooting in the history of the United States.

“This week, we witnessed one of the worst tragedies in American history. Like everyone, I’m struggling to understand what happened that night and how to pick up the pieces and start to heal. So many people are hurting. There are children, parents, brothers, sisters, friends. They’re all part of our family. So I want to say to them, we hurt for you and we hurt with you. But you can be sure that we’re going to walk through these tough times together, every step of the way. Because when America is at its best, our bond and our spirit — it’s unbreakable.”

Aldean then ripped into a cover of “I Won’t Back Down,” the defiant rock anthem by Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Tom Petty, who passed away earlier this week at the age of 66 after suffering a heart attack.

Watch below.

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Podcast: Trump Administration Delivers One-Two Punch On LGBT Protections; Ricky Martin Wants To Share His Wedding With The World

In this week’s The Randy Report podcast:

• The LGBTQ community got a one-two punch this week as the Trump administration goes after transgender protections in the workplace as well as giving a license to discriminate against LGBTs via “religious freedoms”

• California Gov. Jerry Brown signed legislation into law bringing outdated HIV laws in line with new science

• We remember one of the gay victims of the Las Vegas shooting massacre

• A new poll shows, for the first time, majorities in both political parties believe homosexuality should be accepted

• Ricky Martin wants to share his upcoming wedding with the world

• For the first time, a rainbow Pride flag will fly permanently over federal land

All that and more in this episode of The Randy Report

Remember you can subscribe to The Randy Report podcast on iTunes for free here and every new episode will be sent to you automatically.

Whether for workout listening or while driving to work, this news magazine podcast is a great way to catch up on LGBT news in only 15 minutes 🙂

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Researchers Credit PrEP With 21% Drop In HIV Diagnoses In United Kingdom

Excellent news from the United Kingdom where HIV diagnoses among gay and bisexual men dropped a whopping 21% in 2016 compared to the previous year.

In London alone, the decline was even bigger with 29% fewer diagnoses.

From The Advocate:

Public Health England, which tracked the numbers, called it the “most exciting development in the UK HIV epidemic in 20 years,” reports the Daily Mail.

In fact, according to PHE’s Dr. Valerie Delpech, “It is the first time since the beginning of the HIV epidemic in the 1980s that we have observed a decline in new HIV diagnoses among gay and bisexual men.”

Researchers point to pre-exposure prophylaxis — a daily dose of medication that has a success rate of up to 99 percent in preventing HIV — as a likely reason for this plunge.

Truvada, the only drug approved for use as PrEP, can be costly. But NHS England, which oversees the budgeting of the country’s Department of Health, began funding the use of Truvada as PrEP last August, after a ruling from England’s High Court mandated that it do so.

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First Permanent Rainbow Flag To Be Flown On Federal Land

Even as the Trump administration lobs grenades at the LGBTQ community by rescinding Obama-era protections for trans people in the workplace and issuing “religious liberty” executive orders meant to undermine advances in LGBTQ rights, good news arrives that for the first time a rainbow Pride flag will permanently fly over federal land beginning October 11.

This coming Wednesday at noon, the international symbol for the LGBT community will be raised above the Stonewall National Monument in Manhattan. The flag will be maintained by the National Park Service.

The Stonewall National Monument is the first U.S. National Monument dedicated to LGBT rights and history. The Obama administration awarded the designation on June 24, 2016.

The raising of the flag falls on the 30th anniversary of the March on Washington for LGBT rights in 1987, when hundreds of thousands of people gathered to call for an end to discrimination as well as more federal funding for AIDS research and treatment.

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Donald Trump Demands “Equal Time” From Late Night Talk Show Hosts

Donald Trump took to the Twitter airwaves this bright Saturday morning to bemoan how “unfair” it is that late night talk show hosts are always “anti-Trump.”

“Late Night host are dealing with the Democrats for their very “unfunny” & repetitive material, always anti-Trump! Should we get Equal Time?

“More and more people are suggesting that Republicans (and me) should be given Equal Time on T.V. when you look at the one-sided coverage?”

Of course, what the Trumpster doesn’t care to mention is there’s an entire news network devoted to pushing his point of view.

Plus, as president, he gets any and all the coverage he could want. He stands behind a microphone and everyone’s listening.

But the real problem here is that Trump clearly doesn’t understand what the “equal time” rule is.

The smart folks at ThinkProgress help us out.

This is not how the equal time rule works. The rule requires that, if a radio or television station gives a certain opportunity (say, an interview, a commercial, hosting a show) to one candidate, it must also offer that opportunity to “other such candidates for that office.” The idea is to prevent media companies and broadcast stations from providing only one candidate’s viewpoint to the people in an effort to influence elections.

If anyone is in a position to ask for equal time, it’s Rep. John Delaney (D-MD), the only candidate to declare he is running for president other than Trump.

So, “equal time” is about keeping things fair for candidates running for office.

Funny, Trump didn’t complain during the 2016 primary and general election about all the extra TV time he received on a daily basis.