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Texas Senate Attempts To Stop Social Media From Blocking Users Based On Politics

Road sign reading Texas

A high school senior was expelled right before the school year for coming out as gay and proud

In the early morning hours on Thursday, the Texas Senate approved legislation that would “prohibit social media companies with at least 100 million monthly users from blocking, banning, demonetizing or discriminating against a user based on their viewpoint or their location within Texas.”

More from the Texas Tribune:

The measure, which would apply to Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, among others, would also require the companies to disclose their content moderation policies, publish regular reports about the content they remove and create an appeals process for user content that has been taken down.

The Texas attorney general would be allowed to file suit against any company that violates a provision of the bill. If upheld in court, the attorney general could recoup “reasonable” attorney’s fees and investigative costs.

Hughes repeatedly referred to social media companies as “common carriers” (like cable or phone companies) even though they’ve never been classified as such.

The issue moves to the state House where two identical bills have yet to move out of committees.

It goes without saying that legal experts have raised doubts about the legality of the measure.

What’s interesting to me is: the same people who say a baker doesn’t have to bake a cake for a same-sex couple now say Twitter or Facebook can’t boot someone for violating their terms of service by spreading misinformation on their platforms.

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Anti-Masker Punches Store Owner During Protest Stunt

Screen captures of Kevin Johnston looking foolish at a grocery store in British Columbia

Screen captures of Kevin Johnston looking foolish at a grocery store in British Columbia

Obnoxious Canadian anti-masker, Kevin Johnston, makes a fool of himself at a store in British Columbia.

Johnston, an anti-Muslim vlogger, has made a name for himself for his racist, anti-Indigenous, and anti-Muslim activism.

In this incident, he walks into the No Frills store with the intention of taking the products, throwing a $5 bill to the cashier as he exits, and ends up punching the store owner during an altercation in the parking lot.

He then declares he’s making a ‘citizens arrest’ over the store owner trying to protect his business.

And then the police arrive.

More about Johnston via AntiHate.ca:

Johnston is still awaiting trial for wilful promotion of hatred under Criminal Code Section 319(2). In 2017, Johnston posted a video offering a $1,000 reward for footage of Toronto Muslim students praying at school.

A five-month-long investigation resulted in charges, but in the almost four years since, he has yet to face trial.

Johnston also owes $2.5 million for statements he made about Paramount Fine Foods owner Mohamad Fakih during a protest. At the time, Ontario Superior Court Justice Jane Ferguson called Johnston’s actions toward Fakih “hate speech at its worst.”

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Tucker Carlson Slammed For Mocking Women In US Military

Tucker Carlson is worried women are feminizing the US military

Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), a military veteran herself who lost both legs while serving in Iraq, has no civility left for Fox News personality Tucker Carlson after he criticized our female military service members.

Here’s what Tucker, who never served a day in military uniform, had to say that set her off:

Pregnant women are going to fight our wars. It’s a mockery of the U.S. Military.

While China’s military becomes more masculine as it’s assembled the world’s largest navy, our military needs to become — as Joe Biden says — more feminine, whatever feminine means anymore since men and women no longer exist…

Again, this is a mockery of the U.S. military and its core mission which is winning wars.

And here’s what Sen. Duckworth, along with several veterans and military leaders had to say.

Her tweet included a gif from Carlson’s time on Dancing With the Stars, with Senator Duckworth adding “While he was practicing his two-step, America’s female warriors were hunting down Al Qaeda and proving the strength of America’s women.”

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Ohio ‘Karen’ Gives Quite The Performance

An Ohio 'Karen' puts on quite a show (and gets arrested)
An Ohio 'Karen' puts on quite a show (and gets arrested)
Ohio Karen really thought she was proving a point (she wasn’t)

After viewing this installment of ‘The Karen Chronicles,’ I sat back and wondered, as I often do with ‘Karens’ – “What is it these folks THINK they are accomplishing?”

Police in Brook Park, Ohio, were called to a Marc’s Deeper Discount Store as Karen (yes, her name really is Karen) was putting up a snit about having to wear a face mask while shopping in the store. The Ohio Department of Health COVID-19 pandemic guidelines currently require masks public.

As you’ll see, she really seems to think she’s going to prove some kind of a point, but instead was arrested for resisting police, trespassing, and failure to disclose information, according to cleveland.com.

Folks – for the last time, stores and restaurants have the right to refuse service to anyone if their rules aren’t followed. For years we’ve heard ‘no shoes, no shirt, no service’ due to health regulations. For now, we’re adding ‘no mask, no service.’

If a state or municipality has a public accommodations law/ordinance, that only requires that everyone be treated the same. If the ‘same’ means everyone wear a mask or leave, that’s being treated the ‘same.’

You can be removed (and arrested) for trespassing.  No one has a constitutional right to shop at a grocery store.

GET OVER IT.

We’re all just trying to get through this pandemic as best we can.

Watch below as Miss Karen really puts on quite the performance.

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West Virginia Lawmaker Resigns Facing Federal Charges For Capitol Invasion

West Virginia lawmaker resigns after taking part in Capitol invasion
West Virginia lawmaker resigns after taking part in Capitol invasion
Derrick Evans (photo: West Virginia legislature)

A West Virginia lawmaker resigns as he faces federal charges for taking part in the invasion of the U.S. Capitol this week.

Derrick Evans, who was recently sworn in as a member of West Virginia’s House of Delegates, has resigned in a short statement.

“I hereby resign as a member of the House of Delegates, effective immediately,” Evans wrote in a one-page letter.

From the Justice Department:

Derrick Evans, 35, of West Virginia, was charged with one count of knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority; and one count of violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol Grounds. Evans was taken into custody Friday.

It is alleged that on Jan. 6, 2021, Evans, a recently elected member of the West Virginia House of Delegates, streamed live to his Facebook page a video of himself joining and encouraging a crowd unlawfully entering the U.S. Capitol. In the video, Evans is allegedly seen crossing the threshold of the doorway into the U.S. Capitol and shouting, “We’re in, we’re in! Derrick Evans is in the Capitol!”

Initially, Evans denied the allegations that he was part of the violent mob that broke into the Capitol building, but his own video footage shows differently. As late as Friday, Evans told the press that would not resign.

The House released a lengthier statement from Evans that expressed regret for his actions.

“I take full responsibility for my actions, and deeply regret any hurt, pain or embarrassment I may have caused my family, friends, constituents and fellow West Virginians.

“I hope this action I take today can remove any cloud of distraction from the state Legislature, so my colleagues can get to work in earnest building a brighter future for our state. And more importantly, I hope it helps to begin the healing process, so we can all move forward and come together as ‘One Nation, Under God.’”

Five people died during the riot including a Capitol Police officer.

Think about all the time and effort he put into running for office, all the people who worked on his behalf and donated money, all so he could go act like a fool and piss it all away.

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Donald Trump Signs Stimulus Bill, Wins Nothing With Delay

Donald Trump signed the new stimulus package approved by a bipartisan Congress after days of delays
Donald Trump during ABC News Town Hall (screen capture)

UPDATE: After waiting days to sign the stimulus package passed in Congress by overwhelming margins and negotiated with Donald Trump’s Treasury Secretary as his stand-in, Trump finally signed off on the package.

His delay may have cost Americans on unemployment $300 each in enhanced federal benefits, thank you very much.

Politico rightfully ripped Trump a new one:

THAT’S IT? President DONALD TRUMP made all this noise about the Covid relief and government funding bill only to sign it and get nothing in return?

TRUMP got taken to the cleaners.

WHAT A BIZARRE, embarrassing episode for the president. He opposed a bill his administration negotiated. He had no discernible strategy and no hand to play — and it showed. He folded, and got nothing besides a few days of attention and chaos. People waiting for aid got a few days of frightening uncertainty.

ZIP. ZERO. ZILCH. If he was going to give up this easy, he should’ve just kept quiet and signed the bill. It would’ve been less embarrassing.

The Washington Post reports Donald Trump has signaled to aides he will sign the stimulus and spending bills passed by Congress potentially avoiding a crisis.

President Trump has indicated that he will sign the stimulus bill into law before Monday night’s deadline and avert a government shutdown, two people familiar with his plans said Sunday evening, a move that would release $900 billion in stimulus funds as soon as possible.

Trump’s new decision to sign the bill came less than a week after he demanded changes to it and had suggested he would refuse to sign it into law. On Tuesday, he referred to the bill as a “disgrace” but he signaled on Sunday he would sign it after all.

The government was set to shut down on Tuesday if Trump did not sign the bill into law. The spending package also included a new round of stimulus checks, unemployment aid, and small business assistance, among other things.

Folks close to Trump say it’s still not a done deal as the Donald has apparently changed his mind on signing the bill several times.

The bipartisan bill that was negotiated with Trump’s Treasury Secretary, Steve Mnuchin, was overwhelmingly passed in both chambers of Congress.

Trump threw an unexpected wrench into the deal when he suddenly demanded $2,000 checks (instead of $600) to be sent to all eligible Americans.

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News Round-Up: November 30, 2020

(image via Instagram)

Some news items you might have missed:

• New York Post: Proving that love is blind, and sometimes kooky, a bodybuilder from Kazakhstan (above) has tied the knot with his dearly beloved — a sex doll he dated for eight months before proposing a year ago.

• Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Wisconsin’s elections board confirmed Joe Biden’s victory in the state Monday verifying Biden’s win of about 20,700 votes a day after the completion of a partial recount that found dozens of more votes for Biden.

• Media Matters: Conservative pundit Ben Shapiro complained on his daily webcast today that Hulu made the holiday romantic comedy, Happiest Season, featuring a lesbian couple. “Conservatives are going to have to get into the business of actually making entertainment because the left has decided that all entertainment is now to be ‘woke.’ All of it. Right?” No, Ben, there are dozens of holiday rom-coms made every year – only 4 this year are LGBTQ-themed. And that’s, like, a new record.

• Washington Post: Anthony S. Fauci and other experts urged Americans to take aggressive action as the December holidays loom to mitigate the surge overwhelming hospitals across the country. As the number of coronavirus-related deaths per day rose to its highest point since April, Fauci and others highlighted the importance of complying with mask mandates and physical distancing.

• CNN: Dr. Scott Atlas, who doubted face masks, pushed ‘herd immunity’, and had no background in infectious diseases, has resigned from Donald Trump’s coronavirus task force.

• NBC Out: Orange Is the New Black star and LGBTQ advocate Laverne Cox took to Instagram on Saturday to share that she and her friend were the victims of a transphobic attack that has left her “in shock.”

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by laverne cox (@lavernecox)

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Misdemeanor Charges For Trumper Breathing On Protester

The New York Daily News reports a Trump supporter, Raymond Deskins, 61, who got in the face of a protester and ‘forcefully exhaled’ without a face mask has been arrested and charged with misdemeanor assault after a private citizen obtained a warrant through a county magistrate.

The incident occurred near the entrance to Trump National Golf Club in Virginia on Saturday.

As the alleged assault wasn’t witnessed by law enforcement, the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office told the victim they’d have to apply for a warrant through a county magistrate.

And they did.

Why do Trumpers have to act like this? It’s just childish.

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News Round-Up: August 27, 2020

L-R Michael Caprio, Matt Zarley, Chad Quintero, Randy Slovacek, Greg Chase

Some news items you might have missed:

• TBT: Remembering sunsets at our pool (above) when we could actually have a group of folks over for summertime cocktails in our Olivia Newton-John cups. Ah, good times…

• The Advocate: The city of Anchorage has become the first in Alaska to ban so-called ‘conversion therapy’ for minors. This makes Alaska the 40th state where some jurisdiction has taken action against the harmful practice.

• New York Times: More than 100 former staff members for Senator John McCain are supporting former Vice President Joe Biden in a show of support across the political divide. The list of signatories includes a range of people — from chiefs of staff in Mr. McCain’s Senate office to junior aides on his campaigns — who worked for him over his 35 years in Congress and during two presidential bids. Republican Voters Against Trump also released this ad today in McCain’s home state of Arizona.

• OUT: A bodybuilding gay couple in Malta were brutally slain in their home on August 18. Police are looking for three persons captured on security cameras leaving the residence, as well as a suspected driver in an awaiting vehicle.

• JoeMyGod: After GoFundMe canceled a crowdfunding campaign for legal costs for accused 17-year-old murderer Kyle Rittenhouse, ‘Christian’ crowdfunding site GiveSendGo raised over $59,000 in the first few hours.

• ABC News: Cocky North Carolina congressional candidate Madison Cawthorn, 25, got it wrong during his four-minute speech during the Republican National Convention last night when he boasted the accomplishments of other youthful politicians in history, like James Madison, who he mistakenly announced signed the Declaration of Independence.

“If you don’t think young people can change the world, then you just don’t know American history. George Washington was 21 when he received his first military commission. Abe Lincoln, 22 when he first ran for office. And my personal favorite: James Madison was just 25 years old when he signed the Declaration of Independence.” Today, Cawthorn says he was just testing the fact-checkers.