fun with fundies: don't be touching me!

Rep. Daryl Metcalfe, the Republican Chair of the House State Government Committee in Pennsylvania, felt compelled to express his heterosexual bona fides after being touched by the Democratic Chair Matt Bradford.

Seth Andrews and the culture of Satanic Panic

random science 37: Mental Illness and Mass Shootings, some numbers

from an Abstract published February 2015:  Mental Illness, Mass Shootings, and the Politics of American Firearms, 

Jonathan M. Metzl, MD, PhD and Kenneth T. MacLeish, PhD (Copyright © American Public Health Association 2015, Am J Public Health. 2015 February; 105(2): 240–249.  doi:  10.2105/AJPH.2014.302242   PMCID: PMC4318286)

" ...Yet surprisingly little population-level evidence supports the notion that individuals diagnosed with mental illness are more likely than anyone else to commit gun crimes. According to Appelbaum,25 less than 3% to 5% of US crimes involve people with mental illness, and the percentages of crimes that involve guns are lower than the national average for persons not diagnosed with mental illness. Databases that track gun homicides, such as the National Center for Health Statistics, similarly show that fewer than 5% of the 120 000 gun-related killings in the United States between 2001 and 2010 were perpetrated by people diagnosed with mental illness.26"

Read the full Abstract here

random sounds 76: Puddles Pity Party

religion vs. people

The Dilemma Facing Ex-Muslims in Trump's America

How to challenge Islam while defending its adherents

A Muslim faithful reads the Quran inside a makeshift mosque. Yorgos Karahalis / Reuters 

From:

The Atlantic Daily​ 

by Simon Cottee 

Mar 6, 2017
 

“Challenging Islam as a doctrine,” Ali Rizvi told me, “is very different from demonizing Muslim people.” Rizvi, a self-identified ex-Muslim, is the author of a new book titled The Atheist Muslim: A Journey from Religion to Reason. One of the book’s stated aims is to uphold this elementary distinction: “Human beings have rights and are entitled to respect. Ideas, books, and beliefs don’t, and aren’t.”

The problem for Rizvi is that the grain of Western political culture is currently against him. Those in the secular West live in an age when ideas are commonly regarded as “deeds” with the potential to wound. So, on the left, self-critique of Islam is often castigated as critique of Muslims. Meanwhile, the newly elected president of the United States and his inner circle have a tendency to conflate the ideas of radical Islam with the beliefs of the entire Muslim population. So, on the right, the very same self-critique of Islam is used to attack Muslims and legitimize draconian policies against them.

full article at: theatlantic.com

Kerry's response to Netanyahu

Amerigod speaks

YouTube preachers were falling over themselves

to heap scorn and abuse on the folks in Orlando.

YouTube is pulling them as hate speech.

 

 

A sermon by Pastor Roger Jimenez, of Verity Baptist Church,

is similar and was also removed by YouTube as hate speech... but not before it was copied:

 

Later, Pastor Jimenez refined his position:

“As a Christian, we shouldn’t be mourning the death of 50 sodomites. Let me go ahead and start right there. As a Christian, we shouldn’t be sad or upset,” Jimenez said in his sermon, which was posted online to YouTube. YouTube has since removed the sermon, deeming it “hate speech.”
ABC10 News spoke with Jimenez at his Sacramento home on Tuesday morning. He said he did not have any regrets about the sentiments expressed in his Sunday sermon.
“The bible does teach that homosexuality deserves the death penalty. Leviticus 20:13 says that if a man lie with mankind like he does with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination and will surely be put to death. Romans 1 says that they which commit such things are worthy of death,” Jimenez said. “My whole point was, if people die who deserve to die, we don’t need to be mourning that. This gunman there that shot people up, the bible says he deserves to die, he died and we shouldn’t be mourning his death, either. That’s the whole point I was making, and it’s been taken out of context.”
Jimenez was asked to explain how his statements are not an incitement to violence against the LGBT community.
“I’m not calling people to arms. And I’m not telling people they should go do this … What I’m saying is that if the government followed the laws of God, that’s what they would be doing. And if the government did that, I’d be fine with that,” Jimenez said.
When asked to clarify whether he was saying that he’d support the government killing gay people, Jimenez said, “I would be fine. I would be totally okay with that, if the government did that. That’s what they would do, if we lived in a righteous nation.”
Jimenez said he will be holding his weekly sermon on Sunday as usual, and invites Christians who are not afraid of the media to attend Verity Baptist Church.

other Christians disagree
 



"Saying that singling people out because of their religion, sexual orientation,

or nationality must be offensive to God, Bishop Robert Lynch responded to the

attacks on the Pulse nightclub in Orlando..."

read the full article on the Tampa Bay Times

support the survivors and families of the Orlando massacre

edited email from SumOfUs, by Taren S-K

with respect,

Edward Sotomayor Jr., 34
Stanley Almodovar III, 23
Luis Omar Ocasio-Capo, 20
Juan Ramon Guerrero, 22
Eric Ivan Ortiz-Rivera, 36
Peter O. Gonzalez-Cruz, 22
Luis S. Vielma, 22
Kimberly Morris, 37
Eddie Jamoldroy Justice, 30
Darryl Roman Burt II, 29
Deonka Deidra Drayton, 32
Alejandro Barrios Martinez, 21
Anthony Luis Laureano Disla, 25
Jean Carlos Mendez Perez, 35
Franky Jimmy Dejesus Velazquez, 50
Amanda Alvear, 25
Martin Benitez Torres, 33
Luis Daniel Wilson-Leon, 37
Mercedez Marisol Flores, 26
Xavier Emmanuel Serrano Rosado, 35
Gilberto Ramon Silva Menendez, 25
Simon Adrian Carrillo Fernandez, 31
Oscar A Aracena-Montero, 26
Enrique L. Rios, Jr., 25
Miguel Angel Honorato, 30
Javier Jorge-Reyes, 40
Joel Rayon Paniagua, 32
Jason Benjamin Josaphat, 19
Cory James Connell, 21
Juan P. Rivera Velazquez, 37
Luis Daniel Conde, 39
Shane Evan Tomlinson, 33
Juan Chevez-Martinez, 25
Jerald Arthur Wright, 31
Leroy Valentin Fernandez, 25
Tevin Eugene Crosby, 25
Jonathan Antonio Camuy Vega, 24
Jean C. Nives Rodriguez, 27
Rodolfo Ayala-Ayala, 33
Brenda Lee Marquez McCool, 49
Yilmary Rodriguez Sulivan, 24
Christopher Andrew Leinonen, 32
Angel L. Candelario-Padro, 28
Frank Hernandez, 27
Paul Terrell Henry, 41
Antonio Davon Brown, 29
Christopher Joseph Sanfeliz, 24
Akyra Monet Murray, 18
Geraldo A. Ortiz-Jimenez, 25

May you rest in power.

The whole team at SumOfUs

Make a financial donation in support of families and survivors:

• Equality Florida’s GoFundMe Campaign: donate to the families affected by the shooting;
• The Center Orlando’s GoFundMe Campaign: providing a crisis services in the Orlando area and raising money for the affected families;
• Southerners on New Ground: Queer Liberation organization made up of LGBTQ people of color, immigrants, and other marginalized communities in the South (US);
• International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association: a worldwide federation of 1,200 member organisations from 125 countries campaigning for LBGT rights;
• International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and Intersex Youth & Student Organisation: a pan European capacity-building and youth empowerment network;
• The Trevor Project: US organization providing crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to LGBTQ young people.

Attend an event:

• You can find hundreds of local memorial events in the US and internationally, or create or find your own here.

Find resources:

• You can read lots of resources at WeAreOrlando.

This issue hits so close to home because the world tells LGBTQ people and people of color that their lives are not important. Despite celebrating in so many countries that love has won and marriage equality is a reality, politicians and preachers of hate create a world in which taking LGBTQ lives in cold blood is not only possible but justifiable.
That’s why coming together today to stand against hate and for our right to love whoever we want is so valuable and crucial for our movement.
More Information:

Worst Mass Shooting in Modern US History Takes Place at Orlando Gay Club on Latino-Themed Night, ReMezcla June 12, 2016
Latinx LGBTQ Community & Its Stories of Survival Should Be at Center of Orlando Response Democracy Now, June 14 2016
The AR-15 is the gun of choice for mass shootings and it’s easier to buy in Florida than a pistol, Quartz, June 12th, 2016

SumOfUs is a worldwide movement of people like you, working together to hold corporations accountable for their actions and forge a new, sustainable path for our global economy. Please help keep SumOfUs strong by chipping in CA$3 or become a SumOfUs core member with a regular monthly donation. Like us on Facebook or Follow us on Twitter

Mass shooting claims 50 lives in targeted attack

(this post has been edited and expanded)

We expected, at least anyone familiar with queer history did, a backlash against marriage equity in the U.S. Add the recognition of trans folk and you get entire demographics losing their minds.

The religious right regards us, as lgbt people, with utter, visceral loathing. In Canada, these extremists are held in check by the moderate majority. In the sothern US they ARE the majority. Not long ago, Ted Cruise and two other Republican presidential candidates raised their voices calling for the execution of homosexuals.

The only thing about this act of terrorism that surpises me is the religion of the murderer. Statistically, I expected southern Baptist.

from NBC:

"... The massacre — the worst mass shooting in the history of the United States — began when the gunman stormed the Pulse Nightclub about 2 a.m. ET with an AR-15 type rifle and a handgun

                    

The gunman called 911 before the attack, expressing fealty to ISIS. He twice had been investigated by federally authorities for alleged comments he made about terrorism, but both investigations were closed.
The names of the first victims identified in the shooting include seven men between the ages of 20 and 36 years old.
Mateen had security and firearm licenses and the gunman's weapons were legally purchased within the past week.
President Obama called the attack "an act of terror and hate." ..."

full NBC article with video here

from MailOnline:

"... ISIS has claimed responsibility for the deadliest mass shooting in US history and says the gunman who slaughtered at least 50 innocent party-goers in an Orlando gay club was one of its fighters...

Shortly before the attack, Mateen, who was born in New York to Afghan parents, called 911 and pledged allegiance to ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, law enforcement officials told NBC News.

And the terror group's Amaq news agency said on Sunday the Islamist militant group was responsible for the shooting.

'The armed attack that targeted a gay night club in the city of Orlando in the American state of Florida which left over 100 people dead or injured was carried out by an Islamic State fighter,' Amaq said.

U.S. officials cautioned, however, that they had no immediate evidence of any direct connection with ISIS or any other foreign extremist group, nor had they uncovered any contacts between the gunman and any such group.
read the full MailOnline article here

related:

Alix Jules on race, politics and black secularism

A candid conversation with Seth Andrews, Alix Jules speaks about religion, race, politics, equality, and the rise of black secularism throughout the United States.

fun with fundies: Kent Hovind rides again!

Fresh from prison for 'taking money from our account to pay bills' and not for fraud at all, nudge nudge, Kent Hovind explaines the mysteries of young earth creationism. Enjoy. You're welcome.

it's black and white

two men and their dad

found on Upworthy

Don't care to travel overseas for your over-the-top bigotry? Welcome to Arizona and SB 1062

Arizona's Religious Freedom Restoration Act

"The bill... would allow anyone in the state to legally refuse business or service to LGBT people based on religious freedom. The bill was passed by the Republican-controlled Senate, [and] also passed by the Republican-controlled state House.
Governor Jan Brewer, also Republican, has until February 28 to act."

 Wikipedia

"We are trying to protect people's religious freedoms," 

Republican Representative Steve Montenegro said. "We want to prevent the government from forcing a person who is trying to start a business to sell out their religion for money."

Phoenix New Times Blogs, Feb.21, 2014

"No Arizonan should be forced to choose between making a living and living free. 

An amended bill that provides a safeguard from laws that violate our First Amendment 

freedoms — while still letting government enact laws necessary to the common good — is 

a sensible one.

No court in Arizona should be able to tell you that a violation of those freedoms is 

just the “price of citizenship.”

AZCentral, Feb 24, 2014

^^for: Senator Al Melvin

^^against: Senator Steve Farley

SB1062 full text

I brought the first stone, Mr. Webb...

... in case that your Bible talk isn’t just a smoke screen for personal prejudices.”

 Pamela Raintree, Shreveport, Louisiana City Council meeting, January 2014

original story from Americans Against the Tea Party
see also Huffington Post, Towleroad, and TYT

great backyard bird count 2014

 

Bienvenue au GDOF

Welcome to the GBBC

I want my sufferage: International Women's Day

(apologies, I wasn't able to get this up yesterday)

"In the 19th century, female property holders could demand municipal voting rights on the principle of "no taxation without representation." Propertied women in Québec voted unchallenged between 1809 and 1849, when the word "male" was inserted into Québec's franchise act. What Québec women lost, Ontario women soon gained: from 1850, women with property, married or single, could vote for school trustees. By 1900 municipal voting privileges for propertied women were general throughout Canada. But most 19th-century Canadians, women as well as men, believed that the sexes had been assigned to "separate spheres" by natural and divine laws that overrode mere man-made laws, and this stood squarely in the way of achieving votes for all women as a democratic right. 

At the provincial level, public debate in Ontario began among members of the Toronto Women's Literary Club, a screen for suffrage activities created 1876 by Dr Emily Howard STOWE, Canada's first woman doctor. She and her daughter, Dr Augusta STOWE-GULLEN, spearheaded Ontario's suffrage campaign for 40 years. In 1883 the club became the Toronto Women's Suffrage Association, then in 1889 the Dominion Women's Enfranchisement Association - a national group in name only. 

Despite numerous petitions and bills, Ontario's lawmakers, confident that they had public opinion behind them, repeatedly blocked changes. Suffrage groups were thus forced to undertake long years of public education. Valuable support came in the 1890s from the WOMAN'S CHRISTIAN TEMPERANCE UNION, whose leaders saw votes for women as necessary in achieving PROHIBITION. In 1910, the respected and influential NATIONAL COUNCIL OF WOMEN spoke out for suffrage... "

read the entire entry at: Canadian Encyclopedia

see also: History of Women's Sufferage, Marionopolis Collge

 ~~~~~

Bad Romance: Women's Suffrage is a parody music video paying homage to 

Alice Paul and the generations of brave women who joined together in the fight to pass the 

19th Amendment, giving American women the right to vote in 1920.

 from: Soomo Publishing  via  Token Skeptic

~~~~~

found on: No Country For Women

from: Turn'd Turk

Black History Month: Victoria 1858

Kilian on AterNet
WikiBio
Go Do Some Great Thing at Amazon

Wikipedia blacked-out for 24 hours

From the Wikipedia public announcement:

"Today, the Wikipedia community announced its decision to black out the English-language Wikipedia for 24 hours, worldwide, beginning at 05:00 UTC on Wednesday, January 18 (you can read the statement from the Wikimedia Foundation here). The blackout is a protest against proposed legislation in the United States — the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) in the U.S. House of Representatives, and the PROTECT IP Act (PIPA) in the U.S. Senate — that, if passed, would seriously damage the free and open Internet, including Wikipedia... "
read more