I Didn't Say It ....

Adam Schiff, Democratic congressman from California, to the GOP in Congress doing _____’s bidding by demanding he resign because he’s long claimed that evidence of _____’s collusion with Russia:

“My colleagues might think it’s OK that the Russians offered dirt on the Democratic candidate for president as part of what’s described as the Russian government’s effort to help the _____ campaign.

My colleagues might think it’s OK that when that was offered to the son of the president, who had a pivotal role in the campaign, that the son did not call the FBI, he did not adamantly refuse that foreign help—no, instead that son said he would ‘love’ the help with the Russians.

You might think it was OK that he took that meeting.

You might think it’s OK that Paul Manafort, the campaign chair, someone with great experience running campaigns, also took that meeting.

You might think it’s OK that the president’s son-in-law also took that meeting.

You might think it’s OK that they concealed it from the public.

You might think it’s OK that their only disappointment after that meeting was that the dirt they received on Hillary Clinton wasn’t better.

You might think it’s OK. I don’t.

You might think it's OK that [Flynn] secretly conferred with a Russian ambassador about undermining US sanctions & then lied about it to the FBI.

You might say that's all OK—that’s just what you have to do to win... I think it's corrupt & evidence of collusion.

You might think it’s OK that the president’s son-in-law sought to establish a secret back channel of communication with Russians through a Russian diplomatic facility.

I don’t think that’s OK.

You might think it’s OK that an associate of the president made direct contact with the GRU through Guccifer 2.0 and WikiLeaks.

You might think it’s OK that a senior campaign official was instructed to reach that associate and find out what that hostile intelligence agency had to say, in terms of dirt on his opponent.

You might think it’s OK that the national security adviser-designate secretly conferred with a Russian ambassador about undermining U.S. sanctions, and you might think it’s OK he lied about it to the FBI.

You might say that’s all OK, that that’s just what you need to do to win.

But I don’t think it’s OK.

I think it’s immoral, I think it’s unethical, I think it’s unpatriotic and, yes, I think it’s corrupt, and evidence of collusion. I do not think that conduct, criminal or not, is OK,” concluded Schiff. “The day we do think that’s OK is the day we will look back and say that is the day America lost its way.”

Damn. That is just about perfection.

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Sally Field, mother of a gay son, Sam Greisman, and an advocate for LGBTQ rights, standing up for the Equality Act:

“Sam’s journey was a different one that his older brothers’. Being with him, watching him finally be able to be all that nature intended him to be … It was not an easy road for him. He wanted to be like his big brothers and nature had given him other gifts. This is change that isn’t just about the government. It would be the government making such an important move to change how people think altogether. As long as I am upright, I will fight for this to be—that Sam and everyone’s children and grandchildren and sisters and brothers will be protected in every state of the United States.”

It’s equality. What’s so wrong about that?

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Taron Egerton, on his sex scene with Richard Madden in Rocketman, the story of Elton John:

“I probably shouldn’t be telling you this but we have a sex scene. We went to some places together and got quite physical. I’ve watched it back and I think it looks great. The grown-up nature of the film, combined with it being a musical, makes it feel quite zeitgeisty. I don’t know if I’m allowed to say this but it’s basically about Elton in rehab, so we’re not watering anything down.”

I’ll just say this … Taron and Richard having sex on film will get my butt into a seat. It doesn’t hurt that the movie’s about Elton, though, but, still, I’m shallow like that.

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Pete Buttigieg, presidential candidate, on the need for a “religious left”;

“The idea that the only way a religious person could enter politics is through the religious right—I just don’t think that makes sense. What could be more different than the message I take from my faith and what we’re being shown in Washington right now? I think a lot of people wonder where they fit, either because who they are, if you’re a member of the LGBTQ community like I am, or because of what you believe politically. I think the time has come for more of a religious left to emerge in our country, that let’s people know that they aren’t alone when they look at faith and think that teaches us to reach out to others, to humble ourselves, to take care of the immigrant, the prisoner, and frankly the sex worker.”

The more Pete talks, common sense is what it's called, the more I like him.

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Dan Reynolds, straight Mormon Imagine Dragons frontman, demanding religious leaders denounce ‘gay cure’ therapy:

“‘I plead with our religious leaders across the world to stand up for equality together. ‘True equality–not empty words of love–but statements and actions that shows our LGBTQ youth that they are “sinless” and perfect just as they are. Until these changes are made within the doctrines of orthodox faith, we will continue to see increased rates of suicidality and depression/anxiety amongst our LGBTQ youth. It is a false notion that LGBTQ youth are more likely to have emotional vulnerabilities because of who they are/how their brains are programmed. The truth is that the leaders of our communities have created societal rules that leave no room for our LGBTQ youth to be healthy. It is a flawed system, not a flawed individual. Until the leaders of all orthodox faiths denounce conversion therapy and accept our LGBTQ youth into full fellowship, I believe we will continue to see a great exodus from all orthodox faith. We are not a generation that will stand for intolerance, homophobia or racism. And to those that say the simple answer is for our youth to just leave religion–it isn’t that simple. Many of these LGBTQ youth will be kicked out of the home and put into a more dangerous situation if they denounce the faith of their family. Also many find peace in their faith. They love it. It brings them comfort in a sad and oftentimes scary world. It is now up to our leaders to LEAD. How many more children will be lost before we practice true love in our churches?”

Reynolds is vocal in his support to the LGBTQ community and established the Love Loud music festival which benefits LGBTQ Suicide charities.

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Jerrold Nadler, House Judiciary Committee Chairman warning the DOJ not to hide evidence of _____ wrongdoing with regard to the Mueller investigation:

“If the president cannot be indicted … as a matter of law, then the only way to hold the president accountable is for Congress to consider it and act, if warranted. Congress can only do that if it has the information. For the department to take the position that ‘we’re not going to give information because he’s not indicted, like a normal person who’s not indicted because of lack of evidence,’ is equivalent to a cover-up and subverts the only ability to hold the president accountable. And the president no more than anybody else cannot be above the law.”

Nadler is ready to take the case to the Supreme Court that the report be published in full.

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Corey Lewandowski, former _____ campaign buttboy, on folks blaming _____ for the shooting in New Zealand:

“Many on the left, in the minutes following the tragic shootings in New Zealand, raced to blame President Donald J. _____ as motivating the killer. It is truly a despicable act to use a tragedy for political gain, yet this is an all-too-common tactic for many on the political left. The Democratic Party and voices on the left need to dial back their hate speech. Their actions have led to people wearing ‘Make America Great Again’ caps being kicked out of bars and restaurants for showing support for the president of the United States. We hear much talk about tolerance and civility from the left — yet, they only want to practice those ideas on people with whom they agree. The only person to blame for the mass shooting in New Zealand is the deranged person who committed the act. Democrats should not be allowed by the media to use that or any other tragedy for political advantage.”

Oh, Corey, you forgot to mention that the shooter praised _____ in his manifesto. You also forgot to mention the 2012 shooting at Family Research Council headquarters, which right wingers continue to relentlessly blame on liberals.

Get your lips off his ass for a minute.

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Paul Rudd, explaining why he looks the same in 2019 as he has for the last twenty years:

“I’m 80 years old on the inside. In here [pointing to his chest], pure darkness—and a little moisturizer.”

First off, Rudd is totes adorbs.

Secondly, my sister used to say to me, ‘How come you don’t ever look any older,’ and I’d say it’s against the Gay laws … we aren’t allowed to age.

Also, it has a lot to do with the fact that I am extraordinarily childish.

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I Didn't Say It ...

Jerrold Nadler, Democratic Senator from New York, saying _____’s firing of Comey could be “it”:

“If the president fired Comey because he asked for loyalty and hadn’t gotten it, because he had asked him to ease off on the investigation of [Michael] Flynn—because in effect he was asking him to ease off the investigation of possible collusion by the Trump campaign with the Russians in subverting the election—that would be obstruction of justice which is an impeachable offense.”

And rumor has it that Comey has the goods, so ... fingers crossed!

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Leon Panetta, former CIA Director and Defense Secretary, on _____: 

"Presidents are human beings, and they react emotionally to issues that bother them [but] you are the President of the United States. And your first responsibility is to be President. It’s not to react emotionally to issues that pop up every day. I don’t see anybody who’s got political experience, who has experience running a White House. I sense that there’s a lot of competing centers of power within the White House and it’s creating a chaotic background to try to support the President of the United States. And if that continues, I think this presidency is going to be chaotic into the future.”

Too many chiefs and not enough Indians, and a whole lotta asshats with ties to Russia.

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Kellyanne Conway, trying to shift focus away from Jared:

“This entire thing is just a rush to judgment. We have been talking about this for about 8 months and yet…it’s a lot easier to scream Russia, Russia, Russia every day.”

Um, Kellyanne, you ignorant slut, it’s because every f**king day we learn more and more people on your team have ties to Russia.

I’m begging to think your real name is Svetlana Conway.

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John Boehner, former House Speaker on _____:

"I was a little more optimistic about it early in the year; now my odds are 60/40. The border adjustment tax is deader than a doornail. Tax reform is just a bunch of happy talk.  Everything else he’s done has been a complete disaster. He’s still learning how to be president.”

And do we really want someone who’s learning how to do the job and then, every single day, proving he’s incapable of doing it?

That was a rhetorical question.

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Devin Nunes, blaming Russia investigation on Democrat sour grapes over Hillary Clinton’s loss: 

“The Democrats don’t want an investigation on Russia. They want an independent commission. Why do they want an independent commission? Because they want to continue the narrative that Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump are best friends, and that’s the reason that he won, because Hillary Clinton would have never lost on her own; it had to be someone else’s fault.”

Um, the Democrats want an independent commission because the GOP cannot be trusted to do anything other than support their party while the country burns,

The Democrats want an independent commission because people like Devin Nunes scurry like rats to the White House to warn _____ of the impending investigation.

Devin, you dickwad? Serve your country, not your party.

Or go home.

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Sean Spicer, White House Press Secretary and Punching Bag, trying to salvage _____’s Tweet about “covfefe”:

“The president and a small group of people know exactly what he meant.”

Um, yeah, it means the president cannot spell, cannot form a coherent sentence and spends too much time on Twitter.

Seriously, he’s an illiterate teenager.

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Tim Walberg, Republican Congressman from Michigan, on who can solve the problem of climate change:

“I believe there’s climate change. I believe there’s been climate change since the beginning of time. I believe there are cycles. Do I think man has some impact? Yeah, of course. Can man change the entire universe? No. Why do I believe that? Well, as a Christian, I believe that there is a creator in God who is much bigger than us. And I’m confident that, if there’s a real problem, he can take care of it.”

Seriously? Um, dick? If God can solve all the problems why hasn’t She fixed the water crisis in your state?

Or is She too busy helping singers win Grammys and actors win Oscars and athletes win world titles?

Siddown.

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I Didn't Say It ....

President Obama, on Mittsy's shift from being a "severe conservative" to moderate:

"We've got to name this condition that he's going through. I think it's called Romnesia. That's what it's called. I think that's what he's going through. Now, I'm not a medical doctor, but I do want to go over the symptoms with you—because I want to make sure nobody else catches it....You know if you say if you're for equal pay, but you can't say if you'll sign a bill for equal pay, you might have Romnesia....If you say you think women should have access to contraceptive care, but you support legislation that would let employers deny contraceptive care, you  might have Romnesia.....If you say you you'll protect a woman's right to choose, but you stand up in a primary debate and say you'd be delighted to ban abortion in all cases, then you definitely have Romnesia. This extends to other issues...If you have Romnesia, here's the good news—Obamacare covers preexisting conditions. We can fix you! We can make you well."

What else is there to say? When he’s right … he’s right.

Jerrold Nadler, congressman from New York, and yet another strike-down of DOMA:

"Speaker Boehner has wasted more than a year, and more than $1.5 million taxpayer dollars defending DOMA. So far, he has lost five cases in a row as every court has ruled that there is no legitimate justification for this law. Every day, DOMA harms thousands of American couples and their children. Instead of wasting taxpayer money defending this unjust law in court, Speaker Boehner should join us in our effort to repeal it."

If you remember, Boehner said this whole mess would cost a million-and-a-half and he’s just about reached his limit.

Show of hands … who thinks Boehner will stop his anti-marriage equality goosestep now?

Seimone Augustus, a guard for the Minnesota Lynx in the WNBA, on marriage equality and proposing to her girlfriend:

"I felt like it was the perfect time for me, being on a platform where I can make a change with my voice and my situation. Maybe inspire someone else to come out and be comfortable with themselves. Or maybe someone else's parents will see my parents saying that it's OK to be with your child and love your child unconditionally regardless of your sexual preference."

First things first: Seimone? it's not a poreference. preference denotes choice and we all know it's not a choice.

Secondly: good for you for coming out, and good for you for proposaomng to you girlfriend.

Every day more and more folks come out, and every day more and more gay folks get married.

The tide is changing, and we need to keep that momentum going.

Walter De Vries, a longtime aide to George W. Romney, on Mittsy Romney:

"While that might make for some good post-debate spin, perhaps exploitation of his late father’s memory and dramatic television, the conduct of Mitt Romney’s presidential campaign is a far cry from the kind of campaign and conduct, as a public servant, I saw during the seven years I worked in George Romney’s campaigns and served him as governor.  But it is Mitt’s behavior during this presidential campaign that is distinguishing – and not those of his father at all. Since 2005, when he first decided to seek the presidency, his political posture and positions have shifted in erratic and startling ways, to the right, to the middle, to the right and shifting still. I’ve tried to track Mitt Romney’s shifts – some 180 degrees others 360 — on key issues during the campaign. I’ve stopped at 30: abortion, stem-cell research; climate change and global warming; campaign finance; and equal pay for women are just a few."

The man never met a position he didn’t embrace, regale against, and then embrace again. His father, and mother, would be so proud of their son, who doesn’t want to be president because he thinks he’s a good leader; he wants the job because it’s a nice capper to his resume.

Ellen DeGeneres, on a Mittsy presidency:

“Well, I am certainly hoping our president stays put. If you’re a woman, you should be very, very scared of that, for many reasons. And obviously as a gay person he doesn’t believe in me having the same rights, so of course I’m not happy about that.”

If you’re a woman, or if you’re gay, or if you’re middle class, Mittsy doesn’t care about you.

I mean, we all heard him say that, right? The 47% he doesn’t worry about?

Josh Mandel, Ohio GOP Senate candidate, opposes all LGBT equality issues, but wants The Gays to know he'll represent us:

"On the military side, I disagree with [DADT repeal]. As far as the decision here in state of Ohio, I’m a supporter of marriage between one man and one woman. I believe in traditional marriage. At the same time, I want you to know I will do everything I can to represent every single person in the state of Ohio — all 11 and a half million people. Regardless of their background, regardless of their socioeconomic background, regardless of their race, their religion or any other characteristic…I’m going to be blind to race, religion, any other type of orientation here in the state of Ohio and when I go to Washington."

He doesn’t want The Gays in the military, and he doesn’t want The Gays to get married, but he’s gonna fight for The Gays.

Only a Republican could say that with a straight--pun intended because Joshy has a bad case of Gay Face--face ….

Richard Mourdock, Indiana Senate candidate who has been endorsed by Mitt Romney, on pregnancy as a result of rape:

"I've just struggled with it myself for a long time, but I came to realize that life is that gift from god. And even when life begins in that horrible situation of rape, that it is something that God intended to happen."

And then he backtracked:

"God creates life, and that was my point. God does not want rape, and by no means was I suggesting that he does. Rape is a horrible thing, and for anyone to twist my words otherwise is absurd and sick."

Um, Dick? May I call you Dick because you are a dick? Your exact words: ‘when life begins in that horrible situation of rape, that it is something that God intended.’

No one twisted it, you asshat. That’s what you said.

And gain, dear readers and voters, who would vote for such a wingnut? And who would support such a ….

Mittsy.

Five LGBT Allies

Sometimes it's hard to tell the gay-friendly from the homophobes--yes, I'm talking switch-hitter Tim Pawlenty, for one. And then you have the blatantly homophobic, anti-gay, anti-equality Jim DeMint from the great :::cough cough::: state of South Carolina who gets physically ill at the idea of homosexuality; and then we also have Queen Of The Asshats, Michele Bachmann of Minnesota, who believes that the LGBT community is a bigger threat than terrorism.

Still, we do have Tammy Baldwin, Barney Frank and Jared Polis taking up our issues in Congress, but, um, they kind of have to, being gay themselves. So, who else is there? Are there are any gay-friendly heteros in office willing to stand up for us and against the likes of Bachmann and DeMint?

We do....and here are five of them that deserve our thanks, our time, and our support:

Number Five:

Senator Tom Harkin, who did what a handful of Senators did this year: he publicly stated that he regretted his vote on the Defense of Marriage Act in 1996. Harkin joined Senators Arlen Specter and Chris Dodd in denouncing their vote for DOMA. But Harkin had a sense of eloquence in his comments, and it didn't hurt that they came right on the heels of Iowa's Supreme Court ruling that the state’s constitution required the recognition of same-sex marriage.

Tom Harkin: “We all grow as we get older, and we learn things and we become more sensitive to people and people’s lives. And the more I’ve looked at that, I’ve grown to think differently about how people — how we should live. And I guess I’m at the point that, you know — I’m to that point of live and let live.”

Number Four:

Congressman Earl Blumenauer, of Oregon, who also blasted the Defense of Marriage Act. Blumenauer also issued a statement regretting his original vote for DOMA, going so far as to say he not only regretted the vote, but felt it was the worst vote he ever cast in his entire political career. Blumenauer vowed to lobby his fellow legislators in efforts to overturn DOMA.

Earl Blumenauer: “I will work to make sure that my colleagues who once, for whatever reason, joined me in supporting [DOMA] take this opportunity to correct their record and eliminate an injustice.”

Number Three:

Senator Kirsten Gillibrand who has, well, for lack of a better term, come out strongly as one of the Senate’s biggest supporters for equal rights. Hers is one of the loudest voices in the Senate for ending Don't Ask, Don't Tell and has called the battle for marriage equality the civil rights battle of today’s generation. Gillibrand even tried to exert some pull with the New York State Senate in their [failed] marriage equality vote, and supports a fully inclusive version of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act.

Number Two:

Congressman Patrick Murphy is the first Iraq war veteran to serve in Congress and is one of the loudest and strongest voices on ending DADT. He seems to be making it one of his goals, even touring with the Human Rights Campaign’s “Voices of Honor” tour, calling attention to how eliminating gays and lesbians from the U.S. Armed Forces not only smacks in the face of equality and freedom--the very principles that our military stands for--but also threatens our national security.

Patrick Murphy: “‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ clearly isn’t working for our military, and it hinders national security and military readiness at a time when America is fighting in two wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. My time in Iraq taught me that our military needs and deserves the best and the brightest who are willing to serve -- and that means all Americans, regardless of their orientation.”

Number One...and we have a tie:

Congressman Joe Sestak of Pennsylvania has emerged as a fighter for LGBT equality. He says that one of the fights that keeps him going in politics is the battle to end the only form of institutionalized discrimination still legal in the U.S.--that of discrimination against LGBT people

Joe Sestak: “How can we demand that the 65,000 of our troops who are estimated to be gay act dishonestly and conceal information from their comrades and commanders? No one who serves in defense of liberty should be forced to live a lie. I cannot imagine denying equal rights to anyone I served with. How can anyone say, we fought and served together, we depended on one another, we risked our lives for this country, but back home you shouldn’t enjoy the rights that you defended?”
Congressman Jerrold Nadler also works tirelessly to get rid of DOMA, going so far as to introduce the Respect For Marriage Act that would dismantle DOMA. Nadler’s reason for introducing the Respect for Marriage Act: he wants to send DOMA “into the history books where it belongs.”

So, there you have five straight allies of the LGBT community. These are just some of the politicians who deserve our time, our support, and our donations, They understand equality; they understand marriage; they understand freedom and respect.

And they deserve ours.

list from change.org

Make A Change

This news is huge for LGBT advocates working on the issue of immigration; for anyone concerned with the issues of immigration.

The Uniting American Families Act (UAFA) was introduced in Congress by Representative Jerrold Nadler and Senator Patrick Leahy. UAFA will eliminate discrimination in U.S. immigration laws by permitting same-sex partners of U.S. citizens to obtain permanent resident status. It's kind of like how straight people who marry someone from outside the country can obtain legal resident status for their partner.

According to the Washington Blade, Congress will start hearings on the UAFA next week, in which LGBT advocates will surely see as a chance to revise U.S. immigration policy with an eye toward equality.

Equality. Such a lovely word.

So, I ask you to urge Congress to help pass the Uniting American Families Act by signing the petition here on Change.org. Let's make U.S. immigration laws a little more just for LGBT couples.

More equal.

A Moment In History To Be Recognized

Yesterday Democratic Representatives Jerrold Nadler of New York, Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin, Barney Frank of Massachusetts, and Jared Polis of Colorado introduced a resolution in the House of Representatives to recognize the 40th anniversary of Stonewall.

Stonewall is our Montgomery Bus Boycott. It is the LGBT community's rallying cry that enough is enough....enough was enough. And it should continue to be our rallying cry today in the on-going, decades long struggle for equality for all Americans.

On June 28, 1969, during a climate of fear and terror against the LGBT community in New York City and nationally, the New York Police Department conducted a raid of the Stonewall Inn, a bar in New York’s Greenwich Village frequented by the LGBT community. Bruised, shocked, angry and fed up, patrons of the bar organized spontaneous demonstrations outside the bar and onto the streets of New York City. Protests continued during the next few days. This watershed moment is the symbolic genesis of the gay rights movement in the U.S.

Jerrold Nadler: “The events at Stonewall 40 years ago had a profound effect on how LGBT Americans came to see their struggle for equality. Stonewall catalyzed gay Americans--and those who support their rights--into putting gay rights on the forefront, out in the open, unafraid and unapologetic. We have come very far in the battle for LGBT rights and acceptance since Stonewall, but we still have a ways to go. Together, we will keep fighting.”

Tammy Baldwin: “Stonewall was a moment in time that sparked a movement. We honor all those who stood their ground at Stonewall as we carry on their quest for full and equal rights for all Americans.”

Barney Frank: “As we move ahead in the movement for legal equality, it is important to remember those who had the courage to fight hard when things were much tougher."

Jared Polis: "With President Obama, the Democratic Congress, and the nation at our side, we are facing an incredible, historic opportunity for change for the LGBT community. But we cannot go forward without being mindful of where we’ve been. Stonewall brought the gay rights movement to the forefront of American culture and gave rise to the vibrant and politically active LGBT community that we have today. Our job now is to pick up where they left off and to provide equal rights for all Americans.”