In the latest only-in-Trumpland episode skating precariously along the line between farce and tragedy, the president of the United States on Wednesday attacked the prime minister of Denmark because she will not sell him Greenland — and found the very notion “absurd.”
But while Mr. Trump has long derided nation-building, his flirtation with nation-buying turned out to be more serious than many originally thought. He has been talking privately about buying Greenland for more than a year and even detailed the National Security Council staff to study the idea.
At one point last year, according to a former official who heard him, he even joked in a meeting about trading Puerto Rico for Greenland — happy to rid himself of an American territory whose leadership he has feuded with repeatedly.
In “Memory Lane,” out singer/songwriter Raph Solo takes a moment to look back on a deeply personal experience that nearly extinguished his self-esteem: his unsuccessful attempt at erasing his homosexuality through conversion therapy. The song’s lyrics, taken from the diary he kept at the time, were written as a prayer. “It’s a conversation between God and myself where I made a promise to never be filled with self-hate again,” he explains. “I believe the ultimate key to inner peace and happiness is self-acceptance and loving yourself the way God made you.” “Memory Lane” is Solo’s second release from his new album, LIFE, his powerful collection of retrospective ballads available now on Apple Music, Spotify, and all digital download outlets. The new acoustic ballad is comprised of three basic elements (vocal, piano, and strings) that also represent three important aspects of Raph: his music, voice and soul. Similar to the other songs on the LIFE album, “Memory Lane” encapsulates the theme that “what doesn’t kill us makes us stronger.” “I grew up thinking that being gay and believing in God were incompatible but what I know now is God is love and love is love and love can be platonic, romantic and of more than one orientation,” says the Lebanese/Chilean singer. The music video has a very European sensibility in its look and feel. Check it out below. For more information, visit raphsolo.com
Some news items you might have missed: • Instagram: Hubby Michael and I (above) are traveling today to Barcelona for a few days before we head out on the Mediterranean via Atlantis Cruises. Long travel day from Sin City to Barcelona, but looking forward to playing in the ‘City of Counts’ again. I’ll be sharing the adventure along the way…:) • kenneth-in-the-212: Every Wednesday, Kenneth has the goods to get us over Hump Day – #WrestleWednesday • Twitter: Donald Trump told reporters today his administration is “very seriously” looking at changing the Constitution through executive order. p.s. you can’t…
Trump says he’s “very seriously” looking at trying to change the Constitution by executive order.
“We’re looking at that very seriously — birthright citizenship. Where you have a baby on our land … ‘congratulations the baby is now a US citizen’ … it’s, frankly, ridiculous.” pic.twitter.com/5IBNOcMXE9 — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) August 21, 2019
• Geekwire: LinkedIn blocked or removed 21.6 million fake accounts on its platform from January to June of this year, a sign that the Microsoft-owned social network is actively fighting some of the same issues that have plagued Facebook, Twitter and others. • Boy Culture: Matt Rettenmund has more peeks at Renée Zellweger and Finn Wittrock as Judy Garland and Mickey Deans in Judy. The film lands in theaters September 27. • Good Morning America: GMA announced the next cast of Dancing with the Stars, which includes former ‘liar in chief’ Sean Spicer, Queer Eye’s culture guy Karamo Brown, Christie Brinkley, and more. https://twitter.com/GMA/status/1164165340236001282
Young Jaden was busting out the breakdancing in downtown Denver when this police officer jumped in with some fierce moves of his own. Don’t ever stop dancing, kids.
Donald Trump took to Twitter to quote conservative radio host Wayne Allyn Root, who referred to him as the “King of Israel” and the “second coming of God.” The Donald not only thanked Root but quoted him in full. https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1164138795475881986 https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1164138796205654016 https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1164138797220671488 This followed Trump telling reporters that Jewish people who vote for Democrats show “either a total lack of knowledge or great disloyalty.” https://twitter.com/kylegriffin1/status/1163909975896416259 A few folks on Twitter had some thoughts on the “King of Israel” https://twitter.com/jchaltiwanger/status/1164162095681822720 https://twitter.com/eugenegu/status/1164171220859797504 https://twitter.com/battletested5/status/1164154880199733250 https://twitter.com/OhNoSheTwitnt/status/1164157414460891136
Yesterday, I reported on the numerous resignations by Log Cabin Republicans over the conservative LGBTQ organization’s recent endorsement of Donald Trump for reelection. Today, Log Cabin spokesman Charles Moran went into defense mode on Fox News explaining that the “LGBT community is better off than it was four years ago.”
“Like so many disaffected Republicans who have not been comfortable with President Trump and with his record, I look at the question of, ‘Is America is better off now than it was four years ago and is the LGBT community is better off now than it was four years ago?’“
And under President Trump, the answer is inarguably, yes. President Trump is the first person elected president of the United States who supported gay marriage and also has a background supporting equality issues both as a businessman and as a philanthropist.
“We always try to follow the rule of trust but verify. And looking at President Trump’s appointments, appointing people in our organization, taking meetings with our organization, and just really advancing the big causes that are important to the LGBTQ community.”
If Moran were to ask ME if we’re ‘better off,’ I’d point him to these 123 times the Trump administration has attacked the LGBTQ community.
Some news items you might have missed: • InstaHunks: Woofy Alex Abramov (above) says “the world is not enough – but it is such a perfect place to start!” • Washington Blade: VH1 has ordered two more seasons of the Emmy Award-winning, dragtastic series, RuPaul’s Drag Race. We can definitely plan on seeing Season 12 of RPDR, as well as a fifth season of, All-Stars. • The Atlantic: Just weeks ago, Donald Trump told the media he supported “meaningful background checks” for gun purchases after the mass shootings in El Paso and Dayton. But it appears he has called National Rifle Association (NRA) CEO Wayne LaPierre to say he won’t pursue the issue, even though polls show Americans support the idea by 80+ support. • Vogue: A fan of Mayor Pete Buttigieg, designer Tom Ford reached out to offer some sartorial advice. While the White House hopeful demurred, Ford wasn’t upset. “Obviously he can’t wear my clothes. They’re too expensive, they’re wrong, they’re not made in America. And besides, whatever he’s doing is working. So does anyone need to fuck with it?” • Washington Post: You must read the latest essay from super-smart guy Michelangelo Signorile on Donald Trump’s devastating record on LGBTQ rights. • Out Music: We already know singer/songwriter Wrabel has the ‘magic’ touch when it comes to penning hit songs having written for major artists like Kesha, Pink, and the Backstreet Boys. So its no surprise this soulful new pop bop from the talented music man, appropriately titled, “Magic,” is a fun, easy on the ears track. And it’s definitely a departure from his more serious songs like “The Village” and “11 Blocks.” From his upcoming EP due out next month.
In his latest YouTube video, Michael Henry has a new beau, Wayne. But it appears there’s already trouble in paradise. As the couple takes a stroll, Henry insists that Wayne (played by Mike Millan) walk on the sidewalk closer to the street. Why? Because, as Henry sees it, Wayne is “the gentleman” of the couple. Now, this is a common trope we hear in the gay world – “which one of you is the man in the relationship?” Sometimes the pressures of mirroring heterosexual norms can interrupt the dynamics of gay dating when couples pause to think some of these things through. But our intrepid Mr. Henry is here to put a lighthearted spin on the issue. Hit the play button below.
In the wake of the Log Cabin Republicans’ endorsement of Donald Trump for reelection, several prominent members of the organization have resigned, and they are not going quietly. The endorsement came in the form of an op-ed penned by LCR chair Robert Kabel and vice-chair Jill Homan for the Washington Post last Thursday. The duo cited Trump’s promise to end the HIV/AIDS epidemic in ten years as well as an announced plan to end the criminalization of homosexuality around the world. Of course, they also touted his much-ballyhooed tax cuts and other economic initiatives like ‘opportunity zones’ they say have helped create new LGBTQ-owned businesses. But the Washington Postreports that former board member Jennifer Horn sent a letter to Kabel and Homan on Monday announcing her resignation. In the missive, she argued that Trump’s “regular verbal assaults against women, immigrants, elected members of Congress, party members who do not agree with him on policy or principle and his willingness to stoke racial anger and unrest in order to advance his own political ambitions all subvert the founding principles of our great nation.” She also made note of the Trump administration’s “efforts to roll back civil rights protections” through the Justice Department. Further demonstrating her opposition to Trump, Horn recently served as campaign manager for Bill Weld, the former governor of Massachusetts, who has announced he will challenge Trump in the Republican primaries. Additionally, Robert Turner, a former president of the DC chapter of Log Cabin Republicans, has also left the group. In a social media post, Turner called the endorsement “a step too far,” adding that it left him “sad.” Jordan Evans, the only openly transgender elected official in the GOP, wrote her own op-ed for The Advocatewhere she called out the Trump administration for “hollow words, fairweather friends and a seemingly endless number of cuts for us to endure.” Evans said in granting the endorsement, Log Cabin Republicans “turn a blinder to the plights and fears of our colleagues in the queer movement and embrace an administration that has consistently antagonized the LGBTQ+ community through an endless array of rollbacks and rule changes.” Evans listed numerous agencies where attacks on the LGBTQ community have occurred in the past two and a half years, including the Department of Defense, HUD, Health and Human Services, Education and more. Since taking office, Donald Trump and his administration have been disastrous for the LGBTQ community from initiating a ban on transgender military service members to allowing healthcare professionals to refuse to treat LGBTQ people and more. Trump was asked about his record on LGBTQ issues today, specifically in regard to his administration’s decision to file a brief with the U.S. Supreme Court that says transgender Americans could be fired from their jobs simply because of their gender identity. The Donald immediately pointed to the Log Cabin endorsement (although he struggled to remember the group’s name) saying he’s “done very well with that community.” GLAAD took note of the comment and clapped back via Twitter pointing to 123 times LGBTQ people have been targeted since he took office. https://twitter.com/glaad/status/1163901936854339586 (sources: Washington Post,HRC, Advocate)
Luis Javier Ruiz (image via Facebook) Two survivors of the Pulse Nightclub mass shooting who say they are no longer gay have been announced to headline an “ex-gay” rally in Orlando, Florida. Luis Javier Ruiz and Angel Colon will take part in the so-called “Freedom March” scheduled to take place September 14 at Orlando’s Lake Eloa Park, located just minutes from the site of Pulse Nightclub. As Newsweek reports, organizers of the event say the point of the rally is to celebrate “freedom from homosexual/transgender lifestyles by the grace and power of Jesus Christ.” The Freedom March organization has held similar events across the U.S. The most recent rally was held in St. Paul, Minnesota, in June 2019. Both Ruiz and Colon say they no longer identify as gay. At the Freedom March in Washington, D.C. in May, Ruiz told NBC News, “I don’t want to tell everyone it’s a ‘gay-to-straight’ thing because God is not calling me to that.” “I feel that I want to live in a life of purity,” he added. “I feel that through loving Christ, he will walk me out of any situation. I love the LGBTQ community, I love my family. There’s no hate here—there’s love.” During the Pulse massacre, Colon was reportedly shot six times and was trampled by club-goers trying to escape the shooter. It would be two months before he would be able to walk again. Colon recently appeared on a Christian podcast, The Roys Report, where he told the host the shooting was the impetus for him to renounce homosexuality. “A couple months before June, I started praying to God and I told him, ‘Lord, You know my situation, You know my heart, You know I want to worship you. But I cannot do it on my own will,” he told host Julie Roys. “Please help me come back to you.” And according to Colon, on June 12, at 2:02 a.m., “everything just changed in an instant.” The two men have also founded an organization called ‘Fearless Identity,’ which encourages people to “reject their LGBT identities.” According to Newsweek, forming the group was the mens’ response to backlash for identifying as ex-gay. Ruiz posted this video to YouTube where he explains being diagnosed as HIV-positive was what pushed him to ‘reject’ being gay.
From the New York Times: 
