More Americans blame Donald Trump for current government shutdown
New polling from Morning Consult/Politico shows more Americans blame Donald Trump for the current shutdown of the federal government than the Democrats.
From the data culled from surveying 1,984 registered voters:
• 49% blame Donald Trump for the shutdown versus 33% who put the onus on Democrats
• 36% say Trump should declare a ‘national emergency’ to get his wall while a slight majority – 51% – would view that action as an abuse of power
• 47% say they will ‘definitely’ vote for someone other than Trump in the 2020 presidential election compared to just 23% who would ‘definitely’ vote for Trump
• Broken down by political party, 85% of Democrats and 48% of Independents say they would ‘definitely’ vote for someone other than Trump
• Only 54% of Republicans fall in the ‘definitely’ camp for Trump
A year and a half after over 100 gay men were detained and tortured, some killed, by a secret police force in Chechnya, a new wave of detainments has occurred reports the Russian LGBT Network.
Igor Kochetkov, program director for Russian LGBT Network, said in a statement “that it is impossible to name the precise number of victims.”
“However, we know that around 40 people were detained, both men and women,” said Kochetkov. “At least two people died as a result of tortures. We also know that the detentions are conducted by the law enforcement officers, and the victims are detained in Argun.”
“Persecution of men and women suspected of being gay never stopped,” added the LGBT activist. “It’s only that its scale has been changing.”
According to a social media post on January 10th, activists are urging LGBTQ Chechens to flee immediately. “We ask anyone still free to take this message seriously and leave the republic as soon as is possible,” the statement read.
Since 2017 Russian LGBT Network has helped to evacuate approximately 150 gay men out of Chechnya.
Reports of the anti-LGBTQ crackdown in Chechnya first came in December 2016.
Chechen authorities, most of whom are former military members who serve as Chechen President Ramzan Kadyrov’s secret police force, reportedly detain suspected gay men under the pretense of drug charges.
Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov
Once detained, police search the men’s phones contacts for other suspects, using torture to get as much info as possible.
In the past, Kadyrov has vowed to kill all gay men.
Russian LGBT Network has reported that the torturers use “electrocution, beatings, starvation, dehydration, isolation, forced nudity, homophobic insults and misgendering” to punish detainees, confiscating their personal belongings and only allowing them to sleep three hours a day on cold concrete floors. The men are not allowed to bathe or use toilets and they receive no medical care.
The victims have no where to turn as filing a complaint could make them a target for future harassment and violence.
Women have been caught in the crackdown too, though they’re often left to their families be abused, imprisoned or killed.
The Russia LGBT Network has helped approximately 119 gay and bi men escape the purge and flee to Moscow, Canada Lithuania, France and Germany.
Russian newspaper Novaya Gazetareports least 27 people are believed to have died in the crackdown.
And as with the first reports of the gay purge, Chechen officials deny any and all allegations.
Ty Cobb, director of Human Rights Campaign Global, released the following statement regarding the resurgence in detainments:
“Nearly two years after reports first surfaced of anti-LGBTQ violence and killings in Chechnya, we are once again hearing disturbing accounts of state-sanctioned detentions and abuse.
“We have repeatedly called on the Trump-Pence White House to speak out and help bring an end to this persecution, but instead the White House has largely ignored the actions of the Russian-backed regime in Chechnya.
“Human rights violators in Chechnya must be held accountable and be brought to justice. Lives are hanging in the balance.”
After years and years of attempting to protect transgender New Yorkers, the New York state legislature has passed GENDA, the Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act.
The legislation explicitly bans discrimination in the state based on gender expression and gender identity. The bill won passage with a vote of 100-40 in the Assembly and 42-19 in the Senate.
Transgender and gender non-conforming people will now be protected in the areas of housing, employment and public accommodations.
“This is truly an historic day,” Eric Lesh, executive director of the LGBT Bar Association of Greater New York, told The Daily Beast. “We are finally welcoming a fairer and more equal New York because of the bold and tireless leadership of trans and gender non-conforming New Yorkers.”
According to the Human Rights Campaign, GENDA passed in the state Assembly 11 times over the years, but the GOP-controlled Senate would kill the bill. Only now that Democrats control the Senate has the legislation finally passed and will head to Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s desk to be signed into law.
#BREAKING: The New York State Senate just passed the Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act, prohibiting discrimination based on gender identity or expression and adding protections for transgender NYers to the state’s Hate Crimes Law.
Additionally, a ban on so-called ‘conversion therapy’ passed in both chambers, making New York the 15th state to protect LGBTQ youth from the harmful practice.
The legislation passed in the state Assembly 134 to 3, and in the state Senate by a vote of 57-4.
“Today’s historic action in New York is the result of years of hard work and it is a vivid illustration of the importance of electing pro-equality lawmakers,” said Human Rights Campaign President Chad Griffin in a statement.
“Due to the efforts of countless advocates and leaders, transgender New Yorkers will now be explicitly protected from discrimination on the basis of gender identity and LGBTQ youth will be protected from the dangerous, debunked practice of so-called ‘conversion therapy,'” he added. “This is a monumental day for fairness and equality across the Empire State.”
Major medical organizations like the American Medical Association, the American Psychiatric Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics have all denounced ‘conversion therapy’ which treats being gay as a mental illness.
So-called ‘ex-gay therapy’ has been shown to lead to depression, anxiety and, in some cases, suicide.
Those who disapprove of the job Trump is doing has risen to 59%.
According to CNBC political reporter John Harwood, Trump is the only president in the history of polling never to reach 50% approval in their first 2 years.
Additionally, Trump is the only president whose average approval for first 2 years (39%) was below 40%.
Harwood reports the averages for the Donald’s predecessors as: Barack Obama 52%, George W. Bush 70%, Bill Clinton 48%, George H.W. Bush 70%, Ronald Reagan 50%, and Jimmy Carter 54%.
House Republican leaders removed Representative Steve King of Iowa from the Judiciary and Agriculture Committees on Monday night as party officials scrambled to appear tough on racism and contain damage from comments Mr. King made to The New York Times questioning why white supremacy is considered offensive.
The punishment came on a day when Mr. King was denounced by an array of Republican leaders, though not President Trump. The Senate majority leader, Mitch McConnell, suggested Mr. King find “another line of work” and Senator Mitt Romney said he should quit. And the House Republicans, in an attempt to be proactive, stripped him of the committee seats in the face of multiple Democratic resolutions to censure Mr. King that are being introduced this week.
Those measures would force Republicans to take a stand on the House Democratic majority’s attempt to publicly reprimand one of their own.
Mr. King, who has been an ally of President Trump on the border wall and other issues, has a long history of making racist remarks and insults about immigrants, but has not drawn rebukes from Republican leaders until recently.
Tonight, Rep. Steve King was stripped of all his committee assignments for his embrace of white supremacy.
He will not serve on a single committee for the next 2 years of the 116th Congress.
Committee assignments are powerful. Members spend years working for their desired spot. https://t.co/WLkH2os8Pw
This AM, Kevin McCarthy stopped short of calling on Steve King to resign, as did Joni Ernst and Chuck Grassley. “That’s up to Steve King,” McCarthy said.
Liz Cheney, however, said she agrees with McConnell: “I think he should find another line of work.”
My dear Carol Channing passed away this morning at the age of 97.
I celebrate this Broadway legend and my many years working with her.
What a gift.
Carol and Hello, Dolly! changed my life forever in 1994.
The experience gave me my first Broadway show; I met my husband of 24 years, Michael; supervising the national tour gave me the downpayment for my first home; and I have been lucky to stage almost a dozen major regional productions of the show passing on what I learned from Carol and our director, Lee Roy Reams.
Celebrate our fabulous Tony Award winning, Academy Award nominee (Thoroughly Modern Millie) Carol Channing today. She is, was, and always will be a national treasure.
I originally wrote some of this post years ago to celebrate her 90th birthday, but updated it with a couple more stories. Everyone always asks for the stories… 🙂
Back in 2010, I performed with her again (picture below) in the opening number of the Gypsy of the Year competition, which is a major charity event for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. She brought the house down as only she can.
The last time Carol and I danced together at the Gypsy of the Year event in 2010 Thank you, Bruce Glikas, for the photo 🙂
For those that don’t know, I spent two and a half incredible years performing with Carol in the last Broadway revival of Hello, Dolly!. I eventually became the production supervisor, and she would ask me for notes – on how to perform the role of Dolly Levi!
As if I could tell her anything she didn’t already know.
Me with Carol at the 2010 Gypsy of the Year event on Broadway
A quick Carol story: when I was supervising Dolly on tour, one day we had a particularly long and dreadful travel day – two planes, a bus, a train and a donkey or two – to get to what Carol called “a soccer arena” where we would perform the show that night.
In the sound check Carol looked down and realized that the musician’s pit was 25 feet beneath us. This was the pit that I had to leap over every night in the middle of the Hello, Dolly! number. For the first time in 30 years of doing the show she decided this was dangerous.
After the sound check she came looking for me to ask if someone could put a net or something between the pit and the stage in case those of us who jumped over the pit happened to fall into it. At this point, I had 30 minutes before the performance and was taking a long shower to rid myself of the long travel day. This being a “soccer arena” the showers where open showers in a locker room.
Covered in soap and standing under the water I suddenly heard a very low baritone voice say “Randy”. I turned and there was Carol, in the open showers with me, smiling. She waited for me to turn and went into her concerns about the pit, a net and all sorts of other things as I stood there completely naked.
When she finished expressing her concerns I said, “Absolutely, Carol. But right now I’m soaking wet, taking a shower.”
She looked me up and down, smiled and said, “Oh! Yes, of course. (pause) Well, you know, we’re all just show folk,” and then turned and left me to finish my shower.
Nudity was nothing to this old pro who had changed costumes in the wings for decades.
For the Gypsy of the Year event in 2010, they asked many of the Dolly boys to come back and do the opening number with Carol as a tribute to her. As the number evolved, I ended up partnering with her much of the number.
While we were rehearsing for a few days, the producer of a documentary of Carol’s life asked us if we’d sit and talk about our time with her. About nine of us sat for about an hour and a half reminiscing and sharing.
I only had one particular story about Carol that I knew I wanted to share. As the Broadway revival of Hello, Dolly! was winding down, one of the male dancers in the show (who was very dear to me and to Carol) was dying of AIDS.
I was very grateful my brief story about Carol and Don Ives made it into the film, Larger Than Life.
Watch below.
RIP my dear, wonderful Carol. I am certain there is a standing ovation awaiting you as you enter immortality.
Freezing in the cold but loving life on the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade
Having lunch floating down the San Antonio Riverwalk
Reunited at the Gypsy of the Year in 2010
The cover of Theater Week Magazine just after we opened the 1995 Broadway revival of Hello, Dolly! A very young me on my knee on the left.
• Austin Wolf does the “How Hard Did Age Hit You?” challenge (above). I wish age would hit me that hard… LOL. And is it just the fact I’m older that I think most people’s ‘after’ photos look better?
• Ohio’s new GOP governor has signed a new executive order banning LGBT discrimination in regard to state business.
• Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii has declared her candidacy for the Democratic presidential nomination, but does her history as a full-throated homophobe disqualify her?
Gillette has debuted a new campaign, “The Best Men Can Be,” with a minute and a half video that’s getting props and criticism.
The new messaging is a riff on “The Best a Man Can Get” tagline which debuted 30 years ago in 1989 during Super Bowl XXIII.
The new 90 second spot, titled “We Believe,” asks the viewer, “Is this the best a man can get?” as we hear terms like “bullying,” “MeToo movement,” and “masculinity” in the background.
The text of the voiceover reads:
“Is this the best a man can get? Is it? We can’t hide from it. It’s been going on far too long. We can’t laugh it off making the same old excuses. But something finally changed and there will be no going back. Because we, we believe in the best in men. To say the right thing, to act the right way. Some already are – in ways big and small. Some is not enough because the boys watching today will be the men of tomorrow.”
Visually, we see a group of boys chasing other boys while slurs of “loser,” “sissy,” and “freak” are printed across the screen; fathers at a backyard cookout watching boys fight while saying, “Boys will be boys;” sitcom and movie situations where adult men pretend to grope women.
“Bullying. Harassment. Is this the best a man can get?,” reads the video description. “It’s only by challenging ourselves to do more, that we can get closer to our best. To say the right thing, to act the right way.”
There’s also a link to a new brand site, TheBestMenCanBe.org, which offers more insight into the new company positions on healthy masculinity.
“As a company that encourages men to be their best, we have a responsibility to make sure we are promoting positive, attainable, inclusive and healthy versions of what it means to be a man,” says Gillette at the new site.
In addition, Gillette pledges to donate $1 million per year for the next three years to non-profit organizations that set out to “inspire, educate and help men of all ages achieve their personal ‘best’ and become role models for the next generation.”
Sounds like a worthy message, yes?
But if you click over to the YouTube page where the video lives, the comments are over-the-top negative.
At this writing, the clip has garnered 14K ‘thumbs down’ votes versus less than 2K ‘thumbs up’ votes.
Joe Jervis at JoeMyGod notes that the far-right, conservative website InfoWars sent their flying monkeys to the video page to troll.
“I hope this anti-male propaganda film costed you a lot and that the outcome will cost you a lot more.” “Let’s try cultural castration as our marketing strategy.” “Two kids play-fighting on the grass, which is probably one of the most fun things to do as a kid with your friends and they break it up. It just shows how detached these pig feminist demagogues are.” “Gillette getting Cucked” “Never shaving with Gillette again. Take your propoganda elsewhere.” “My masculinity isn’t toxic, your femininity is.”
AdAge notes that Gillette’s new messaging joins other men’s personal care products, like Just For Men and Unilever’s Axe, that now aim for “an evolved outlook on masculinity.”
What do you think, readers? Is the new ad spot aspirational? Or insulting to men?
Are men stuck in a ‘catch 22’ in trying to be their best while attempting to fit into an ever-evolving definition of ‘masculinity?”
For the first time in the history of the U.S. government, the House of Representatives voted to ban employment discrimination against LGBTQ staff members as part of a package of rules that will govern the chamber over the next two years.
The new rule was championed by Rep. David Cicilline of Rhode Island, one of eight openly LGBTQ legislators in the new Democratic-controlled House.
“Government at its best works for the benefit of all Americans, not just the powerful and privileged,” said Cicilline said in a statement to NBC Out. “Protecting the rights of LGBT employees is just the right thing to do.”
LGBTQ advocacy group The Human Rights Campaign issued a statement hailing the new rule as “an historic moment for our country.”
“For the first time ever, discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity will be banned in the House of Representatives,” said HRC Government Affairs Director David Stacy. “This action to protect LGBTQ congressional employees from discrimination is the result of millions of Equality Voters going to the polls in November to ensure their voices were heard and demanding a Congress that looks like America.”
Many Americans erroneously believe that LGBTQ discrimination is illegal across the United States.
But, as the HRC notes, half of LGBTQ Americans live in states without legal protections in regard to employment, housing and other arenas.
I’ve previously reported that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has announced she plans to make passage of The Equality Act a priority in the new Congress.
The Equality Act would amend existing civil rights law to explicitly include sexual orientation and gender identity as protected classes from discrimination.
