Tag: anti-gay

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Dan Savage: Dump Russian Vodka over anti-gay

In his blog at The Stranger, Dan Savage urges gays and straight people to stop drinking Russian vodka as a form of boycott against the recent anti-gay laws and treatment of the LGBT community:

“If you drink a Russian Vodka like Stoli, Russian Standard, or any of the other brands listed above, switch to another brand from another country, or even a local brand from a local distillery. Stoli is the iconic Russian Vodka and it’s returning to Russian ownership in 2014. Other brands like Russian Standard should also be boycotted. Do not drink Russian vodka. Do not buy Russian vodka. Ask your bartender at your favorite bar—gay or otherwise—to DUMP STOLI and DUMP RUSSIAN VODKA.”

As to why Savage prefers supports boycotting vodka over the Winter Olympics, he points to an inspired quote from Patrick Burke, founder of the You Can Play project, on the subject:

“In 1968, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar refused to play in the Olympics as a protest against the treatment of blacks in America. The same year, Tommie Smith and John Carlos stood on a medal stand, gloved fists in the air, as a protest against the treatment of blacks in America. History remembers the athletes who showed up…. To send the strongest possible message of support to the LGBT community, we must send our athletes—those who are LGBT, those who are LGBT-supportive, those with LGBT family members or friends. Let them show that champions stand strong with their teammates and training partners. Send our openly LGBT and “publicly pro-gay” athletes and let them compete. Let them win. Show the world that there are elite LGBT athletes who are not afraid to be themselves, on and off the playing field. That the majority of the world’s finest athletes support their LGBT teammates, coaches, and opponents by treating them as equals in competition.”

Chicago’s biggest gay bar announced tonight that they are no longer selling Stoli or any other Russian products. From the Windy City Times:

Sidetrack today said that it would be removing Stolichnaya Vodka and other Russian products from their shelves. The decision comes in the wake of Russia’s implementation of oppressive anti-gay laws last month.

“I had been following the various news reports about what was going on in Russia,” said co-owner Art Johnston. “It’s hard to believe that they could carry out and enforce that kind of a law, but they did.” He added that there was no way he could in good conscience continue to serve Stolichnaya or any other Russian products at the nightclub.

It is unsafe for gay people to travel in Russia: this week four gay Dutch tourists were arrested for spreading “gay propaganda” in Russia.

(via Instinct)

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First gay pride parade in Montenegro marred by hundreds of violent anti-gay protesters

Montenegro is a country in Southeastern Europe. On the coast of the Adriatic Sea, it is bordered by Croatia to the west, Bosnia and Herzegovina to the northwest. It is classified as a middle income country by the World Bank.

The Associated Press reports on the first ever gay pride parade held in the country yesterday:

Several hundred extremists shouting “Kill the gays” attacked gay activists and clashed with police on Wednesday in a bid to disrupt the first ever pride event in staunchly conservative Montenegro, which is seeking to improve its human rights record as it bids to join the European Union.

Angry assailants threw rocks, bottles, glasses and various other objects — including chairs from local cafes — at several dozen flag-waving gay activists who shouted back “Kiss the gays.” A shower of stones and bottles also landed on special police securing the gathering in the coastal town of Budva.

Police then intervened to push the attackers away and allow the event to continue. The participants briefly marched by the sea before they stopped to hold speeches as extremists shouted insults from a distance. Later, police again clashed with smaller groups of extremists scattered throughout the town.

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Pennsylvania Police Chief: “F*ck all you libtards out there”

Raw Story shares this story of Gilberton, Pennsylvania Police Chief Mark Kessler, who recently made news with anti-gay and profanity filled videos:

The mayor of Gilberton, Pennsylvania is standing by her city’s police chief despite a series of profanity-laced and threatening videos. In a video that has received wide attention, police chief Mark Kessler repeatedly tells those upset by his use of profanity to “go f*ck yourself” as he fires various automatic weapons.

Mayor Mary Lou Hannon told The Morning Call that Kessler had the right to express himself. The city would “not take action to quash free speech, whether or not each member of council or any member of council agrees with it.” Kessler has uploaded several profanity-laced videos to YouTube. In one video, Kessler berates “libtards” and warns of an armed rebellion against the government.

“F*ck all you libtards out there, as a matter of fact, read my shirt,” he says, turning around to show a message on his back which read, “Liberals take it in the a**.” “You take it in the ass and I don’t give a f*ck what you say so you can all just go f*ck yourselves. Period. I wont be going to D.C. and I don’t give a f*ck. If you f*cking maniacs want to turn this into an armed revolt, knock yourselves out. I’m not about that, so see you on the other side.”

If conservatives ever wondered why they get a bad name, they can thank folks like Kessler.  THIS is what represents the conservative movement.  This is what gets in the news and becomes the face of the GOP.  Congratulations.

The video below, where Kessler fires rounds of ammo into the air for no apparent reason but to appear tough (I guess) in between fits of saying “f*ck you”, has been monetized on YouTube and the comments disabled. So this is really just Kessler’s way to make money, by creating news and getting folks to click on his video.

(h/t JMG)

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Four men arrested in anti-gay Long Island attack

Four young men, all under 21 years of age, have been arrested in connection to a violent anti-gay attack in Babylon, N.Y., over the weekend, which resulted in the victims being treated in the hospital.

From the Advocate:

Shane Buckley, 18, Justin Buckley, 17, Gregory Gilbert, 20, and Nicholas Battaglia, 18, all of Oceanside, N.Y., were walking by the two victims on Deer Park Ave., and asked them directions to the Babylon train station.

“The four assailants started yelling anti-gay slurs and crossed the street and attacked them,” Assistant District Attorney Lawrence Opisso said according to Newsday. Opisso did not say what triggered the fight.

The suspects were charged with two counts of third-degree assault as a hate crime. The three older suspects were also charged with second-degree gang assault, NBC New York reports.

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Queer Nation urges boycott of Russian vodka

graphic by Gilbert Baker

Queer Nation is urging a boycott of Russian vodka (since we all know how much vodka the gay community consumes). Via email:

In light of the Putin regime’s attacks on the LGBT community, Queer Nation is calling for a worldwide boycott of Russian vodka.

Do not buy or drink Russian vodka: Brands include Russian Standard and Stolichnaya.

Demand that bar owners do not buy or serve Russian vodka.

Ask your favorite club promoters, DJs, and entertainers to insist that Russian brands are not served in the venues in which they perform.

It’s time to target Russia. Dump Russian vodka! Queer Nation is asking that consumers worldwide dump Russian vodka.

Queer Nation expects to have additional actions that the LGBT community can take to make one message clear — violence against the LGBT community anywhere will be met with swift and direct action.

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Christian love at San Diego Pride

Gay Pride in San Diego today. Pride in who we are; love for our community; good vibes all around.

Well, not ALL around.

As a gay Catholic group passes, a good Christian man on his PA system: “Shame on you. You will go to hell with those child-molesting freaks. No wonder you want to be a Catholic. Shame on you.”

Is that what Christ would do?

(h/t JMG)

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Harvey Fierstein: “Get loud against Putin and his anti-gay pogrom”

From Harvey Fierstein’s Facebook page –

It’s time to start paying attention to what’s going on in Russia in case you haven’t yet. Putin has declared war on the gay community.

He’s made it illegal to promote homosexuality in theater, film, tv, print that in any way could be seen by youth. In other words anything gay is now pornography.

He’s outlawed the adopting of Russian children to any country that has legalized marriage equality.

And now it is reported that his next law will remove the children of GLBT families from their homes. This will apply to biological children as well as formerly adopted ones.

This is a horror. Not only for our community but even for straight families. Already divorced parents are threatening one another with blackmail to tell authorities that their ex is now gay just to control parental rights.

Putin wants this attack against human rights to be his legacy. He believes he can get the backing of the Vatican as well as all other conservative religious leaders to join his cause.

What can we do? Make his actions and his plans public. Shine the light of public opinion on this evil doer.
Boycott the Winter Olympics in Russia. Believe me, Putin will use the Olympics as proof that the world backs up his action. There are only two ways to deal with a tyrant: Starve out the rat, or destroy him.

So, my friends, do your research and then GET LOUD AGAINST PUTIN AND HIS ANTI-GAY POGROM. This is a very small world. Our brothers and sisters in Russia need us NOW!

(via Harvey Fierstein’s Facebook page)

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With a straight face, Pat Robertson denies he is anti-gay

From Right Wing Watch we get the news that Pat Robertson is disturbed that people, for whatever reason, might believe that he is somehow anti-gay.

After all, how could blaming gays for 9/11, warning that gay rights will destroy America, using anti-gay slurs, linking homosexuality to pedophilia and disease and saying that Facebook should create a ‘vomit’ button specifically for pictures of gay couples POSSIBLY make someone seem anti-gay?

Well, following a story on the Exodus International head Alan Chambers’ decision to shut down the ex-gay ministry, Robertson insisted that “we are not anti-gay.”

Read more at Right Wing Watch

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Tony Perkins gets fact checked

Tony Perkins, the president of the hate-group Family Research Council, said on CBS’ Face the Nation a few days after the SCOTUS rulings on marriage equality that wedding vendors have already been “forced” to serve same-sex couples.

“We’re already seeing bakers and florists and photographers forced to participate in same-sex marriages under the threat of law and in some cases even jail. I can’t think of anything that’s more un-American than that. … “

Host Bob Schieffer responded: “How is it that bakers and florists are being forced to participate in this? I’m not sure I understand what you’re saying here.”

So the fact-checking website PolitiFact did some research to see how many vendors have actually gone to jail for not “participating in same-sex marriages.”  The answer will probably NOT surprise you:

After the Supreme Court rulings about gay marriage, Perkins said, “We’re already seeing bakers and florists and photographers forced to participate in same-sex marriages under the threat of law and in some cases even jail.”

We didn’t find cases where people were forced to participate against their will. However, if vendors refuse service, there are consequences. There are 21 states that forbid discrimination based on sexual orientation. Vendors who refuse service there could face legal actions and fines.

The “jail” part of Perkins’ claim is an exaggeration. We couldn’t find any evidence that a vendor had been sent to jail or that any legal authority had threatened jail time. In some states, if a business owner loses an anti-discrimination case and refuses to comply with an order, the owner could face jail, but we found no evidence of that ever happening. One state, Colorado, specifically took action to remove the threat of jail.

Read the whole report at PolitiFact

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Anti-gay Linda Harvey calls Gay Pride goers “infected”

“I attended a recent ‘gay pride’ parade in Columbus.

“I’d been to one a few years earlier, and the bad news is that the event has grown much, much larger. Corporate support is everywhere. Macy’s, J.P. Morgan Chase, Bank of America, JC Penney, Chipotle, Frito-Lay, and many others. Local Ohio banks, Fifth-Third and Huntington. American Family Insurance. All had sizeable contingents of marchers and banners.

“So the continuing high incidence of HIV among males who have sex with males, generating around 29,000 new cases per year in the U.S., is acceptable to these companies and their boards of directors? Just asking.

“This abundant fruit, so to speak, of the homosexual community is now ignored by the media and considered a big yawn, except by those infected, of course.” – Anti-gay Linda Harvey, writing on her website.

(h/t JMG)