2016 Clown Car Update: Lindsey Graham Flounces In!

Oh, my stars and garters, some one fetch me a mint julep and place it out on the veranda next to the fainting couch! Senator Lindsey Graham DOES DECLARE! He is in this li'l ol' race! Who so ever shall be his first lady?

Mercy, this is going to be fun.

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Presidential Candidate Lindsey Graham Fears Fox News

Sen. Lindsey Graham, who announced today he's running for president, has previously suggested he fears attacks from Fox News. Graham has attempted to placate the conservative network with nonstop appearances and praise of their coverage of issues like Benghazi and immigration reform. . .

Read more at: Media Matters

Right Wing World Notices Aaron Schock Gay Rumor

The buzz over the weekend is that that cute little muscley GOP Congressman from Illinois, Aaron Schock, just might be gay. You don't say. Well, he initially came to the attention of gay bloggers because he's a) cute, b) often photographed in skimpy clothing, and c) votes anti-gay like all the time. Then, people started to notice that he's often photographed in ways that straight people just aren't. And that there is significant scuttlebutt out of Illinois that he's in a "glass closet."

Well now, a journalist has posted a pondering to Facebook which heavily implies that Schock is in fact gay. I, like many other politically active gay people, see absolutely nothing wrong with "outing" a closeted person who does tangible damage to the gay community. If he had an unremarkable or positive record on such issues, I'd be a bit more skittish. As it stands, I say shine a light on him.

Right Wing World has a slightly more sticky issue on their hands with this though. First and foremost, they love to rag on gay people. So they're totally on board with Schock's voting record. But if he's really gay, they have to first condemn him for that, while simultaneously finger-wagging at the left for making an issue of it at all. It's a bit of an outrage/faux outrage tightrope. Schock just might have a costume in his closet perfect for that activity!

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Conservative media picks up Aaron Schock gay rumor

You have to hand it to the right-wing noise machine. They’re not exactly the brightest bulbs in the box. To wit: Lead far-right Web site WorldNetDaily is now writing about growing speculation that conservative anti-gay Republican Illinois congressman Aaron Schock is gay. . .

Read more at: AmericaBlog

Hunky Anti-gay Pastor Booted from Inauguration

It's a small picture, but believe me
kids, he's schmokin' hot. Google
him, if you don't believe me. That's
probably the root of his homophobia.
Too many dudes hittin' on that.
Poor guy.

Some readers might be perplexed by my relative silence on the anti-gay benediction choice for Barack Obama's re-inauguration. I can explain it thusly: I'm an atheist, and I find the entire exercise to be ridiculous. There is no pastor and no benediction that I would find compatible with United States governance. There is a separation of church and state--allegedly--and I can't stomach any of the religious claptrap that comes with ordinary American politics. So--as most American atheists and agnostics do--I ignore it.

But when the Democratic politicians have horrifically anti-gay religious "leaders?" Yes, my panties get in a bunched formation. So, it is fortunate--whomever was responsible for the yanking of the invite/acceptance--that this religious douchenozzle is not giving the superstitious twaddle that all presidents have to at least to pretend is relevant to the job.

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Right Wing Goes Crazy After Anti-Gay Pastor Withdraws

A chorus of right-wing leaders Thursday decried the withdrawal of Pastor Louie Giglio from President Obama’s second inauguration ceremony, suggesting a left-wing conspiracy to force him off of the program. His withdrawal came a day after ThinkProgress exclusively reported that in the 1990s, Giglio had given a lengthy sermon in which he advocated for dangerous “ex-gay” therapy for gay and lesbian people, referenced a biblical passage often interpreted to require gay people be executed, and impelled Christians to “firmly respond to the aggressive agenda” and prevent the “homosexual lifestyle” from becoming accepted in society. . . 

Read more at: Think Progress

Chick-fil-A is Officially Anti-Gay

Doesn't look gay at all. Image from Advocate.

Okay, so there's a fast food company with a name so precious and cute that I had to look it up three times to make sure I'd spelled and hyphenated it correctly. They've got a clever, funny advertising campaign. And it's run by a dude named Cathy. Sounds gay to me, but for some reason, the company--Chick-fil-A--is being run on "Biblical" principles* by said Mr. Cathy.

I don't eat at fast food restaurants very often, and even if I wanted to there are none of Mr. Cathy's reconstituted chicken parts eateries in Las Vegas nor in the rest of Nevada. But I'll be sure to add Chick-fil-A to my mental Rolodex (though I can't promise I'll remember the spelling), and I will be sure to never spend a thin dime there, until one of the one-day-dearly-departed Mr. Cathy's gay relatives inherits the place, and turns it into the next Hamburger Mary's.

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It's Official: Chick-fil-A COO Dan Cathy Comes Out as Antigay

Dan Cathy, the chief operating officer of Chick-fil-A, said there is no denying that his company opposes marriage equality. . .

Read more at: Advocate.com

* Just a side note to Mr. Cathy: Jesus never said a thing against gay people, or gay marriage. And by the way, many, many potential customers are either not Christians, or don't follow Mr. Cathy's particular interpretation. But, if he doesn't mind losing business, I guess it ain't my problem.

Right-wing Talk Host's Hit & Run at Gay Bar

Nope, nothing phallic in this picture.
Image from Houston Press.

Oh, boy. A homophobic talk radio host/former politician busted outside a gay bar? No wonder he skipped out, he had a lot to lose! But, what a jerk, really. I'm starting to think that every right-wing homophobe is secretly gay. Not that I'm talking about anybody in particular (cough).

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Police watch bar video in hit-and-run probe


Security camera footage from a well-known gay bar has played a key role in a hit-and-run investigation of a former Houston City Councilman, who is now a conservative talk show host, Local 2 Investigates reported on Wednesday. . .


Read more (with video) at: Click2Houston

Funny or Die: Coming Out on Christmas

When I came out to my family, I had to call home, because they are 2,000 miles away in Ohio. Long story short, nobody was home, and I had to leave super-important, vague messages for everybody. The resulting call-backs were a comedy of errors, and nobody was too put out or surprised. But, my situation was a little more ordinary than this. . .

 

Coming Out On Christmas - watch more funny videos

Does Rick Perry Have "The Gay?"

Snappy dresser. Good looking. Kind of stupid. But gay? There've been rumors for a long time, but Rick Perry didn't trip my gaydar until he did the "Strong" ad, which was ironically both anti-gay, and featured Perry in a close copy of Heath Ledger's Brokeback Mountain coat!

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All Your Rick Perry Gay Sex Rumors Collected in One Handy Book

Glen Maxey, the first openly gay member of the Texas State Legislature and longtime Democratic activist, spent most of last summer helping a reporter for a "national news outlet" nail down persistent rumors of Rick Perry's sexual relationships with men. The story got killed. So Maxey has published an e-book laying out the evidence. Among the charges: Rick Perry has a small dick. . .

Read more at: Gawker 

Has AOL Punk'd Anti-Gay Web Site?

You just know that half the people (at least) who are regular
readers of Americans for Truth would rather go to the above
sites! Click to embiggen.

Okay, so I went to this homophobic site, AmericansforTruth.com, which is less telling than their official name, Americans for Truth about Homosexuality. Of course, "truth" is not what this group is about. It is an obsessive-compulsive "we hate gay, gay is evil, why is gay everywhere, we can't get away from the gay, gay, gay!" site. It's fairly disgusting, but also stupid and darkly humorous.

Anyway, I was curious if these strangely obsessed folks had anything to say about the very, very gay episode of Glee that aired on FOX (!) tv this week. But for some reason (what a shame) the site was down. But look at what my AOL suggested as similar sites puts up as targeted ads! The funny part is, there is nothing in this group's web address that indicates the gay. I have to wonder if this is intentional.

Kathy Griffin on Marcus Bachmann

Marcus & Michele Bachmann's Clinic Flashmobbed

Yeah, the video is low-quality, as is the sound. These guys and gals have the right idea, but need a media ally who can set it up right. Still, I'm glad they did it. And of course Lady Gaga's Born this Way is the perfect choice of song. The Bachmanns are still skating by in the mainstream media over their dramatically whacked-out (and often anti-gay) ideology.

Flash Mob Goes Gaga at Marcus Bachmann’s Minn. Office: MyFoxTWINCITIES.com

Anti-Gay Hate Group Denied Tax Exempt Status

Peter (sing it with me) LaBarbera,
Image from Joe.My.God.

At the risk of a lightning bolt from the blue, I--as an unbelieving heathen--say, "hallelujah!" The insufferably, and paradoxically anti-gay, yet gay obsessed Americans for Truth About Homosexuality have been denied their tax exempt status. They've been targeted as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center, so hello. And their focus is so dementedly focused on the extreme elements of gay culture*, you just knew they were overcompensating.

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Porno Pete: No Longer Tax Exempt 

Ex-Gay Watch reports today that Peter LaBarbera's SPLC-certified hate group, Americans For Truth About Homosexuality (AFTAH), lost its tax-exempt status in 2010. Yanked by the IRS! . .

Read more at: Joe.My.God

* It can never be said loudly or often enough: any extreme, depraved, mind-bogglingly freaky sex act you think that the gays do (whether they do or not), is also practiced by straight people.  And just due to sheer numbers (gay people range from 1%-15% of the population, depending upon your source), more straight people do those extreme, depraved, mind-bogglingly freaky sex acts than gay people do. So suck it. You know you want to.

How Schocking! Rep. Aaron Schock Bares His Abs for Men's Health

Nice shirt. What else is in the closet?
Image from HuffPo

Many months ago, I posted a clip from The Colbert Report, in which Stephen Colbert interviewed Rep. Aaron Schock (R-IL). Schock has had a few infamous beefcake photos circulating, and in that post, I posted one. Little did I know, it would provide a constant stream of visitors to my blog. Most days, it actually leads the pack in "most read" pages besides the front page. Whenever I get a spike in visits, it's usually because Schock has been in the news for something. For some reason, Google Images lists me high in the list whenever someone is looking for that beefcake!

So when I got a spike of several hundred visits on Monday, I pretty much knew Schock was up to something. Sure enough, he's posed shirtless again, this time for Men's Health magazine. And while Colbert only hinted at possible skeletons in Schock's closet, the Twitters are abuzz with innuendo today. It will be interesting to see if this is a first step in a much different story. Time will tell.

[Excerpt]

Aaron Schock Shows Off Six Pack On Men's Health Cover

HuffPost's original "Hottest Freshman" Aaron Schock went unbuttoned for the most recent issue of Men's Health to promote his "Fit for Summer, Fit for Life Challenge." The ripped republican representative showed off his six-pack abs in order to encourage readers to drop weight -- and their risks of heart disease, diabetes and strokes. . .

Read more (with video!) at: Huffington Post
(And I'll cop to a shameful amount of innuendo here. I don't know anything, you understand. I'm just telling you what somebody told me. . .)

George Rekers' Rent Boy Speaks Out

Image from source, Miami New Times

If you haven't heard about George Rekers, the really, really anti-gay activist who was caught with a literal "rent boy," it isn't too surprising. Though this guy is behind some of the scummiest "we hate gay people, but hide behind pleasant words like 'family'" groups, his name is not well known. And after all, this is the sad story of a deeply closeted gay man being embarrassingly busted as a hypocrite. His business, not ours, right? Not in this case. This should be bigger news. Right up until his apparently much needed vacation, Rekers was still making hay stepping on the necks of gay people. And now that the rent boy himself is speaking out, I say we let him talk. And talk.

[Excerpt]

George Rekers Is a Homosexual, Escort Says

The male escort hired by anti-gay activist George Alan Rekers has told Miami New Times the Baptist minister is a homosexual who paid him to provide body rubs once a day in the nude, during their ten-day vacation in Europe.



Rekers allegedly named his favorite maneuver the "long stroke" -- a complicated caress "across his penis, thigh... and his anus over the butt cheeks," as the escort puts it. "Rekers liked to be rubbed down there," he says. . .

Read more at: Miami New Times

Anti-Gay Group Founder Takes Vacation with "Rent Boy"

Image from source, Huffington Post

Ah-hahahahahaha! Schadenfreude has been in short supply lately, but this one is hard to describe any other way.  Believe this: if a group is obsessed with stamping out the gay, they are overstocked with deeply closeted dirty old men.  And if a fundamentalist group uses the word "Family" in their name, it is code for squash the gay. Wash, rinse, repeat.

[Excerpt]

Anti-gay organization founder travels with a 'rentboy'

On April 13, the "rent boy" (whom we'll call Lucien) arrived at Miami International Airport on Iberian Airlines Flight 6123, after a ten-day, fully subsidized trip to Europe. He was soon followed out of customs by an old man with an atavistic mustache and a desperate blond comb-over, pushing an overburdened baggage cart.


That man was George Alan Rekers, of North Miami -- the callboy's client and, as it happens, one of America's most prominent anti-gay activists. Rekers, a Baptist minister who is a leading scholar for the Christian right, left the terminal with his gay escort, looking a bit discomfited when a picture of the two was snapped with a hot-pink digital camera. . .

Read more at: Huffington Post

Shameless Gossip: Is Senator Lindsey Graham Gay?

Shameless Gossip is a Greenlee Gazette feature that departs from the usual straight-ahead news and commentary. Stories under this banner should be read with a great deal of skepticism. But you never know, they could turn out to be true. . .

Not that I care much one way or the other, mind you. But it would be even less surprising than Ricky Martin's, Sean Hayes' or Clay Aiken's revelations.


[Excerpt]

Lindsey Graham Gay? Conservative Group ALIPAC Demands Senator 'Admit Homosexuality'



William Gheen, head of the conservative, anti-"amnesty," anti-illegal immigration group Americans for Legal Immigration PAC (ALIPAC), spoke at a Greenville, S.C. Tea Party rally this weekend and called for Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) to "come out of that log cabin closet. . ."

Read more at: Huffington Post

Probably My Last Larry Craig Post

Photo from source, TowleRoad

Yeah, all the fun has been wrung out of the Larry Craig story for me. The tapping jokes just got old, I guess. So, unless he comes swinging out of the closet on a rope, this will be the last time his visage graces the blog. The story this time is that the Senate gave him a wrist slap, not a toe-tap.

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Senate Issues Letter of Admonition to Larry Craig

The Senate Ethics Committee released a 'Public Letter of Admonition' today to Idaho Senator Larry Craig with regard to Craig's conduct following his arrest last June in a men's room at the Minneapolis airport. . .

Read more at: TowleRoad