LGBTQ news and entertainment
Some news stories you might have missed: • The Advocate: GLAAD’s annual ‘Where We Are on TV’ report tracks the presence of LGBTQ characters in the latest television season. There were only 468 LGBTQ characters in the 2023-2024 television season, and a significant chunk of them won’t be returning. Continue reading “GLAAD Report ‘Where We Are On TV’ + MILF Manor + More News”
(photos via Sen. Scott Weiner)
(screen capture via NJEG Media)
To all the many, many good cops out there – this doesn’t help anything. From the New York Post:
A Seattle cop was filmed rolling his bicycle over a man’s helmeted head as he lay down on the street during violent Black Lives Matter protests sparked by the decision not to charge cops for Breonna Taylor’s death.
The dungaree-wearing protester — called “trumpet man” by others in the crowd — was shown prone on the ground more than once as groups of bike cops pushed the mob back after declaring the march an unlawful protest.
As the officers advanced another time, one appeared to have had enough — and steered his bike’s wheels over the protester’s white safety helmet, according to a CJTV Media live stream. The officer — who was walking the bike at the time — then appeared to use it to hit another man to stop him getting too close.
Seattle police said it was “aware” of the video.
Two police officers swerved. One (riding) swerved to avoid him. The other (walking) swerved to run over his head and neck. Two very different kinds of cops exemplified in one video.
— Firefly (@Firefly3083) September 24, 2020
Former Vice President Joe Biden (screen capture)
“I want to be very clear about all of this: Rioting is not protesting. Looting is not protesting. Setting fires is not protesting. None of this is protesting. It’s lawlessness, plain and simple. And those who do it should be prosecuted,” Biden said. “Violence will not bring change, it will only bring destruction. It’s wrong in every way.”
Responding to Trump’s claims that the suburbs, where Trump needs to win back White voters who have abandoned the GOP in droves on his watch, would not be safe if Biden wins, Biden asked, incredulously: “You know me. You know my heart. You know my story, my family’s story. Ask yourself: Do I look like a radical socialist with a soft spot for rioters? Really?”
“I want to make it absolutely clear … Rioting is not protesting. Looting is not protesting. Setting fires is not protesting. None of this is protesting — it’s lawlessness. Plain and simple. And those who do it should be prosecuted,” Joe Biden says. pic.twitter.com/2pcW8GxzyO
— CNN Newsroom (@CNNnewsroom) August 31, 2020
A new poll shows how Donald Trump could win the November election amid the recent violence that has happened in the aftermath of Jacob Blake being shot by Kenosha police officers. Democrats close to the Biden campaign are concerned the looting and violence in cities could help President Trump, especially among the few undecided or wavering Americans. From Axios:
In a Marquette Law School poll of registered voters in battleground Wisconsin, support for Black Lives Matters protests dropped 13 points from June to August, just ahead of the police shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha.
“There was an initial surge in support for and sympathy with BLM in June,” Charles Franklin, director of the Marquette Law School Poll, told me.
“The shift to a more negative view in August is strongest among Republicans, but independents and Democrats also became less approving. The decline was across all regions except for the city of Milwaukee.”
[snip]
David Axelrod’s warning to fellow Dems about Trump’s effort to shift attention from COVID and unemployment to ‘law and order:’
“The timing of unrest in Kenosha has been a gift to him in that project.”
From the summary of the new poll on the issue of the Black Lives Matter movement:
In June 59 percent were favorable and 27 percent were unfavorable.
In August favorable views declined though a plurality held favorable views, 49 percent favorable to 37 percent unfavorable.
In an interview with Fox News’ Harris Faulkner today, Donald Trump declared many of those protesting in the aftermath of George Floyd’s murder “didn’t know” why they were there. The remarks came after Faulkner asked what the Donald believes the protesters across the county want or need from him. “So I think you had protesters for different reasons, and then you had protesting also because they just didn’t know,” Trump said. “I’ve watched. I watched it very closely. ‘Why are you here?’ And they really weren’t able to say. But they were there — for a reason perhaps. Perhaps? “But a lot of them really were there because they’re following the crowd,” he continued. “A lot of them were there because what we witnessed was a terrible thing. What we saw was a terrible thing, and we’ve seen it over the years. You know, this was one horrible example. but you’ve seen other terrible examples. You know that better than anybody would know it. And I know it. I’ve seen it too. I’ve seen it before I was president and during the presidency, I’ve seen it.” Earlier in the interview, Trump labeled the protests as ‘riots’ and ‘unnecessary.’ He also said that the date of his first campaign rally since the beginning of the COVID-19 health threat on Juneteenth wasn’t scheduled ‘on purpose.’ “The fact that I’m having a rally on that day — you can really think about that very positively as a celebration. Because a rally to me is a celebration,” Trump said. “It’s an interesting date. It wasn’t done for that reason, but it’s an interesting date.” As many know, June 19 is recognized as Juneteenth, the day the last slaves in the United States were freed. The Trump campaign picked Tulsa, Oklahoma, as the location for the rally. Black activists consider the date and the location a slap in the face in light of the 1921 ‘Black Massacre’ that occurred in the city 99 years ago. Nearly 300 Black Americans were killed in the incident that was sparked by the accusation a young Black man assaulted a white woman.
“You had protesters for different reasons & then you had protesting also because, you know, they just didn’t know… a lot of them really were there b/c they were following the crowd” — Trump suggests many George Floyd protesters weren’t even aware of what they were protesting pic.twitter.com/KnbTJy2U8m
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) June 12, 2020
L-R Mug shots of suspended Buffalo police officers Aaron Torgalski and Robert McCabe
The officers, 32-year-old Robert McCabe and 39-year-old Aaron Torgalski, were suspended without pay on Thursday after 75-year-old Martin Gugino was knocked down by police at a protest in Niagara Square.
Gugino was seriously injured and taken to ECMC, in a statement released through his attorney Friday he was said to be in serious but stable condition and was “alert and oriented.”
The entire force of the Buffalo Police Emergency Response Team resigned as of Friday afternoon. The 57 officers have not resigned from the department and will keep their jobs, they have only resigned from their roles on the Emergency Response Team.
A Buffalo PBA representative tells 7 Eyewitness News anchor Hannah Buehler “these officers were simply following orders given by DPC Joe Gramaglia to clear the Square.”
WKBW spoke with two of the officers who resigned from the Response Team who said the resignations weren’t a “show of support” for the two suspended officers. “I don’t understand why the union said it’s a thing of solidarity,” said one of the officers. “I think it sends the wrong message that ‘we’re backing our own’ and that’s not the case.” “We quit because our union said [they] aren’t legally backing us anymore,” said another. “So why would we stand on a line for the City with no legal backing if something [were to] happen? Has nothing to do with us supporting.”
Just about an hour ago, police officers shove man in Niagara Square to the ground (WARNING: Graphic). Video from: @MikeDesmondWBFO pic.twitter.com/JBKQLvzfET
— WBFO (@WBFO) June 5, 2020
The ACLU wants you to know your rights if you consider taking part in public protests
Know your rights while demanding justice for George Floyd. pic.twitter.com/yErenarM8J
— ACLU (@ACLU) May 30, 2020
Donald Trump to governors during race riots: “You have to dominate!”
During a conference call Monday, Trump berated the state leaders, calling them “weak,” and urged them to “dominate” protesters, according to officials familiar with the president’s remarks. The conference call followed another turbulent night across the nation, as protests that began peacefully exploded into mayhem.
Trump also called on them to take back the streets and use force to confront protesters and said if they did not, they would look like “fools,” alarming several governors on the call as they communicated privately, according to the officials.
“If you don’t dominate, you’re wasting your time,” Trump said, according to a person on the call.
Demonstrators clashed with police outside the White House for a third consecutive night as the unrest spread from Boston to Sioux Falls, S.D. More than half of the nation’s governors have called in the National Guard to help quell the unrest, and at least 45 million Americans were under a curfew on Sunday night.
In some cities, law enforcement officers were seen marching and kneeling with protesters. But elsewhere, police in riot gear continued to increase their use of force, which added to the disorder. On Monday, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear (D) ordered a state investigation after a man was fatally shot during an overnight confrontation with Louisville police and the National Guard.
Some conservative commentators are urging the president to address the nation, but the White House press secretary said Trump is focused on the far-left “antifa” movement that he believes is behind the violence. “A national Oval Office address is not going to stop antifa,” Kayleigh McEnany said.
At this point, we’re basically the ‘States of America.’
HEAR IT: Trump calls state officials "weak," insists they must dominate, and vows to "clamp down" in DC. pic.twitter.com/ARsIhAvCJe
— Steven Portnoy (@stevenportnoy) June 1, 2020